Some days, thinking about slinging a one inch hunk of rubber into the back of the net riles my blood, I feel invincible.

Other days, fuck me.

There’s a hulk basically wearing extra large pillows standing in the way, and the fucker can do splits and damn near backflips on skates.

You know what it’s like competing with that?

When I was younger, I thought, oh - get out there and just hit it heavy, top-shelf.

Not so much.

But I don’t have a choice but to get out of my head. It’s the season opener, and we’re about to go into the last intermission. We can’t take our team in tied at zero.

It’s bad for morale.

I just got the puck on my stick and it didn’t come to me clean. The ice is bad, the pucks flipped on its side and I’m not even turned towards the net.

Where the fuck is the goalie positioned?

I pass the puck off, and get it back.

I don’t have time to look down, settle the puck, look back up and find an open pocket and rip it.

Seconds. Only seconds to make a decision.

I find a nice seam in the defense, and I know Byers is going to jump out of me when I get the pass, so I swing my hips around and pull the puck behind me.

If I take the half-second to put in in front of me, Byers is gonna have a chance to poke it.

Gives me an illusion to the goalie with my body on the other side of Byers, and I release the puck on the other side of him.

Fucking A.

I skate around the rink, celebrating and looking around for what feels like the first time since the game started.

I see a sign that makes me stop on the ice, as the buzzer goes off.

I skate to the glass, grateful my helmet hides my expression.

“#17 on the ice, #1 in my life.”

I meet Kaija’s nervous eyes, tapping the boundary with my stick in acknowledgement, but not saying anything.

I don’t really know what to say. I skate backwards and finally turn, heading back to the locker rooms.

I made myself accept that we just weren’t on the same page, that I guess it was meant to just be a passing thing.

Seeing her here tonight throws me off.

Honestly, I don’t know if I want to take that road again. Maybe we’re better off not being with each other.

Less than three months, right? Barely a blip on the radar. There are more women in the world.

But only one Kaija.

Everyone’s in the locker room so the hallway’s clear, and I keep my head down, thinking.

“Hey man, think I can get a quick picture?”

I jerk my head up, noticing the hallway isn’t empty after all. There’s a smiling black man in a team cap and concessions uniform, holding up his phone.

“Yeah, of course, man. No problem.” I switch my stick to my other side and smile, and he holds up his phone and I hear the click of the camera.

I thought it was the click of the camera.

“Yeah, that’s a gun. Walk with me, let’s chat a bit.”

“You know people are going to notice I’m missing.”

“Oh, I’m not going to kill you.” He pushes me towards a utility closet. “I just needed to send off that photo. Or maybe I will kill you. I haven’t really decided yet.”

“That’s comforting.” What the fuck is going on right now? I don’t feel any fear, just…confused. The door clicks open and I go inside, turning to face him. I don’t know much about how to deal with this kind of shit, but I figure you shouldn’t have your back to someone with a gun.

That seems logical.

“Do I know you? Does someone owe you money?”

“You just had the unfortunate pleasure of dating the wrong woman.” He throws off his cap.

“Delia?” God, I feel like this kind of shit would be about her. Always fucking over someone.

“Kaija.”

“Kaija?” Maybe I’m tired from the game, but my brain is not connecting the dots.

“She hasn’t even mentioned me? Well damn. Gonna have to talk to her about that.” His phone pings and he looks down. “Good timing. You can ask her who I am yourself.” He backs up to the door, keeping the gun trained on me as he pulls on the handle behind him. “You, in the hallway.”

I do what he says, and when I step out, Kaija is standing there.

“You shouldn’t have come.” Me, I have on all this damned padding. Her, she’s got nothing. She’s completely vulnerable.

“What was I gonna do? Just…leave you with him?” She snaps, and I’m taken aback at her attitude.

“Really? You’ve got an attitude now?” I shake my head, almost amused.

The guy shakes the gun at her, motioning her towards me and leans against the wall, holding the weapon casually.

“So, apparently introductions need to be made.”

“Harlan, Psychopath. Psychopath, Harlan.” She sneers.

“Cute. You know what this bitch did? Made me think I was going to be paralyzed so I’d give her answers. Had me good too. Part of me even wanted it. Imagine my surprise when it was nothing.”

“It gave me great joy to hear you whimpering and crying like a child, just for the record.” I swing my head to her. She’s so cool. I wish someone would clue me in, though.

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?”

“I’ll catch you up. Kaija put me in jail, I wanted Jasmine kidnapped for payback, then she set me up for more answers. Now, I’m thinking I should have let those men do whatever they wanted to you. Really fucked you up.” He’s nearly foaming at the mouth in anger, and his eyes are a little too crazy for my comfort.

“You kidnapped Jasmine?” I swing my gaze to Kaija and she doesn’t look surprised at all. By anything.

Damn. I guess I’m the last one to know a few things.

“Put the gun down, Wesley.” None of us noticed Keyra at the end of the hallway, and when Wesley swings his gun her ways and lets off a shot, my heart stops.

Only Keyra gets off a shot at the same time…and they both go down as doors fly open and everything gets chaotic.