《Captain's Ice Slave 》全部章節：第 21 章 - 第 30 章

The silence from the night before still hung in the apartment the next morning. Jax had barely slept. He sat on the edge of the bed in the same position Gerald had left him with his phone face-down beside him, the unsent message about Ethan’s leg still sitting in the drafts.Gerald appeared in the doorway, already dressed with the car keys in hand.“Get up. We have an appointment.”Jax looked at him. “What appointment?”“Follow-up with the doctor. Concussion and ribs. I scheduled it yesterday while you were staring at your phone. We’re going.”Jax didn’t move right away. The weight of the previous night’s conversation still pressed on him—Gerald’s words about control, about not knowing how to love because he didn’t know how to care for himself, about Tyler stepping into the empty space. He had no argument left that didn’t sound like an excuse.“I don’t need another lecture from a doctor,” he muttered.“This isn’t a lecture. It’s clearance or the lack of it. Either way, you’re going.”

Jax had been awake since before sunrise. The phone sat on the nightstand face-up, screen dark, but he kept reaching for it every few minutes anyway. The message he never meant to send was still sitting there, delivered and unanswered. Gerald appeared in the doorway with two mugs. He set one on the table near the bed and stayed standing. “You’ve checked that phone six times since I came upstairs,” he said. “What’s going on?” Jax didn’t look at him. “Nothing.” “Try again.” Jax’s jaw flexed. He picked up the phone, locked it, then unlocked it again like the action might change something. “I sent Ethan a message last night.” Gerald raised an eyebrow. “On purpose?” “No.” Jax’s voice was tight. “I typed it, deleted it. Went downstairs for water and when I came back it was sent.” “What did it say?” Jax hesitated, then muttered, “I asked about his leg, properly. Not the surface version.” Gerald was quiet for a second. “And?” “He hasn’t answered.” Before Gerald could rep

Gerald parked in the usual spot and shut off the engine.“New transfer starts today,” he said. “Coach wants the full group present for the introduction. Same rules for you–observe only.”Jax pushed the door open without comment. The moment they stepped inside the rink, the difference in atmosphere was obvious. Voices carried farther. Players moved with sharper energy during the early warm-up laps. Something had shifted overnight.Coach blew the whistle and called everyone to center ice. Jax and Gerald took their seats in the stands. From there Jax could see Ethan standing with Tyler near the front of the group.Coach didn’t waste time. “Listen up. We have a new forward joining us effective immediately. Elias Rodriguez. He transferred mid-season from up north. He has strong numbers, good vision, plays both sides. I expect you to integrate him fast.”A tall player skated forward from the edge of the circle, helmet under one arm. His posture was relaxed, almost casual, as if he had done

Gerald started the car and pulled out of the lot. Jax sat in the passenger seat, eyes on the road, quieter than he had been in days.After a few blocks Gerald spoke. “You’re still thinking about the scrimmage.”“Hard not to,” Jax said. “Ethan looked like a different player once he stopped holding back. Eli pushed him and he rose to it.”Gerald nodded once. “That’s what the right kind of pressure can do.”They drove in silence for a moment.Gerald continued, “If you miss being on the ice with your teammates, the only path is full commitment to Coach Harlan’s instructions. No shortcuts or proving points just consistency. I believe if you stay with it, he’ll give you a real chance soon.”Jax let out a short breath. “I’ve been on the bench for a while now. It’s getting annoying. Watching everyone else move forward while I sit there day after day… it wears on you.”“I know it does,” Gerald said. “But the annoyance doesn’t change the terms. The coach is watching how you handle this part, no

The team was already gathering near center ice when Coach blew the whistle.“Before we start,” Coach said, “Marcus is fully cleared and back with the group effective today. Same standards as everyone else. We move forward.”Marcus skated into the circle without ceremony. His expression was calm, almost flat. He gave a short nod to Coach and took his place. Eli, standing a few feet away, met Marcus’s eyes briefly and then looked forward again, unfazed.Coach divided them for the first drill. “Blue and white. Standard rotation. Keep it clean.”As the players spread out, Marcus ended up on the opposite side from Eli. During the first few sequences his attention kept drifting toward him, tracking Eli’s positioning, watching how he timed his gaps, measuring the way he moved through traffic. It was quiet but consistent.On a water break one of the defensemen muttered to a teammate near the boards, “He’s different today. No shots at anyone.”“Especially not at Rivera,” the other answered.