But then it’s my turn.

“And your captain, number fifty-nine, Jayden Sinclair!”

The crowd erupts with cheers as I skate out onto the ice, holding my stick up as the dance girls wave their little pom-poms and my teammates tap their sticks to the ice. I’ve waited for this since I started playing hockey. My first goal was to be a college captain.

I’m here.

Next is the NHL, and then I want to be an NHL captain.

I’ll make it happen.

As I stand with Jace to my left and Markus to my right, the anthem is sung while I look around to find my mom and sister sitting with Angie between them. I was hoping that Jude would be able to make it, but when he got to St. Louis, he wanted to hit the hay, which I completely understand. He’s a busy guy, but at least my mom and sister are here. As I keep looking, I realize I’m looking for my dad. I’m surprised when I don’t see him, but then I’m happy.

I don’t want him here.

“He isn’t here,” Jace says then, and I look over at him. “I told him not to come.”

Thank God. I don’t think I could handle my dad today, especially if Baylor decides to meet my mom after this. Also, I had such a great morning with Baylor, and knowing we are going to win this game, I don’t need his negativity. It’s going to be a good day, just got to win this game. Baylor is shaking with excitement, I like that. She’s ready to kick some ass, and I’m gonna do everything to help her win.

I also want my first win as a captain.

Nodding, I tap Jace’s shin as the whistle blows for us to line up and get this started. I love playing in our arena. This is my second home, and I’m ready to win. When we line up, though, Baylor drops her blade to the ice, waiting for the puck as the guy in front of her taunts her.

“Hey, Moore. Ready to lose?”

“I don’t lose, Rick. I win.”

“We will see about that,” he says, and then the puck drops. But instead of going for the puck like Baylor had, he goes straight through her, knocking her on her ass. I hear the air rush out of her, and then all I see is red. It takes everything inside me not to skate to her, to make sure she is all right. But thankfully, she pops back up as I skate back to keep the offense from rushing into our zone. Cutting left, I poke check the puck from the player who has it, but then another player comes and shoots it toward Shane. He bats it away, thankfully. As I rush to it, I scold myself for freaking out. This is the game. I’m here to do business. I gotta leave our relationship off the ice. As I get the puck under control, I see Jace slam the Rick guy into the boards.

“Touch her again, and I’ll fuck you up,” he promises as the guy comes off the boards, revenge in his eyes.

“Bring it, asshole,” he calls as Jace skates away, going to the bench for a change. Ignoring him since Jace took care of it, I bring the puck up, dumping it into the zone as I go off for a change. As I watch, I try to keep my eyes off Baylor. She’s sitting five guys down and she gasping for breath, but I worry she’s in pain. I mean, the dude went right through her. No stopping. Tearing my gaze from her, I look out on the ice and suck in a deep breath. This is hockey; she knew what she was signing up for. She’s a strong girl. She can handle her own. I know this. She knows this.

But every time I’m on the ice, my concern isn’t the puck, it’s Baylor.

I can’t help it though. Through two periods, these fuckers are making it their main focus to take her out. Tripping her, checking into her, and mowing right through her. And the mindfucking thing is they aren’t getting called for it! The refs are just standing there while she’s taking a fucking beating, but no one would even know. She takes each hit, sometimes without even reacting to it, but me, I’m reacting.

“Ref! What the hell? That’s cross checking,” I yell as I skate by one of them, but he just shrugs. “What, is Arkansas sucking your dick?”

The asshole then blows his whistle. “Fifty-nine, two minutes for unsportsmanlike contact!” he yells, pointing at me, and I’m flabbergasted.

“Are you kidding me?” I yell.

“Go!”

“Fucking bullshit,” I mutter as I skate toward the box.

Sitting down, I throw my stick down and then my gloves in complete frustration. This is bullshit! Leaning on my legs, I suck in a deep breath, looking up at the clock to see how much time we have left. Nine minutes. I get comfortable and allow myself to cool down a bit. But once I look out at the ice, my blood pressure rockets through the damn roof.

The Bullies are doing great, sending the puck out of the zone. But when it gets caught in the boards, Baylor rushes the puck, looking back to see where Jace is and also to find Kuntz and McMinn. But then two guys come in, squishing her between them as they all three fight for the puck. Jace comes over, trying to get the puck while Kuntz and McMinn watch the goal. But then I see one of the guys digging his elbow into Baylor’s neck, and I fucking lose it.

“Look at this shit!” I yell at the ref who is standing by the box, but he is ignoring me. “That’s allowed? He’s basically choking her!”

Baylor doesn’t take it though, she’s throwing elbows too, but she isn’t getting anywhere. Finally, Kuntz rushes in and checks the guy in the chest with his stick, but the other guy gets the puck, sending it up to his forward, who has another player with him. Before Kuntz can get back to man the net, McMinn is alone and the one player does a sick pass through McMinn’s legs to the other player, who sends it over Shane’s shoulder to the back of the goal.

Fuck.

Opening the box door, I skate toward the bench as Coach yells, “Sinclair! What the hell? That’s on you!”

“What? They are beating the shit out of Moore, and no one is calling shit,” I yell back, and I feel her gaze on me but I ignore it. “I’m not gonna stand around… No, we aren’t going to stand around while they hurt our teammate.”

Grabbing me by my jersey, he yanks me up to the tips of my skates. “She can handle her own. You worry about you and that fucking puck, or I’ll sit your ass on this bench so quick, you won’t know what happened!”

“We are a team! I look out for my team,” I yell back, my voice breaking a bit.

I’m out of breath and I’m fucking pissed. Rage is in his eyes, and I know mine mirror his. I don’t know if he is really that mad at me or mad at the situation. I’m sure it’s the latter because when he lets me go and shakes his head; he then bends down to check on Baylor as I take a seat beside Jace, who is between us.