Page 136 of Revenge Puck

“Juliette.” She says my name firmly. “You are allowed to have your own life.”

“I know, but?—”

She nudges my shoulder. “If one of us is going to accidentally fall into a broody, intense, good-looking athlete, I’m thrilled it’s you.”

“I am not falling into anything.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Also—I’d like to point out that my brother is also a broody, good-looking athlete…” It never hurts to mention this, lest she forget Declan is usually always single.

“Don’t make me throw up in my mouth.”

“Merely stating a fact. Maybe all of this loathing is sexual tension.”

Blaire stares at me blankly. “I would rather lick the ice.”

“Oddly enough, I’m sure that can be arranged.”

Down below, the crack of sticks colliding echoes through the arena, the game going fast, all the players aggressive. I gasp as Declan checks a guy into the boards, sending him falling to the ice.

That’s going to leave a bruise…

The crowd loves it.

Aaron takes the puck with a clean steal, skating it down the ice with controlled precision, movements clipped.

Focused.

Sexyfocused.

“He looks so mad,” Blaire observes.

“So does Declan.”

On cue, my brother hooks a guy’s stick and nearly ends up in the penalty box for it. The ref’s arm lifts in warning.

“See? Everything that man does, he does without thinking it through first,” Blaire grumbles, watching as Declan climbs into the Sin Bin.

“Uh, he’s playing a game…?”

“The penalty box is a metaphor for his entire life,” she says primly, sounding judgmental.

“He’s in there for two minutes,” I point out. “It’s not a prison sentence.”

“Two minutes is all it takes to ruin things.” Blaire’s chin tilts up and it’s clear she’s barely enjoying the game, so fixated on her loathing for Declan she can’t peel her eyes off him.

“Are you going to punish him for the rest of your life?”

“Probably.” She drags her eyes off him so she can look at me. “You’re naïve to think your brother is perfect—he’s far from it. Like I said, whatever beef those two have, it’s most likely Declan’s fault.”

I purse my lips. “I don’t think he’s perfect.”

“You defend him like you do.”

“He’s my brother, Blaire.”

“And that gives him a lifetime pass?”