Delayed Penalty (Crossing the Line, #1)(40)

Ami looked over at me one last time, and I never wanted to forget that look. It was relief that she finally had someone that was fighting for her.

I would like to say that look was all I saw but at night, when she would sleep, I saw the fear, the sadness, and the hurt. I saw it in the cold sweats, the sobbing as I held her in my arms, and her inability to sleep soundly. She remembered more than she wanted anyone to know.





Chirp – To talk trash to another player.




Leo and I met in the lobby. I had just left Ami in my condo for morning practice before the game. His first question: "Did you f*ck her?"

"Shut up, man," I said, staring at the numbers on the elevator as we passed by each floor. "Stop being so nasty."

"Being nasty would be me saying I bagged Granny B last night," he informed me. "That would be nasty. Now..." His expression took on a contemplative side he didn't have. "...you f*cking a girl you've been hung up on for months, there's nothing wrong with that."

"Leo..." my voice rose slightly, letting him know I'd had enough, "...she was raped. Do you honestly think me f*cking her is a good idea?"

Leo shrugged. "I never said it was a good idea. I was just looking for details had you f*cked her."

"Fuck off."

If you hadn't noticed, a hockey player's favorite word was f*ck. It was said so often on the ice and off that none of us could have a conversation without sneaking it in there more than necessary.

"Dude..." Leo looked back at a girl that passed by us. She glared at him. "What the f*ck is with that chick? She always gives me this look over her glasses that blatantly gives her aversion to the fact that I'm even allowed in the building."

Leo thought that everyone liked him. Most did, but there were a few girls that had slept with him and formed some sort of posse. It happened to Remy, too. They liked to tell people they were nice guys.

And they were...if you only knew them for ten minutes and hadn't slept with either of them. That girl, the one that was judging him, she knew exactly how nice of a guy Leo was.

"She's that girl you let blow you in the elevator a few months back."

"What's her name?"

"Ask your dick." I shrugged. "Maybe he knows."

"I never called her again, did I?"

"I'm sure that glare gives the answer to that question."

"Well shit," he said, scratching his mop of curls. "An attitude like that I'm glad I didn't call her."

When we got inside Leo's car, I looked over at him. He groaned. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm a douche for not calling that chick."

I laughed. "It's not a look man. It's a realization."



Game 64 – Vancouver Canucks

Friday, March 5, 2010



Danny Kolten, a defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks, was instigating me all game. Every play he was in my face and taking cheap shots on Leo and Remy. I let it go and waived him off when he got in my face at the crease. I wasn't in the mood for his shit tonight. I was trying to play clean and not scare the shit out of Ami.

When the whistle blew, we were at another face off in the Canucks zone.

"New puck bunny, Mase?" Danny circled, pushing against my shoulders, his breath blew out as steam.

"Fuck you." I didn't know where he came up with this shit, but Danny was always laying it on thick. The fact that he was doing it tonight of all nights had me seeing red.

"Ah come on. Dish a little…" He nudged me with his stick as we waited on the line. My eyes caught Ami's as she watched nervously beside Callie. I could easily see the apprehension and concern through the smile.

I winked with a quick nod, trying to reassure her everything was fine. I didn't want to scare her, but I also wouldn't stand for anyone talking like that about her—not after what she went through.

"Is she even legal? She looks young." I knew he was eyeing her, probably imagining the same shit I was earlier and wondering what was under those tight jeans she had on. Danny and I were both hockey players. I knew where his mind was.

"I said leave it alone." I shoved against him once, when I really wanted to knock his teeth out for what my brain told me he was thinking.

Danny didn't let it go and prodded me with his stick again, hooking it around my skate. He did it on purpose knowing if I moved, I'd be rewarded with a face full of ice.

"I'll take that as a yes." Danny laughed with a cocky nod, squaring up. "I bet she's good."

I didn't give him a warning, and I didn't say let's go. I just started hitting him. I was sick of this shit where these guys thought it was okay to treat girls like that. They didn't see the side I saw, the side that stayed with her through the fear, the sadness of what happened to her, and the hurt. I was the one who saw that. Me, I was there through the cold sweats and sleeping with the lights on while checking deadbolts ten times a night. And now, when guys like Danny wanted to get personal on the ice that was when I got protective. It didn't matter that I wasn't dating her and had no claim on her. My heart told me otherwise.

Once I dropped my gloves, Danny didn't stand a chance, but he knew that. He was only drawing me in for the power play.