Deserted - Cara Dee Page 0,77
find some Raven threads in the cleaning closet if that makes you feel better.”
“Ooof,” Gabriel chuckled. “Shots fired.”
Gray wasn’t new here. He didn’t take the bait, though he couldn’t deny the trash talk ignited something in him.
Instead, he squatted down to help Justin with his blade covers.
“Are you better than him?” Jayden asked.
“Hell yeah,” Gray said. It was only half true, but it had the desired effect on Gideon, who got riled up way too easily.
In reality—well, before last fall—Gray made a good aggressor. He was fast and gave Gid a good run for his money, but in the end, Gideon had him beat.
Jayden picked up on the sibling rivalry and looked giddy. “Can we see you compete?”
“Right now?” But, Gray thought…they could play around for a bit first. Let the boys work up a sweat and have fun.
“I wanna see,” Jayden pleaded.
Darius shot Gray an amused glance and sat down on the bench. “You better show us how it’s done, knucklehead.”
Ugh. Gray hadn’t warmed up, and he hadn’t used his skates in months. For all he knew, he’d fall on his ass the second he hit the ice.
“Let’s goooo,” Gabriel yelled, hitting his stick on the side of the goal.
Gray surrendered.
While Jayden and Justin stumbled over to Darius, Gray unpacked his all-black training gear, matching jersey included, and Gabriel left the ice to put on some music behind the booth where off-ice officials sat during bigger games.
“Gimme a stick,” Gray told Gid.
The twins exchanged a smirk before Gideon burst out, “That’s what he tells Darius every night!”
Jesus Christ. Gray shot Darius an apologetic look, but Darius only laughed.
On his way out, Gray passed Darius and said, “I haven’t told them anything.”
“I don’t care,” he chuckled. “Get outta here. I wanna see too.”
Well, fine. Weirdo.
Gid came over with his reserve, and Gray gripped the stick and rolled his shoulders. Of course, Gideon wouldn’t be Gideon without some more trash talk, and Gray got to hear what an old cripple he’d become while he attached his helmet. Gray took it all in stride and smiled, because that was how one pissed off the twins. By not letting it show that your feathers had been ruffled.
Lastly, he grabbed his mouthguard and opened the gate to the ice. “Are you done letting your mouth run, kid?”
Gid grinned. “I can slow down if you want, Gramps.”
In the corner of his eye, Gray saw Gabriel returning to the net, and a second later, the first notes of an upbeat Green Day song filtered through the air.
Gray slid his gaze back to Gideon. “Get a puck. I’ll grab it from you and nail it between Gabriel’s legs.”
The twins whistled and hooted, and the game was on.
As Gideon skated out and rounded the net, grabbing a puck from Gabriel, Gray let the adrenaline course through him. For the first time in ages, he blocked out Darius and everything else. Hockey became everything once more.
Gray knew that his best option, if he wanted to stand a chance, was to come at his brother hard, right off the bat. Before he got tired. So, to the soundtrack of electric guitars and fast-beating drums, Gray hit the ice and zeroed in on Gid at the other end of the rink.
“I’m cheering for you, Gray!” Jayden shouted. “You can clap, Justin. Like this.”
Gray bolted across the ice and chewed on his mouthguard, quickly adjusting it into place right before he made a swift turn around the net. Gid pushed forward but didn’t wanna get too close to Gabriel, so Gray followed the strategy. Gid knew that if Gray got the puck, he’d want a chance to steal it back before Gray could score. Which told Gray that his brother wasn’t so cocky when push came to shove.
Anticipating Gid’s next move, Gray stopped short before a turn, sending a spray of snow in his wake, and darted in front of the goal instead. Then he sucked in a breath, took off as fast as he could, and slammed himself into Gid, shoving him up against the boards with a force that sent Gideon’s helmet flying.
“You having a yard sale, bud?” Gray asked, breathing heavily. Without waiting for a response, he stole the puck and went coast to coast and rounded the net. “Between the legs, Gabriel. Watch this.”
“Come at me, fucker!” Gabriel growled.
“Check your position,” Gray barked out. “You always suck at this. Look at you—you part your legs more than a whore.” In his periphery, he could see Gideon getting ready