Kissing Killian (Face-Off Legacy/Campus Kings 5)

Every practice is different. Sometimes, we work on passing, others shooting, or even a scrimmage. I’m just happy we’re not spending this time in the gym. With how shitty I feel after this weekend, it’s easier to skate in a circle and pass a puck than it would be to lift weights. From the looks of Tucker, he’s spent another weekend at the Delta Sigma Phi house. He practically lives there, especially now that he managed to get himself and Trent suspended for two games for cheating on a test.

It’s funny how much wealth and privilege these guys grew up with and how they treat it like it doesn’t mean shit. I never had the luxury to screw around when it came to school. This is my only opportunity to get out of my neighborhood, my only chance to provide a better life for my family. If I hadn’t met Jamie when I was younger, I wouldn’t be here at all. He was one of the few people who ever took a chance on me.

He’s the wealthiest player on the team, probably in the entire city of Philadelphia, and yet he took me under his wing. And it was his father who helped me get into Strickland University.

I need to talk to Jamie about Jade. But before she opens her mouth, I have to find her. Since that night, I haven’t been able to track her down. She’s either with one of her sisters or being escorted places in a limousine.

For all I know, she could have run to the police already. I’ve been a ball of nerves since that night. If I were smart, I would have made sure she didn’t talk right then and there. But I let her walk away knowing she would keep her promise. I don’t know why, but I know she won’t speak a word of what happened.

After practice, I find Jamie in the locker room. He’s standing next to his locker with a towel wrapped around his waist, leaning over to talk to Preston. Jamie and Preston have been friends pretty much since birth. Preston’s dad is Alex Parker, the current coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, and his mom is Coach, a woman so powerful she only needs a nickname. She’s also one of the best sports agents in the business. I would kill to sign with her one day.

All of Jamie’s friends have famous parents. I’m the only one from the wrong side of the tracks. When I first met Jamie, I was a little overwhelmed by how rich and famous their families are. I was intimated to sit in the same room as professional hockey players and legendary gamers. Jamie’s dad is like a god in the tech world. And for some reason, he was the one who intimidated me the most.

Once I found my groove with games and later on with programming and hacking, Jameson O’Connor became my role model and the only real positive male figure I had in my life growing up. With my dad not around, I had applied for the high school internship Jameson offers to students who are interested in learning game development. He grew up even worse than me, and because of that we connected instantly.

He went from a foster home in Chicago, where he also met Coach, to running a multi-billion dollar tech company. His story inspired me to turn my life around. Throughout my internship, I got my head in the game because of Jamie and him. I found a new purpose for my life. And somehow, I even managed to like hockey just as much as programming.

Most of the guys on the team come from some kind of wealth. You need money to afford this college. Scholarship kids are so few and far between at Strick U. Lucky for me, school always came naturally to me. I never had to put in much effort to get an A, but I learned at an early age that book smarts wasn’t worth as much as street smarts.

“Hey, J.” I tap him on the shoulder to get his attention. “I need to talk to you for a sec.”

He nods and turns away from Preston. “What’s up?”

“You’re with Shannon, right?”

He moves his hands to his waist and flexes his jaw. “Yeah, why?”

I almost laugh at how quickly his mood has changed. “Damn, dude, chill out. I don’t want Shannon.” I slap him on the back, shaking my head. “What do you know about her friend, Jade?”

Jamie relaxes a bit. “Jade?” His nose scrunches in confusion as he mulls over her name. “Does she have blonde hair and big tits?”

“You just described a lot of girls on campus, but yeah, she does.”

“If she’s the one who always does favors for Shannon, then I know her. She has a nasally accent. New York, I think.”