Page 125 of Breaking the Ice

Resignation?

“It’s just for the power play, Mal,” Elliott said, reassuring him.

Mal made a face.

Zach wasn’t sure he’d expected this.

“We moved you specifically, Mal, because we think the second power play team needs some additional leadership.”

“Yeah, ’cause Ethan can’t lead his way out of a paper bag,” Elliott groused.

Zach wanted to disagree with that assessment, but if it wasn’t true, they wouldn’t be moving Mal.

“It’s ’cause I’m playing like shit, right?” Mal said heavily.

“Actually you’re not at all. We’re just . . .” Zach cleared his throat. “Trying to spread some of the wealth around. Hope it sparks some goals for everyone.”

“Right,” Mal said morosely.

“You’re not moving him off my line, are you?” Elliott demanded.

“No, no, of course not.” Zach would absolutely go to bat for that, if Gavin ever seriously suggested it.

“You’d better not,” Elliott said.

That was more in line with what Zach had expected from this conversation—Elliott alternately sulking and making demands.

Not Mal looking like someone had just kicked his puppy.

He’dactually expected Malcolm to understand.

“It’s not meant to be a punishment,” Zach said as gently as he thought Mal could stomach, laying a hand on his arm.

“Right,” Mal said. “Hey—I gotta—I gotta go.”

He was up in a flash, and out the door before Zach could even hope to stop him.

Elliott’s stare grew heavier.

“You’re not going after him?” Zach asked.

“I know where he’s going, and I’ll catch up with him,” Elliott said. “You really aren’t punishing him?”

Zach choke-laughed. “No.No. God, we’re just trying to bring some steady leadership to the second team.”

“Move me instead,” Elliott demanded then, and there it was, the demand that Zach had expected. Though notwhathe’d expected. He’d fully anticipated that Elliott would throw a fit and demand they not do it at all. Not that they move him instead of Malcolm.

“But—” Zach wasn’t sure how to say, with any kind of tact, that Elliott was definitely not the steadying force that Mal was, but he never even got a chance because Elliott interrupted him first.

“I can be that same presence that you want Mal to be,” Elliott insisted stubbornly.

Zach probably looked faintly dubious at this assertion before he blanked his reaction, because Elliott’s jaw jutted out even farther.

“Ican,” he said. “Maybe I’m not scoring, but Iwill. I know I will, I just need . . .”

“Yeah, you will,” Zach reassured. “Of course you will.”

“Just move me, okay? Not him.”