JACK
Bad Boys of Hockey
By VIOLETTE PARADIS
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events reside solely in the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual people, alive or dead, is purely coincidental. All characters are eighteen years of age or older.
This title contains mature themes and strong language.
Cover image used with permission from Deposit Photos.
Fonts used with permission from DaFont.
© 2021, VIOLETTE PARADIS. No portion of this work can be reproduced in any way without prior written consent from the author.
Bad Boys of Hockey Series
Logan (A Fake Boyfriend Sports Romance)
Jack (An Enemies-to-Lovers Sports Romance)
Rory (A Second Chance Sports Romance) - COMING SOON
Although these novels can be read as standalone stories, reading them in the above order will give you a fuller experience.
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Table of Contents
JACK
JEMMA
JEMMA
JACK
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JEMMA
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JEMMA
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EPILOGUE
JACK
Walking through the Seattle airport, I pull my hockey gear behind me as I look for my mentor, the legendary Connor Saito.
“Jack!” A voice calls out. I see a tall man wearing a black jacket and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. His black hair is sticking out from under his cap.
Straightening my posture and presenting myself confidently, I make my way over to him. Connor Saito is a legend and I want to make a good impression.
“Mr. Saito,” I say, putting my hand out.
“Call me Connor.” He shakes my hand.
“Connor, it’s nice meeting you.”
“You better get used to me because we’re going to be spending lots of time together. Here, let me help you with that.” He grabs one of my large gym bags as we make our way toward the exit.
“Thanks. And thanks for letting me live with you for a few months. You’ve been a favorite of mine for years.”
“Really?” Connor puts his hand on his chest. “Thank you so much. You know, the mentorship process was one of my favorite parts about joining the team over ten years ago. I hope it’s as helpful for you as it was for me.”
“I’m sure it will be. Man, this is crazy. I can’t believe I’m playing for the Seattle Blades. I’m really in the big league, huh?”
Normally I can control my emotions but I’ve been working for this since I was a kid. I can’t believe I’m going to be mentored by a legendary player like Connor Saito.
“I’ve seen your stats,” Connor says. “I think you’ll fit in just fine. Come on, I’m parked right over here.”
I follow him out of the airport. The fresh summer air is nice after spending three hours on a stuffy plane. We make our way through the parking lot until we reach a slick electric car.
“Sick car!” I say.
Connor smirks. “Wait until you see my house.”
The engine turns on without making a noise. We drive through the city.
“We have our first practice next Wednesday,” Connor says. “So make sure you’re ready for that. Until then, you can relax. Consider it a tiny vacation before the hurricane starts.”
“Got it.”
As we drive, I get a good look at where I’ll be living. Part of me feels very far from home.
Connor notices that I’m looking out the window. “Ever been to Seattle?”
“Can’t say that I have.”
“Well, you’ll love it here,” he says confidently. “It gets rainy sometimes but you’ll be so busy you won’t notice.”
“To be honest, I was a bit hesitant. I’ve never lived on the west coast before. But if I’m going to be living here for a while, I want to make this place my home.”
“That’s the spirit! Speaking of home, here’s mine.”
We pull into a neighborhood that overlooks the bay. I can smell the ocean in the air from here.
Connor pulls into the driveway of a beautiful house with two garages and multiple floors, even an attic. I can already tell that this place cost a pretty penny.
Following Connor inside, I look around in amazement.
“I’ve never been in a house this nice before,” I say.
Connor chuckles. “Save your coins for a year or two and you can get one of your own.”
The scent of spices drifts out from the dining room. A short woman with blunt bangs and chin-length black hair walks out and smiles at me.
“Hi!” Her voice is just as chipper as her attitude. She puts her hand out. “I’m Daisy, Connor’s fiancée.”
“Nice to meet you.” I shake her hand. She’s small but she still manages to crush my fingers.
Seeing Daisy and Connor together, I can tell they’re very straight-laced and proper people. They’re both wearing collared shirts and black pants. Not even jeans. Meanwhile, I’m in my t-shirt and blue jeans, feeling the need to shower after a long day of traveling.
“So you guys live here together?” I ask.
“Yes and no.” Daisy jumps into the conversation before Connor gets a chance to. “I’m going to med school in Denver so I’m only here part of the time. But class doesn’t start for another week, so here I am.” She lets out a manic laugh.
“Between her classes and the hockey schedule, we don’t get much time together. It’s nice to actually be together for once.”
They smile at each other in that loving way that couples do. I look around the house, avoiding direct eye contact with the intimacy on display right in front of me.
“So,” I say, pretending not to notice that they’re about to kiss. “Where am I staying?”
Connor pulls away from Daisy. “Let me show you.”
“But do it quickly,” Daisy instructs. “I ordered tacos, I hope that’s okay.”
“Sounds perfect,” I say. “I already love it here.”
Daisy laughs in her manic way. “Great!”
Connor guides me to a staircase that leads downstairs.
“The downstairs floor is yours. It has its own room, bathroom, and its own entrance from the outside. Here’s the key.” He pulls a silver key out of his pocket. “Use the downstairs entrance if you can, at least until Daisy’s gone. We can hear the front door from our bedroom window.”
“It squeaks,” Daisy calls out from the dining room.
“Thanks.” I take the key and hook it on my bare Blades keychain.
“I’ll let you settle in but Daisy’s right—the food is better when it’s hot!”
I smirk. “I won’t take long.”
After thanking him, I head downstairs and check out my new digs. I have a queen-sized bed, a bathroom with a shower, and even though I’m on the basement floor, I still have a window overlooking the bay and the rest of the hill.
The small space is basically a tiny apartment.
“Damn,” I s
ay to myself. “Hockey players make bank.”
For a moment I’m reminded just how lucky I am to be in this position. Not only am I playing for one of the best teams in the world, but I’m being mentored by one of the best players in the league. I better not screw this up.
My phone buzzes.
AUSTIN: You in town yet?
It’s a text to a group chat between Austin Berr, Johnny Breakwood, and myself. We’re the three new picks for the Seattle Blades this year. The three of us got along quickly during the draft earlier in the year and we’ve been texting all summer. We’ve been looking forward to finally living in the same city and playing together.
I text back.
JACK: Just got here.
JOHNNY: Fucking finally! Let’s go out for a beer before we have to get sober for training camp.
AUSTIN: Don’t forget about the women. We’re semi-famous now.
JACK: Lol, slow your horses. We’re not famous yet. Give me an hour to get ready.
I toss my phone aside and take a quick shower. Pulling on clean jeans and a black t-shirt, I head up to have dinner with Daisy and Connor.
I’m so hungry that I fill my plate and eat it all without stopping for conversation.
“So, Jack,” Daisy says as she stares at me from across the table. “Do you have a girlfriend that you left back home?”
I chuckle and shake my head. “Definitely not.”
She looks at Connor before clearing her throat. “I hope you don’t have plans to bring girls back here all the time. We do have expectations in this house. And we expect you to meet those expectations.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” I say. “I’m here to make a good impression.”
I know that this is my job now. I’m a big-league hockey player on a major team. Connor’s not just a landlord, he’s my mentor, my teammate. I have no intention of sabotaging my hockey career when I’ve spent so much time working for it.
“I might go out every once in a while, but I promise I won’t bring anyone back here. And I definitely won’t lose sight of the prize. I’m here to focus on hockey.”
Daisy nods and smiles in approval. “Good.”
She stands up and starts collecting the dishes.
“No,” I say. “Let me do that. It’s the least I can do.”
Daisy smiles appreciatively. “Wow, and he’s handy too! Connor, you picked a good one.”
He chuckles. “Glad you approve.”
Daisy yawns. “I’m about ready for bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She leaves as I collect the dishes and bring them to the kitchen sink.
“Hey,” Connor says as he follows me into the kitchen. “Once she leaves for school, I don’t care who you have over. I remember what it was like to be young.”
I chuckle. “Don’t worry. I doubt I’ll be meeting up with anyone soon. Not while living here, at least. Like I said, I’ve got hockey to focus on.”
Connor leans against the kitchen counter as he watches me clean. “You know, relationships aren’t too much of a distraction. At least, I don’t think so. In fact, it’s quite nice to have someone to come home to.”
“How’d you meet Daisy?”
“We were high school sweethearts, vowed to be together forever. You know the way it is. But when I got drafted into the league, it was hard doing the long-distance thing. We broke up for a while. I tried going on a date with someone else but it didn’t feel right. Fate brought us back together again somehow. Funny how that is.”
“And yet you’re still doing the long-distance thing,” I say.
He laughs. “Yeah, we are. But it’s not for too much longer. That’s why it’ll be nice having you around. This big house is pretty silent when it’s empty. It’s spooky.”
As I finish rinsing off the rest of the dishes, I place them on the rack to dry.
“I’m glad to be here,” I say as I turn to face Connor. “I’m ready to become the best version of myself that I can be.”
“Good.” Connor smiles. “That’s what I like to hear. I knew there was a reason I chose you.”
He squeezes my shoulder.
“Alright. Well, it looks like you’ve got this under control. I’m going to go spend some time with Daisy while she’s still here. Just make sure the door is locked and the lights are off before you go downstairs.”
“Got it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight.”
He leaves and I finish tidying up before fishing into my pocket for my phone.
AUSTIN: Meet us at Barrels and Boots. It’s a pub on Apple Tree Lane. Come any time after nine.
Checking the time, I realize it’s almost ten. Sending him a text to let him know I’m on my way, I grab my coat and I head out.
After a ten-minute taxi ride, I’m walking down Apple Tree Lane. It’s a cute cobblestone pedestrian street lined with boutiques, bakeries, and trendy bars. Strings of warm lights hang over the walkway. Half-drunk men and women are chatting and laughing outside the restaurants and bars. Over the chatter and music, I can hear the distant sound of water slapping against the nearby beach.
Navigating down the busy street, I find Barrels and Boots. It’s a microbrewery with a live band and a dancefloor which is exactly what I need after this long day.
I spot Austin Berr’s blond curls and Johnny Breakwood’s thick black beard. They’re sitting at the bar.
“Hey, guys.” I put my arms around their shoulders.
“Hey! Our Blades brother!” They pull me in for a hug, messing up my hair in the process.
I smile and shake it off, pushing my hair back into place.
“Are we ready to celebrate?” I ask.
“We’ve been celebrating all night!” Austin pushes a pint of beer into my hand. “Now it’s your time to catch up.”
I grab the beer. “I knew I found my family with you guys.”
“Here’s to becoming bona fide major league athletes and finding our new home.” Johnny lifts his glass.
Austin and I lift our drinks to meet his. “To finding our new home.”
We start to drink.
JEMMA
“Ugh, I can’t believe this.” I pop the cork off a bottle of white wine and take a swig. My two girlfriends and I are sitting around the table in my small kitchen. The modest apartment is attached to the back of a yoga studio that I created a few years ago. “Two bombs in one day. First, Chelsea quits, and now Brendon breaks up with me?”
“And I can’t believe he did it in a text message!” Madison says in her sweet Alabama accent.
“What a douche.” Naomi is using the selfie feature on her phone to fix her frizzy black hair.
I sigh. “A text message. After two years. A fucking text message.”
“You deserve so much better.” Madison takes the bottle from me and takes a swig.
“Do I? I mean, did we even really love each other?” I simply stare off into nothingness. “And the worst part is that I had to cover Chelsea’s classes all day. Imagine trying to be calm and collected when all I wanted to do was shout my lungs out.”
Naomi looks up from her phone. “Go on, then.”
I let out an angry yell, emptying my lungs of the anger and resentment that have been building up all day. The noise echoes through the kitchen and the door to my empty yoga studio. I spook my black cat, Lilith, who bolts up the narrow stairs to my bedroom. When I’m done I look at the others.
“That felt good,” I say.
They both start laughing. “It sounded good!”
The feeling only lasts a few seconds as reality sinks in again.
“Fuck, I need to find another yoga instructor.”
“You can’t just cancel the classes?” Madison asks. She looks at me with her giant blue orb-like eyes. Her white-blond hair only makes her eyes look bluer than they are.
I shake my head. “Not if I want to risk losing customers. And besides, I can’t pay the rent on this place without that money coming in.”
“I can help find someone,” Naomi says. “You know, I teach at the gym downtown. I can ask some of the other yoga teachers if they need extra shifts. Until then, I can help cover some of Chelsea’s classes until you hire someone new.”
“But you already do twenty classes a week!”
“It’s fine.” She gives me a reassuring smile. “You’ve done so much for me and I love this place too much to let anything bad happen to it.”
“Oh my gosh, thank you so much.” I give Naomi a hug.
“Watch the hair!” She yelps. I don’t care, I hug her anyway.
“I wish I could help y’all,” Madison says. “But I’m just so busy with the shop.”
Madison owns a shop down Apple Tree Lane called The Crystal Ball. It’s a metaphysical boutique that sells crystals, sage, and all sorts of books about witchcraft. We met a year ago when she started coming in for weekly yoga classes and we became fast friends.
“Don’t worry about it, Madison,” I say. “Naomi and I will be busy for a few weeks but we’ll figure it out.”
“I’m gonna need that.” Naomi grabs the wine out of Madison’s hand and is about to take a swig when she stops. “Wait… did we ever make a toast?”
“What is there to toast to?” I ask miserably.
She holds the bottle up. “Good riddance to that tool.”
“Who, Chelsea?”
Jack: An Enemies To Lovers Sports Romance (Bad Boys of Hockey Book 2) Page 1