Page 41 of Daring the Hockey Player

The referees finally pull Jasper and Knox apart, ejecting them from the game. They also eject Kyler and Conrad.

"Seriously?" Noah shouts.

TEN

JASPER

My knuckles hurt earlier,but the pain radiates under my chin, and as I sit on the bench in the locker room with a bag of ice on my chin, I see a smear of blood.

I wipe it away, but there's probably more where that came from.

I hadn't bothered to look in the mirror. I'm sure I'm quite the sight. Glancing at the overhead monitors, I can see the game on television, and at least I'm not the only player who got ejected.

"You look like shit," my brother says as he joins me in the locker room.

"Thanks," I say with a smile. At least I still have all my teeth.

He grabs a clean towel and tosses it at me. "You've got blood," he gestures at my face. "Clean that mess up. The press wants an interview after the game."

"I'm not giving them shit," I say. They'll ask me about the fight. They don't give a damn about how I play, how many goals I've scored. It's always about the fight. The brutality of the sport.

"It's too bad we weren't twins," Kyler says with a grin.

"I know." My brother loves the spotlight. He thrives under it and has learned to use it to help his career.

Me? I'd prefer not to be noticed. I mean, I appreciate the rookie contract that I have, and when it's up, I'd like a bigger offer, but I don't like having to be interviewed and tossed questions, especially ones that have little to do with hockey.

In the last interview, the woman sports reporter asked me if I was dating anyone. Seriously? Like, what the fuck does that matter?

Turns out she was a puck bunny vying for our team after going through half the Wolverines and most of the Barbarians. No, thanks. I don't need to stick my dick into someone who's fucked two other NHL teams.

I glance at the monitor, watching the last few seconds of the game. The Ice Dragons have the lead by one.

"This is painful," I say, watching and unable to do a damn thing to help our teammates.

Kyler strips out of his gear and sits beside me on the bench. He glances from the television screen and then back to me. "What's going on between you and Amber?"

"Nothing."

Kyler stares at me for a beat before nodding, accepting my answer as fact. "Okay, good."

We both resume our attention on the screen when the game ends, and it's clear that the Ice Dragons are the winner. I can finally breathe, exhaling a deep breath.

"Are you going to Blue Line tonight?" my brother asks me as the other players begin filing into the locker room.

"I was planning on it. Are you coming out tonight with us?" That would be the surprise of the century, Kyler taking a night off from fatherhood. I can't remember the last time he brought Emerson out for drinks with the team. It's been ages.

"Yeah, for a beer or two. Then I ought to get home."

"You could invite Emerson out to party?" I don’t understand why he always chooses to go home instead of out with the guys. "You have a nanny. Let her watch Bristol."

He grabs his phone and sends out a few texts. It's pretty rowdy in the locker room, and good luck making a phone call and the other person hearing a word that's being said.

I head to the shower, clean up, and get changed into a pair of jeans and a clean shirt. I wait for Noah and Owen to finish up before heading to Blue Line.

Kyler dries off after his shower and glances over at me as he dresses. "Two drinks. Then I have to get home."

"Is Emerson coming out?"