1. Axel

1

AXEL

The crowd is big tonight, which makes for an even more fun game since I'm inclined to put on more of a show. As an enforcer who plays offense or defense, I don't get as much playing time as others, but when I do play, it's to let the other team know they're in for it. I'm the team's muscle and never shied away from it.

Unfortunately, it also means I'm more easily expendable. I got traded again, which is a shame. I thought with my last team, I'd stay on until I was ready to retire. It was my longest stint with a single team, four years, but just before the season started, I got my trade papers and was on an airplane to Colorado.

I glide onto the ice, and it's easier than walking. I swear. I started skating before walking. My grandfather ensured I knew what to do, and hockey became an obsession as I matured.

The crowd cheers as my teammates and I skate around and get warmed up for the game. This time, I'm getting a bigger reception than last time. I slammed about half of my new teammates into the glass as I tried to keep them off my former team's puck, but now we're all good and even somewhat friendly— or as friendly as I allow things to be.

With how much I get traded, being cordial with everybody is easier. Shit, with the last team, it wasn't until last year that I had a beer with a few of the players because I thought I'd be staying. It makes it harder to leave, so I show up, do my job, and go.

It makes for a lonely existence because I don't have any family now, no friends. Tyler and Ethan from my former team reach out, and we text and such, so at least I have a little something, but I'm not good at following through.

The crowd boos as the opposing team comes out onto the ice, and I link eyes with Malek. We've never been on the same team before, and he's another enforcer that gets traded a lot as I do. The press has played up our rivalry so much that it's come out into real life. The two of us clash once we're near each other on the ice. When off, we're indifferent, but if it gets asses in the seats, then I'll do whatever I have to.

I stop and stretch, and I want to chuckle as I hear some women gasping behind me and some teammates smirk. I wonder if most women only come to the games to watch us stretch instead of enjoying the game.

The guys joke around, but I zone them out to get my head into the game. I need to keep my harsher edge so I'm aggressive enough to protect the puck and my teammates.

The guys and I finish our stretches and skate around a few more times, and off to the side, three rows in is the sexiest girl I've ever laid eyes on. She's wearing a pink sweatshirt, a pink and white beanie, and a scarf with perfectly curled short blonde hair that frames her gorgeous round face.

I gasp and stop as I stare at her. I startle when the coach yells for us to bring it in. My teammate Alexie, aka Winter Wolf, pats me on the back. "Are you okay, dude?"

I glance at him and back at the girl and grunt. I skate toward the coach when I hear Winter Wolf sigh. The guy's nice, but what's the point of getting close to him or any of them? I'll probably be traded at the end of the season. With the older I get, I wonder how much longer I have.

According to the hockey world, I'm already ancient, thirty-seven, but I want to play for as long as I can because what else will I do once I'm not playing hockey?

I get off the ice since I'm not starting and listen to what the coach has to say, but I'm not hearing anything as I keep trying to sneak a peek at the woman in the stand.

"Am I boring you, Ruiner?" Coach demands.

"No, Coach," I say, forcing myself to focus on the game.

The game begins, and the teams are evenly matched, making for one hell of a game. Malek is being played much more than usual, so Coach puts me in. The beast is in top form tonight, but the curvy girl in the stand inspires me. I'm playing for her. I want to show off a little— something I've never done for female attention. I never needed to.

Malek and I bash heads a few times, but the scoreboard is still zero-zero. All the guys play their hearts out and I wonder if more of them have a lady in the stands they're trying to impress because we're playing like it's the last time we'll be on the ice .

We head off the rink for halftime, and I sneak one last look at the woman. She has a friend sitting next to her who is chatting away, but the young woman looks bored, and I chuckle as she tries to stifle a yawn.

I can't say I've ever seen anybody yawn at a hockey game before. She's so fucking cute.

Coach gives us an inspiring speech, or at least that is what the movies portray. Basically, he tells us to keep the defenses up and for the offense not to fuck it up and score a goal already. You know, very inspiring. I didn't pay too close attention because the woman overtakes my thoughts and I go all schoolboy crush and wonder what her name is? What does she smell like? What her voice will be like? Obsession has wholly consumed me.

My eyes land on her seat when I return to the ice, but it's empty. I stop on the ice, and Wells, aka Snowbeast, plows into me from behind, but neither of us falls.

"Axel, what the hell?"

I don't respond. I stare at the vacant seat. The dark-haired girl still sits down, and Wells looks in my direction.

"What's gotten into you?"

I scan the crowd and panic when I don't see her anywhere. This can't happen. I just now found her, and she can't be gone yet.

Bubbly pink and blonde bounces down the steps, and her curvy body is sporting warm clothes, she looks so sweet, and I suck in a breath and take in every inch of her.

Wells must've caught on to my reaction because he slaps me on the back, "Ah, I get it. She's a cutie."

I swivel my head and glare at him. He lifts his hands but smirks. "Hey, I'm not eyeing her for myself, dude."

I narrow my gaze but nod and skate toward her to say hi, but the coach yells for me, and I skate back to him, dissatisfied. My woman makes it safely to her seat, and her friend talks away while my woman nods and smiles.

There's no stopping me from thinking of her as my woman. Now I've laid eyes on her, it's only a matter of time before I have her. It's not cockiness or being a douchebag. It's pure soulmate vibes being launched around inside my heart.

I never believed in it before, but I wholeheartedly believe in it now. That woman is mine, and I'm hers. I've been celibate for a while now, but knowing she's in the world, my body, my heart, and my soul are only for her .

Where the fuck did I get all poetic? This is nothing like me.

"Ruiner, I want you to destroy Malek. He's causing enough grief." Coach demands, and I bring myself back into the game. I lock eyes with him and nod. He nods back.

I start the second half, and Malek and I are at each other's throats. We're not letting each other do much more in the game. We're keeping each other preoccupied. I can't focus on my girl as much either, making me angry.

Malek smashes me into the glass in front of her, and we lock eyes. This close to her, she has the most sparkly blue eyes I've ever seen, and I'm ready to drown in them, but the worried look in them has me excited. I'm not used to somebody looking concerned for me. She bites on her bottom puffy glossy lip, and I growl as I imagine sucking her lip in between my lips and nibbling on them myself.

I smile at her and wink, and she blushes.

Malek pulls back and says, "Oh, what a tasty treat she is."

With a growl, I launch back, making him fall, and I drop my stick, take off my gloves, and pound on his face .

"Don't talk shit about her. She's off fucking limits."

The refs start whistling, the coach yells my name, the crowd cheers, and my teammates come in, holding off the other team. I back off as the refs get in between us. One ref grabs me and starts to skate off as it's announced I'm in the penalty box for two minutes.

I look over at my girl, who's frowning and looking disappointed. I hate seeing that look on her face. And I want to know if I caused it or if she heard what that jackass said. I'm bound to find out.

None of this is going to stop me from making her mine. I'll figure it out and fix it.