Page 109 of Heart of Thorns

“Uh-huh.” He narrows his eyes at me, but I don’t fucking care.

I drive like a bat out of hell to the arena. I park at the end of the row and rush inside, down the long, darkened hallway. Lydia stands on the mats that line the hall from their locker room to the rink, her hands planted on her hips. She’s still in skates and pads, the practice jersey boldly showing the Shadow Valley U Knights on her chest.

“Is she?—?”

“Still out there,” Lydia clips out. “If she hurts herself?—”

“I know. Just… give us a minute.”Or a few.

She makes a face. I ignore her and head to the rink. The door is open, giving me a view to the ice. Briar is at the far hash marks. Marley passes her a puck from the blue line, and she takes a slap shot.

Just watching her twist makes me cringe.

I step onto the ice and grit my teeth. The Zamboni hasn’t come through yet—probably because of Briar’s continued activity—so the chewed-up ice at least gives me a little friction.

“I’ll take over,” I tell Marley.

Briar’s head shoots up. “No.”

“Yes,” I snap, my voice booming across the distance. “You want to fuck your knee up? You do it with me.”

I hold my hand out, and Marley passes me her stick on her way off the ice. I can’t say I’ve played much hockey—and this, with no skates, definitely doesn’t count—but I’m coordinated. I glare at Briar when she slaps her stick on the ice.

“What?” I bark at her. “Is that caveman for pass you another puck?”

“Fuck off, Cassius.”

I roll my eyes and drop Marley’s stick. I kick a puck at her, and even though it’s slow, she takes a shot.

“There.” I point. “That hurt, kitten?”

“No,” she lies.

I laugh and storm closer. She moves to pass me, but I snag my fingers in the practice jersey she donned. She’s not wearing padding, though. I yank her around. With her skates on, she’s almost my height.Almost.

I hold her tightly and resist the urge to shake her.

“Let go of me.” She pushes at my chest.

I shake my head. “No.”

“Letgo.”

“You’re being a brat,” I snap in her face. “Don’t hurt yourself because you’re pissed at me.”

She struggles harder, and I can’t do it—I’m going to lose my balance, and this fight, if I keep going like I am.

So I haul her over my shoulder, pinning her thighs to my chest, and slap her ass. Once,hard.

It takes her by fucking surprise, enough that I manage to get us off the ice. Lydia and Marley stand in the shadows.

“Locker room empty?”

Marley nods quickly.

“Keep it that way,” I order.

A shiver runs through Briar, and I dig my fingers into her thighs. I kick the door open and storm through, then drop her carefully back to her feet.