Faking it with the Grumpy NHL Alpha

CHAPTER 008

*QUEEN OF MISCHIEF*

Tyler's POV

“Well… well… well. If it isn’t the dork of the century.”

I glanced over my shoulder as I skated toward the tunnel, the towel still draped around my neck. The voice belonged to our new signing—Sean Ferrars—gliding across the ice with that cocky f*****g swagger. His eyes were locked on the blonde girl from earlier. Flora. Her face contracted into a frown like they had some kind of history.

Not my f*****g problem. I couldn’t care less about either of them.

I pushed through the locker room door, the heavy slam echoing behind me. The win still hummed in my veins—that last goal had been pure dominance, the puck slamming into the net as the clock hit zero. I was the Devil on Ice for a reason. But the girl’s desperate little approach in the tunnel had soured the high.

Hi Ty. You were moving like the ice belonged to you.

What a pathetic load of bullshit.

I stripped off my sweaty jersey, muscles burning pleasantly from the game, and tossed it into my locker with a clang. Jeffery was already there, half-dressed and lounging on the bench like he owned the place, a s**t-eating grin plastered across his face.

“Yo, Sinclair,” he called out, tossing me a water bottle that I caught mid-air. “What the hell was that back there? Little blonde bombshell slamming into you like she was auditioning for some rom-com.”

I snorted, taking a long swig of water before wiping my face with the towel. “f**k off, Jeff. She’s nobody, just some girl I asked out a couple days ago who turned me down flat, then had the balls to come crawling back today like I was her last resort.”

Jeffery’s eyes widened in disbelief, his eyebrows shooting up as he sat straighter on the bench. “You asked a girl out?” He let out a low whistle, shaking his head slowly. “Tyler Sinclair, the untouchable ice king, actually asked someone out? I never thought I’d see the day.”

“What?” I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the locker, my expression hardening. “You think you’re the only one capable of asking girls out? Don’t flatter yourself, asshole.”

Jeffery burst out laughing, slapping his knee as he stood up and started pulling on his shirt.

“Alright, alright, fair enough. But damn, she’s got balls, I’ll give her that. Most girls see you coming and either throw themselves at your feet or run scared. This one rejected you cold and still came back swinging? That’s some next-level audacity right there.”

I shrugged him off, keeping my face straight as I grabbed a fresh shirt and pulled it over my head.

But inside, my mind wouldn’t let it drop. Why the hell had I shut her down so hard? My parents were already planning the first family dinner with my new girlfriend—the one I had told them about—right after the season properly kicked off.

My options were drying up fast, and there Flora had been, practically gift-wrapped after her little rejection stunt. Yet I’d still told her no.

Because she’d tossed my card like it was worthless trash.

The audacity of it pissed me off more than it should have.

I was still turning the whole mess over in my head, jaw tight, when the locker room door burst open again. Megan—my twin sister—strode in like she owned the damn place.

A couple of my teammates looked up immediately.

“Hey, Megan!” one of them called out. “Looking sharp as always. Good to see you.”

Another guy, still lacing his shoes, grinned. “Megan! You sticking around for the after-party?”

She waved them off with a charming smile, but her eyes were already locked on me. Before I could react, she launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around my waist in a tight hug, pressing in close. “Hello twin.”

“Get the f**k off me,” I grumbled, my body tensing instantly. I peeled her arms away, stepping back and holding her at arm’s length.

I hated that s**t—too much touching, especially from family. It made my skin crawl every time. “Personal space, Megan. How many goddamn times do I have to say it?”

She laughed lightly, stepping back with her hands raised in surrender, that sharp, mischievous grin spreading across her face.

“Grumpy as ever, big brother. Lighten up.”

I zipped up my joggers, eyeing her warily as I ran a hand through my damp hair. “What do you want? I know that look all too well. What kind of trouble do you have up your sleeve this time?”

Megan hopped up onto the bench, crossing her legs. Her expression turned playful but sharp, like a cat who’d just caught a mouse.

“Oh, just my newest bit of fun.” She said, grinning. “You wouldn't believe it.”

“Yeah I probably will.” I said, in an attempt to shut her down.

Futile of course.

“This girl crossed me yesterday at the lounge after the game.” She started, her eyes gleaming in excitement as she spoke. “Total trainwreck. Came at me swinging—literally—over Sean. Called me a man-snatcher right to my face. Turns out she thought Sean was really into her and gifted him a thirty-thousand-dollar BMW like some desperate lovesick i***t then lost her s**t when she found out Sean and I were dating.”

I stopped mid-motion, my hand still gripping the edge of my locker door. “Sean's Ex?”

“Yeah,” she continued, clearly savoring the story as she leaned forward. “I made her a little bet to put her firmly in her place.”

“Typical Megan.” I scoffed.

“I told her to seduce my brother, get him to kiss her and publicly announce her as his girlfriend before the end of the Seven Days match. If she actually pulls it off, she gets the car back. If not… well,” Megan paused for a moment. She knew fully well that the girl, whoever it was, had no chance of winning.

“she has to apologize to me publicly, admit she was never enough for Sean, and spend one night with whoever I choose..”

She paused again for a dramatic effect, tilting her head with a sweet, vicious smile.

“Her name’s Flora Morgan, by the way.”

The name struck a chord in my head.

Everything slammed into place at once—Sean, the way they stared at each other back on the Ice.

Sean...and Flora?

Then how the hell had he ended up with Megan?

That scum. My jaw tightened.

The thought of planting my fist in his face was suddenly very appealing. What kind of pathetic, spineless asshole cheats on his girl and then parades my sister around like some shiny new trophy?

Megan studied my face closely, her eyebrows lifting slightly. “You okay there? You look like you’re about to murder someone in cold blood.”

I forced my expression to stay neutral, though my jaw was clenched tight enough to ache.

So that’s why she came crawling back to me.

Megan leaned in closer, eyes gleaming. “The reason why I’m telling you all this, Tyler, is because I want you fully aware.” She paused, her gaze piercing into me. “Don’t you dare fall for whatever fake charm she throws your way. Help me teach that b***h a lesson for speaking to me the way she did—coming at me like she had any right. She needs to learn her place.”

I stared at her, processing the full picture in silence. Flora had rejected me first, tossed my offer aside like it was garbage. Now pure desperation from this idiotic bet with my own sister had driven her back to me. And Sean—that motherfucker—had been the root cause of everything.

Megan smirked, clearly satisfied with herself as she waited for my response. “So? You in? Or do I need to find another way to crush her completely?”