1

BILLY

“Uh.” The facet of the blade strikes my calf, laborious sufficient to trigger the muscle to cramp and seize. The ache crippling, however I’m not going to let Barry win along with his underhanded, cheater habits. No fuckin’ approach. I do know hockey is a violent sport, that is completely different although. The refs won’t have seen the way in which he hit me. I do know the group did by the way in which they’re booing.

I slide on my knees; the pads defend them towards the ice and the puck that races at me on the velocity of a spaceship in warp drive. I thrust my gloved hand out, batting the puck away, a smirk is Barry’s reply to his crooked swipe.

It received’t be lengthy earlier than the refs see what the followers had on the large-screen tv up excessive. That’ll be payback.

A puff rises from the group surrounding the rink, followers from each groups wait to see what I do. And I give them their present. The puck is in play once more, the opposing defenseman strikes and it rockets, hitting the ice, as soon as, twice and slides towards me from the left. I drop to my knees glad they’re thickly padded, the bone-chilling chilly seeps by means of the layers I put on, doesn’t assist the wince I attempt to cover, and throw myself towards the left facet of the online, my arms maintain my stick prepared to dam. It strikes in gradual movement, sliding alongside the ice, each groups attempting to take management however unable to get a blade at it it doesn’t matter what.

Nearer. Nearer it comes. I wait and watch hyperaware. My coronary heart pumps the blood sooner and sooner by means of my veins, a feverish exhilaration thrums by means of my physique, each nerve on excessive alert with electrical pleasure.

Nearly shut sufficient. I grip my stick in each palms, not taking note of the scuffle between my group member and a participant of the opposing group, the blades of their sticks slice over the ice. I can’t. They battle for management and I’m ready to maintain my unbroken file. No puck has gotten previous me all 12 months. I’m the goalie to observe. There are bets as to when or if my file will likely be damaged this season. No. Not this 12 months.

I slide my stick on the puck the boys are nonetheless preventing over and with a loud clack the puck flies away from our web. The horn sounds the tip of the ultimate and we’ve received once more. We’re on our method to win the cup once more. I do know the Bay Metropolis Brawlers will do it. We’ll win the playoffs and the cup. We’ve the very best group two years in a row. No approach we’ll lose.

The cheers, hoots and yells are sufficient to convey the roof down and I slowly climb to my toes, my job makes my knees and physique harm like hell. Like I’m older than my thirty-five years. My imminent future features a sizzling tub and ice tub afterward. That is getting tougher and tougher yearly that passes. Hockey performs hell on the physique, ruining the joints and beforehand damaged bones.

I limp off the ice, my brothers of the group slap me on my again, knocking our helmets collectively. I attempt to present the passion everybody else on the group has however I’m bone and soul-tired, all I can consider is that sizzling tub that’s calling my title with a bellow-like thunder.

Nonetheless limping I fastidiously make my approach down the tunnel to the locker room. The blades of my skate’s smack towards the rubber ground to my locker the place I drop all the way down to the bench with a pained sigh. My toes ache such as you wouldn’t imagine and the reduction once I untie the laces. Such fucking launch. I would like that ice tub now.

An hour later I’m a brand new man. As new a person as I will be at thirty-five with the start levels of arthritis from all of the damaged bones and sprains I’ve had. I’m limping from that assault Barry gave me and his suspension from the remainder of the sequence makes my coronary heart bloom in delight.

Now for a fuckin’ stress-free time on the bar with the blokes. Some which have households received’t be staying lengthy however us single guys will likely be celebrating for many of the evening.

The Puck Bar is the Bay Metropolis Brawlers residence watering gap, and we prefer to kick up a mighty good time with women and booze. Not precisely in that order, however the women there are fairly keen for a successful hockey participant. By later tonight we’ll be taking one both residence, to her place or the closest lodge. I don’t take them to my place, extra impersonal that approach and with much less of a chance of them pondering it’s greater than it’s. A typical one-night stand. She’ll have one hell of an evening to recollect it by. Not a brag. Simply the reality.

The bar is virtually two steps away from the stadium, each being constructed with the opposite in thoughts. It took me solely about fifteen minutes to jog by means of the just about now empty stadium to the picket old school constructing subsequent door. I throw open the door and just like the TV present Cheers shouting Norm, the room erupts into various levels of quantity, “Billy!” And “Hey Billy, glad you’re right here man.”

Nonetheless limping from that dangerous kick, the icing the doc gave me has taken numerous the swelling and bruising down. I attempt to stroll usually however with each step the ache on the entrance bone streaks agony by means of the entire leg.

Waving and yakking and laughing with people who know me, and followers who solely know me from watching once I performed. They suppose they know me. Nobody actually does although.

There are three tables pushed collectively, gamers sit at with their girlfriends, wives and whoever they’re with. I do know everybody there apart from one woman. She seems to be acquainted however I can’t place her face.

She’s lovely in an unique approach. Lengthy slick, deep black hair, a darker complexion. Her pink denims and floral high are painted on her full, hourglass curves. She’s a knockout. Gazing her, my face feels tight as if it’s turning into a wolf-like creature with jaws open and saliva dripping. I needs to be ashamed of myself, ideas of what I need to do to her race by means of my thoughts. Up towards the wall. Bent over the arm of the couch. Moist and slick from the bathe. All the above and extra, any approach I can.

I can’t think about what she’d appear to be if I may see her head to head. All the pieces is from the facet.

“Billy bro. Come be a part of us. Chet get him a chair.” Gavin waves his hand for me to sit down. Chet the brown-noser that he’s rushes to get a chair from one other desk, bumping into the desk along with his hip making it rock, proper out from the people who sit there. He doesn’t even acknowledge the jeers of anger. Everybody on the desk greets me apart from the dark-haired woman. She picks up her glass and sips her drink as if I’m not right here. I’m captivated and I haven’t met her but. I attempt to consider one thing to get her consideration. To make her flip and face me, after all, my thoughts comes up clean.

“Billy, I believe everybody right here. Aside from this little girl. I don’t even know her title. Silly reminiscence.” Gavin grins his most participating, panty-melting-every-woman-no-matter-how-old-loves him.

“I’m Lorelei. I don’t suppose anybody launched me. Jackie left already.” She has the wealthy, contralto voice of a singer. Melodious. Musical. A siren of mythology fiction who lured fishermen to their deaths together with her magnificence and track. And oh, so acquainted.

Acquainted as in. “Lorelei?”

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2

LORELEI

I flip my head fast sufficient for whiplash on the voice behind me. A baritone I wasn’t certain I’d ever hear once more even when I’m sitting on the desk with among the Bay Metropolis Brawlers group. I wasn’t anticipating the primary goalie within the Nationwide Hockey League to be right here. Silly, I do know.

My eyes search his physique as if starved for water. Billy could be the fountain for my eternal thirst. I haven’t seen him in…I don’t know…possibly 5 years?

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