Page 36 of Playoff (Toronto Blaze #4)

I followed his gaze. JJ was changing at his locker. I shot Fitch a glance and he shrugged then pushed me behind him. Once we were in the hallway, he spoke quietly. “Let’s give him time to get out on the ice.”

“What’s he doing here? I thought he’d be on his way to Vancouver by now.” From what Jess had said, their grandmother had been as much of a mother to the twins as anyone in their lives.

“Maybe there’s a problem with flights. Maybe he wants to help win this game so we’re in good shape for the playoffs before he leaves. Maybe he processes grief this way.”

My fingers itched again to message Jess. To ask if she was okay or if she needed something. Was she still here, or had she flown out? Was she alone? Because she shouldn’t fucking be alone right now. It felt wrong, that I didn’t even know what province she was in.

But we were done. I let Fitch keep watch till JJ headed for the ice and then went in and dressed, distracted.

Morning skates were for loosening up and light drills. Review anything special we wanted to do with the team we’d be meeting that night. LA had dropped the practice of game day skates, and it was optional for the Blaze. But everyone from the team was here. This game mattered.

Coach called us in to a circle before we left the ice. “Some of you have heard, JJ’s grandmother passed. His sister is on her way to BC, and JJ will be traveling back on Seattle’s jet after the game.”

That made sense now. Seattle was playing our crosstown rivals. But why wasn’t he traveling with his sister? Was it because of last night—because of me?

“We’re bringing up Luke Walker from the Inferno to fill his place for a couple of games. We haven’t clinched that playoff spot yet, so let’s keep our eyes on the prize, men.”

I saw guys offering their condolences to JJ. He’d lost more than a grandmother. I knew how much because of Jessica. Once Coach released us from our light workout and most of the team had left the ice, I stopped by JJ.

“Sorry for your loss. I know she did a lot for you.”

JJ’s head shot up. “You know, do you? Jess tell you all about it while you were screwing around?”

There was a lot of anger banked inside him, as well as grief. Understandable, and after finding his sister and me together, I was an easy target. It would have been smarter to stay away but this was the right thing to do. For Jess’s sake, even if she never knew.

“Just wanted to offer my condolences.” No good deed goes unpunished.

“I don’t want your fucking condolences. Just keep your hands off my sister.”

I lifted those hands in a non-threatening gesture and skated back. This was not the time to get into this discussion. Never was probably the time. Anyway, he had nothing to worry about. Jess and I were done.

“Or was that your plan the whole time? Fuck and run? You haven’t screwed us over enough already?”

I held my ground. “That wasn’t me. I am not responsible for my parents.” I was tired of taking the blame for them. The reason Jess felt obligated to her twin was because of them, not me. I didn’t screw people—I kept them at arm’s length, so no one got screwed.

Except Jess. Somehow she’d gotten close…and now I was the one who was fucked.

When JJ dropped his gloves, I assumed he was leaving the ice. Hockey players did this before fighting, but we weren’t in a game. We were teammates, and the guy had never been in a fight as far as I knew. Then he brought his fists up and I realized what he wanted.

Fuck . I’d been in some altercations and usually came out on top, but I couldn’t do this to Jess. Have her brother show up at the funeral with a black eye or broken nose?

I shook my head. “We shouldn’t do this—” I started, and then his fist connected with my jaw.

I’d removed my chin strap once we were done with our skate but hadn’t taken off the helmet. His first fist made a solid connection with my jaw, but my head jerked, the helmet slipped, and his second hand hit the side of the helmet, hard, dropping me to the ice.

I landed on the unforgiving surface without a chance to prepare for impact, but we wore padding for a reason. I pulled in a breath and braced myself for JJ’s follow up. I wasn’t sure I could let him hit me without retaliating indefinitely, but I would hold off as long as I could.

A couple of our teammates and an assistant coach reached us and pulled JJ away. Fitch held out a hand to help me up. I grabbed it and shook my head as I stood, moving my jaw to feel how much damage he’d done.

Cooper and the coach were with JJ, no longer holding him back.

Instead, JJ was cradling his hand. Why didn’t he just shake it out?

Coach held out his palm and JJ reluctantly dropped his hand gently atop it.

Fuck . Even from a few feet away I could see his fingers bent in directions they weren’t meant to go.

“Let’s take a look at that.” Coach led JJ off the ice, JJ’s face twisting with pain.

Cooper turned to me.

“I didn’t start it, I swear. I offered him my condolences, that’s all.”

He frowned. “I thought you two were getting along better.”

I shrugged. Wasn’t going to tell him that ended when he’d found out I’d had sex with his sister. What had she told her twin? Did he know how it started? When it started? There had been a lot of anger behind that blow.

“Fuck. That hand looked bad. Let’s hope Luke Walker is ready. I don’t think we’ll have JJ playing again for a while.” Cooper skated to the gate, shoulders bowed, and stepped through, undoubtedly going to check on JJ.

Shit.

“What happened?” Fitch asked.

“What I said. I told him I was sorry for his loss, because I knew his grandmother raised him as much as his actual mother did. He was pissed and took a swing at me. I have no idea what Jess told him, so…” I shrugged.

He sighed. “She was exactly the wrong woman for you to get involved with.”

Because of my parents, and the teammate thing, yeah. But in everything else she’d been exactly right. “Nothing I can do about it now.”

“Denny!” a voice called. I looked over and saw one of the reporters who followed the Blaze. “What happened with JJ?”

Shit. It was bad enough that JJ had hurt himself, but to have this whole fiasco in public? I just shook my head and skated to the gate.

“Is this because of your parents? Any more news on them? How is JJ? Were you injured when you fell?”

I ignored them but I knew it was a temporary reprieve. Damn it, I should never have gone out that first night in Toronto.