Dirty Hit

Chapter 2: Hayden

"What the hell happened out there last night?" Coach Sullivan demands as soon as we're all seated around the conference table in the team offices.

My agent called me before it was even light out this morning and told me to get my ass to team headquarters for this meeting.

I shrug. "I did what I had to do."

"You were ejected," Coach says, his face reddening. "And Kovalenko's out indefinitely with a neck injury."

"He knew the risks of playing this game," I argue. "We all do."

"This isn't the first time we've had this issue with you, Hayden." Larry Donnelly, the Phantoms' GM, sounds tired as fuck when he says this.

I look over at my agent, Mitch, for a little help but he's purposefully trying not to look at me. Dickhead.

"Look," I say, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table. "It was just one game---"

"It's not just about this game," Coach says. "It's about your reputation. You've got a history of playing dirty and it's starting to affect the team."

"What do you mean?" I ask, feeling like I'm being accused of something. And to be fair, I deserve it, but still. I don't have to take whatever they throw at me like a little bitch. I'm the only one on this goddamn team willing to do whatever it takes to win.

Larry sighs. "We've been approached by the NHL about your behavior on the ice."

My stomach drops and I sit back in my chair. "What?"

"They're considering banning you from future games," Larry continues. "In light of that, we're going to make some changes around here."

"You can't be fucking serious."

Mitch finally speaks up. "Hayden, you need to take a step back and think about what's important here."

"What's important is winning," I say, looking around the table at everyone else. "That's all that matters."

"Not if it means losing fans and sponsors," Larry says. "We need to clean up our image, not just for the NHL but for the city of Philadelphia as well."

I shake my head. "This is bullshit."

"It's not bullshit," Coach snaps. "You need to get your shit together or you're done in this league."

"Either way, it's too late for you here. You're done in Philadelphia," Larry adds. "We're trading you."

My jaw drops. "What the fuck?"

"Mitch," I bark out. "I need a minute in the hall." When he looks like he's going to argue I shoot him a death glare. "Now."

Once we're outside the room and out of earshot of the others, I turn on him. "What the fuck was that? You knew about this trade and didn't say anything?"

Mitch sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "Hayden, listen--"

"No, you listen. You're supposed to be my agent. You're supposed to have my fucking back."

"I do have your back," he says, looking annoyed. "But you're making it really fucking hard."

"What the hell does that mean?"

He sighs again. "Look, you're not an easy guy to represent, okay? You've got a reputation for playing dirty and it's starting to affect how other teams see you."

"So what?" I ask. "I'm a fucking hockey god. That's all that matters."

"Maybe in the short term," Mitch says. "But eventually, that kind of shit catches up with you."

I shake my head. "Whatever. I'm still the best damn defenseman in this league."

I glare at him, feeling like I'm being told off by my dad or something. The last thing I need to think about right now is that asshole. "Fuck this. They don't want me? Fine. I'm done here."

I stalk away from him and back into the conference room, where Larry and Coach are waiting for me. They look up as I approach, and Larry gives me a sympathetic look.

"Hayden—"

"Don't," I say, holding up a hand. I don't know what makes me say it, but I hear myself demanding, "I want to go to Seattle. I'll sign whatever you want me to sign. Just make it happen."

Larry nods and hands me a piece of paper that looks like it's already been filled out with my name on it. "Here's the proposed trade agreement. I'll have to see if Seattle's interested."

I take the paper and scan it quickly before signing it. "Done."

"You're sure about this?" Coach asks, looking at me like he's worried about my mental state or some shit. Or maybe he thinks I'm about to kick his ass.

"Positive." I'm fucking seething but there's nothing I can do. If they don't want me here, I'm not going to beg them to let me stay. But why Seattle? Why the fuck would I want to go there?

You know why.

The girl from last night. The one whose pictures I haven't been able to stop staring at.

I don't even know her name, but I'm going to find out. And then I'm going to find her.

I don't mean the next words out of my mouth, but they come out anyway. "I need a fresh start."

That's the last thing I need.

Larry nods again and takes the signed paper from me. "I'll make the call."

And just like that, I'm done in Philadelphia. Done with the team that made me who I am today. Done with everything I thought mattered.

As I head out of the offices and into the bright sunshine outside, I wonder how the hell everything went so wrong so fast. But it's too late now. I've already signed the damn paper and there's no turning back.

***

It doesn't take long for Seattle to agree to the trade. Within a few days, Mitch books me a flight and I'm on my way across the country to start my new life as a member of the Seattle Anchors.

But I don't give a shit about any of it. All I care about right now is finding the girl from Instagram. The one whose face won't stop popping up in my mind every time I try to sleep or eat or fucking function in any sort of normal way.

I know it's crazy. It's not like me to be obsessed like this, at least not with a person. But there's something about her that I can't stop thinking about. I need to overpower her. Claim her. Make her mine.

The second I step foot in Seattle, the hunt to find my mystery girl begins, and on the flight, two drinks in, I've already started the search by going through every single post she's ever made on Instagram, trying to find anything that might help me track her down. She never mentions anything about her job or where she lives. She's a total mystery.

That only makes it more fun.

I spend hours stalking her profile, the entire flight, looking for any clues that might lead me in the right direction. And when I finally land in Seattle, I'm buzzing like I'm high, ready to find my girl even if I have to break the rules to do it.

It's almost like I've been training for this my whole life.

A/N: Uh oh, Hayden's landed in Seattle. What do you think he's going to do next?