Page 110 of The Substitute

Cox takes a shot on goal, but Teddy is locked in and blocks it. Coach calls for a line change, and I jump back onto the ice, making a beeline for the puck with Blondie and Shredder hot on my heels. Ridgeway has the puck and manages to get it past Teddy.

Fuck!

Their coach calls a line change, and we set for a puck drop.

Rhys meets me for the puck drop, and we hunker down, waiting. “What the fuck did you say to Teddy?”

“The truth.”

“I doubt that.”

“Doubt all you want, but your goalie knows the truth, too.”

The puck drops, and I have a split-second advantage—it’s all I need. I slap the puck to Blondie who turns and burns for Savage.

We get the puck in the attack zone but can’t seem to find the goal. It’s frustrating as fuck, and the boys are feeling the strain of the two to zero lead the Gods have.

Ridgeway is on me like a stage five clinger, and I’ve about had it. I slam him into the boards only for him to turn around and do the same to me.

“You wanna dance, sweetheart?” He chuckles and shoves off me, but I don’t stand around to chit chat.

I’ve already been in the penalty box more times than I can remember tonight. Three? Four? Five? I know I’m going to get ejected if I keep starting shit, so I have to watch it until I get my hands on my step-brother.

Rhys comes at me from the left, shoving me into Blondie, and fights me for the puck. In a split second, there’s four of us battling it out. I’m sure the hits to my legs will sting after the game, but right now, I feel nothing.

“Blondie, get the fuck out of the way!” I shove him away from me when what I want to do is swing this fucking hockey stick like a bat to take everyone out.

Blondie gets angry and trips Rhys—this time right in front of a fucking ref so the whistle blows, and he’s sent to the sin bin. Son of a bitch!

We set again in the face off dot. It’s Shredder and one of the Gods. I have my back to Savage, waiting for the puck to come my way, when I feel him behind me.

“When you lose this game, do you think Tobi will go home with you or me?”

The puck drops, and I elbow Savage to get him off my back. Unfortunately for me, one of his teammates sees it and body checks me hard enough I go flying.

Rhys Godfrey is standing over me when I look up, and isn’t that just perfect?

“What the fuck is your problem?” I get in his face.

“You touching my goalie, that’s my fucking problem. Keep your hands to your fucking self.” Rhys yells back.

“Oh, really? Shouldn’t your goalie be keeping his hands to himself?”

Rhys scoffs. “He didn’t touch you.”

“No, but he’s touching your boyfriend’s brother.”

Rhys’ eyebrows pull together, and he watches me for just a second before turning to Savage.

Coach yelling grabs my attention, and I realize I’ve been standing here like a fucking moron for way too long, and he’s calling a line change. I hustle back to the bench and prepare myself for the ass chewing of a lifetime, but when I get off the ice, Coach is so mad, he’s calm.

Oh, fuck. That’s terrifying.

Focusing my energy on the game, I notice Rhys yelling at Savage anytime he’s within shouting distance. The bigdefenseman, Lovelace, is getting in on it, too, but he’s yelling at both of them. Savage is pissed, and that makes me fucking giddy.

Two Gods players get in a fight and are thrown in the penalty box. Their coach is losing his mind. Looks like we’re both going to be in the shit house this week. RIP both teams, so I might as well make it worth it.

The next time I get on the ice, I get ahold of the puck and take off. I don’t care that one of the Gods’ players is basically breathing down my neck, I’ve locked my eyes on Savage, and even from here, I can see him grinning at me. I have never wanted to break his face more than I do in this moment. Tobi is mine, and I hate fucking sharing him.