Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 99

BRAYDON’S POV

The puck hits the back of the net.

For a heartbeat, everything goes quiet and the arena feels empty, like the noise has been sucked out of the world. I freeze for a second, staring at the scoreboard as it flips.

3-2.

We won.

And then happiness hit me. My stick clatters to the ice somewhere behind me and I’m yelling before I even realize it, my skates cutting across the ice as adrenaline tears through me.

The bench empties in an instant and the guys vault over the boards, crashing into each other, fists pumping, and voices roaring like we just won a war instead of a game.

Someone comes at me from the side. Luke lands on top of me and Justin’s fist smacks my shoulder but I don’t even feel it.

“That’s how you shut them up!”

“Fuck yeah!”

“Let’s go!”

I jump to my feet and spin in a circle, my arms raised while I scream toward the rafters. The home crowd sits stunned. Earlier, they were chanting our names, laughing, and calling us losers. Now? They’re dead silent.

Their bench won’t even look at us but a part of me wants them to, though. I want Gareth to eat every single word he spat out.

I finally break away from the guys and glide toward the boards. Katy’s already moving hurrying down the steps and she presses herself to the glass where it curves near the comer. Her breath fogs it as soon as I stop in front of her.

Her smile is shaking.

“You won,” she exclaims, her voice muffled against the glass, and palm pressed flat. “You were amazing!”

“Thanks, baby.” I lean in, still panting, and rest my forehead against hers. “That last shot? That was for you.”

“Oh, don’t be so cringe,” she snaps, and I chuckle. She glances over my shoulder, scanning the crowd like she’s looking for someone, then pouts. “I want to see Gareth. I want to hear what he has to say. He must be sulking.”

It’s cute how much she wants to rub it in for me and I’m also glad because this is like her first time watching me play, and I did not let her down. I would have died of embarrassment if we’d lost to those Devils.

“I’ll go change out of my gear and come grab you for the night,” I tell her.

“Okay, hurry up.” She blushes, and I wink before skating away, heart still racing.

“There are dope bars around here,” Martin calls out, jogging up to catch up with us. I’ve got my arm wrapped around Katy’s shoulder, and we fall into step together, weaving through the group toward the bus.

“Brisket gonna let us out of his sight tonight?” Zach asks, glancing at me with a half-frown that says he already knows the answer probably isn’t yes.

“I don’t know.” I shrug, though my eyes don’t stay on him. They drop to Katy. I’ve missed her: the way she tastes, her lips, her soft scent and the warmth of her skin. Nothing they’re planning can compete with all that.

When we reach the bus, Brisket is standing in the aisle like a statue, hands on his hips, and glaring hard. I have no idea how he manages to smile and cheer when we win, yet looks like he’s about to explode any other time.

“I hear you boys want a night out at SSP,” he announces, his voice carrying over the shuffle of boots and chatter. He plants his hands firmly on his hips, his spine straight. “I don’t usually condone this… but just for today, I’ll be the fun coach. Three hours maximum. That’s a very tight curfew!”

Echoes of jubilation ripple around me, but I can’t focus on any of it. I guide Katy toward empty seats, and we sink into it together. I drag her closer, close my eyes, and rest my head on her shoulder.

“I’m gonna cuddle the shit out of you tonight,” I whisper.

Her hands lift to my neck and God… I don’t even want to think about what that does to me.

“Just cuddle?” she murmurs.

I lift my head slowly and she’s fighting a blush, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Are you teasing me?”

“Do you think I’m teasing you?”

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