Page 77 of Twisted Play (Cruel Games #1)

TRISTAN

Neither Cole nor I could meet the other’s eyes in the morning.

We’d retreated to our separate rooms last night after Eva walked out of the locker room.

At breakfast, the rest of the team joked and played around, an obvious effort to lighten the mood after last night’s defeat.

Cole and I didn’t join in—normal for him, unusual for me.

Massi slid into the seat beside me.

“Do I look like I want company?” I snapped.

“You okay, cowboy?” He raised an eyebrow, unbothered by my rudeness. “Yesterday was bullshit, but we can recover if the whole fucking team gets on board today.”

I put my fork down and stared at him. “What do you really want, Massi?”

“You better be treating Eva as well as she deserves,” he growled at me. “Where the fuck is she?”

I didn’t know.

I didn’t care, I told myself.

Cole returned with coffee just in time to hear Massi. He spread his legs as if he were ready to fight—the last thing we needed this morning. I carefully took my coffee from Cole’s hands. “Thanks,” I said, turning my attention back toward the team captain. “See you on the ice.”

Cole and I didn’t say another word as we changed, but just before we were about to clomp out of the locker room toward the ice, Eva slipped in, deep shadows under red-rimmed eyes, like she’d spent the night crying.

She beelined for Dr. Parker, who sat with one of our teammates, wrapping his knee, and murmured a few quiet words in her mentor’s ear.

Dr. Parker looked up at her with surprise. Eva shook her head and stepped back, only for Dr. Parker to stand and drag her into a fierce hug.

By the time Eva had disengaged, Coach was striding to the center of the room. “Everybody, listen up,” he said, catching our attention.

Eva ignored the fact that he was about to speak to us and walked up to him, stopping with her hands on her hips, as if waiting for him to say something.

He didn’t.

Eva nodded once, sharply, as if their silent exchange were an agreement. “I quit.” She peeled off her team sweatshirt, dropped it on the floor at Coach’s feet, then strode out of the room.

Cole stood, as if to chase after her, but Coach held up his hand. “Now that the morning’s drama is finished, I expect you all dressed and on the ice to warm up in five minutes.”

The room remained frozen.

“Four minutes and fifty-nine seconds,” he said, and the rest of the team sprang into motion.

“I’m going after her,” I said, standing to chase her, but Haruto blocked my path .

“I don’t know what the fuck you did to her, but you’re done.”

I tried to shove my way through, but Massi blocked me too. “Leave her alone,” he snarled. “She deserves better.”

Yeah.

She did.