It wasn’t until I was sitting in the penalty box and catching my breath that I started to calm down. If my teammates hadn’t pulled me off of Tony, I didn’t think I ever would have stopped punching him. I’d never felt so out of control before.
I was used to trash talk—I was a hockey player. I’d been called a caveman, a goon, and a dumbass before. But now that my mental health was being discussed on blogs, in newspapers, and even on Twitter, it cut deeper.
“Hey, Jansson!”
A Toronto fan standing right next to the penalty box pounded on the glass. He looked like he weighed about a buck fifty, with beady eyes and coffee-stained teeth.
“You suck!” he yelled. “You want to hold up your fingers and tell me your IQ? You’ll only need one hand!”
I flinched, like I was going to lunge toward him, only moving a few inches before I sat back down and smiled. It had been enough to make him jump about a foot in the air before scurrying away.
This day had sucked so hard. I wanted to go back to being the invisible member of our team instead of the one most talked about. I wanted to fall asleep in Sheridan’s bed, her nails gently grazing my scalp as she ran her hands through my hair.
Not tonight, though. Tonight I had to suck it up and play hockey.
The lamp lit up behind our goal. Tony fucking Gruen had just scored on the power play and I slammed my hand against the bench in the penalty box. He gave me a shit-eating grin as he skated past the penalty box and I gripped my stick, eager to get back out there.
Chapter Nineteen
Sheridan
* * *
I slid behind the wheel of my Mercedes and took a minute to enjoy the feeling. I was driving again, walking every day, and having the best sex of my entire life. Not to mention my Swedish hunk of a boyfriend who made me so freakin’ happy. He was quirky, introverted, and quiet, but gentle, kind, and trying so hard to please me. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. And that was all that mattered to me, that he cared enough to try. Hugh had never given a shit about my needs, especially not in bed, and it was refreshing to know not every man out there was a manipulative prick who was after my money.
I’d just pulled up in front of Sawyer and Annie’s townhouse when my phone rang and I saw Hugh’s name on the screen. I’d avoided his last two calls, so I figured I’d better answer this one or I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself tonight.
“What do you want?” I asked abruptly, putting the car in park and engaging my Bluetooth.
“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded. “You think you’re just going to ride off into the sunset with some new guy?”
“Not that it’s any of your business,” I replied. “But maybe.”
“Everything to do with you is my business. Now, then, forever.”
“I repeat. What do you want?”
“First of all, I’m not signing that piece of garbage your attorney sent over. You can forget it. Second, if you continue with this bullshit, believe me when I say I will ruin your boyfriend.”
“Lars can take care of himself,” I said quietly, though my chest tightened with worry.
“I have two women ready, willing, and able to come forward with accusations of sexual assault.”
“What?” One of my hands balled into a fist. “Dammit, Hugh, this has to end. It’s not good for either of us.”
“It’s fine for me.” He chuckled. “And don’t forget—I still have that video.”
“I’m calling my lawyer.” I disconnected and dropped my forehead to the steering wheel. I was going to have to give him everything I had to make him go away, and even then, I wasn’t sure he would. The video he had would destroy my reputation and my life, not to mention what he’d threatened to do to Lars. I needed to call Marian first thing in the morning, but it was four thirty now and I was bringing Annie over to Hadley’s, where I was going to do everyone’s hair and makeup before the game.
My hands were shaking and I was nauseated, though, so I was in no condition to drive yet.
Damn him to hell.
I hated Hugh with every fiber of my being.
A knock on the window made me jump and my hand flew to my chest as I noticed Annie standing there watching me curiously. I quickly unlocked the door, and she got in.
“Hey, are you okay?” She looked worried.
“I…no.” I took a deep breath. “But I will be. If you can just give me a minute.”
“Of course.” Annie put on her seat belt and turned to me. “Can I do anything?”