hand on his arm. “Maybe you should come along now.”
Selena made a noise between disbelief and disgust. “Mia’s life? I’m not sure what that young lady told you but she came out of this just fine. Unfortunately some girls like to play the victim. She’s obviously taken the time she needed to decide if pro hockey was really for her and I’ve already spoken to Coach Lindhoff. Put a good word in for her. The situation has already been dealt with and frankly, it’s none of your business.”
Cal would not be dismissed, and neither would Mia’s life and career.
“So much for the sisterhood. So much for looking out for the next generation. Instead you’d rather be part of fucking over my girl.”
“Is everything okay here?” Harper had suddenly appeared with Remy, her observant gaze split between Selena and Cal.
The Commissioner of the National Women’s Hockey League caught Cal’s eye. You won’t do it. You won’t dare challenge me like this. Mia didn’t want it out there, so you’re not going to embarrass her.
And you know something? Selena Fabien was right. Cal would never air Mia’s dirty laundry in public, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do something about it. He usually took the easy road because if he let himself get mad, if he truly allowed it to take over, he might not come back from it.
Screw that.
He didn’t have to say why. He just had to put Selena Fabien on notice.
“Y’know something, Ms. Fabien, you carry on. But tell your son he’s on my radar. If by some fucked-up miracle he ever makes his way out of the AHL and ends up on the same ice as me, he’ll have to be carried off in a body bag.”
“Foreman!”
“Cal!”
The first voice was Harper’s, the second … Mia’s. His gaze locked with hers and saw fear and fury mixed in there. Not only Mia, but shit—Vadim and Isobel as well. Everyone had descended on this corner of the bar to witness Cal’s meltdown. Fucking fantastic.
Selena gasped and clutched at her throat. “Did you just threaten my family?”
“I believe I did. Not nice, is it?”
Selena spluttered and arced a frantic gaze over the spectators, all frozen like ice sculptures. Apparently no one was stepping in because they were probably shocked that Cal Foreman was losing his shit so spectacularly.
It felt good to finally let it out. The rage about Bethany and Tommy Gordon. The rage that Mia would have to suffer—that she would think it was okay to suffer—in silence. The rage that he wasn’t brave enough to tell her he loved her so much he would tear down the Rebels arena if she asked him to.
Finally, Selena found her voice. “This is how you run things, Harper?”
“No, it is not.” The Rebels CEO closed the gap with Cal. “You.” She pointed, right in his face, but really under his chin because he had more than foot on her. “Go home, sober up, and be in my office at 9 a.m. tomorrow.”
It was stupid but the first thing that entered his head was, “On a Sunday?” As if dressing-downs and serious chats about his future with the franchise should only occur on weekdays.
“Yes, on a Sunday!”
“Disgraceful.” Selena’s voice raised in volume. “This is not a good look for you or your franchise, Harper.” She walked away.
“Selena, could you wait a second?” Harper gaped, first at her husband Remy, then at Isobel. “I have no idea what happened here.”
Vadim’s eyes had never left Cal’s face. “I assume you had a good reason for verbally abusing the Commissioner of the NWHL and threatening her son and heir.”
“Yes, brother, I do.”
“Care to share with the class?” Isobel asked, her voice not sounding nearly as calm as her husband’s. “Because we were about to announce a new franchise and its future is in jeopardy right now. What the hell possessed you?”
“It’s between me and her.” He didn’t dare look at Mia for fear of dropping her in it, though every cell in his body raged to assess her response.
Isobel was obviously incredulous. Throwing up both hands, she turned to Harper. “You want to have a go?”
“So you have some beef with Selena Fabien or her son.” She regarded him with an incisive look. “I don’t think you’ve been drinking.”
“Sober as a judge, Ms. Chase.”
That seemed to decide something for Harper. “What happened? We have your back.”
Isobel screeched. “We do not have his back! We don’t know what the hell is going on here so stop making