“He shoots and he scores!”

The crowd cheered as I skated around the ice with a wide grin and my stick proudly held up in the air. The adrenaline that rushed through me never got old. The first game of the season and three goals, shot by yours truly, bringing home the win for our team. My teammates gathered around me; wild beasts throwing their bodies around in excitement at the victory that was ours. Screams filled the arena. I scanned the crowd, but the only thing I could focus on was how my dad wasn’t there to watch me. Skating off the ice, the team headed to the locker room where champagne sprayed all over us, celebrating our win.

“You’re fast and furious, bro,” my best friend and teammate, Tommy, said.

“Thanks, Tommy. We all played a great game tonight.”

Our coach, Gene Young, entered the locker room with a wide grin on his face.

“Excellent game, boys. I’m proud of each and every one of you. Practice tomorrow at eight a.m. sharp. Our next game is with the L.A. Kings and I want to blow those sons of bitches out of the water. Losing isn’t an option. Understand?”

“Yes, coach,” we all spoke as he walked out of the locker room.

There was much celebrating to do and we were about to head out to Louie’s Bar. Grabbing my bag, I walked out of the locker room where my two brothers, Brandon and Owen, were leaning up against the wall.

“Great game, bro.” Owen fist-bumped me.

“You were amazing out there tonight. I’m so proud of you.” Brandon smiled as he patted my shoulder.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked with a hint of disappointment.

“I’m sure he was passed out drunk somewhere,” Brandon spoke.

I didn’t know why disappointment shadowed inside me. He rarely attended my games, and when he did, he was usually drunk before he showed up.

“Forget about him.” Owen hooked his arm around me. “Let’s go find some girls and get laid tonight.”

As we walked into Louie’s Bar, the team was already sitting down at our usual table. Taking our seats, I grabbed the bottle of beer that was already waiting for me.

“To the amazing Lightning Logan.” Beer bottles clinked together.

That was what they called me, Lightning Logan, because I was as quick as lightning on the ice. I was introduced to hockey when I was six years old when my dad took me to my very first game. From that moment on, becoming an NHL hockey player consumed me. It was my life and all the hard work I’d put into it paid off. I was scouted by the New York Rangers at the age of seventeen when I played for my high school team and took us to the nationals. Scoring three goals in under a minute and being the fastest player on the ice snagged me a place on the team with a starting salary and contract that nearly gave me a heart attack. A year after proving my value, consecutive wins and scoring the goal that won us the Stanley Cup with four seconds left in the game, I was endorsed by Nike, Gillette, Coca Cola, and Polo Ralph Lauren, bringing me into the top ten highest paid endorsed athletes in the world.

I had it all. Fame, fortune, and pretty much any woman I wanted. Dating to me was an occasional dinner and sex. Or most of the time, just sex. A lot of one-night stands, especially when we played away games. Relationships and commitments were a definite no for me. I was already in a committed relationship and it was with hockey. The one and only love of my life. I’d watched some of my teammates with their girlfriends and it never worked out. The arguing and the constant jealousy were always at the forefront of their relationships. I didn’t have time for that shit, nor did I want it. I was happy being a bachelor, doing a job I loved more than anything in the world and fucking beautiful women, knowing they’d be gone the next morning.

After kicking back another beer, I got up to use the restroom. When I was finished, I walked out and saw a pretty girl who stood about five feet four with long black hair leaning up against the wall.

“Hey.” She smiled. “Aren’t you Logan Jackson from the New York Rangers?”

“Hi, and yes, I am.” I politely smiled back.

“I was at the game and you were amazing out there.” She bit her bottom lip.

Placing my hands in my pockets, I spoke, “Thank you.”

“Today’s my twenty-first birthday and the tickets were a present from my friends. They know how much I love hockey.”

She had a great smile and big brown eyes. I needed to celebrate my win and she was just the girl to help me with that.

“Since it’s your birthday and your twenty-first, let me buy you a drink.”

“Thank you. That would be great.”

“What’s your name?”

“Tori.”

“Nice to meet you, Tori.” I extended my hand to her.

When I walked back to the table to tell the guys I was sitting up at the bar with Tori, my brother, Owen, lightly took hold of my arm and pulled me into the corner.

“Way to go, bro.” He smiled.

“It’s her twenty-first birthday and I’m just buying her a drink to celebrate her legal drinking age.” I winked.

“Have fun tapping that ass.” He patted me on the back before he and Brandon left the bar.

****

The rustling of the sheets and a low moan awoke me from a sound sleep. I lay there frozen, trying to remember my actions from last night. My head hurt. Too many beers followed by several shots of tequila really did me in. The only thing I remembered was her screaming out my name multiple times.

“Morning,” she whispered in my ear as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Morning,” I mumbled.

“I had the best time last night and the best birthday ever.”

“I’m happy you had a nice birthday.” I got up from the bed and went into the bathroom. “I have practice in a couple of hours, so I think it’s best if you got dressed and headed home. I can call you a cab.”

I threw on a pair of sweatpants and headed to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

“Are you serious?” she asked as she emerged from the bedroom.

“Serious about what?”

“About me leaving. I thought maybe last night meant something. I mean, it just seemed like we had a connection.”

Shit. She was one of those girls. I rolled my eyes before I turned around and looked into her sad puppy eyes.

“Listen, Tori. You’re a great girl and all, but last night was just a one-time thing. We both drank too much and had some fun. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one-night stand you’ve had.”

The sadness in her eyes turned to rage. “Actually, you are. I don’t do this kind of thing. I’m not that kind of girl.”

“Then why did you do it with me?” I asked nonchalantly.

“Because I felt something when we first met and I got the vibe that you felt it too. I guess I was wrong,” she spoke as she slipped her feet into her heels. “You may be a good fuck, but you’re a total asshole, and you know what? Karma is a bitch.” She stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.

I sighed as I poured myself a cup of coffee. Walking into the bathroom to take a shower, I heard my phone beep with a text message from Owen.

“How was that chick last night?”

“I don’t really remember. But she just left all pissed off and called me an asshole.”

“Lightning Logan strikes again. Anyway, you’re going to dinner at Dad’s tonight, right?”

“Shit. Is that tonight?”

“Yep. Seven o’clock.”

“Why is he having us over for dinner anyway?”

“Apparently, he met someone and he wants to introduce us to her.”

“Fuck. You have got to be kidding.”

“Nope, bro. Just be there and try to be nice.”

“I can’t make any promises.”

The feeling in the pit of my stomach wasn’t a good one. Whoever this woman was, I hoped she knew what she was getting herself into. Anger ripped through me and the only way I knew how to deal with it was taking it out on the ice.