Chapter 1: Cold Gray Eyes

The second Kade Volkov stepped onto my ice I knew he was going to wreck my entire world.

The Scotiabank Arena thundered around me as I glided out for warm ups. Twenty eight years old and captain of the Toronto Blades. The C on my jersey felt heavier than usual tonight. Fans screamed my name from every corner like I was some kind of hero. I waved back with the same smile I always gave them but inside my gut twisted. One slip up and my fathers voice would echo again. Do better. Be perfect. Dont let the name Ryder fall.

I pushed off hard chasing a loose puck when the new guy hit the ice. Coach Harlan had grabbed me in the tunnel minutes earlier his face dead serious.

“Evan keep this Volkov kid under control or that C comes off your chest. Owners orders. The Russian transfer has baggage longer than most careers. Do what you have to.”

I nodded but already hated the idea. “Got it Coach. But if he starts shit I wont babysit forever.”

Now here he was number 47 skating like he owned the damn building. Dark messy hair stuck out under his helmet. Those icy gray eyes scanned everything like he was hunting. His body looked carved from pure fights scars peeking at his neck. I hated him right away.

He barreled straight toward me during a drill. The check slammed me into the boards hard enough to rattle my teeth. Legal but full of something extra. His breath came hot against my ear through the cage.

“Careful Captain. Pretty boys break easy,” he growled low.

I shoved him off with both hands my heart pounding. “Push me again and you wont last a week here,” I snapped back.

He just laughed that deep rough sound and skated away like nothing happened. “We will see about that Ryder.”

The rest of warm ups felt like a war zone. Every time we got near each other the air crackled. I caught one of our wingers watching us close.

“Hey Cap you good?” he called out during a drill. “That new guy hits like a truck.”

“Yeah Im fine,” I replied keeping my eyes on Kade. “Just making sure he knows his place on this team.”

Teammates shot me looks but nobody said a word. I focused on my stretches trying to ignore how his presence already messed with my head.

Kade skated past me again slow and deliberate. “You always this tense before a game Captain? Or is it just me?”

“Its you,” I shot back fast. “We play clean here. No dirty stuff. You got a problem with team rules?”

He smirked circling closer on his skates. “Team rules? Funny coming from the golden boy. I play to win. You should try it sometime.”

“Winning does not mean ending careers on cheap shots,” I said pushing past him. “Stick to the system or find another team.”

The game started and the hate carried right into it. Montreal came out physical as always. We battled for every inch. By the second period I won a faceoff clean and fed the puck forward when Kade came flying in on a bad angle. He crushed one of our guys but the refs missed it. I skated up fast.

“What the hell was that?” I yelled at him. “You trying to get us all suspended?”

Kade turned slow his lip already curled. “Just playing hockey Captain. You got a problem with that?”

“Yeah I got a problem when you hit like a thug,” I shot back. “Keep that shit out of my locker room.”

He glided closer until our sticks crossed. “Your locker room? Last I checked we both wear the same jersey. Or you too good to share?”

I laughed but it came out sharp. “Share? With a guy whose past is all rumors and suspensions? Good luck lasting the season.”

“You talk big for someone hiding behind a C,” Kade replied his voice low and sharp. “What are you scared of Ryder? That I might show you how real hockey feels?”

The tension boiled over two shifts later. A Montreal forward laid a dirty hit on me near the boards. I spun around ready to answer when Kade jumped in first. He dropped his gloves and so did I. We crashed together fists flying.

“You think you can control me?” he snarled swinging hard.

I ducked and landed one on his jaw splitting his lip. “This team doesnt need your kind of trouble,” I growled back connecting again.

He answered with a hook that made my cheek explode in pain. We grappled on the ice breathing heavy trading more words between punches.

“Stay out of my way Volkov,” I spat blood on the ice.

“Make me,” he replied his voice thick with that accent. “You aint ready for what I bring.”

“Try me and see how fast you get traded out,” I said landing another hit before we tangled again.

Refs finally yanked us apart. The crowd roared like animals. They loved the fight. In the penalty box I pressed a towel to my face trying to calm down. Kade sat on the other side wiping blood from his mouth. He stared straight at me the whole two minutes. That smirk on his busted lip felt way too knowing like he had secrets about me already.

“You done staring?” I muttered loud enough for him to hear.

“Not even close Captain,” he said back quiet but sharp. “This is just the start. You and me? We got unfinished business already.”

I looked away first my pulse racing again. “Save the tough talk for someone who cares. Just stay in your lane.”

“What if my lane runs right through yours?” Kade asked not dropping the stare. “Coach put you on me for a reason. Maybe you need shaking up.”

“Keep dreaming,” I replied. “Ive led this team fine without your chaos.”

We sat in silence after that but the air stayed thick. The penalty ended and we jumped back in. The game stayed tight. I fed a perfect pass late that set up the game winner. We pulled out a 3-2 victory in the end. The locker room buzzed with guys slapping backs and yelling about the win.

I sat on the bench head down towel around my neck. My cheek throbbed but that wasnt what bothered me most.

Kade stripped across the room slow and careless. His back and sides showed old scars white lines from who knows what fights back home. Muscle everywhere like he lived in war zones. He caught me looking and held my stare no shame at all.

“Something you want to say Ryder?” he called out across the noise.

I stood up fast grabbing my bag. “Just wondering how long before you blow this team up,” I replied keeping my voice even.

He chuckled low stepping closer while pulling on a shirt. “Worried about your perfect image Captain? Or scared I might actually be better?”

“Better at what exactly?” I shot back. “Getting suspended? Starting shit? We dont need that here.”

Kade zipped his bag eyes never leaving mine. “You have no clue what you need. But youll find out soon enough. This aint over between us.”

One of the guys nearby laughed trying to cut the tension. “Damn new guy you dont waste time. Cap dont bite easy.”

“Stay out of it,” I told the teammate then turned back to Kade. “Listen Volkov. We win as a team. Drop the lone wolf act or I will make sure Coach hears every word.”

“Go ahead and run to Coach,” Kade said with that smirk again. “See if he sides with the golden boy or the guy who actually fights for it.”

I walked out without answering my mind spinning. The drive home felt too quiet. I replayed every word every hit. In my apartment I dropped onto the couch ice on my cheek and stared at the ceiling. Those cold gray eyes wouldnt leave me alone. The way he talked like he knew my weaknesses already. The fight should have made me hate him more but something else mixed in now. Something dangerous.

I grabbed my phone and typed his name into search just to see. Rumors popped up fast. Suspensions. Fights. Whispers about a dead brother back in Russia. Nothing solid but enough to make my stomach turn.

Why did Coach push him on me? What did the owner see in this guy?

I shook my head and tossed the phone aside. Tomorrow was practice. I had to keep him in line or lose everything I worked for. But deep down I already felt it. Kade Volkov wasnt just trouble. He was the kind that got under your skin and stayed there.

Sleep didnt come easy that night. Every time I closed my eyes I saw that smirk in the penalty box. Heard his voice in my ear. Careful Captain.

Yeah. This season was going to test me in ways I never expected. And something told me Kade was only getting started.