Page 15 of Breaking the Pucking Rules (LA Vipers #1)

CASEY

“ S top looking at the door like he’s about to walk through it. You know he’s not,” Parker says after the game.

“I’m not,” I mutter, although we both know I’m lying.

Dad sent Kodie to do post-game press, so he’d be late even if he was planning on attending.Which he never does.

“Come on, let’s get a drink,” Parker says, threading her arm through mine and dragging me to the bar.

She orders for both of us, and I force myself to keep my back to the door as we discuss tonight’s game.

Parker might have no interest in bedding a hockey player, but that doesn’t mean she’s not as obsessed as I am.

Her ultimate dream is to become an athletic trainer for the team. Other than playing when she was a kid, it’s the only thing she’s ever wanted to do.

Over the years, I’ve teased her relentlessly about how badly she wants to get her hands on their muscles.

She laughs it off, but I’ve always wondered what it would be like.

To get up close and personal with a pro hockey player.

Sure, I may have dabbled while at college with a few members of the team, but after what I experienced last weekend, I now know just what a different league they’re in.

What a pro athlete can do in bed compared to a college player… well …

My blood heats, and I can’t stop the blush from rising on my cheeks.

“Oh my god,” Parker gasps. “You’re thinking about him.”

“Parker,” I hiss.

“Sorry, sorry,” she says, looking around with a guilty expression on her face.

Suddenly, the door opens and a buzz of excitement rolls through the room as everyone turns to see if it’s their loved one about to walk through the door.

I try not to look as excited, but I’m pretty sure I fail if Parker’s giggle tells me anything.

It’s all for nothing because our captain, Fletcher Fergurson, and Lincoln Storm come bouncing into the room.

Fletch marches straight toward his wife, Reese, and wraps her in his arms.

Linc, on the other hand, lifts his arms in the air and shouts, “Who’s gonna win the Stanley Cup this year?”

I laugh as a chorus of “LA Vipers” ripples around the room.

“If anyone was going to break the rules, I’d have put money on it being him,” Parker whispers as Linc makes his way through the room, greeting his teammates, friends, and family.

“I’m not interested in Linc,” I say, seconds before he approaches us.

“Pretty sure that makes me and you the only ones in the country who would turn him down.”

“Ladies,” the man in question says as he wraps an arm around both of our shoulders. “How did you enjoy watching me play tonight?”

“Oh, were you on the ice?” Parker quips. “I thought you’d been benched.”

“Funny, Donnelly. Really fucking funny. In case you missed it, I was the one who set up Big D for his epic winning goal.”

“Oh, yeah. We saw him do that. Kodie Rivers is the best winger in the league.”

Linc lifts his hand to his chest. “You wound me, Donnelly.”

“I’m under no illusion that your ego can handle it. ”

Linc chuckles before someone else catches his attention, and he leaves us alone.

The rest of the team joins us, and not long after, Dad also appears.

He makes a beeline for me.

“Great game tonight,” I say, my wide smile matching his.

During practice and games, he’s so serious and stoic, completely focused on the job at hand. But after a win, he turns into the fun-loving man I remember from childhood.

“It was. The guys did a fantastic job.”

“And as humble as ever,” Parker teases.

The next hour passes with excited chatter about tonight’s game, along with discussions about our first road game.

The team is heading to Vancouver for Wednesday’s game. I hate being left behind and having to watch them on TV. But seeing as I have a job here, I can’t just hop on a flight and follow them.

Eventually, the team and their wives and girlfriends begin to disappear. I know exactly where most of them are going.

The Fractured Compass.

It’s a dive bar a few streets over from the arena that the team has claimed as theirs.

I’m desperate to go and hang out with the team after hours.

If things were different, if my father wasn’t their coach, then maybe I would.

Who am I kidding? I wouldn’t stand a chance of talking to these guys if I weren’t thrust into this world by Dad.

I’d like to think that no matter what, I’d be a fan. But who knows?

“We should go,” Parker suggests, reading my expression.

I shake my head.There have been a few occasions where I’ve hung out with them after games, but that’s usually because it’s someone’s birthday or we have something big to celebrate.

I might be a part of the LA Vipers franchise, but I’m not a part of the team.Not really.

We’re not friends. We’re acquaintances. They’re nice to me because they’re too terrified not to be. But equally, they keep me at arm’s length because they have to.

“I’m tired. I’m just going to head home.”

Parker lets out a long, disappointed breath.

“Yeah, same.”

Guilt twists me up inside. She wants to go. She wants to hang out with the team, soak it all up.

“One day,” I promise her.

After saying goodbye to Dad, we head out.

“Sure I can’t tempt you?” Parker says as I hit the blinker that will take us toward her apartment and away from the bar. “He’s not going to be there.”

“No, I need to go home. I’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”

She smiles sadly at me but doesn’t say anything else about it.

After dropping her off, I head home with tonight playing out in my head.

Kodie has never spotted me in the crowd before. Or, if he has, then I haven’t noticed.

But the second his eyes landed on me earlier, something happened. And the moment he looked up at me after he scored and won the game...

It felt like…

I squeeze my eyes closed as I stop at a red light.

It felt like it was for me.

Lock it down, Casey.

You probably didn’t feature in a single one of his thoughts tonight.

There is no way he’ll crawl into bed tonight and think about that eye contact, remember how it was when you were together.

My thoughts run away with me as I pull into the parking lot outside my building and picture him lying in bed with his hand wrapped around his dick, groaning my name.

Fuck’s sake, Watson. Get a grip.

He doesn’t care about you.

The only thing important to him is his future here.

“ F ucking hell, come on,” I scream at my TV as Vancouver steals the puck and shoots off down the ice, scoring again.

We’re losing three to one, and the clock is counting down too fast.

I’m on the edge of my seat as the puck drops and Fletch wins the face-off.

He passes to Kodie, who takes off with Vancouver's defense right on his tail.

My heart is in my throat as he gets closer to the goal. But just before he gets there, the other Vancouver defenseman—Cooper Nash—bodychecks Kodie.

“Motherfucker,” I cry, now on my feet, unlike Kodie and the asshole who took him down.

The whistle blows and play stops as they right themselves.

Kodie barks something, and the Vancouver player turns on him and steps right into his space.

“Shit,” I whisper as I wait, not breathing..

Fights on the ice are common, but it’s very rare that Kodie gets involved.

Unsurprisingly, it’s usually Linc.Or Killer, one of our starting D men.

My heart slams against my ribs as I wait to see what’s going to happen.

Members of both teams move closer, ready to get involved if necessary.

The Vancouver captain reaches out to pull his man away, but he’s not having any of it. He’s gunning for a fight.

Kodie lifts his chin, and I gasp, waiting for fists to start flying.

I can’t decide if I want it to happen or not.

Watching him fight will be hot as hell, I have no doubt. But also…his daughter.

It’s the last thing she needs.

I’ve only seen her a handful of times. We did a family day last year that she came to. Honestly, she was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, walking around wearing her dad’s jersey with pride.

But mostly, Kodie keeps his family life private.

I can’t blame him. I think I’d do the same thing.

I’m just about convinced he’s agreeing to fight before he skates away.

I breathe a sigh of relief and lower myself back to my couch.

Fuck. That was intense.

Both teams line up for the final face-off, and I’m forced to watch as Vancouver steals the puck and scores the final goal of the game.

“Fuck,” I sigh. Disappointment sits heavily in my stomach.

I feel it for Dad. For the team. For everyone.

Throwing myself back on the couch, I keep my eyes on the screen, or more specifically, our number fifty-five.

The camera doesn’t pan that close as he skates toward the exit and steps off the ice, but it’s close enough to see the hard set of his jaw. Anger and frustration roll off him in waves.

Linc rushes up behind him, clamps his hand on Kodie’s shoulder, and says something.

Kodie isn’t having any of it, though, and shrugs him off.

My heart sinks.

I don’t move from my spot as I watch Fletch and Dad do post-game press before highlights from the other games tonight are shown.

“Onwards and upwards,” I mutter, walking to my kitchen to get a glass of water.

Adrenaline still races through my veins, and that’s from just watching the game. I can only imagine what it must be like to be a part of it.

My phone pings on my coffee table, and it lights up, showing a picture of Parker and me last season in our jerseys. We traveled to Las Vegas for a game. It was incredible. Not only did the Vipers win, but we had an epic weekend.

We’ve already booked our tickets for when we play Vegas later in the season, and I can’t wait.

Parker: That was rough.

Parker: Thought your man was gonna start throwing punches there.

Parker: Do you think he’s sexually frustrated? Maybe he needs a hand with that…

Casey: Knew I shouldn’t have told you.

Parker:

Casey: You’re a nightmare.

When she doesn’t reply immediately, I find my conversation with Dad.

Casey: Onwards and upwards x

It’s the words he used to say to me after a loss.

I remember vividly walking out of the dressing room after a hard game, choked up and fighting back tears and falling straight into his arms.

“Losing is a part of the game,” he used to whisper to me. “You can’t be a winner if you can’t handle the losses.”

Dad: You can’t be a winner if you can’t handle the losses. Love you, Care Bear.

I smile.

Casey: Love you too. See you soon x

As I stare at our thread, I can’t help but wonder if Kodie has anyone messaging him, letting him know that they were watching, that they care and that a loss is okay.

Sadness seeps through my veins. Everyone deserves to have someone on their side.