Power Play: A Second Chance Hockey Romance (Sinners on the Ice)
Power Play: A Second Chance Hockey Romance: Chapter 7

6 years 8 months ago, December

Lately, I’ve been replaceing myself thinking about Layla more and more often. It definitely feels as if my captain’s little sister took my brain hostage and refuses to let me go no matter how hard I try to convince myself to ignore her.

Not even hookups help, dammit.

I turn my head and watch Colton sitting on the bench in the locker room. He’s still half-dressed, with only jeans on. A crooked smile plays on his lips as he types something on his phone. I’m pretty sure he’s texting with Ava because why else would he grab his cell before he even had a chance to get fully dressed after practice? The guy is obsessed, and it has started bothering me. Not in a sense that I like her too and I’m jealous. No, it’s nothing like that. It’s about me wanting the same…with Layla.

And it more and more reminds me of wishful thinking. Because it can’t happen. Just no.

Ava’s words flash in my mind as the memory of my talk with her a month ago reappears in my head.

“Layla is pretty hot,” I say dismissively as I walk with Ava toward the pizza place. Though my attempt to sound nonchalant miserably fails because she halts in her tracks, making me stumble forward.

I look at her, my heart hammering in my chest. Not sure what to make of her reaction. Ava narrows her eyes.

“Do you like my best friend?” she asks.

Great. And now I’m busted. Strangely, it doesn’t feel wrong. I don’t think Ava will ever use it against me, and so I come clean.

“I always did.” I nod. “Her brother told us right away she’s off-limits for the team.”

The devilish glint behind her irises catches my attention. It’s like she knows a secret and is having trouble keeping it all to herself. I wait. Something warm forms in the pit of my stomach. Is it hope?

“What if I told you Drake is bullshitting all of you? About Layla, I mean?” Ava tilts her head to the side, a shit-eating grin splitting her lips.

I pinch my eyebrows together. “Can you be more specific?”

“If Layla ever started dating any of the guys from the team, he wouldn’t say a word,” she tells me with an air of confidence that leaves no doubt there’s not even an ounce of lies in her words. “He’s only against one of you fucking his sister and forgetting about her the next day. That’s all.”

But that’s what I do. All the fucking time. I’m not built for a relationship.

“That sucks,” I comment, slipping my hands in my pockets. “It means she’s still off-limits for me. I don’t do relationships.”

“Have you tried doing relationships?” Ava snorts, and I shake my head. “You have no idea how much you’re missing out.”

Am I really missing out?

It’s been several weeks already, but I can’t shake off this idea that Ava planted in my head. What if I asked Layla on a real date? How is Drake going to react? Would it create problems for our team? I hate when there’s unhealthy tension in the locker room and especially on the ice, so it’s a thousand times better if I continue keeping my distance, as I’ve been doing since I met her for the first time.

But what is better is not always right.

What if I selfishly do what I want? There should be some explanation for why I can’t stop thinking about her. Something. Anything. I’ve never been this hung up on a girl before, even with the ones I crushed on for a while before something happened between us.

Something in Layla just…draws me in.

“Rodgers, do you need a ride?” I blink and whip my head to my right. My eyes meet Colton’s, and I notice an amused smirk on his face. He’s fully dressed already too. Another proof of how deep in my own head I’ve been. “Are you okay?”

I lick my lips and stand up. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I zip my bomber jacket, feeling his gaze still on me. Then I pause. “Wait, did you offer me a ride?”

“Yeah.”

It takes a lot of power for me to stay serious. I stretch my hand and press my palm to his forehead as if checking for a fever. Colt grimaces and slaps my hand away.

“I changed my mind. You will walk,” he drawls and grabs his sports bag from the floor.

With laughter, I take my sports bag and swing the strap over my shoulder. “Nah, you can’t take your offer back.”

Colton rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything, so I follow him, saying bye to our teammates on our way out of the locker room. The silence that settles between us as we walk down the hallway is comfortable. I’m used to it. As more time goes by, I cherish this friendship way more than I did before, probably because I finally understand that for me a real friend is not only the person I can talk to about everything and anything but also someone I feel comfortable staying quiet with.

A girl’s laughter echoes in the hallway, bouncing off the walls. I instinctively turn my head to the sound. It’s some redhead, probably a freshman. I’m not sure. But she’s not the one I focus my attention on. It’s the guy Layla’s been seeing since her freshman year. His hand wraps around the girl’s waist as he pulls her to his chest.

I ball my fist, anger boiling just above the surface. Stopping in my tracks, I half-turn to have a better view, debating if I should go and have a word with him. Is this fucker cheating on Layla? How stupid could he be?

“Clay?” I tear my gaze away from the scene and peer at Colton. A deep frown is etched on his face as he studies me. “Are we going or not?”

I glance at Layla’s little boyfriend, then back at Colt. “You think we should tell Benson?”

Confusion clouds Colton’s features. “Tell Benson what?”

“That Layla’s boyfriend is cheating on her.” I urge.

Colt runs his palm down his face, then blows air out of his parted lips. “This dude isn’t Layla’s boyfriend. They never were official, and Ava said—” He snaps his mouth shut, realizing he let on more than he wanted. Duly noted that we’re still playing the game of him acting as if he doesn’t spend all his free time with her.

“What did Ava say?” I ask innocently.

“Layla is single. That’s all you need to know.” Colton holds my gaze, then a smile breaks over his lips. “Leave the poor guy alone. Was it not enough for you that you messed up his exam results last year?”

What the fuck? How does he know that?

I clench my jaw, turn on my heel, and resume my walk, passing him on my way. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure.” Colt laughs behind my back.

Fucker.

I don’t know how he does it. Colton keeps things to himself all the time. Sometimes talking to him is like pulling teeth—painful and miserable, but at the same time he always knows everything, including things people want to stay hidden. I’m not proud of myself for what I did to this dude, but when I found out Layla’d started dating her classmate, I got so upset, I sabotaged him. I got him in trouble with one of his professors by saying I overheard the dude bragging about cheating on the exam.

It was some kindergarten-level mean shit, but at the time, I felt vengeful.

Not that it helped me in any way because she stayed with him for over a year. While I continued to act as if it didn’t bother me. Continued fucking around as if she wasn’t the only girl I wanted.

Why did she break up with him now? What changed?

Ava’s words ring in my head as I walk out of the building, a cold December wind hitting me in the face. I can put in a good word for you, she said, suggesting she’d talk to Drake if I want a chance with Layla.

Does it mean…Layla likes me?

The next day, I sit at the dining hall with Colton beside me, but my food is the last thing I care about. Layla is here, a few tables away from us, with Ava and Grace. Her hair is in a high ponytail, and she keeps twirling a lock of her hair around her finger. Her attention is on Grace as she listens to her. From time to time, she throws glances at Ava, and every time her lips purse a bit more.

Ava has her nose buried in some book, clearly not interested in the conversation. And it definitely annoys Layla.

I smirk to myself. She has a bossy side to her when she expects people to do as she wants. I saw how it was between her and Grace during their freshman year when Ava wasn’t here. But it’s clear to me it doesn’t work the same with her best friend at all. Ava gives back as much as she gets.

“Rodgers.” I meet Colton’s gaze. He nods to his left, and I notice Drake making his way toward our table. “I’d advise you to stop undressing Benson’s sister with your eyes before he gets here. He wouldn’t appreciate it.”

I grit my teeth but do as he tells me. The last thing I need is Drake suspecting something…before I even have a chance to make a move on Layla.

But am I really going to go for it?

Drake slumps down on the chair across from me, almost blocking Layla’s face from me with his broad shoulders. “I honestly feel like I want winter break to start now. I’m fucking exhausted.”

“Four more days,” I comment and move a bit, so I can have a better look at Layla again.

Her eyes collide with mine, and for a second, I stop breathing. I don’t hear what Drake says to me, don’t hear Colton when he chimes in when I keep quiet. All I want to look at is her, and damn, she’s a fucking sight. This jean shirt tugs at her chest so tightly, I can see even from here the swell of her tits.

Layla wets her bottom lip, still holding my gaze, and I grip the fork in my hand harder. Dammit. She’s playing me all right.

I rear back in my seat and peer at Drake, who talks to Colton about our upcoming games. He’s a good guy and a thousand times better friend than me…because I’m tired of staying away from his sister.

If I see a chance to make a move, I’m going to seize the opportunity and hope for the best.

I think she’s worth it.