Page 12 of Rule Breaker

From everything I’d overheard so far, Kayden was a stand-up guy. Someone everyone liked and trusted. There were no worries. I’d be fine. I’d had to share a room with a guy from my last team in Toronto and I managed okay. It was only one night. Okay, more than that, a couple in the next few months. Nothing I couldn’t handle.

“That’s a filthy habit.”

I turned around to find Axel standing behind me, leaning against the wall. The cocky forward had a smug grin on his face that I hated as much as Kayden’s. Wait. No. Axel’s was slightly less annoying.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” I snapped and took another drag.

“Look, I get that you wanna do your own thing. You’re a goalie. Most of you are weird as shit. That’s fine. Just don’t pisseveryoneoff. Especially the guys playing defense. Otherwise, it fucks with the team dynamic.”

I shook my head. “Stick to scoring goals, not sports psychology.”

Axel pushed off the wall and walked up to me. “This is my year. I’m getting that center spot. Nothing, and no one, is going to get in my way. You read me?”

“Why don’t you save your ego for the ice, Lund?”

Suddenly, Jace stepped forward and gave Axel a dirty look.

“You’re another one,” Axel sneered. “Too much talk and not enough action.”

“Really? Who scored more in their last season? Me or you?”

Axel gave him the middle finger and stalked off towards the bus.

“Ignore him. He’s a douchebag,” Jace muttered and then motioned at me.

“What?” I asked.

“Give me a freaking smoke, man.”

I scoffed. “Get your own cigs.”

“One.”

I sighed, pulled the pack out of my bag along with the lighter, and threw it at him. After he pulled out a cig and lit it up, he threw the pack back to me.

“Happy?” I snarked. “And I don’t give a shit what Axel has to say. Or you, for that matter. And I don’t need anyone to come to my defense. Now leave me the fuck alone.”

“What’s going on here?”

Kayden’s sudden, deep voice startled me, and I nearly dropped my bag.

“What does it look like?” I asked him as I rolled my eyes. “We’re smoking.”

“Jace?” Kayden asked him.

Jace took a drag, then threw his cigarette on the ground. “Axel was running his mouth, so I told him to get lost. No biggie.”

Kayden stared at me, and, for once, he wasn’t smiling. I was pretty sure he heard the whole damn conversation with Axel and Jace. His eyes looked worried. Tough shit. I wasn’t any of his concern.

“If there’s a problem with a teammate, you—” Kayden started.

“There’s no problem,” I spat out. So much for trying to relax. I’d need a whole fucking pack of cigs for that. Why couldn’t everyone leave me alone? “Axel is a cocky shit who thinks the world, and the team, revolves around him. Same as mostguys who play this game, myself included. We all have our own agendas. And I don’t care what he says to me. It doesn’t. Fucking. Matter.”

Kayden’s face flushed, but he stood there, silent. Unmoving.

“I’m heading back to the bus,” Jace announced and walked off.

“What?” I asked Kayden. “If you have something to say, say it. If not, leave.”