Cage's Misconduct (NHL Scorpions #3) by Nikki Worrell

him simmer at my silence, so I shrugged him off me and walked past him, heading for the showers. When he followed me, I knew the silent treatment wasn’t going to work right then.
    I let out a gusty sigh, which should have told him I wasn’t in the mood for his shit, and turned to face him. “I’m not perfect, asshole. I lose games now and then. What’s your excuse?”
    He’d let a newbie kick his ass in a fight. The kid was twenty pounds lighter and two inches shorter. He was more of an instigator than a real enforcer.
    “Whatever, Cage. You lost the game for us tonight. Our defense was right on, our offense scored, you just gave up. Where’s your head? It wasn’t in the game. Word is you can’t get laid lately. Is that the problem?”
    “Fuck you.” Yeah, okay. Maybe not the most original response, but come on. Was I supposed to tell him that I’d been thinking about Karen? About how she made me want to stop being a man whore, but at the same time made me weak? Fuck that. Honestly, I started thinking it was time to revert back to my “Cage doesn’t give a shit about anything” persona. Longing for Karen simply wasn’t good for me. “I just lost a game. It fucking happens.”
    “Fine. Stick to that story, Booker. I’m going to The Pub.”
    Just like most nights for Rush. For me, going there the other night to be with the team was a rarity, but tonight? Fuck it. Tonight I wanted nothing more than to remind those assholes (okay—Rush) who they were dealing with. Plenty of chicks to pick up at The Pub. I didn’t need to go there to hang out with the guys. I was Cage Motherfucking Booker. I needed no one and could get any woman I wanted. Let them admire me, and remember who ruled the rink—not to mention the puck bunnies.
     
    ***
    Karen
     
    The Pub was crowded, as was to be expected for a Friday night after a game, I would imagine. Lacey, who had become a close friend to me over the weeks, talked me into stepping out.
    “Why don’t you have some fun with a hottie while you’re here? I know you’re not a one-night-stand kind of girl, but some of the guys are genuinely nice and would love to take you out.”
    I wasn’t so sure about that. The “guys” were mostly young, adventure-seeking kids, and I wasn’t. I’d seen it before. Those kind of guys—the young ones who got rich quick and had girls hanging all over them—were blinded to anything other than a night of quick, hot sex. Not that there was a damn thing wrong with hot sex, but like Lacey said, I wasn’t that kind of girl.
    “Yeah, um, I don’t think so.”
    “Good answer, sis …and stop helping, Lace.” Jody stood between us with his usual scowl in place in order to scare off any potential one-night stands that I could be interested in anyway.
    I was about to exert my independent status on my brother, once again, when I saw Cage standing at the bar with his arm around what I could only assume was the girl du jour. No sooner had I turned back around than I felt a hand on my shoulder.
    “Hey, Karen. Jody. Lace. What’re you guys doing out?” He pulled his date closer and lazily ran his fingertips up and down her arm, looking me in the eye. It was apparent that he wanted me to know he wouldn’t become a monk just because I wouldn’t go out with him.
    Lacey answered for us. “Vlad and Crystal are having Daddy/Daughter night, so Zoe offered to babysit. We weren’t going to say no to a chance to get out for a few hours.”
    “I figured I’d tag along.” For some reason unknown to me, I added, “But I’m leaving shortly. I can’t wait to get out of these clothes and into a hot bubble bath with a good romance book. What are you two up to?” Why did I deliberately bait him? Ugh. Making him think about the last time I was in the tub was a stupid idea. I mean I was the one who always ended our flirting.
    “Oh, sorry about that.” He belated realized he’d not introduced his date. “This is Kyrissa. She’s visiting her cousin