Page 97 of Defend Her Heart

“Let them see. This marriage may have started as a farce, but you’re mine and I have every intention of keeping you all to myself.”

Turning around, I skate away before she can respond.

I go through the motions of warm-ups, letting out some of my aggression by taking slap shots at our back-up goalie before it’s time to head back to the locker room. The coaches come in to give their pre-game speech while the Zambonis clean the ice. I’m trying like hell to calm down, but my knee continues to bounce until it’s time to head out for the start of the game.

We’re ten minutes into the first period when Mack covers up a shot from the blue line. The St. Louis players all crash the net and we push them away, protecting our goalie. A little scrum ensues, nothing serious, but I look around to find him. He’s using his stick to jab Jefferson in the spine at the top of the crease. I’m there in two strides, yanking him back by the tops of his shoulder pads. He stumbles but catches himself and turns to face me.

It’s truly hilarious that he attempts to go toe to toe with me, considering he’s a good six or seven inches shorter. He rights himself and then shoves me with both hands in the chest.

“You gonna punch me now, Smith?”

A linesman’s arm comes between us, attempting to break up apart. I reach over his arm and shove my glove in Bryan’s face, whitewashing his stupid, smug face.

“All right, Smith. That’s enough. We’re not doing this tonight,” the linesman says.

That’s what he thinks. We skate away from each other to our respective benches. When I step onto my bench, I look at Avery and she has a brow raised at me. I wink at her, then take my seat. Niko pops down next to me and hits my hockey pants.

“I’m guessing there’s not anything I can say to convince you not to fight that asshole?”

I keep my eyes on the ice. “Nope.”

I’m sure if I were to look at him, Niko would be giving me the same look he gives Sophia when he’s disappointed in a choice she’s made.

“Sadie told me what happened yesterday.” I hum but don’t respond. “Just make sure I’m out on the ice with you when you throw gloves.”

My head whips toward him, surprised he’s giving me the green light.

He shrugs. “What? If someone said that shit about Sadie, even I’d sacrifice five minutes in the penalty box. Just keep it clean.”

The game continues and we’re up 4–1 in the second period. Bryan skates the puck down the boards, entering our zone. I can tell he’s about to take off in an attempt to get around me, so I step up and throw his ass into the glass. He falls on the ice hard, and the crowd starts screaming out in approval.

I ignore the clown on the ice and grab the puck, firing it across the ice to my partner. He shoots it up to Jefferson, but an Archer forward intercepts it and skates across the blue line. Bryan is still in our zone though, so the play is whistled offside.

It’s time for a line change, so I skate toward our bench. I’m lifting my foot to get off the ice when I hear Bryan’s voice behind me. He’s at the door of his bench, leaning into the area where Avery is standing, running his mouth. She didn’t like me sticking up for her before the game, so I stay put butblock out everything else around me, trying to hear what he’s saying.

“They only hired you because you’re nice to look at.”

I don’t wait to hear what comes next because I’m back on the ice, skating right to him.

“What the fuck did you say to her?” I grab the front of his jersey.

“You heard me. She has a pretty face but she’s a lousy lay. I’m sure you already know that, though. At least she stayed quiet when I’d fuck around on the road. I guess that’s one thing you have to look forward to.”

I throw my stick and gloves on the ice. I yank him by the jersey at the same time I throw my arm back. He’s throwing his gloves on the ice when my fist connects with his face. His head whips back but then he grabs the arm I’m using to hold his jersey.

“All this anger for a mediocre pussy? I thought you were better than that, Smith.”

My ears start ringing and I see fucking red. I absolutely lose it and start wrecking his ugly, smug face with my fist. I’m aware of the scrums happening around me and glance to see a ref coming our way. I pull him across the ice, directly in front of where Avery is standing.

Giving him another jab, I connect with his nose. Blood starts gushing down his face, but I don’t care. I turn him so he’s facing Avery.

“This woman is so far out of your league. You were never good enough for her.” He laughs and I shake him, pulling back my fist again. “Apologize before I break your jaw next.”

He spits on the ice next to us. “She’s just another puck bunny, Smith. Why do you care so much?”

I lift him off his feet and raise him in front of me so we’re eye to eye. “She’s my fucking wife.” His eyes bulge at the new information, but I continue. “Now, apologize before I endboth of our seasons by giving you a beating so bad, you’ll never be the same.”

It’s quick but I see it. Fear.