Page 105 of Daring the Hockey Player

"How long have you been banging my fiancée's little sister?" Kyler's voice echoes through the locker room. There's no way that Amber doesn't hear the accusation.

"We're not—not that it's any of your business."

"Was it before or after I offered to pay you?"

I scoff at his suggestion. "You begged me to take her off your hands, that she was a burden living with you—" I unlace my skates and remove them, leaving them on the floor.

"I wanted to give her a place to stay, not get her boned by you!"

"I'm not boning her! And fuck you for trying to tell me who I can and can't hook up with." I stand, coming at Kyler. He's got his skates off now too, but both of us still have our pads and gear on aside from our helmets.

"Listen to yourself!" Kyler shouts. "You can't be shacking up with her. She's your roommate! What's going to happen when you fuck this up?"

"I don't plan on fucking it up," I say, getting in his face.

He shoves me backward. "I'm trying to help you. Can't you see that?" Kyler doesn't back down, and neither do I.

"Help me by controlling my life? I'm falling in love with her! And we're taking things slow, not that it'sanyof your business."

"Good, because she's still a virgin. She doesn't need to lose it to you."

I bring my fist back, and Noah is on me before I can beat the shit out of Kyler.

"That's enough!" Malone steps between us. Noah and Owen yank me back several feet. "Shower, now!" Coach points at me to hit the showers while he has a word with Kyler.

After a quick shower, I avoid Kyler for the rest of the evening. He heads to the shower while I make my way back to the locker room to get dressed.

Coach Malone is waiting for me, arms folded across his chest. "This isn't going to be a problem, your new girlfriend, is it?"

"Why would it be a problem? Why does who I date matter to anyone but me?"

Malone nods. "It shouldn't, but if you're going to acknowledge this thing between you and the girl publicly, she can't be wearing the jersey for the opposing team."

"I thought there's no such thing as bad press," I say with a smirk.

"I'm serious," Malone says, stepping closer, and he rests a hand on my shoulder. Sometimes I think he considers himself like a father to the younger players, offering advice. "You have one more year on your contract. You don't need to make waves—"

I cut him off before he can offer any more unwarranted advice. "Amber was wearing my jersey tonight, in case you didn't notice."

"I didn't," he says. "Just be careful. You don't want to let a girl come between brothers."

"A girl he's never even dated! Why does everyone assume that I did something wrong?"

Malone sighs. "No one is saying that. Just don't let her come between you and the team. Okay?"

"She would never do that, Coach."

I finish getting dressed, and I hurry back to the hallway where Amber had been waiting.

She's gone.

I run a hand through my hair and glance at my phone. There are no missed calls or texts from Amber. I hurry back into the locker room and find Noah.

"I need to find Amber. She might have overheard and misinterpreted some of it. If you see her after the game, text me? I'm going to head back to our place."

"Yeah, I'll keep an eye out for her. Good luck." Noah pats me on the back.

I hurry out of the locker room. The crowd has thinned from the stadium, and there are a few stragglers on their way out who stop me for a photo or autograph. I'm surprised that we have any fans at the Bruisers arena, but both teams are in New York.