Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)(7)

He wasn’t and he didn’t have to answer for Jordie to know that. They had been friends for a long time now. They knew each other’s darkest secrets—the perks of both being addicts. If there were perks… But, whatever, Jordie knew Benji.

He knew Benji wanted to be happy again.

“I’m saying this as your friend. Stop using Ava and Leary as your reason for not putting yourself out there. I’m not saying to forget them, you couldn’t even if you tried, but you can’t keep using them the way you do. I really don’t think you realize how much you use them as a shield.”

Looking away, Benji sucked in a breath and let it out. He did know.

“If you want to be happy, if you want what all of us have——”

“Not me, I don’t have anyone ’cause I don’t want them,” Vaughn added and Jordie rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, then go get it, dude. You’re a good dude, any girl would be lucky to have you.”

“Wow, you sounded really gay there,” Vaughn mocked, but Jordie ignored him, holding Benji’s gaze.

“You know what I mean?”

And he did. It scared him, though.

Because, in the years since he laid Ava and Leary to rest, he hadn’t found anyone who could spark even an ounce of the happiness they sparked inside of Benji.

But, if he was honest, he hadn’t really been looking. He had gotten so used to feeling sorry for himself, he didn’t know how to get what he wanted. On the ice, no problem, he fought to the point of exhaustion, but that was the player he was. He knew how to handle hockey, he knew how to win at that—but life, he kind of sucked at that. He had no fight. Probably because he had nothing to fight for.

God, he was pitiful.

And this wasn’t the man he wanted to be. It was time to change.

“You’re right.”

“I know. It happens a lot. Ask my wife, she’ll tell ya,” Jordie said, flashing his pearly whites.

“You forget I know your wife very well, and she wouldn’t say that at all,” Benji teased back as his phone rang. Jordie laughed as Benji reached into his pocket, pulling his phone out. Looking at the screen, he saw it was the new captain of the Assassins, Jayden Sinclair. He liked Jayden, strong leader and cool dude. He was young, but the kid could lead like no one he had ever seen. They had formed a good friendship, especially now that they played on the same line together. He respected the guy.

“Hey, Cap,” he answered as both Vaughn and Jordie started to eat the food that had been forgotten while they all discussed Benji’s love life.

Or lack of one.

Whatever.

“BP, I need a favor.” He sounded desperate.

Benji laughed. “Should I be scared?”

“Eh, that’s debatable. And if, after this, you want to kill me, I fully understand.”

“Oh, shit, what?” he asked, even though he knew he’d do it. That’s the way the Assassins team worked. They helped each other. No matter what. Their boss, Elli Adler, was a prime example of that. She went above and beyond the role of owner of the Assassins. She was their friend, and they all followed her example.

“So I volunteered to help Adler out with his hockey team. But Baylor’s appointment got pushed back, and now we have to meet with another specialist, and, well, I’m not gonna make it.”

“Okay, I’ll go,” Benji said. He knew all about Adler’s hockey team that he had retired to coach. He loved his kids and he wanted to coach them. Benji would do the same if he had a family. “No big deal.”

“Thanks, man, really. But it’s more than that.” Again, he sounded very nervous, which kind of made Benji nervous.

“Okay?”

“My niece, Angie, is playing on the team. I’m supposed to meet my sister at four thirty to get Angie ready for the ice. I know you’ve never met her, and this is a lot to ask, but can you help her out—on and off the ice?”

“Yeah, no problem,” he said without hesitation. Jayden had made it seem like way more than that.

“Okay, awesome, but one thing…”

“Yeah?” he asked, and why was Jayden so nervous?

“My sister can be a bitch, and she’s gonna be pissed I’m not there. But I know if I tell her I can’t be there, she won’t take Angie, and Angie really wants to play. So I’m not gonna tell her, and if she attacks you since you’re the messenger, I’m really f*cking sorry. But, man, Angie is awesome and you’ll love her, if that makes it any better. Did I mention the team is a bunch of seven-and eight-year-olds? Girls. They are girls. All girls. Are you sure?”

He said it all so quickly that Benji couldn’t help but laugh.

“Dude, it’s no big deal. I love kids, and I doubt your sister is that bad.”

When Jayden didn’t answer right away, the only noise coming from him one of hesitation, Benji would have been lying if he said he wasn’t a little nervous, but also intrigued.

How bad could this chick be?

“Can I just apologize now?”

Hm. That bad?

That should make him not want to go, but Benji wasn’t normal.

Instead, he was kind of excited.

Or a glutton for punishment.

Who knew?

“What’s her name?”