Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Holy shit.
Chapter Eighteen
Ryker
Patterson.
My fist connects with his nose, sending blood down his chin, as we push him against the opposite wall.
“You motherfucker,” Gideon growls as he puts pressure on Patterson’s windpipe. “You fucked with the wrong girl.”
“You touched what’s mine,” I add and slap him across the face, humiliating him as I sense more teammates huddling around the end of the hall. Gideon vibrates with fury, but he lets me get the hits in.
“She was begging me to fuck her,” Patterson wheezes out, barely able to speak thanks to the way Gid’s holding his neck.
I’m going to kill him.
“Hey,” Mac says in my ear, patting my shoulder. “Go comfort your girl and your kid. I’ve got this.”
“I’ll ruin you,” I say in Patterson’s face. “Your career is fucking over.”
Knowing that Mac and Gid will take care of the piece of shit, and needing to see that Wills and Aiden are okay, I hurry over and pull them both to me.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“Just wanted to scare me,” Wills says, shaking her head, but her hand trembles as she lifts it to my face. “And mostly he pissed me off. Then, Aiden came to my rescue.”
I turn to the teenager, and without a second thought, I kiss him on the head. “Good man. I’m proud of you.”
“You’re a worthless piece of shit,” Patterson spits out at Aiden as he walks past, and I let them both go, then yank Patterson out of Mac’s grip and punch him in the nose again.
“Say one more word to my kid, and I’ll fucking end you.”
“Come on,” Mac says, picking Patterson up off the floor. “Let’s get you out of here before I let Cap murder your dumb ass.”
Other teammates step in to help Mac, and Gideon turns to us.
“Is everyone okay?” he asks.
“We’re fine. Well, that was . . . exciting,” Willow says with a little laugh. “It’s not a party until someone gets a broken nose.”
“Hockey,” Aiden says with a shrug. “It happens.”
How did I get so lucky?
“I’ll take you both home.”
“Absolutely not,” Willow says, shaking her head. “Gideon just got here, and it’s a party to celebrate you. We’re having fun, and now that the asshole is gone, we can resume having fun. We’re not going to let that ruin tonight. He didn’t hurt me.”
I search her eyes, looking for any indication that she’s just putting on a brave face, but she smiles, and it’s genuine.
“If you’re sure.”
“I’ll buy a round of sodas,” Aiden says, puffing out his chest. “I’ve been earning a shit ton of money this summer.”
“It’s an open bar, squirt,” Gideon says, pulling Aiden into a headlock.
“Even better,” Aiden says with a laugh as they head over to the bar.
I pull Willow against me and hug her tight. “Are you really okay, sweetheart?”
“Yep. He wanted to scare me because he doesn’t like you. Who is that asshole?”
“Patterson. He’s only been on the team for about three years, and he thought that because he was a college hotshot, he’d come in here, be captain, and rule the team.”
“Oh, so he’s young and stupid.”
“Very. He doesn’t like to be told what to do. I don’t care. I heard today that now that I’m gone, he still won’t be captain.”
She looks up at me with those gorgeous blue eyes. “Who will?”
“Mac.” I grin and kiss her forehead. “I’m sorry he took his shit out on you.”
“I had a bunch of strong men come to my rescue. But I was about to use the self-defense moves that Gideon taught me. Stomp his foot, knee him in the balls, hand to the nose.”
“That’s my strong girl.” With my arm slung around her shoulders, I lead Wills back out to the party. The woman who was flirting with Gideon earlier is back at it, sitting in his lap, now, whispering in his ear.
His hands are not on her. And she must say something that he definitely doesn’t like, because he respectfully takes her by the waist, lifts her off his lap, and sets her aside.
Her face is mutinous as she storms away.
“Breaking hearts, as usual,” I say as I move up beside him.
“These girls get bolder and bolder,” he says, shaking his head.
“Or we’re getting older and older.”
He scoffs, but he doesn’t deny it.
Ten years ago, we were all about this scene. Different girls, lots of booze. Okay, too many girls and too much fucking booze.
But now, all I want is the woman at my side. She checks every box for me, and I can’t wait to get her home later. To curl up with her, hold her.
Love her.
Because shit, am I ever in love with her.
“Cap!” Mac’s waving me down from across the table. I tip up an eyebrow. “Three on three tomorrow at the ice house.”
The idea of being on the ice again with some of my teammates sends a surge of energy through me.