Page 167 of Game Misconduct

Leif went down the tunnel just long enough to get checked over where Danny could actually hear him over the noise of the crowd.

He flexed his fingers, assuring Danny the numbness had already started to fade into an uncomfortable tingle.

“Let me back out there,” he demanded. “I’m fine.”

Danny shot him a suspicious look but nodded. “We’re doing an X-ray after the game,” he said threateningly and Leif nodded. They could do whatever they wanted to him after.

He just needed to get back out there now.

He hurried back to the bench, flexing his fingers, hoping that would help it return to normal faster.

He got a slap on the back from Coach Pittman and some taps from the guys and Leif was optimistic as he got on the ice for his next shift. It was like Pittman had put the lines in a blender because he threw Nicky and Leif out together in the hope that they could make something happen.

Nicky didn’t play wing a lot, but hecoulddo it and they’d practiced that too.

Leif collected a pass from Ian and tried to fire it at the Harriers’ net, but he could feel the weakness in his grip as he took the shot. He whiffed on it completely, groaning when Tanner snagged the puck from him with a little wink.

Leif chased after him, cursing under his breath, annoyed and frustrated because damn it, he’d had a good opportunity there!

But Nicky stole the puck back from Tanner and skated toward the Harriers’ net on a breakaway.

Leif watched intently, his breath catching as he saw Crawford heading toward him like a freight train barreling down. But his elbows stayed down, the hit was clean, and Nicky popped to his feet a moment later.

The sigh of relief Leif released was huge.

On the bench after his shift, Leif glanced up at the scoreboard. Four minutes to even it up. They could do it.

His coach bent down, speaking in his ear. “Is your fucking elbow going to be a problem?” he asked.

Leif winced. “It’s still causing a little numbness.”

“Got it.” He spoke a little louder, settling a hand on Nicky’s shoulder. “I want you out in place of Rasmussen for the extra attacker when I pull Poole.”

Leif bit back a curse and they both nodded.

Poole was already edging his way out of the net, and on a signal from the coach, he was out of his crease and heading toward the bench.

Nicky went out and Leif watched, breath held, as Nicky swooped around the Harriers’ net, carrying the puck. God, he was tryingso hard too. Leif could almost feel the way he was willing the puck to go into the net. The way he was trying to keep up the momentum.

But a moment later, Mickey Krause snagged the puck and tore down the ice, firing it toward the net.

The puck went in and the goal horn lit up.

The Harriers had made it 4–2.

A little over a minute later, as the game horn sounded, Tanner flung his gloves off and hopped over the boards. He screamed his joy in Crawford’s face, laughing as Crawford picked him up and shook him.

“We fucking beat those bastards!” he shouted.

Tanner was still laughing as Connor collided with them, his face filled with joy despite the pain he was obviously in.

They were moving on to the third round!

It was a dazzling whirl of joy for a few moments as Tanner hugged his teammates and shouted his happiness for the whole arena to hear.

But slowly, as they came together for the handshake line, it hit Tanner what had happened. The Rockets had just lost, which meant that Leif …

Tanner winced at the sight of his boyfriend’s face as they got closer and closer together in the line. The happiness that had been there just a few minutes ago was gone, completely wipedaway, and replaced with the saddest expression Tanner had ever seen.