Page 38 of Ricochet

I’m no better than themonsters I hunt.

No, that’s not entirely true.

At least I stopped.

But it shouldn’t have taken Callum that many times saying it for me to actually fucking listen. I thought he was just fighting it, being stubborn, not wanting to admit he wants me as much as I want him. He was hard, but that doesn’t mean shit. It doesn’t mean he wanted to be.

They’re all weak excuses.

I’ve been beating myself up about it for the past week. I’ve avoided him outside of practice, not even sitting next to him in class.

I’m finally giving him what he always wanted.

For me to disappear.

The only place I can’t do that for him is in the rink.

But what Ihavebeen doing is trying to pick up his slack on the ice. It’s clear he still doesn’t want to play with me, that he’sstill thrown off by my mere presence. However, I’ve been trying to make it easier for him to find my stick, traveling as fast and as far as I need to make sure our passes connect, taking that additional fraction of a second to aim so the puck finds his tape when I slap it to him.

The extra effort has paid off, but I don’t know if it’ll be enough for our first game tonight.

I’ve already told Lacey to be doing some research for me while I’m here in Massachusetts. Just in case.

We’re playing back-to-back games here this weekend, one tonight and one tomorrow night. That’s two nights in the hotel our bus just pulled up at. We’re all outside, retrieving our luggage from the baggage compartment under the bus, leaving the gear for when we go to the arena. The tension is high as we move silently. I don’t think many of us have much hope for this weekend.

Coach Hill has already gone inside the lobby, leaving the rest of us to trudge in after him once we’ve collected our things.

After he’s checked in all the rooms, he walks over with a stack of key cards in his hands. “You all have twenty minutes to get your shit into your room and be back down here before we leave for practice. Simmons and Brooks.”

Nate walks over and takes the keys from Coach before he and Brooks head off for the elevators.

“Hayes and Wakefield.”

My heart sinks all the way down into the bottom of my gut, churning and churning until I feel sick.

That’s the last thing I need. To be in a hotel room with Callum alone after I practically forced myself on him. That’s the last thingheneeds.

However, he’s stepping forward, taking the keys without a single complaint.

“Coach, I don’t know if—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Wakefield,” Coach cuts me off with a glare. “You two have your issues, I get it. But you’re either going to work it out off the ice or kill each other in your sleep. I don’t really care which one. Now get the fuck out of my sight.”

Coach really isn’t pulling any punches anymore, calling us out in front of the entire team.

So, of course, I can’t argue. Especially since Callum is already walking away toward the elevators. I follow after him, thankful we’re able to catch one with Nate and Brooks up to the third floor. The ride up is tense and silent like the past few hours have been since we left Connecticut.

The elevator doors open, and the four of us head down the hallway to the right. Our rooms are right next to each other, and Nate and Callum both slide their keys into the locks.

“Remember.” Nate opens his door, pinning us each with a stern look. “Twenty minutes.”

“Got it,” Callum says.

I doubt it’ll take even that long. I have every intention of running out as soon as I can.

I close the door behind us once we’re inside the room. Hanging back, I let Callum pick which bed he wants first. When he tosses his duffel onto the one nearest the door, I move around him and set mine down on the second bed by the window.

It feels as though he wants to be closer to the only escape from this room, and I can’t blame him for it.