Page 44 of Ice Devil

Even in the crowded arena, I could almost swear someone was watching me. While I knew I should tell Beck about the email, I was trying to figure out what good that would do. Not knowing him very well, I also worried his game would be affected.

God knew I didn’t need to be the one labeled the reason the team had lost a chance to make the playoffs.

All things being equal, I should have shared the threat, which was what I took the email as being, with my boss. Right… I could only imagine Matt’s reaction. He’d call me compromised and incapable of doing my job.

With the pressure he was putting on me to provide some shadowy article on the shifter side of things, I was needed to be extra careful in how I handled Matt.

His last words before I’d left the office in a rush:

“Remember your assignment.”

Then he’d lifted his gaze, staring into my eyes. The way he’d looked at me had been entirely different.

I’d written the article on the plane and in truth, I’d decided to finish it with Beck’s help.

If he didn’t shut me down, which I wouldn’t blame him for.

At this point, I’d all but decided to keep the ugly detail to myself unless I received another. What had the asshole thought he was going to achieve anyway? Blackmail? It wasn’t as if either one of us were married and cheating or God forbid underage. Sure, the question of ethics would come into play for the rest of this season but would fade when another oh-my-God scandal hit social media.

Maybe that’s what the jerk had intended. To drive me batshit crazy.

Fuck you!

I laughed and turned my full attention back to the game.

The moment Jory caught the puck from another player, everyone knew instinctively this was the play. It had to be. The clock was ticking.

As soon as he moved toward where Beck was waiting, everyone was on their feet. All cheering. All jumping up and down.

I’d never seen such a frenzy before. There were at least a thousand tailgaters outside, almost every sign positive. The momentum for the Hellions and for the brothers was growing.

Maybe my article had been a small part of the reason why.

I was breathless, sick to my stomach while watching them play. I tried to keep my eye on the puck because of the importance, but the draw to Beck had been heavy and hot all night long.

Whether or not he knew I was here, I couldn’t tell. The plane had arrived late, which had put me at the arena after the start of the game. What I found fascinating was the buzz of energy I’d felt the moment I’d walked in, the same electricity that I’d experienced when spending any time with Beck.

Heat swept across my face in a moment of wildfire and the crowd was crushing forward. I managed to get a spot near the front, trying to video his performance. Whether or not I was getting anything I couldn’t tell and honestly, I didn’t care because I was too busy screaming out his name like everyone else.

Up until now, the game had been exciting, but this was something completely different. I was floating on air even as the clock ticked down in slow motion.

Then everyone was holding their breath when the puck was released.

Beck didn’t react. Not a single muscle in his body moved, nothing tensed. I could just tell, although I’d later defend my certainty by claiming I’d been praying hard for the win. I couldn’t breathe, hadn’t blinked once, and in the last seconds I could see the timer’s yellow lights.

Five. Four. Three. Two.

With a huge roar, I cleared cobwebs before I realized Beck had done it. He’d managed to win the game for the Hellions.

“Hell, yeah!” My scream was louder than some of the guys dressed like Vikings. Since when did Hellions translate into Vikings? I didn’t know, but I took a few pictures anyway.

There was utter pandemonium in the arena, confetti flying and horns blowing. Now we were in a Viking Mardi Gras. When they started chanting ‘the Devil,’ I had a sense of pride wash over me.

How silly. How… ridiculous.

“Yes. Yes. Yes!” I plastered my hand on the plexiglass, trying to capture a few pictures of the joy the team shared while jumping all over each other. When they finally started to do the victory lap, I waited just long enough to see if Beck would skate closer.

My heart was thumping so hard the sound was echoing in my ears.