Page 126 of Fighting Chance

Ihaven’t been able to take my eyes off Kieran on the ice. It’s why when the opposition scores and everyone’s focused on the other end of the arena, I catch Kieran shaking his head and pointing at an opposing player.

The player spits at Kieran’s skates.

The sight makes me gasp.That’s disgusting!

“What is it?” Bella asks beside me.

“That player just spat at Kieran’s feet.”

“Ew!” Cindy exclaims.

The player seems to be shouting something at him, his head lifting my way, but that can’t be. Why would the opponent belooking at me? Kieran cocks his head slowly, menacingly, as the player continues to run his mouth.

“Oh my god, what the hell is he saying?”

Kieran skates forward so fast I barely have a moment to realize what’s happened. In the blink of an eye, the player is on the ground, Kieran pinning him to the ice as he swings his fists, raining down on him.

The arena bursts into an encouraging chant, the energy in the arena suddenly electric.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Jumping to my feet, my hand cups my mouth, my other flying out to hold onto Bella for support as I grow light-headed. It isn’t until I feel like I’m swaying that I realize I’m holding my breath.

The rival player manages to get a good hit in and Kieran’s head snaps back, his helmet flying along with his blood. As the red sprays across the ice, I let out a startled scream before I can stop it.

Bella clings to my arm, keeping me steady as I grow light headed.

“Oh my god!”

“Jesus Christ, these stupid men and their fights,” Cindy mutters, utterly unfazed as she remains seated, eating popcorn.

“Cindy!” I scold.

But my words are swallowed whole by the roar of the crowd. The other teammates flock to the fight, O’Connor beating Grayson and pulling Kieran off first. Both referees skate over, giving a penalty to Kieran and sending him to the sin bin.

With my heart in my throat, I don’t take my eyes off his back as he skates to the box. He stumbles into it, taking a seat, and that’s when I see it.

He’s grinning like a fool, blood filling his mouth and staining his teeth. The cameras zero in on him as he lifts his eyes directly to me, winks, and mouths,That was for you, sunshine.

Cindy leans back in the red booth we snagged at O’Malley’s, her glass of wine making its way to her lips. “You have the puck bunnies’ panties in a twist, Layla.”

Bella and I, clearly not caring if we’re obvious or not, peer over our shoulders at the group of scantily clad women who are all bickering, their gazes cutting to us every other second with a glare that could kill.

I frown. “Why, though? He just winked at me. He winks at everyone.”

“Well, he hasn’t in a while,” Bella says. “That, and he got in a fight for you.”

“Twice,” Cindy coughs into her fist.

I give the girls a look. “He did not.”

But despite my denial I know he absolutely did and I’m still in shock over it.

Before she can call me out on my bullshit, I quickly go on. “Cindy says they do it all the time.”

She purses her lips. “I did say that.” Suddenly, her eyes light up. “Fight aside, I heard some bunnies talking in the bathroom tonight at the arena.” This girl loves gossip as much as she loves her wine. “Apparently Kieran hasn’t been with anyone in a long time.”

My cheeks heat because I already knew that. The secret Kieran whispered to me, how he hasn’t been with anyone for well over a year. I hurt him that night when I didn’t believe him.