Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Even though we won the game, I can’t let him win. He can’t disrespect my girl and then walk away. My fist connects with his nose, then his jaw, each punch more powerful than the last. The final shot forces his eyes shut, and he stops swinging at me.
His blood covers my skin, coloring my knuckles. I can’t feel my hand anymore. Is it broken? The fight ends with Lehane sinking to the ice and me accidentally elbowing a linesman in the face. Reality sinks in.
What did I do?
Lehane might have cost me everything. My position on this team. My future in the NHL. No one is going to sign a player with a bad track record and fucked-up hand.
Dr. Clarke, the team doctor, slides the curtain over and steps into the bay where I’ve been waiting in the emergency room. He’s treated my injuries before, but this time, he wanted x-rays to confirm his suspicions.
“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” He sits in the chair next to my bed.
“Bad news, I guess.”
He nods. “I spoke to the attending physician. Your X-rays confirm you have three broken knuckles and a slight fracture. While this isn’t a life-changing injury, it will impact your ability to play hockey for at least the next month.”
“What about the Frozen Four?”
“I’m sorry, it doesn’t look good for you.”
I can’t decide whether I want to scream, cry, or punch something. “What’s the best-case scenario?”
“Maybe three weeks if you’re lucky. But I don’t want to push it.”
Staring down at my splinted fingers, I can’t believe how much my hand has swollen in the last hour. This isn’t the end of the world. But it sure feels like it right now.
“Does Coach know?”
“Yes.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “I stopped by the waiting room. The entire team is out there.”
“Is Bex here?”
“Yeah. She knows, too.”
“Can I leave?”
“Not yet. They need to take care of your hand first.”
“Can I see Bex?”
He pushes himself up from the chair. “Let me see if they’ll allow her to come back and sit with you for a while.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
He disappears into the busy room leaving the curtain open a crack. I lean back, my eyes pointed up at the ceiling and pray for a miracle. What if the bones shift during the healing process? What if I can never play hockey again? I try to block out the pain. It’s something fierce, the intensity growing with each second that passes.
I refuse to take any pain medication. My dad had addiction problems early on in his career. He loved the bottle, clung to it like it was his last hope. I won’t get in the habit of using something as a crutch. Aspirin will have to be enough.
A few minutes later, Bex steps between the hole in the curtains, with a sad look on her beautiful face.
“Hey,” she whispers, approaching the bed. “How are you feeling?” She slips her fingers between those of my good hand. Her warmth leeches into my skin.
“Okay,” I lie.
“You look better than the other guy,” she jokes. “Kellan’s nose is broken, shattered in two different places. You broke his jaw, too. They have to wire it shut.”
“How do you know all this?”
“Because he’s here. He needs surgery.”
“Good. I hope that fucker remembers me every time he drinks his meals from a straw.”
Bex climbs into bed with me, and I make room for her. “There’s more.” Her voice is shaky, her body trembling. “Right before Dr. Clarke came out to find me, Kellan’s teammates started a fight with yours. They were all out in the waiting room shit talking back and forth when the doctor told Kellan’s coach about his injuries. The nurse had to call security to break up the fight. I think a few people are hurt. I’m not sure who, though. I snuck through the door with Dr. Clarke to get out of the way.”
“Fuck. This is a real shit show, huh?” I shake my head, blowing out a frustrated breath of air. “I didn’t just fuck up my career, I messed shit up for the whole team. Some captain I am.” I hang my head in shame, now regretting my decision.
It’s one thing for me to suffer in silence. But it’s another for the team to get roped into my mess.
Bex runs her fingers down my arm, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. She stares into my eyes. Hers are watery, with so much sadness in them. “You can’t take the blame for other people’s actions, Preston. You didn’t make them do a thing.”
“Our teams wouldn’t be out in the waiting room, beating the shit out of each other if it weren’t for me. This could have serious implications for the team.”
“I saw the whole thing. From where I was sitting, it looked like Kellan was egging you on, so you would hit him back.”