Page 24 of Breaking the Pucking Rules (LA Vipers #1)

KODIE

S he’s here.

Casey fucking Watson is here.

In Utah.

Possibly in this very hotel right now.

Probably with her father.

Fuck.

FUCK.

“Does winning give you the shits or something?” Linc barks through the bathroom door.

We arrived back about fifteen minutes ago, and after agreeing to meet the team at the bar, we came up to our room. I swiftly locked myself in the bathroom for a moment alone to process what the fuck happened at the arena.

She’s here.

“I’ll be out in a bit.”

“We’re gonna be late,” he points out

“Then go. I’ll meet you down there.”

“Or you’ll pussy out of it.”

“I won’t. I’ll be there.”

How could I possibly pussy out of it when she’s likely to be down there?

With her father…

No. He never drinks with the team after a game.

But he might with his daughter…

“Promise?” Linc asks, sounding much like Sutton when she wants to make sure I’m going to follow through on something.

“Yes. I promise.”

Shaking my head, I pull my cell from my pocket and press play on the video Mom sent me of Sutton watching the end of the game when I scored.

She launches from the couch so fast that she’s a blur before jumping on the coffee table, shouting and screaming at the TV.

Linc mumbles something on the other side of the door as I read the message Sutton sent after the video.

Mom: You are amazing. I’m so proud of you, Daddy. I love you, Sutton xxx

She’s in bed now, so she won’t see my reply until Mom shows her first thing in the morning.

Knowing that my daughter is proud of me makes my chest ache in the best kind of way. Sadly, though, it doesn’t lessen the panic raging inside me from seeing Casey standing among our fans wearing my number again.

If only she knew just what seeing her like that does to me.

Finally, I take a piss, wash my hands, and step out of the bathroom, assuming it’s safe.

But no sooner have I stepped around the corner does my heart jump into my throat and a grunt rips from me.

“I thought you’d left,” I bark, my pulse racing.

“Decided I didn’t trust your promise,” he states.

“And I’ve decided you’re an asshole.”

“Original,” he mutters.

“Whatever,” I say before quickly changing out of my suit in favor of a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

“Ready?” he asks, his eyes alight with anticipation for the night ahead of us.

My stomach turns over with a mixture of nerves and excitement.

If she is down there…what am I going to do?

I haven’t propositioned a woman in years.

Do I even want to?

Yes, yes you do.

Another night with her, now you know who she is, and it’ll get her out of your system…

Here’s hoping.

Wiping my hands on my thighs, I turn to look at Linc. “Yep, let’s go.”

I march toward the door before he has a chance to respond and pull it open.

If I don’t leave this room right now, I might talk myself out of it. And I already know that I’ll regret not taking this chance.

“Whoa, someone is keen,” Linc laughs as he catches up with me to the sound of the hotel room door closing behind us.

I don’t respond. I can’t.

All I can think about is her being at the bar and still wearing my jersey.

The guys are already sitting around a large table with drinks when we get there, and the second they spot me, a round of cheers goes up, ensuring that every pair of eyes in the bar turns to me.

I shake my head and give each of them a warning glare as I fight with my potent need to scan the entire bar, looking for her.

Who am I kidding? She might not even come.

That moment I thought we shared at the arena may have all been in my head.

Forcing myself to continue forward, I take a seat next to Calvin, aka Killer, and Milo McKenna, aka Brit, our first-line defensemen, as Linc drops next to Monroe—but not before he ruffles his hair, messing up the style he probably spent ages perfecting.

“Fucking epic work tonight, Marilyn,” he praises as two beers and two shots magically appear before us.

I eye the shot suspiciously. It’s been years since I did one, and I’m not entirely sure I liked them all that much back then.

“Don’t be a pussy,” Handsy mutters, watching me closely.

Movement to my left catches my eye, and when I glance over, the entire world stops.

Casey walks into the bar as if she’s walking down a catwalk in slow motion. Or that could just be the way I see it.

Her long blonde hair is now down, hanging around her shoulders like silk.

Instantly, an image pops into my head of her on top of me, her hair surrounding both of us, making it seem like only the two of us exist.

My heart slams against my ribs and my cock jerks in excitement.

She’s got her sight set on the bar as Parker says something beside her that causes her to throw her head back laughing.

The sound floats over to me, and my temperature spikes.

I can’t end tonight without at least talking to her.

Who am I kidding?

I want to do a hell of a lot more than that.

“Kodie,” Killer barks. “Are you going to do that shot or what?”

A huge part of me wants to shove it away, stand, and march straight over to her.

I could throw her over my shoulder and walk out of here, allowing everyone to understand my intentions.

She’s your coach’s daughter. You shouldn’t be looking, let alone touching…

I reach for the shot and lift it to my lips.

Without thinking too much about it, I swallow the vodka, letting it burn down my throat.

“That’s what we’re talking about,” Linc says before waving to the server for more.

Absolutely not.

As the guys fall back into their previous conversation, discussing tonight’s game and our performance, I let my eyes drift around the bar.

There are more than a few tables who are none too discreetly watching us. Quite a few are also wearing Vipers colors. But for now, they’re happy to just be in the same place as us. Something tells me that won’t last forever, though. As the drinks flow, they get braver.

Hoping that I’m being inconspicuous, I turn my attention to a tall table over by the windows.

My breath catches the second my eyes lock on hers.

She was waiting for me.

Swallowing thickly, I look away and back to the guys, but I don’t hear a word they’re saying; my head is too full of her.

Needing something to do, I reach for my beer and drink over half of it without coming up for air.

My skin tingles with awareness, and fire burns through my veins.

She’s still looking at me.

I focus on the guys ribbing Monroe for a comment that I totally missed, but I soon find my eyes drifting back over to Casey. And just like I was expecting, she’s watching me.

Parker has her back to me, but there’s no chance she’s missed the fact that Casey is paying her zero attention.

Look away , I silently beg.

If any of the guys notice, I’m fucked.

Our next round of shots arrive, but I don’t reach for mine. I need a clear head tonight.

Sliding mine across the table, I gesture for Monroe to take it.

“You sure?” he asks, his own already empty.

“Yep.”

“Pussy,” Linc scoffs.

Ignoring him, I drain the rest of my beer, already planning my escape.

I figure an hour is enough to humor them before I make my excuses.

I swear, time stands still as I sit there waiting for the right moment to slip away.

Linc, Killer, and Monroe have excused themselves and headed toward the bar to chat up a bunch of bunnies who’ve entered—although none of them seem to have stolen Linc’s attention, because he’s wandered over to the table Casey and Parker are sitting at.

My blood begins to boil and my heart races as he turns his panty-melting smile on Casey.

Mine .

Gritting my teeth, I attempt to watch them without making it obvious.

It helps when a round of cheers goes up from where Killer and Marilyn are. As I watch them dance, I pray that it’ll be enough to steal away Linc from Casey.

But the motherfucker stays put.

Leave, Kodie. Just leave and go back to your room and go to bed…

If only it were that easy.

With a glance around the table, I thankfully discover that everyone is lost in their own conversations. I finish my second and final beer of the night before excusing myself to the bathroom.

I force myself not to rush, but I regret that the second a fan steps up to the sinks beside me and tells me how awesome I was tonight.

Now, don’t get me wrong, praise from a fan is great.

I always love a good ego boost, especially on a night like this where we have everything to celebrate.

But right now, the only place I want to be is out there, making sure Casey isn’t going to spend the rest of the night celebrating with a player who isn’t me.

She’s not like that , a little voice says. But as much as I want to believe that, I don’t actually know Casey.

Finally, he allows me to escape the bathroom after signing the back of a receipt for his kid. The second I emerge, my eyes scan the bar for them.

I breathe a huge sigh when I find Linc still standing at their table. Although, I’m not thrilled by the wide smile playing on his lips as he gazes down at Casey.

Red-hot jealousy shoots through my veins.

It shouldn’t be there.

She isn’t mine.

But I can’t help it.

I’m not done with her.

I’m almost at the table when the three of them notice my approach. The fact that Casey isn’t as aware of my presence as I am of hers pisses me off.

But what else can I expect?

She probably hasn’t given a second thought to our night together.

She got what she wanted.

“Oh, hey,” Linc says when he finally turns to me. “You know Casey and Parker, right?”

I glare at him. Even if I hadn’t spent the night with Casey, I’d still know who she fucking is.

And Parker Donnelly—everyone on the team knows her too, thanks to her big brother.

“Yeah,” I mutter.

I look at Parker first. She smiles up at me with interest sparking in her golden eyes.

Steeling myself, I turn my attention to Casey. The second my eyes connect with hers, desire shoots through me, ending right in my balls.

“Ladies,” I greet, my voice unusually deep and raspy. “I hope Storm has offered to buy you both a drink.”

Linc scoffs, but Parker is the first to respond. “Pfft. Storm wouldn’t know how to be a gentleman if it bit him in the ass.”

Linc rears back, offended. “I know exactly how to treat a woman, thank you very much.”

“Pulling hair and slapping ass might be fun, but we’re more than just sex dolls, you know.”

I snort in amusement as Linc's chin drops.

Clapping him on the shoulder, I say, “She’s got a point there, man.”

“The fuck do you know?” he mutters as I gesture for the server to get the girls two more drinks.

My eyes collide with Casey’s again, the air between us crackling. I pray that it’s only us that can feel it. If they notice, we’re fucked, and I’m not ready for Coach to kill me just yet.

I need another taste of her first.

“Shouldn’t you be over there choosing your bunny for the night?” Parker asks Linc as she jerks her head toward the other side of the bar.

“The night is still young. Thought I’d come over here and make them all jealous by chatting you up first.”

Parker’s face screws up in disgust.

“I don’t think that’s going to work for you, hot shot.”

He leans closer to her, getting in her space.

She attempts to get away, but she just bumps into the wall.

“I appreciate your concern, Donnelly, but I’m more than aware of what works for me.”

“Asshole,” she hisses, making Casey chuckle.

The sound is like music to my ears. The only thing that would be better is her moaning.