Dean (Face-Off 6)

“Fuck Dean,” Theo growls.

“He’s dead to us,” Travis mutters.

“He didn’t do anything to either of you so don’t take this out on him. He’s still your friend.”

“I need a drink” Travis says.

“More like a whole bottle,” Theo chimes. “Kat, we’re hanging up. We have to… I don’t even know what to say…”

“This is so fucked,” Theo says, his voice distant.

“We’ll call you tomorrow,” Travis says. “We just need some time.”

After we hang up, I feel less anxious than before. My family knows and the world didn’t end. Duke acted like a giant child, but I know he’ll come around. His initial reaction to everything usually sucks because he’s a stupid rage monster. But I know he means well. They all do. The twins will get over it. They’re in shock. And in less than one week, Dean will know, too.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dean

For our first matchup against the Washington Capitals, I have the pleasure of playing against Duke Baldwin. He’s a bruiser, a mountain of a man, and the one player on the ice you don’t want to mess with unless you have a death wish. Known by everyone in the NHL as a Baldwin Beatdown, Duke has made a reputation for himself for his highlight-reel knockouts. As the enforcer for his team, fighting is Duke’s specialty.

Moving down the ice with the puck, I’m well aware of Duke and his proximity, forcing me to skate faster. I switch the puck to my weak side, keeping it away from Duke’s blade. But he’s good at getting me to do what he wants because my failed attempts to dodge him send us crashing into the boards. Instead of reaching for the puck, he pulls the gloves from his hands and throws them on the ice along with his stick.

Duke grabs me by the collar of my jersey, his face inches from mine. “You’re mine, asshole” he breathes against my cheek.

I attempt to break free when one of his teammates comes up from the side and steals the puck from between our legs. Those in attendance at the Wells Fargo Center chant for us to fight. Duke slams me into the Plexiglas, as if I weigh nothing, causing me to lose my balance. With a firm grip on my collar, Duke tugs hard enough that I fall backward and into his chest. I give him a shit-eating grin that he returns with his jaw clenched in anger.

“This is for Kat and the baby,” he growls into my ear. “You fucking scumbag.”

“What baby?” I choke out, my teeth gritted in anger.

“Your kid, you idiot.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You knew. Don’t fucking lie.”

My jersey slides up my back as Duke slams my face into the Plexiglas. I spin around, still struggling to slip from his grasp when Duke hits me with a right hook to the jaw. He follows it up with a few quick jabs that force me to the ice. But he doesn’t loosen his grip, not even for a second.

“Kat is pregnant with your kid. Don’t act like you didn’t know.” Bending over me, Duke lands a few more punches.

The ice is bloody by the time two linesmen grab him by the arms. In shock, I drop to my knees, in pain and numb from the news about Kat. Is she pregnant? With my baby? I don’t know what hurts worse—my jaw or Kat’s betrayal. Now, I understand why she’s been acting so weird. Anymore, it’s like she never has time for me.

The cheers from the crowd grow louder. Duke fights the linesmen off with an elbow. And when I least expect it, he knees me in the face. I fall backward from the blow. Duke throws his hands up in victory. As he turns around, his fist collides with the jaw of the linesman behind him.

The team doctor is at my side. My teammates circle us, some of them attempting to get a clean shot at Duke. His teammates pull him back to their bench. The last player who hit a linesman lost months of pay and earned a hefty suspension.

I hope fucking up my face was worth it, asshole.

As the officials escort Duke off the ice, my teammates help me up. What a low blow for my first year in the league. That fight will be on every highlight-reel for weeks to come.

What concerns me most is what he said about Kat… and our child. How could she hide something this important from me? We share everything. Maybe Duke misunderstood. Either that or he’s delusional… or I’m going to be a father. Kat owes me an explanation for my face, this fight, and our baby.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kat

As I watched Duke beat the shit out of Dean on television, I wanted to jump through the screen and murder my brother. I only had a few more days to go until Dean’s birthday. So, what choice did I have but to hop on the next flight to Philly?