The Swede

by Maureen Smith

  Jöran grinned around his mouthpiece. “I saw your woman before the game. Damn, bro. She’s a hot little piece of ass.” He winked. “She’s coming home with me after you get your beatdown.”

  Viggo narrowed his eyes, his gloved hand fisting around his hockey stick. “Stay the fuck away from her.”

  The referee stepped between them, shoving them apart. “Assume the position, gentlemen.”

  Adrenaline pumped through Viggo’s bloodstream as he spread his skates and crouched low to the ice. Jöran did the same, sneering at him from behind his visor.

  The last time they played against each other, Jöran had come away the victor.

  Viggo couldn’t reverse that heartbreaking loss. But he was here today to make damn sure history didn’t repeat itself.

  The ref blew the whistle.

  As if in slow motion, the two centers watched the puck drop to the ice.

  Their eyes locked, lips curling into sneers.

  “Let’s go,” Viggo snarled.

  Game. Fucking. On.

  * * *

  SCARLETT

  * * *

  The arena erupted in a frenzy as Viggo and Jöran sprang into attack, their sticks clashing as they battled for control of the puck.

  Viggo had one of the best faceoff winning percentages in the league. So no one was surprised when he won the draw and shoveled the puck to Hunter, who shot up the ice and fired a bullet at the goal. He missed that time, but sixty seconds later, he scored on a screen set up by Viggo.

  The lamp lit up as the arena exploded in celebration. Inside the owner’s box, everyone was whooping and cheering and slapping high fives.

  During the next play when the puck deflected off Logan’s skate, Jöran pounced on it and carried it across the blue line into the Rebels’ zone. Reid was waiting for him like a hungry predator. He delivered one of his bone-crushing body checks, hitting Jöran with the force of a freight train. He went flying off his skates, losing his stick and crash landing on the ice.

  The crowd went crazy, roaring their approval and chanting “Rocket, Rocket, Rocket!” The referees’ whistles shrieked, arms waving. It was a clean hit but they assessed Reid a penalty, much to the crowd’s displeasure.

  As he skated to the penalty box amid supportive cheers, he could barely keep a smirk off his face.

  Nadia sighed, shaking her head at him on the JumboTron. “I knew he’d enjoy delivering that smackdown.”

  “Everyone enjoyed it,” Nelson joked beside her. “Except maybe Jöran.”

  They all watched as Jöran got slowly to his feet. He looked a little woozy after getting his clock cleaned. He also looked angry and embarrassed. After assuring the ref that he was okay, he shot a dark glare toward the penalty box where Reid sat. It was a look that promised retribution.

  Unfortunately, he made good on the promise and scored a goal on the power play while the Rebels were shorthanded. A cascade of boos and groans erupted around the arena.

  Jöran celebrated boisterously, flexing his biceps and taunting the crowd by putting his finger to his lips in a “shh” gesture, which riled up the fans even more.

  When he skated past Viggo and made a throat-slitting motion, outraged fans booed and yelled curses at him. Viggo just smirked and spat on the ice by Jöran’s skates.

  Inside the owner’s box, there was a lot of grumbling and head shaking.

  “That Jöran is a real piece of work,” Scarlett’s father said with a scowl.

  “I hate his guts,” Landrieu growled.

  Everyone laughed and agreed.

  Viggo wasted no time answering Jöran’s goal, firing a wrist shot from the blue line that hit the back of the net.

  The arena burst into cheers and applause, the noise deafening. Everyone inside the owner’s box was on their feet, screaming and hugging ecstatically. Scarlett was picked up and spun around by Lennox, Nelson, Traeger and Gage. The only one not celebrating was Audrey, but screw her and her sour grapes.

  Halfway through the first period, the fight everyone had been anticipating broke out between Viggo and Jöran. One moment they were chasing down the loose puck near the boards. The next moment they were dropping their gloves and throwing fists.

  Scarlett jumped to her feet, slapping her hands over her mouth as the crowd went berserk, screaming and cheering Viggo on.

  He landed a haymaker on Jöran’s jaw that rocked his head back against the glass and knocked his helmet off. As Jöran started to fall, he grabbed Viggo’s jersey and took him down with him.

  After a brief tussle on the ice, Viggo straddled Jöran and began pummeling his face with a controlled fury that brought the crowd to its feet, stomping and roaring with approval. Throughout the stands, bunnies were shrieking and squealing their heads off, exhilarated by the thrilling fight.

  Pinned on his back, Jöran tried to throw a few more punches. But he was outmatched by Viggo’s size and strength and dark rage. All he could do was try to deflect the relentless blows raining down on him like thunder.

  Scarlett couldn’t deny the surge of satisfaction she got from watching Viggo kick his enemy’s ass. Jöran was a despicable motherfucker who’d spent weeks taunting and slandering Viggo every chance he got. It was hard not to enjoy seeing him get his comeuppance.

  The refs finally blew their whistles and pulled Viggo off Jöran. The asshole had blood gushing from his nose and running all over his face, and he looked thoroughly humiliated by the one-sidedness of the fight.

  Everyone around Scarlett was whooping and cheering and hugging her like she’d just won the heavyweight title.

  The violent brawl got both players banished to the penalty box. As Viggo skated over to serve his time, the crowd chanted his name and pumped their fists in solidarity.

  Scarlett could almost feel the testosterone and adrenaline pounding through his body as he barreled into the penalty box and crashed down on the bench, ripping off his helmet and jamming his hand through his sweaty hair. The ferocity of his anger turned her on. He looked like he was ready to go several more rounds in the ring. If he didn’t expend all that aggressive energy by the time the game ended, she would definitely be getting her world rocked tonight. She couldn’t fucking wait.

  When his five minutes were up, Viggo came roaring back into the game. His face loomed over the arena from the JumboTron, gray eyes glinting like hard steel, jaw set tight. Scarlett held her breath as she watched him lead a rush on goal, masterfully stickhandling the puck as he weaved through opponents like water around rocks, ice flying off the blades of his skates. Just the way he moved was highlight-reel-worthy.

  As he and his wingmen neared the net, he flipped the puck to Logan, who took a quick wrist shot. Tampa’s goalie stretched his glove to block the puck.

  Viggo grabbed the rebound, shaking off defenders as he moved into the high slot. Before Tampa could recover, he fired off one of his sniper shots, falling to one knee as the puck blasted over the goalie’s shoulder and into the net.

  As the goal horn blared, the owner’s box exploded in cheers and the euphoric crowd rained approval down onto the ice. The scoreboard showed a video of a huge swirling sandstorm blasting everything in sight as boisterous chants of “Sandstorm, Sandstorm, Sandstorm!” filled the arena.

  Viggo lay on his stomach on the ice, grinning with satisfaction as his teammates swooped down on him, hooting and hollering.

  Fans heckled Jöran as he skated furiously to his bench, yanked off his helmet and started yelling at his teammates. His left eye was swollen nearly shut and one side of his face was a puffy mass of purple bruises. He looked like he’d been through a meat grinder, but you had to hand it to the guy. He wasn’t a quitter.

  At the end of the first period, the Rebels skated off the ice to a crescendo of loud cheers and applause.

  “Holy shit,” Zander exclaimed beside Scarlett, his voice hoarse from screaming. “I might have to revise my opinion about hockey. That was fucking awesome!”

  Scarlett and Gage laughed. �
��Told you!”

  “Viggo is a fucking beast!” Zander shoved his hands into his blond hair, struck by a sudden thought. “Did I really take a swing at him the other day?”

  Scarlett nodded and grinned.

  “Holy crap. He coulda pulverized me like he just pulverized that asshole.”

  “He wouldn’t have.” Scarlett leaned over and kissed Zander’s cheek. “Thank you for trying to protect me, Zandy. It was very brave of you.”

  He grinned broadly, puffed his chest out and slung his arm around her shoulders.

  When “Fahrenheit 32” came blasting over the sound system, an excited cheer went up from the crowd, and many fans got up and started dancing in the stands.

  Scarlett and her bandmates traded delighted grins. As soon as they appeared on the JumboTron, more hollers and whistles broke out around the arena. The guys hammed it up, winking and blowing kisses that set off an avalanche of feminine squeals and screams.

  The announcer interrupted the song to announce that Off The Grid was in the house. He told them to stand and wave to the crowd, which prompted more cheering and an enthusiastic standing ovation. The guys soaked up every drop.

  “The band will be doing some gigs around Denver before going on tour,” the announcer told the buzzing audience, “so be sure to show your love and check ’em out, Rebel Nation!”

  Traeger slapped enthusiastic high fives with his bandmates as they dropped back into their seats and grinned at one another. “Moving here was definitely the right call,” he asserted.

  “Fuck yeah.” Ryu leaned back in his seat, hands folded behind his head as he looked around the suite. “I could definitely get used to this.”

  “Shit, I already have,” Gage joked.

  At that moment one of the female servers sashayed over, bent down and whispered something in Traeger’s ear. A wicked grin spread across his face before he turned and motioned for the guys to go with him. Wearing devilish grins, they all got up and followed the server’s swinging hips out of the suite.

  Nadia grinned, staring after them. “Where are they off to?”

  Scarlett chuckled. “Probably going to meet some adoring fans who want to, ah, show their appreciation.”

  Nadia’s wide-eyed gaze swung back to her. “You mean, like, hook up with them? Like, in the bathroom? In the middle of the game?”

  Scarlett laughed at Nadia’s scandalized reaction. “Wilder things have happened.”

  “Ew.” Nadia wrinkled her nose. “Your boys are such manwhores.”

  “Pretty much.” Scarlett grinned as she looked around the suite, warmed by the sight of Lennox and Cooper sharing a quiet laugh in one corner. It was so good to see them together, out and proud, unashamedly in love with each other. She couldn’t be happier for them, and she was proud of her father for accepting their relationship.

  Her grin softened as her gaze wandered to her dad. He stood at the bar yukking it up with Luke, Uncle Lincoln, Landrieu, the GM and the team president. Across the suite, Scarlett’s mother and Aunt Eden were laughing and gossiping with the other wives. Even Audrey’s mother had joined them, leaving her daughter to sulk alone in the corner.

  Bianca and Ana sat a few seats away sipping cocktails and giggling over some joke while Nelson headed down to the press box to say hello to his new colleague at The Denver Post. He started his new job on Monday and he was super excited.

  “You should see the way you look right now.”

  Scarlett turned to find Nadia smiling at her. “What?”

  “You have the most blissful smile on your face, Scarlett. Being in love really agrees with you.”

  Her cheeks heated. “I guess it does.”

  Nadia leaned over and gave her a warm hug. “I’m so glad you and Viggo worked things out. See, I told you not to give up hope.”

  “You were right.” Scarlett chuckled. “It looked pretty bleak for a while there—”

  “But true love prevailed. And that’s all that matters.”

  Scarlett grinned at her cousin. “You’re such a hopeless romantic.”

  “I am.” Nadia tweaked her nose. “And so are you. You’ve always tried to hide it, tough girl, but you’ve never fooled me.”

  Scarlett grinned down at her margarita. “Bite me.”

  Nadia laughed as her phone rang in her lap. She picked it up and answered cheerfully, “Hey, Jess.”

  Sipping her margarita, Scarlett turned her attention to the ice. The Rebelettes were performing a dance routine while the team’s gunslinger mascot stole the spotlight with his comical antics.

  Nadia got off the phone. “That was Jess. She’s here at the game.”

  “Really? Where’s she sitting?”

  “The game was practically sold out by the time she decided to buy tickets, so all she could get were some lousy nosebleed seats. She’s dying to come sit with us, but she brought a bunch of cousins from out of town and she doesn’t want to look ratchet trying to roll up in here with all those people. Plus there’s no more room. So I told her we’ll catch up after the game.”

  “Cool.” Scarlett drank more of her margarita. “Everything okay between you two?”

  “I think so.” Nadia smiled. “We went to lunch yesterday and had a long heart to heart. I told her I was hurt by her distant behavior, so I was thinking about asking her to step down as a bridesmaid. She felt really bad and apologized for the way she’s been acting. Turns out you were right about what’s been going on with her. She admitted that she’d been struggling with jealousy and she didn’t know how to deal with it. Plus her mom had been in her ear lately, saying things about me—”

  Scarlett narrowed her eyes. “Things like what?”

  “Oh, you know. Wondering how I snagged a rich athlete before Jess did, that sort of thing.” Nadia made a face. “Her mom’s always been kind of toxic, so Jess started internalizing the negativity until she couldn’t even stand to be around me. But she hated herself for feeling that way, and she doesn’t want to lose our friendship. So we’re working through it.”

  “That’s good,” Scarlett said. “I know how much you like Jess. She’s been a good friend for the most part.”

  “She has,” Nadia agreed, “and I’d hate to part ways with her. But what you said to me that day really stuck with me. I can be too naive and too trusting, and people have taken advantage of that to hurt me. But those days are over. I plan to start exercising my right to self-preservation, as you so eloquently put it. So as much as I love Jess and appreciate her friendship, I will definitely be watching my back from now on.”

  Scarlett raised her glass to Nadia. “To self-preservation.”

  Nadia picked up her half-empty martini glass and clinked it against Scarlett’s. “To self-preservation.”

  They downed their drinks and shared a soft laugh.

  “I invited Jess to our afterparty,” Nadia said. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Not at all.” Scarlett smiled narrowly. “As long as she knows Viggo is mine, we’re good.”

  “Oh, she knows. Believe me.” Nadia grinned. “Over lunch, she said she knew Viggo was a goner when he couldn’t take his eyes off you at my engagement party. She said it was a bitter pill to swallow, but she’s moving on. She’s dating one of his teammates now.”

  “What?” Scarlett exclaimed. “Which one?”

  “Dubinski.”

  “Get outta here! Are you serious?”

  “Yep.” Nadia grinned. “She met him at a party two weeks ago and they really hit it off. Reid told me Dubinski has a lot of growing up to do, but the right woman can probably reform him. Jess says she’s not sleeping with him until she gets to know him better. But she’s feeling pretty optimistic, so I’m happy for her.”

  “So am I,” Scarlett said sincerely. “I hope everything works out.”

  “Me, too.” Nadia gave her a sidelong grin. “You’ll never guess who called me today to apologize for criticizing my relationship with Reid.”

  “No way.” Scarlett stared at Nadi
a. “Kandace?”

  “Yep. She apologized for offending me with her comments, and she said Reid seems like a really good man who truly loves me. So she’s happy for us, and she’s honored to be one of my bridesmaids.”

  “Wow,” Scarlett marveled, shaking her head. “Wonders never cease.”

  “I know.” Nadia’s grin broadened. “Before we got off the phone, she casually asked about Hunter, Logan and Reid’s brother. But only because they’re in the wedding party, she said emphatically. She’s not interested in them or anything. She’s just relieved that all the groomsmen are tall so the bridesmaids can wear high heels. I totally shouldn’t read anything into her questions about the guys.”

  “No, of course not,” Scarlett agreed. “Nothing to see here. At all.”

  She and Nadia stared at each other, speculating. Then they promptly dissolved into laughter, dismissing the very idea.

  * * *

  The rebels came out flying in the second period. Sixty seconds had barely ticked off the clock before Logan scored a thrilling goal from the blue line. Less than three minutes later, Reid stripped the puck from an opposing forward and rifled a shot into the net.

  The occupants of the owner’s box broke into exuberant cheering, hugging and backslapping. As Scarlett looked out over the arena, all she saw was a sea of screaming faces and pumping fists.

  Tampa Bay was a good team, but they didn’t have enough offensive firepower to compete with the Rebels. They were outgunned and outclassed in every position. And their defense had no answer for Viggo, who was playing with a ruthless focus and intensity that made him unstoppable.

  Ninety seconds into the third period, he outmuscled Jöran to score his third goal, giving the Rebels a 7-1 lead that put the game out of reach. It was his second hat trick of the season and the crowd of eighteen thousand fans went absolutely wild, throwing hats onto the ice as Adelitas Way’s “Invincible” exploded over the sound system.

  Scarlett was on her feet with everyone else, beaming with pride as tears ran down her face.

  In the end, there would be no dramatic, nail-biting Hollywood finish.