CHAPTER 16- THE IMPROMPTU GAME ANNOUNCEMENT

The ice was crisp and bright under the arena lights, the sound of skates carving sharp lines filling the air. Morning practice was in full swing, and for the first time in days, Liam Lannister felt like he could breathe properly on the ice.

“Again!” he called out, voice carrying across the rink. “Top line, let’s run that breakout one more time.”

Raphael scooped up the puck on the backhand and sent a crisp, tape-to-tape pass across the blue line. Liam caught it cleanly, accelerated, and fired it back with a quick one-timer setup that Raphael buried in the net.

“Nice pass!” Liam shouted, skating past him with a sharp nod.

Raphael grinned, breathing hard but looking pleased. “Your vision on that breakout was clean, Captain. Keep feeding me like that and we’ll be unstoppable.”

They ran the drill three more times, each repetition smoother than the last. Their chemistry was undeniable, instinctive reads, quick transitions, and a shared understanding that made the rest of the team take notice.

“Damn, you two are clicking,” Marcus called out during a water break, wiping sweat from his brow. “That’s some scary shit right there.”

Big Mike laughed from the bench. “Keep that up and the Calder Cup is ours.”

Liam allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. On the ice, at least, things made sense. Raphael was a hell of a player — smart, fast, and reliable. Playing with him felt natural, almost too easy. For a few blessed minutes, Liam could forget the chaos in his head and just be the captain.

“Good work, everyone,” Liam said as practice wound down. “Lee your positioning on that last rush was excellent. Keep that up. Fred, your speed on the backcheck is improving just make sure you’re not overcommitting and leaving gaps. Kowalski, that hit was solid but watch the timing on the forecheck. We don’t need penalties this close to game days.”

The team nodded, absorbing the feedback. Liam’s voice carried authority without being harsh. This was where he felt grounded — leading, correcting, building the team.

“Alright, disperse. Hit the weights if you want, or head home. Rest up. We’ve got a tough stretch coming.”

The guys started filing off the ice toward the locker room, chatter picking up again. Liam lingered for a moment, watching Raphael skate one last easy lap before following.

In the locker room, the atmosphere was loud and relaxed. Gear clattered, and his teammates rushed to remove their clothes. Liam stood in front of his locker, still in captain mode, giving final notes as guys changed.

“Overall, solid session,” he said, raising his voice slightly. “We’re looking sharp. Just tighten up the neutral zone entries and we’ll be dangerous.”

Marcus grinned as he peeled off his shoulder pads. “Captain’s on fire today.”

Liam allowed a small laugh, but the moment was interrupted when Marcus suddenly looked up from his phone.

“Yo, Liam,” Marcus called out, loud enough for half the room to hear. “Emma just texted me asking why you’re not responding to her messages. Said you’ve been ghosting her since the date.”

The locker room went quiet for a beat, then broke into whistles and teasing.

Liam froze, heat crawling up his neck. “Oh… shit. Sorry, I was busy. I’ll text her back later.”

From across the room, Raphael’s head turned. He was halfway through pulling on a fresh shirt, but his eyes locked on Liam with quiet interest. Liam felt the weight of that gaze like a physical touch. He'd told Raphael that he'd been texting nonstop with Emma, now he knows that was just a lie. Marcus and his loud mouth again.

Marcus laughed. “Busy? Man, she’s hot and she likes you. Don’t sleep on that.”

Liam forced a chuckle and shrugged it off, but inside his stomach twisted. He could feel Raphael watching him, that subtle smirk probably already forming.

The rest of the locker room banter continued, but Liam’s mind was elsewhere. He quickly finished changing, avoiding Raphael’s eyes as much as possible, and headed out with the group.

But Raphael fell into step with him as they walked out of the locker room.

“So… Emma, huh?” Raphael’s voice was casual, but there was an edge underneath. “You planning on seeing her again?”

Liam kept his eyes forward. “Maybe. Why do you care?”

Raphael shrugged, hands in his pockets. “Just making conversation. You seemed pretty into her, like you said. Or at least… you were trying hard to be?”

Liam’s jaw tightened. “It went fine. She’s cool.”

Raphael seemed unconvinced. “You don’t have to lie to me, you know. I saw how freaked out you were when Marcus blew your cover. You're ghosting the girl you supposedly had a great time with.”

Liam quickened his space, wanting to end this conversation immediately. “It’s none of your business what I do with my personal life.”

Raphael caught up easily, eyes steady on Liam. “Maybe not. But it’s hard to ignore when you come home looking like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

Liam’s face heated. The memory of the wet dream, the bathroom, and Raphael’s knowing knock flashed through his mind.

“I’m handling it,” he muttered.

Raphael’s voice softened just a fraction. “Are you?”

Before Liam could respond, Coach Harlan called for him.

“Lannister. My office. Now.”

Liam exhaled in relief at the interruption and followed Coach down the hall.

Coach closed the door behind them and leaned against his desk. “We just got a last-minute invitation. There’s a charity showcase game this weekend against the Shadow Reapers. Local event, scouts will be there, good exposure for the organization. I want you and Thorne on the top line. You two have been syncing well lately. Use it.”

Shadow reapers?

Liam’s stomach tightened at the mention of Raphael’s former team. “Yes, Coach. We’ll be ready.”

Coach nodded. "Get him to tell you any useful information about them. We need all the info we can get."

Liam nodded wordlessly. This would be tough, even for him. This would be a test of trust and alliance for Thorne and he was slightly worried about how he'd respond.

“Good. Don’t let whatever’s going on in your head affect the ice. You’re the captain. Act like it.”

Liam left the office with his mind spinning.

Raphael's going to be playing against his former team already. This could go sideways quickly. He needed to let Raph know and gauge his reaction professionally. And emotionally.