Line Brawl: The Dartmouth Cobras #8

by Bianca Sommerland

  He saved her from pitching face-first into the floor.

  “Whoa, there, cutie. Someone chasing you?” Big man righted her then held her close as he stared down the hall. One dark hand settled on her shoulder. “If you’re in some kind of trouble, I can’t hide you here, but you can duck out through the parking lot.”

  Sam tipped her head up. Way up.

  Damn, this man is… Her pulse sped up, and she swallowed. She’d never cared about whether a man wore a suit or not, but this guy filled his out just right. He was huge, and she could feel his muscles bulging under the clean-cut black jacket. His skin was a rich, dark brown, and he had the most beautiful golden brown eyes.

  Down girl. You have a boyfriend.

  Very true, but…

  But he’ll be fucking his boyfriend in a couple of nights. And he won’t touch you.

  Even more true.

  She smiled up at her new hero. “I’m not in trouble, but it was sweet of you to offer. I was trying to keep up with Silver. And failed.”

  “Ah. Well, then, I imagine she went to the locker room to check on Bower.” The man motioned her forward. “Come on, I’ll make sure you get there in one piece.” He flashed her a panty-melting smile as they continued down the hall. “My name’s Cam, by the way.”

  “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Sam.” For some reason, the man made her want to sound more grown up. She cleared her throat. “Actually, it’s Samantha. Samantha Carter.”

  “Luke’s little sister?”

  “Yeah…” Well, there goes any chance of a good first impression. At least she’d had a bit of time with Ian before he knew she was that Sam. The one who stole from people, who’d gotten knocked up, and who couldn’t keep a job to save her life. She shrugged and sighed. “I’m sure you’ve heard of me.”

  “Yep.” He winked as he opened the locker room door. “Wait until you hear about me, sweet girl. Everything they say about me?” He leaned close as she moved to step over the threshold. “Is true. So I’m in no position to judge.”

  She bit her bottom lip and spun around, walking backward for a few steps. “Now you’ve got me curious, Cam.”

  “Good.” He grinned, looking her over in a way that had her trembling all over. “I’ll see you around, Sam.”

  Once the door closed behind him, she didn’t have time to dwell on the exchange. She heard Silver crying and followed the sound.

  “Viens ici, mon amour.” Bower held out his hand, careful not to move as the team doctor put another stitch in his jaw. “I’m fine.”

  “That remains to be seen.” Dean Richter put his hand on Silver’s shoulder, his whole bearing tense as he watched the doctor. “Damn it, Landon, don’t fuck around. Did you hit your head?”

  Landon sighed. “No. I got a few guys piled on me. It happens.”

  “Your helmet came off. And you got a skate in the face.” Dean looked over at another man standing close. A trainer or something. The man quickly nodded. “You’re not going back out there.”

  “Ever?” Landon smirked.

  The doctor scowled at him.

  “Sorry, Doc.” Landon remained silent as the doctor finished the last stitch. Then he braced his hands on his thighs. “Shero and Callahan already made the call. Hunt’s finishing the game. I am going back on the bench so the fans know I’m all right.”

  Dean gently tipped Landon’s chin up with two fingers. “Are you?”

  Feeling useless, Sam quietly approached Silver. The most she could offer was a hug, but Silver looked like she needed one.

  Silver straightened and wrapped her arms around Sam. “I didn’t mean to abandon you, honey. There’s still a few minutes left if you want to watch?”

  “Sure…but I can stay if you are?” Sam wasn’t sure what would be better. She couldn’t imagine how Silver must feel. If she saw Luke, or Ian, hurt like this, she wouldn’t want to watch the game. She’d be coming up with good reasons for them to retire early.

  “Oh, I’m going to watch. Make sure my man keeps his ass on the pine.” Silver pursed her lips as Landon stood, with his helmet under one arm. Her eyes teared as she took in the long, stitched up gash along his jaw. “Damn it, Landon!”

  “Come here, mon coeur.” Landon drew Silver to him, pressing his lips to her hair as she leaned into him. “I’m fine. I swear.”

  “I’m afraid to watch the replay. What if the skate had cut you an inch lower?” Silver lifted her head and placed her hand to Landon’s throat. “It’s happened.”

  “Yes, but not often.” Landon led the way back to the bench, Silver tucked to his side, Dean close to the other. “You both convinced me to continue playing. And I’m glad you did. I love the game. It’s worth a few little nicks.”

  “Little nicks?” Silver’s face was red as Landon kissed her. She leaned back against Dean as Landon made his way to the bench.

  The crowd went absolutely insane. The Cobras had just gotten that thing where a guy got to sit in the box for doing some shit—Sam’s guy, actually—but the fans didn’t seem to care. They stood and applauded.

  Sam snickered as she watched Ian stand, banging his stick on the glass and throwing his fist up in the air. Damn, hockey players were crazy.

  Standing a little behind Dean and Silver, Sam tried to follow the game as the final minutes played out. She spotted Luke at one point and cheered when he got the puck.

  Which made her feel stupid, because no one else was cheering, but Silver looked back at her and smiled. Which was nice.

  As Luke rushed across the ice, the crowd started getting excited. For some reason, the other team didn’t have a goalie. But they had more players. And all of them were hot on Luke’s heels.

  Ian got out of the box. Collided with the player closest to Luke. They both trailed after Luke, who took a shot just as a stick cracked into his side and snapped in two.

  He went down. Sam held her breath.

  The noise was deafening. There was a red light going off and a buzzer, and she was pretty sure the Cobras had just won the game, but Luke was still kneeling on the ice. And then he bent over and there were people rushing toward him.

  Her vision went black.

  “Sam. Sam, look at me, baby.” Warm hands cupped her cold cheeks. Silver’s face was close. Her voice was soft. “As soon as you’re ready, I’ll take you to see your brother. He’s going to be okay, I promise.”

  Shivering, Sam nodded and let Silver help her back to her feet. She didn’t remember hitting the ground. Didn’t remember much of anything beyond seeing her brother go down. She couldn’t get enough air. And she couldn’t see past the tears.

  She choked back a sob and managed to get out the words she wanted to scream, even though they came out as a whisper.

  “I hate this fucking game!”

  Chapter 24

  “Ian, I think I’m falling in love with you, but I…I can’t do this anymore!”

  This couldn’t be good. Ian loved how Sam ran into his arms the second she saw him in the hallway of the hospital. He’d held her for a bit, ready to tell her there was nothing to worry about. Carter was gonna be fine.

  Then she dropped this bomb on him and he’d forgotten what words were. And how to use them.

  Callahan was suddenly beside him, one hand on his shoulder, the other cupping Sam’s cheek. “Sam, I know you’re scared for your brother, but the doctor said he’ll be fine. He has a couple of fractured ribs. With the proper support, he won’t even miss a game.”

  Sam’s eyes narrowed and an angry red blush spread over her cheeks. “Are you fucking kidding me? His ribs are fractured, and you’re going to let him play?”

  “The team will follow the doctor’s advice. If there’s any way that Luke can play, I doubt anyone will be able to stop him.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Sam inhaled roughly and took Ian’s hand, peering up at him hopefully. “You didn’t say anything.”

  “I’m not hurt.” Ian squeezed her hand and smiled. “I get why you’re worried about
Cart—about Luke. He’s fucking fragile, but Coach is right. If he can play, he’ll play.”

  “I fucking hate you both right now.” Sam yanked her hand from his and stormed into Luke’s room.

  Both Ramos and Jami were already in there. Ian decided he’d let them comfort Sam for a bit, because he was apparently doing a horrible job of it. One second she loved him. Now, she hated him.

  You’re fucking useless, White. Go home.

  Callahan’s hand was still on his shoulder. He tightened his grip when Ian tried to turn. “Bruiser, listen to me. I won’t tell you how to handle this, but let me give you a bit of advice.”

  Ian nodded. “Please do? I’m starting to think I should’ve waited for her at my place.”

  The assistant coach laughed. “Then she’d be mad at you for not being here. She’s young, White, but in this, age has nothing to do with it. A woman doesn’t expect you to read her mind, despite what some may believe. She does expect you not to take the easy way out when she needs you though.”

  “That sounds complicated.” Ian sucked his teeth, pretty sure he wasn’t the right man for this job. Or any job that didn’t involve a long piece of wood, big smelly gloves, and blades on ice. “How about she just tells me what she wants and I do that? The ‘I hate you’ probably means she doesn’t want me here.”

  “Or that you pissed her off by calling her brother fragile while he’s lying in a hospital bed.”

  “Dude, I’ve broken ribs before. Did you see my ass lying in a hospital bed?” Ian didn’t get it. Like, really didn’t get it. Mason, hell, he wanted to go check on him, because the man had stopped fucking breathing. Carter was being a wimp. “I get that it hurts, but—”

  “White.”

  “Yeah?”

  Callahan’s tone took on a sharp edge. “Don’t ever call me ‘Dude’.”

  Ian swallowed. Nodded.

  Scratching his jaw, which had a nice layer of black scruff, Callahan looked over at the door of Carter’s room. “I think Jami and Ramos pushed for Carter to stay longer than he would have otherwise, but that doesn’t explain why the doctor let him. I think there’s more going on.”

  “Really?” Ian frowned, feeling like an asshole. What if Carter was badly hurt and Ian was out here, calling him a wimp? “Du—Coach, I don’t really think he’s a wimp. But I don’t get why people are freaking out. Mason’s in a lot worse shape. I’d be checking on him if Sam hadn’t asked me to come here.”

  “That’s not a bad idea, actually.” Callahan checked his phone quickly. “He’s in room 513. I think he just got out of surgery.”

  A chill slithered over Ian’s skin. “Surgery?”

  “Yes. The swelling in his throat blocked his airway to the point that he needed a cricothyroidotomy.”

  “Ah what?”

  “A temporary procedure…he has a tube in his throat to help him breathe.” Callahan’s lips thinned. “Fucking dirty fighter. Crushed his windpipe with that hit. If the league doesn’t review, it’s going to get ugly.”

  “But he’ll be okay?” Fuck, Ian really needed to see Mason now. All this medical talk was freaking him out.

  “He will be. I don’t think he’ll be back during the playoffs though.” Callahan patted his shoulder. “Go see him. Most of the guys have already. I’ll put in a good word for you with Sam.”

  “Will that work? I mean, she kinda wants me here, but doesn’t?” His head throbbed. This was much worse than a concussion. At least, when he hit his head, he could sit in a dark room. He didn’t have to worry about fucking up the one relationship he’d been sure of. “Like…am I allowed to be more worried about Mason than her brother?”

  Chuckling, Callahan led him to the elevator and pressed the call button. “You are. I say so. Go see Mason. Then come back and she’ll be ready for you to take her home.”

  “Sounds good.” Ian knew he was probably being a wimp, letting Callahan give him an out, but he needed it. The night had been going so well, but when he’d gotten to the locker room, Shawn was gone and everyone was in a bad mood. He was sure he should be doing something, but…what?

  He took the elevator to the fifth floor, then headed for Mason’s room. Shawn stood outside the door with Justina, Ladd, and Ladd’s little brother and sister.

  Shawn smiled as he lifted his head. He was holding the toddler, showing the kid something on his phone. “Hey! I was wondering where you took off to!”

  “Sam’s worried about Carter. And I wasn’t very helpful.” Ian shrugged when Shawn arched a brow, obviously expecting the full story. “I kinda called him fragile. I was trying to make her feel better.”

  Snorting, Shawn shook his head. “I agree. Not helpful.”

  Ian glanced over at the closed door, feeling like a big hand had wrapped around his throat, squeezing as he considered the condition of the other player who’d gone down tonight. “How’s Mason doing?”

  “He’s resting.” Shawn stroked the toddler’s back as the kid lost interest in the phone and stuck his thumb in his mouth. “We’re waiting for Sahara to come out and accept that Ladd, Justina, and I, can take care of the little ones for one night.”

  “I guess I can’t go see Mason then?”

  “I don’t think she’d mind. We just finished taking turns. Cam was here a few minutes ago.” Shawn handed the toddler over to Heath, then stepped up to Ian, curving his hand around the side of Ian’s neck. “How are you doing?”

  Besides pissed off? Ian lifted his hand to brush his thumb under the stitches beneath Shawn’s bottom lip. “Wondering why I’m one of the few that made it out in one piece? Fuck, I should have… I should have done more. Kicked more ass so they got the fucking message.”

  “Which would have gotten you thrown out of the game. Maybe suspended.” Shawn sucked in a sharp breath, chuckling as he caught Ian’s wrist. “I don’t think you want to be touching me like that in public.”

  “I don’t care who fucking sees right now, Shawn. I fucking hate that you got hurt.” A painful spear of anger and regret stabbed into his chest. “Mason won’t be playing. And Carter might be out too if he’s worse off than anyone knows. I need to do something. I feel damn useless.”

  Justina stepped up to Shawn’s side, chewing at the edge of her bottom lip as she met Ian’s eyes. “I know it’s not my place, but maybe being there for Sam will help. I hate feeling useless too, but knowing I can take care of the kids, that Sahara will talk to me if she’s ready to fall apart… It’s something, you know?”

  Why would Justina want to help him at all? Fine, they weren’t exactly competing for Shawn’s attention. She had Shawn now. Ian would have him on the road. But she clearly didn’t like Sam and who knew what Shawn had told her about him.

  The idea of Shawn discussing his problems with this new girl, sharing all the things he’d once shared with Ian, irked him. But he couldn’t hold it against her. If she really was okay with Shawn’s lifestyle, she was just the type of girl Shawn needed.

  Could give him everything Ian couldn’t.

  Her and Sam getting along would probably make life a lot easier.

  Which gave him an idea. “Maybe after I see Mason, you can come back to Carter’s room with me.”

  “Your girl that scary, Ian?” Shawn winced, then frowned at Justina. “Did you just pinch me, pet?”

  Hiking up her chin, Justina held Shawn’s hard gaze with one of her own. “Yes. Don’t be a jerk.”

  “Justina—”

  The girl ignored Shawn’s Dom voice and smiled at Ian. “I would love to come with you. I want to see how Luke’s doing. And Jami. Besides, Sam and I got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we can call a truce.”

  ‘A truce’, not be friends. Ian nodded, not sure why he’d hoped for more. Or what he’d hoped for at all. He tongued his bottom lip. “You’re cool with me though, right? Like, you don’t mind that me and Shawn will be fu—”

  “Damn it, Bruiser!” Shawn shook his head as Justina giggled. “We’re not having this conversation in
the hospital hallway.”

  Twirling a long strand of glossy, soft brown hair around her finger, Justina flashed Shawn an impish grin. “Why not? No one’s listening. We’ve talked about all my fantasies and a few of yours. But you haven’t told me about the man I’ll apparently be sharing you with.”

  Umm yeah… Shawn’s right. So not the place to be having this conversation. Ian glanced over at Ladd, who seemed to be watching YouTube videos with his sister, his brother fast asleep in his arms. They couldn’t hear anything, but still. Kinda awkward to be talking about sex with them right there.

  He cleared his throat. “If you’re cool with me, I’m cool with you. Fair?”

  Inclining her head, Justina smiled. “Fair.”

  “Good.”

  Pretty simple. He smiled back at her, liking how straightforward she was. Probably one of the many things Shawn saw in her.

  That and the fact she was fucking cute. He looked her over, not sure why he found her simple outfit of blue jeans and one of Shawn’s ‘stylish’ black and white plaid shirts so sexy. Sure, Shawn’s shirt fit snug against her breasts, since the man didn’t wear anything baggy, but the last time he’d seen Shawn wear that shirt, he’d had the sleeves folded up and the hem tucked in. Looked all clean cut.

  Still sexy as hell, but Justina was beautifully casual. She had a sweet, girl-next-door appeal.

  Not Shawn’s type on first glance, but after talking to her a few times, Ian could tell she was smart and maybe a little sassy. She accepted a lifestyle most girls her age couldn’t. Shawn didn’t intimidate or overwhelm her. She took everything in stride and somehow kept the playing field level with the much more experienced man.

  Hell, maybe she could give me a few tips.

  Shawn put his arm around Justina and gave Ian a crooked smile. “You’re both incorrigible. Maybe I should keep you apart until I figure out how to manage you better.”

  “Manage us?” Justina’s eyes widened. She pulled away from Shawn and turned to face him, hands on her hips. “You were doing so well, too. The idea of being managed isn’t very appealing.”