STEAMY ICE COLD Hockey Romance (Compilation)

Chapter 14: The Fight

Guys were shouting and jumping in. Someone grabbed me by the jersey and shoved me forward while another player tried to pull Ryan off Leon.

Fists were flying. Someone’s elbow caught me in the ribs. I barely had time to register the pain before I was pushed again, this time into the bench. My shoulder slammed hard against the wood.

“Get the f**k off me!” Ryan roared as he landed another punch on Leon’s side.

Leon didn’t back down. He drove his knee into Ryan’s stomach and they rolled across the floor, knocking over a stick rack. Sticks clattered everywhere. Someone stepped on my skate trying to break them apart, and I nearly lost my balance.

It was complete chaos. Grunts, curses, and the sound of bodies hitting metal and concrete mixed together. No one was holding back anymore.

“ENOUGH!”

Coach Martin’s voice tore through the room like a gunshot. He stormed in and grabbed Ryan by the back of his jersey, yanking him off Leon with raw force. Then he shoved Leon hard against the wall, breathing heavily.

“I said enough!” he bellowed, his face red with fury. “You want to fight each other like animals? Then do it outside. But in here? In my locker room? Not happening.”

He let go of Leon roughly and turned to face the rest of the team, chest still heaving.

“Harlan…” Coach Martin’s eyes landed on me. “You embarrassed yourselves tonight. You call yourself Captain? You’re just an asshole. I’ve been investing in you. In this team. But what have you done? You buried your future in one night. Scholarship gone. DU? Gone. All gone, you jerk!”

The room was dead silent except for the sound of heavy breathing and someone spitting blood onto the floor.

I didn’t say anything. I just sat there, staring at the floor while Coach’s words sank in.

It felt like bullshit. All of it. From the very beginning. The fake dating, the reputation, the pressure to be this perfect captain everyone expected me to be.

I didn’t even try to defend myself. What was the point?

***

Not long after, everyone left.

I stayed sitting on the bench, mind still reeling, half-unzipped jersey clinging to my sweaty skin.

I finally decided to head home. I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone with numb fingers. Maybe Lila had called by now? But there was nothing. Just a text from my mom, saying she was worried about me.

I exhaled and stood up, walking toward the door like I was half dead. But before I could step outside, someone blocked my way and drove a fist straight into my stomach like I was nothing more than a punching bag trying to get out of there.

“Dude, what the f**k?!”

I growled through gritted teeth, bent forward with one hand pressed against my stomach. The hit wasn’t that hard, but it caught me completely off guard.

“What the f**k are you doing to my sister, Harlan?!”

I looked up and finally saw him clearly. A boy, maybe a year or two younger than Lila, standing there in a black t-shirt and glasses. The resemblance was obvious. He was Lila’s brother.

“You’re… Noah, right?”

He didn’t answer.

“What the hell did you do to her?” he demanded. “She came home crying last night. Wouldn’t even talk to me. She locked herself in her room for two days and I figured you were the reason she’s been avoiding everyone.”

I stayed quiet for a second, trying to find the right words. My head was still spinning from everything… and now this? I f*****g didn’t have the energy to lie.

“I f****d up. I hurt her. Bad.” I said quietly.

Noah’s eyes narrowed. “That’s all you’re gonna say? You ‘f****d up’?”

“Go ahead and hit me again, Noah. Maybe it’ll help me realize how bad I messed up.”

To my surprise, Noah went quiet.

He didn’t swing again. He just stood there, staring at me with that same burning look in his eyes, like he was trying to figure out if I was worth another punch. His fists were still clenched, but they slowly loosened at his sides.

“You think saying you ‘f****d up’ is gonna fix anything? She cried the whole night, Harlan. Wouldn’t even come out of her room!”

I let out a slow breath. The pain was dull now, but the guilt sitting in my chest was worse.

“She caught me kissing another girl last night,” I said quietly. I didn’t even want to remember that moment. I still felt disgusted with myself.

Noah’s jaw tightened. “I never thought she’d actually date you! You’re way out of her league, Jax Harlan. She’s too good for you.”

I didn’t argue. He was right.

“I didn’t kiss Brianna because I wanted to, Noah,” I said. “She blackmailed me. She had a video from a party… said some s**t about Lila. I didn’t want it getting out.”

Noah laughed bitterly. “So you kissed another girl to protect her? That’s the dumbest f*****g excuse I’ve ever heard.”

“I know how it sounds,” I admitted. “But that’s not even the worst part.” I looked him straight in the eye. “Matty had another video. Of Lila breaking into the admin office. For you.”

Noah’s expression shifted. Just for a second. The anger cracked, replaced by something quieter. Guilt, maybe.

He looked away.

“Damn it… Was it because of Mrs. Amora?” His voice softened a little. “She told me she handled it. Said everything was fine with my grades now…”

Then… I told him everything. From the fake dating contract, to Brianna’s blackmail, to Matty’s threat. I laid it all out, the whole messed up situation that led to this.

After that, Noah was quiet again. This time longer. He stared at the floor, jaw working like he was grinding his teeth.

“So you threw the game… for her?”

I nodded once. “Yeah.”

He let out a short, bitter laugh, but there was no humor in it.

“You’re still an asshole,” he said.

“I know. I’m not asking you to forgive me. I just… I need to talk to her. Just once. After that, if she wants me gone, I’ll stay gone.”

Noah studied me for a long moment. The anger was still there, but it wasn’t burning as hot anymore. He exhaled through his nose and rubbed the back of his neck.

“This is my number,” he said, pulling out a small piece of paper and handing it to me. “You need to talk to her yourself. But if you make her cry again, I swear to God, Harlan—”

“I won’t,” I cut in. “I just want to explain. That’s all.”

“Don’t make me regret it.”

I nodded. For the first time in days, I felt a little lighter.

Just before Noah reached the door, he spoke again, quieter this time.

“…Thanks. For what you did with Matty. Even if I still think you’re an idiot.”

I smiled a little. It was small, but it was the best thing that had happened so far. Because for the first time, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I still had a chance to fix at least one thing.