Rush the Edge: A Brother’s Best Friend Hockey Romance (Blue Devils Hockey Book 3)

“Fucking shit.” I throw my broken stick off to the side, pissed that it snapped right before I was going to send a puck flying into the net.

I skate over to the bench and take the stick that’s being held out for me. It doesn’t feel right. It’s not taped the way I like: black tape, toe to heel, fifteen loops around the blade—any more or any less and I can tell.

Another one of my quirks, but if it helped me get to the pros, then I’m not sure anyone has the right to say shit about it.

The puck slips against my untapped blade, and I growl quietly.

Practice is almost over, but we have a home game in three nights, so the more honed we are on our own ice, the better.

We’re this close to making the playoffs—something this team has yet to do since I joined.

“Whoa.” Malaki skates close and stops a few feet away. “Who is that?”

Rhodes, one of our veteran players, growls. “I swear to god, if I look over and you’re talking about Sunny…”

“Sunny is old news, Grandpa. No one wants your nanny,” Malaki says.

I chuckle and try flinging another puck down the ice. Somehow, Emory, our goalie, blocks it without even looking like he’s paying attention. Fucker.

“I want your nanny.” I wiggle my eyebrows and grin. I say it just to piss him off.

“Shut the hell up, Barlow.”noveldrama

A few of our teammates laugh as they skate toward the bench. I stop flinging pucks down the ice and glance at Malaki. “Alright, I’ll take the bait. Who are you talking about?”

“Her.”

I spin on the ice, and my expression falls.

No.

Maybe if I pretend she doesn’t exist, everyone else will too.

“You know Cindy,” I say. “She organizes all the media shit, like our interviews.”

And other things…like dealing with new hires.

Surely Daisy didn’t actually accept the job of being the team’s mascot.

Then again, I’ve never known Daisy to back down from something. She may throw a fit, or begrudgingly do whatever the task is, but she doesn’t give up easily.

“Uh-oh…” Malaki chimes in through my thoughts.

I do a damn good job at keeping my attention away from Cindy and Daisy. It looked as if she was giving Daisy a tour of the arena, which isn’t a good sign.

Malaki sticks his twig forward and stops me from skating. “Are you hiding something?” He eyes me with a shit-eating grin.

“Since when do I hide shit? You live with me, for fuck’s sake.”

Something I wasn’t keen on, but when I found myself in the hole because of Miles, Malaki was the only one I felt comfortable turning to. He became my roommate and got us caught up on the rent until I could replace all the money I’d loaned to my brother.

Loaned. What a joke.

With a loan, you get paid back. Miles will never pay me back.

Malaki moves his stick out of the way and skates alongside me toward the bench. “Since now. You’re really going to act like you don’t see that foxy little thing walking with Cindy?”

Don’t react. Don’t react. Don’t react.

My grip on the stick tightens, and it takes everything in me not to bare my teeth.

Which is completely insane.

Our only night together as something more than her brother’s best friend and my best friend’s sister was a long time ago. So why am I still so fucked up over it? Why do I still hold such a grudge over what she did to me? The sting of her rejection is as fresh as it was back then, and every time I look at her, all I can remember is laying it out on the line for her to throw it all away.

Irritation runs up my spine with the thought of her making Chicago a home.

I refuse tolet that happen—starting with making sure she doesn’t get involved with any of these fools. The last thing I need is for her to be around even more than she already is.

“I see her,” I finally acknowledge Malaki, but I keep my tone bored.

His eyebrows shoot up to his forehead before he smooths his face. “Ah. You know her…” he notes. “Who is she?”

I glance toward the stands again, and thank fuck, she’s gone.

With a shrug of my shoulder, I turn away. “We grew up together.”

“Oh?” Malaki is full of sarcasm. “Is that so?”

I shoot him a death glare. “Don’t fuck with me.”

His lips twitch, and I take that as my cue to head to the locker room. If I don’t, I fear I’ll accidentally punch him in the face and start a brawl with my own team.

“I’m not fucking with you.” He catches up to me quickly. “I’ve just never seen you get riled up over anything other than hockey.”

“I’m not riled up.” I am fully riled up.

He chuckles and passes his own locker to continue badgering me. “So you two grew up together? Why is she here?”

My heart rate climbs. “She’s River’s sister,” I snap.

Malaki’s face lights up. “That’s River’s sister? Our new neighbor?”

I grind my jaw, and he throws his head back to laugh on his way over to his locker. I swear I hear him mutter something under his breath about how the tables have turned, but I’m choosing to simmer myself down by taking my gear off.

I decide to skip the shower because I need space and air. We have one of the largest arenas in the league, but knowing that Daisy is here makes it seem small, and before I know it, I’ll be catching her sweet swaying hips slipping around every last corner.

After making it to my car, I slide inside and exhale a few times to calm down before grabbing my phone. I deleted Daisy’s number years ago, during a drunken rage, but it was senseless. Everything about Daisy is permanently engraved into my brain.

I dial the number I have memorized, and it rings once before going to her voicemail. I hate that my chest constricts with her voice floating through the speakers. It’s the same damn one she set up when we were teens.

I quickly type a text after reluctantly resaving her number.

Me

Ignoring my call? Classic. I’m ready to go. Where are you?

Daisy-Petal

The fucking mascot…really?

I wish I had stuck around to see her face during the interview.

Me

Is that code for thank you? Because you’re welcome for getting you a job.

Daisy-Petal

Actually, it’s code for I hate you.

Good. I hate you too.

My car comes to life, and I relax back into my seat. If it were anyone else, I would have left them stranded by now. Don’t get that wrong, though—I’m not waiting around because of her. I’m waiting because of River. If something were to happen to her, and it was my fault, I’d lose the only family I currently have left. The Sullivans may not be blood related to me, but they stepped in when my family practically disowned me. We don’t talk as much as I’d like, because I couldn’t deal with the constant reminders of Daisy, but I know that if I need someone, they’d be the ones to rely on.

Me

So I take it you didn’t accept the position? That’s a shame. I was looking forward to seeing you in that costume.

She texts back right away.

Daisy-Petal

Of course I took the position. I need a job, and if Cindy is willing to work with me if I ever need time off, what more can I ask for?

It doesn’t come as a surprise to me, but it still sends a line of dread down my spine.

Me

Time off? For what? To make out with all those plants in your apartment?

Daisy-Petal

Leave my plants out of this.

I want to laugh, but I refuse.

Me

Hurry up. My car is idling.

Daisy-Petal

I don’t need a ride.

My gaze flies toward the other cars in the parking lot. Which one of my idiot teammates decided to offer her a ride home? I’ll slash their fucking tires.

I exhale loudly. For fuck’s sake, chill.

Me

You’re moving into the arena just to get away from me? You shouldn’t have.

Daisy-Petal

That’s a good idea.

I’m becoming impatient.

Me

Where are you?

Daisy-Petal

I’m about to turn the corner to Roosevelt St.

Did she…walk? In downtown Chicago? Knowing her, she probably has a trail of men following her, and I don’t mean the good kind in business suits with Rolexes on their wrists.

I drop my phone and shift into drive.

Daisy-Petal

Gotta go. I need to use my map. Thanks for the job that you most definitely assumed I would not take. I’ll see you on the ice, Barlow

My hands grip the steering wheel tightly as I tear out of the parking lot.