Spite Crush (Rock Hard #2)

Chapter Eighteen

~Zak~

We got to Chicago up two games to nothing in the series, and everyone else on the team was ecstatic. I, however, was so worried about what was happening with Kellen it was hard for me to focus on anything else.

We’d definitely won those games in spite of me and not because of me. And the rest of the team knew it, too. Even though no one had said anything, I knew that I had to pull my weight in this third game .

“Where’s your head?” Josh asked softly as we laced up our skates next to each other.

“It’s right here,” I promised. “I’m all in.”

“Good.” He reached over to fist bump me. “Let’s bring it home.”

We stood up and as the team traipsed single file out of the locker room, I took a minute to check my phone one more time. I wasn’t really surprised to see no text from Kellen, but I hadn’t heard from him since he’d left and I couldn’t help being worried that even though he said he wasn’t leaving me…that maybe I wasn’t ever going to hear from him again.

I slammed my locker shut and hurried to catch up to the team so we could skate out for our intros and keep our win streak going. I needed to shut Kellen Fox out of my head for the next couple of hours.

And after the game…I was calling him.

Because enough was enough.

****

By the start of the third period, the score was tied at zero and Sutherland was about to blow a gasket at the fact that none of us had managed to score on Chicago all night. Never mind the fact that Ozzy had made every single save for our team.

“Hundred bucks says Dempsey’s going to score tonight,” Josh called as we all took the ice again.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked, skating around him before taking my position to his left.

Josh just grinned at me before taking the face off against the center for Chicago. He won the slap and we all charged forward, trying to clear the way for him as he charged his way toward the goal.

Unfortunately, his shot was blocked by Darren Bartlaka, Chicago’s goalie, and we were put on the defensive as their center took the puck and forced his way through us toward Ozzy.

Time was called for a commercial break and I turned to head back to our bench, but a flash of blond from the big screen caught my eye and I froze, staring up into the impossibly dark blue eyes of Kellen Fox, who was waving sheepishly to the crowd from the monitor.

Someone slammed into me from behind, nearly knocking me on my ass I spun around angrily, ready to throw hands, until I realized it was Josh, grinning like a moron.

“Like I said.” He reached up and slapped my helmet. “Dempsey’s gonna score tonight.”

“Did you know he was coming?” I asked, following him to our bench.

“No, but I saw him earlier and knew it was just a matter of time before the camera caught him.” Josh laughed. “You didn’t know he’d be here?”

“Nope.” I wanted to be angry at Kellen, but I was so fucking happy to see him there I just couldn’t manage it. “But I’m going to win this game for him.”

“That’s my guy!” Josh yelled, banging my helmet again as the ref called everyone back to the ice. “Let’s fucking go!”

I skated up to my position again and met the eye of Nate Radley.

“The fuck you looking at Dempsey?” he snarled .

I looked around for a second before looking back at him. “Does your coach know you’re out here?”

“Fuck you, Dempsey!”

The puck dropped, Josh snagged it again and passed to me. I barreled through the Chicago defensemen, racing toward Bartlaka, then skidded to a complete stop, spraying ice slop into the goalie before faking a left shot and taking a hard right, sending the puck sailing over Bartlaka’s leg into the goal.

I was crushed in a massive pile up from my team and when we broke apart I turned to where Kellen was sitting and pointed, not caring that the world might be watching. That one was for him, and I wanted him to know it.

He pointed back to me and I couldn’t stop the grin that spread over my face. We were going to be okay.

And we were going to win this fucking game.