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“Chats.” Hoes stepped in between us. “Fucking stop, man. It’s bad enough you rub it in his face at every opportunity that you’re with his ex.

This?” He grimaced and shook his head. “Come on. This isn’t cool.

” He must’ve seen what I did—Chats smirking and getting ready to say something else—because he added, “Or do you just get off on having another man’s sloppy seconds? ”

That—along with the snicker that went through the group—knocked the grin right off Chats’ smug fucking face.

He swore under his breath and stalked away. Some of the guys followed, chirping at his back because why the hell not?

I just exhaled and rolled my stiff shoulders.

I’d never liked the idea of anyone being someone’s sloppy seconds—it was gross to talk about people like that—and I didn’t think Hoes was okay with it either.

That wasn’t his style. But he’d known exactly what would get under Chats’ skin and bring him down a few necessary pegs.

Maybe the end justified the means this time.

Either way, I wasn’t going to bitch about anything that sent Chats storming out of the room and out of my face. Fuck, he was exhausting.

Hoes watched him go, then shook his head and turned to me. “You okay, man?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks for stepping in.”

“Don’t mention it.” He made a disgusted sound. “Chats needs to shut the fuck up.”

“No kidding,” Bells said. “What’s his deal, anyway?”

I was exhausted just imagining trying to answer that question.

Hoes didn’t have that problem, though. “He’s been desperate for Trev to be all pissed off or jealous because he’s with his ex. It got old a long time ago.”

“Yeah, it did,” I muttered. I glanced around, making sure only my two linemates were within earshot before I admitted, “I fucking hate that asshole.”

“You and me both,” Hoes grumbled. He tilted his head. “That thing he said about your kids’ nanny—is that true?”

The heat in my face was probably a dead giveaway, so there wasn’t any point in lying. And why should I? I wasn’t embarrassed to be with Cam. I just hated the way Chats had outed us.

“Yeah,” I said. “We’ve, um… We’ve been dating for a little while.”

Hoes nodded sharply and grinned. “That explains a lot.”

I cocked a brow. “Oh really?”

“Yeah, it does,” Bells chimed in. “You’ve just seemed more… I don’t know… Settled, lately?” He looked at Hoes as if to ask if that was the right word.

“Close enough,” Hoes said. “Just… Chats hasn’t been getting under your skin as much. I figured you must’ve either decided he wasn’t worth the blood pressure spike, or you’d moved on from your ex.”

I laughed nervously as some more warmth bloomed in my face. “I, uh… I didn’t think anyone had noticed.”

Bells shrugged. “Eh, I didn’t really put the pieces together until Hoes did.”

“I had my suspicions,” Hoes said with a smug grin.

“Did you?” I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”

He scoffed and gave me a shove. “Oh for fuck’s sake, dude. You’re not exactly subtle.”

I straightened. “I’m… I’m not?”

“No.” He shook his head and gestured for us to start walking.

As we fell into step with him, he said, “I can tell the minute he walks into the locker room. I thought it was just because he was bringing in your kids, but then I realized it happens even when he’s by himself.

” He smacked my arm with the back of his hand. “Like I said—you’re not subtle.”

I looked at the rookie for confirmation, and he nodded.

“Great,” I muttered. “Why can’t the two of you be this observant on the damn ice?”

That prompted protests from both of them, and they talked over each other as they defended their innocence. I just laughed as we continued toward the elevators.

I was still pissed about the exchange with Chats, but I felt better. And I was grateful for my teammates who’d stepped in. They didn’t put up with his shit, whether it was harassing me or being an elitist asshole who thought people were beneath him.

I played with a lot of good guys, and I was glad they had my back.

Unfortunately, the road trip only went downhill from there.

Maybe it was demoralizing loss followed by the late flight followed by the early morning. Maybe my coffee hadn’t made it into my system yet as I joined my team for yet another morning skate.

Or maybe I was just tired of my asshole teammate.

Whatever the case…

“For fuck’s sake.” I whirled on Chats after he “accidentally” slashed me during a drill. “What is your fucking problem?”

“What?” He laughed, putting up his gloved hands. “What are you talking about, man?” He nodded sharply. “Come on. We gotta finish the?—”

“Fuck the drill,” I snapped. “We’re finishing this right here, right now.”

His eyes widened. Then they narrowed as a sly, triumphant grin came to life. “Yeah? So what? You wanna drop gloves or something?”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I growled.

I was distantly aware of a whistle blowing. Of one of our coaches yelled something. But I kept my glare fixed on Chats and his smug fucking face.

“I don’t need to fight with you,” he said with a smirk. “I already won. And I get to put my dick in it every time I’m?—”

“Yo, hey!” Tremblay grabbed Chats’ shoulder and tugged him back. “Come on, dude. Give it a fucking rest.”

“What?” Chats laughed. “I’m not the one who’s butthurt and can’t move on!” To me, he said, “If it didn’t bug you, you wouldn’t get all pissy every time you see me with him. Must be tough, knowing I’m getting that?—”

“Shut the fuck up!” I snarled as Hoes put a hand on my chest, not quite holding me back but ready to if the need arose.

I scoffed and shook my head. “Christ, Chats.” I gripped my stick so hard, I was amazed it didn’t break even through my gloves.

“I don’t care that you’re with him. You can fucking have him.

The only reason I still have to put up with you two is because we’re teammates and I have kids with him.

Otherwise, I would be more than happy to never lay eyes on either of you again. ”

He barked a sarcastic laugh. “Just admit it, Trev—you hate seeing us because you hate being reminded that he’s not putting his?—”

My hold on my temper snapped, and I threw my stick as I lunged for him.

Hoes was ready, though, and he held me back, shouting, “Whoa! Whoa! Trev—easy, man. Easy!”

Petrovich joined in, taking my arm as I shook off my glove.

Spaulding and Arnolds held on to Chats, who was shouting at me to come on, come on, bring it, though his voice was muted through the cotton in my ears.

A whistle blew. It had blown several times, I realized now, but I’d been so single-mindedly focused on Chats that it hadn’t registered.

“Enough!” Coach bellowed. “Both of you!” He skated in between us and shot us each a venomous look. “What the fuck is going on?”

Chats opened his mouth to respond, but Martin scowled and said, “Chats is antagonizing Trev. Again. ”

Coach exhaled a cloud of exasperated breath into the air, and then he pointed sharply toward the locker room.

“Chats. Trev. Go shower and change, and then we’re going to talk.

” He paused. “And if I hear that you so much as looked at each other between now and then, there will be hell to pay, and bag skating will only be the beginning. Am I clear?”

“Yeah, Coach.” I picked up my gloves and stick and started my skate of shame. I fully expected Chats to be on my heels, running off his mouth anyway because he just couldn’t help himself. There were voices behind me, though. Angry ones.

Yep, running off his mouth. Just not at me. Whether it was at Coach or our teammates, I didn’t know, but I was grateful for a head start so I could calm down.

I tore off my gear and stomped into the shower. As the water ran over my head and neck, I closed my eyes and tried to will myself to chill. I was pissed, but I still had a game tonight—assuming Coach didn’t healthy scratch me—and I’d already caused enough headache for my team today.

I hated this. I hated that we were grown men, but my ex-husband’s boyfriend had dragged me down to his level and gotten me to snap, so now we were both going to get reamed out by Coach like a couple of kids.

And what the hell? I’d been flying so high yesterday.

So unbothered by that asshole’s bullshit.

I hated myself for letting Chats get to me. I hated that I’d lost my cool, and we’d clashed during practice. Fortunately, it hadn’t been open to the public since it was a morning skate at the host team’s arena, but there were reporters here. There were cameras .

By now, our scuffle was probably all over the internet. If Chats hadn’t texted Bryan about it, Bryan had probably heard by now through social media. I was terrified to even look at my phone when I got back to the locker room.

It’s going to get back to the boys.

Fuck. I let my face fall into my hands and groaned. Our GM no doubt knew about it, and my kids would know about it, and fuck my life .

The more I thought about it… the less I was bothered by the things Chats had said. I didn’t give two shits that he was with Bryan. If they made each other happy, then more power to them. It meant two less assholes in the dating pool to make other people miserable.

I had my kids. I had Cam. I had my career. I didn’t need or want Bryan, and I didn’t care what Chats thought.

I just didn’t like the constant juvenile shit that went above and beyond chirping. I didn’t like how this could fuck with my relationship with my kids, or how it could hurt my career or reflect on other queer hockey players.

I especially didn’t like getting called in to face Coach alongside Chats. But ten minutes after my shower, there I was, sitting there like a kid waiting to find out how much detention he’d be serving.

At home, Coach would’ve taken us into his office, but there was a small office used by away team GMs and coaching staff, and he set us up in there.