Iron Cross: The Dartmouth Cobras #6 (37 page)

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Raif nodded. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.”

“I misjudged you, Zovko. You’re a good man. Pearce is lucky to have you as a friend.” Richter reached out and firmly shook Raif’s hand. “Please don’t share this, because he plans to observe the team before he is officially introduced, but we have a new head coach. Walrye was fired this morning. He does not fit with the future this team is building.”

Good. Coach Walrye had caused more rifts between the players than anything Raif and Zach had done. But Raif was surprised that Richter would bring in someone new to lead them. “I assumed Callahan—”

“He’s a player’s coach and he’s doing great. I don’t want to change that by throwing too much responsibility at him. He’s one of the few who knows about the new coach. The reason I’m telling you is because Pearce is very close to becoming a healthy scratch. Callahan is still running the show, with a bit more authority than he had before, but the new head coach, Roger Shero, has play-off experience and a Cup to his name. Callahan will look to him for advice.” Richter straightened, his expression grave. “Make sure neither of them sees a reason to take Pearce out of the lineup.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“That’s all I ask. Damn it, I could strangle that idiot. He’s so quiet it’s hard to know what’s going on with him. I’m uncertain if we can make this okay with Demyan—not sure you care considering…”

Do I?
Demyan wasn’t competition anymore, but he was pushing Zach away when Zach needed him most. Which was hard to judge, considering all Demyan saw was the man he loved turning to another. He had no idea the terrible price Zach was willing to pay for his family. Even Raif had no indication of what that price could be.

But Zach loved Demyan. So yes, he cared. In the end, once the trouble had passed, Raif wanted to see Zach happy. He deserved it.

“I care more than I should. Maybe his friends can help him. I can’t tell Tyler—”

“Please don’t. The boy has a big heart, but he can’t keep a secret to save his life.” Richter chuckled and shook his head. “But we’ll make sure the trouble triplets have each other. I’ll have someone special, just for them, to keep them out of trouble.”

Raif grinned. He could agree to the three of them needing a keeper. “I’ll try to—”

“I’m starting to like you, so no, I won’t lay that task on your shoulders on top of what you’re already dealing with.” Richter walked around the desk and Raif quickly followed him to the door. “The team is waiting for you. If you can keep Pearce on the level, that will be enough. Please come to me if you learn more. If it was just the men, I wouldn’t worry so much, but Becky and Casey…I’m not taking any chances.”

They said goodbye and Raif sprinted down the hall, his mood lifting with all he now knew. Rather than putting his career on the line for a man he still loved, but was no longer in love with, he’d gained a new ally. And his being the general manager of the Dartmouth Cobras was no small thing.

He climbed on the bus, the last to arrive, and quickly took a seat near the back, right behind where Tyler was sitting with Pischlar. Tyler had his portable DVD player on, and they were sharing a pair of earbuds and watching…the Ninja Turtles?

Boys will be boys.
Raif grinned, reaching over Tyler’s seat to ruffle his hair. Tyler smiled up at him, and the look in his eyes was…

The words Tyler had voiced weren’t simply in the heat of the moment. That look, his loyalty, everything Tyler did made them true. Tyler loved him. Raif couldn’t say it out loud, not yet, but he couldn’t deny those same words fit everything he felt toward Tyler. He hadn’t planned on going there again, hadn’t been ready to open his heart to anyone.

But love rarely considered a time or place. And how strong would it be if it didn’t catch you off guard and knock you right off your feet? Change all your plans, and your life, for good. If anyone was worth dealing with the mess that would be left of Raif’s plans, it was Tyler. He couldn’t look at the young man and consider not having him in his life.

As of right now, that was no longer an
option.

* * * *

Once the whole team was off the bus and through security, there was nothing to do except wait. Not Tyler’s favorite thing. He sat on a seat near the windows, watching the planes loading on the runway, chin resting on his bent knee, for a while. Then he walked over to one of the small convenience stores to buy some snacks and an iced tea. The tea tasted like crap, but it reminded him a bit of the huge pitchers of sweet tea his mom used to make every summer. He hadn’t talked to her since she’d told him about her marriage plans, but he’d call her before the game. No matter how much the idea of her getting married again bugged him, he wouldn’t let it put distance between them. He needed her to know he’d be there when things went bad. She didn’t really have anyone else.

He sighed and tossed the bottle. Just thinking about his mom made him tired and depressed. He had to do something to distract himself.

Someone checked him lightly into the wall, and he scowled as Luke took a fighter’s stance, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Head up, kid. You’d be out cold if you were skating like that.”

“Not skating in the damn airport, dumbass.”

“Fuck, you in a mood too? I’m playing.” Luke shoved his hands into the pockets of his dark blue dress pants. Like Tyler, he’d ditched his jacket and tie with their carry-ons. His light blue shirt was untucked and rolled up to his elbows, the buttons undone low enough to reveal the white tank top he wore underneath. A black and gold Cobra ball cap hid his face almost completely as they walked aimlessly between the terminals. “I’m bored out of my mind.”

“Me too.” After making sure there was no one too close, Tyler slammed into Luke. He laughed as Luke stumbled into a row of empty seats. “Might wanna take your own advice!”

A group of teenaged girls passed, and Tyler quickly turned away from them when he saw two were wearing Cobra shirts. He’d learned quick that being recognized by teenyboppers could get messy. They were like little octopi, groping and screaming and impossible to get away from.

Luke had kept his face hidden too, but the brim of his hat didn’t hide his crooked smile. “Scott needs some cheering up, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, but…”
Oh no.
Tyler’s eyes widened as he followed Luke’s gaze to where Scott was leaning against a wall, holding the newspaper he’d been reading high as the girls passed. He knew Luke well enough to guess what he was going to do. “That’s just evil, Luke. Don’t—”

“Oh my G
od!” Luke shouted. “Is that—”

A big hand covered Luke’s mouth, stopping him from identifying Scott to the girls and everyone in the damn airport. Ramos spoke softly in Luke’s ear. “You are aware that Richter decided to join us for the beginning of the road trip, yes?”

Shaking his head, Luke swallowed.

“Perhaps you should keep yourself informed.” Ramos moved his hand. “We’ve reached our quota of bad behavior for the foreseeable future, haven’t we?”

“Yes, Sir.” Luke’s face went red as he noticed Callahan standing a few feet away, his arms folded over his chest.

Tyler was pretty sure his face was red too, because Raif was right beside the coach. Hands up, Tyler shifted away from Luke before he ended up somehow getting in trouble by association. “I was gonna tell him not to.”

“We heard. But how about you go hang out with Pisch and Zovko?” Callahan put his hand on Tyler’s shoulder and nudged him toward the terminal where most of the team was sitting. “I’d like a word with Carter if you don’t mind, Ramos?”

“Not at all.” Ramos gave Luke one last warning look, then returned to where he’d been sitting for the last hour, reading what looked like
The Lord of the Rings
.

Raif stayed close to Tyler, but his focus was on an older man who sat with the training staff. He was wearing a light gray suit with dark gray pinstripes, his hair was dark auburn streaked with gray, and he was older than even Richter, who’d taken a seat next to him. Tyler didn’t recognize the man, but figured he was a reporter or something. He was paying a lot of attention to Luke and taking notes on a big yellow notepad. That couldn’t be good.

The man’s gaze shifted to Tyler. He smiled and inclined his head. Tyler smiled back, then hurried to catch up with Raif. “Who is that guy?”

At first, Raif didn’t answer. He glanced over at the man, then sat down next to Pischlar. “All I can say is you should be on your best behavior when he’s around.”

I’m really starting to hate that phrase.
Tyler rolled his eyes as Raif went back to his sudoku book. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling so restless, but he was going to lose his mind if he had to sit in one place for much longer. He tried, he really did, but Pisch was freakin’ sleeping and Tyler had loaned White and Richards his portable DVD player.

“I’m gonna get a magazine or something.” Tyler waited for Raif’s nod, then headed back to the store. He pulled out a few porn magazines when spending more than five seconds looking at the sports ones had the clerk giving him dirty looks. He smirked as he dropped the pile in front of the pinched-faced lady.

Scott came over while he was paying for them. “Damn, you hit a dry spell or something, man? Here, he’s gonna need this.” He tossed a travel-sized bottle of lotion on top of the magazines, flashing the clerk his most charming smile. “I’ve never seen the attraction to this filth, but kids these days!”

The clerk blushed and put her hand to her throat. “Oh, I agree. Could I help you with anything, sir?”

“You have some quality reading material here. Anything you could recommend for me?”

“Yes!” She hurried over to the rack of books. Grabbed three and reverently handed them over to Scott. “If you haven’t already read them…”

Tyler snorted. The Fifty Shades books. Chicklet had gotten Laura to read parts of them out loud once after Laura had come home grumbling “They read that book, and now everyone’s an expert” after a few of the dispatchers had brought up BDSM. Tyler thought the books were crap, but Chicklet had pointed out that they were novels. Novels meant fiction, and everyone had their own ideas of entertainment.

That had been an interesting debate. Laura insisted the ideas in the book were dangerous. Chicklet didn’t believe people were stupid enough to try things they’d only read about in a romance novel. Tyler didn’t have an opinion. He liked comic books.

Walking out of the store after another customer finally distracted the clerk, Scott already had the book open. He seemed to be using it to cover his face again, and when Tyler saw the same group of girls, he understood why.

A few feet ahead of them, Pearce was just leaving the bathroom, shoulders hunched, his gaze locked on his feet.

Scott elbowed Tyler. “You know, Luke’s idea was kinda messed up, but he might’ve been on to something.” Before Tyler could stop him, Scott let out an excited shout. “Zachary Pearce! I can’t believe it’s you!”

Pearce lifted his head and the girls swarmed him. Tyler grabbed Scott and dragged him back to where the rest of the team was sitting. He grabbed one of Scott’s books and buried his face in it as a few of the trainers went to rescue Pearce.

A grunt and Luke dropped down next to Tyler. He grabbed the third book, opened it, and leaned close to Tyler. “How much trouble are we in?”

Tyler kept the book in front of his face and looked over at Luke. “You had nothing to do with this.”

“Was my idea.”

“You have an alibi. Shut up and they might not figure it out.”

“I doubt it.”

“Shut up!”

“What the fuck!” The last was Scott, who stood as Pearce took the book from him. He looked ready to punch Pearce.

Pearce faced him, nice and calm even though his white shirt was ripped and he had nasty scratches on his face. “You don’t want to read these books, Scott. Be mad at me, play stupid fucking games if it makes you feel better, but there are things that can hurt you much worse than I have.”

“It’s a fucking book!”

A few men in airport security uniforms approached. “Is there a problem here?”

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Callahan came over with Cam, Dominik Mason’s brother and one of the members of the Cobras security team. Callahan reassured airport security while Cam separated Scott and Pearce.

Over the intercom, the announcement came that it was time to board their charter flight. Luke took off, grabbing his stuff and getting in line with Ramos. Raif was talking to Richter, so Tyler decided to join Pischlar, White, and Richards. Which didn’t get him far, because White wasn’t leaving his seat.

“Fuck, I haven’t seen him like this in years.” Peter Kral, a steady defenseman who’d been with the team forever and didn’t hang out much anymore since he’d gotten married and had a kid, stood next to Tyler, shaking his head. “He’ll hate people fussing over him. Distract everyone, I’ll be right back.”

Kral took off before Tyler could reply. Tyler approached the group, noticing that White was pale and there were beads of sweat on his temples. White was the toughest man he’d ever met and he wasn’t scared of anything, so what the hell was getting to him now? Even Pischlar looked confused as he watched the rest of the team board the plane.