Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Hope’s POV

35 vouche

By the way Lia’s cheeks reddened from my statement alone, I already confirmed the answer. However, she shook her head, vehemently denying the allegation.

“What are you talking about?” she whisper-shouted. “Desmond is…”

She paused for a second, like she was carefully picking the safest answer from a pile of dangerous ones, before shaking her head once more.

“Desmond’s my best friend.”

I looked at her face and caught the melancholy hidden behind her eyes. Most people probably wouldn’t notice it.

But I had years of experience reading hidden emotions because Freya was an expert at concealing hers-especially the sad ones. Anger, she showed right away. However, she always tucked her sadness beneath a smile.

“That’s just how we are,” Lia quickly dismissed, forcing out a laugh that sounded too light. “Desmond doesn’t like me like that.”

I wanted to tell her that Desmond not liking her didn’t automatically mean she didn’t like him.

But the words stayed trapped in my throat.

I didn’t want to push her into discomfort.

So instead, I just nodded.

The speakers suddenly blared through the arena again, signaling the start of the game and pulling our attention back toward the ice.

The second the puck dropped, I could already tell the energy in the rink was wrong. The crowd buzzed restlessly, but not because of the game.

Because of Levi.

Fans craned their necks around the arena, whispering among themselves while searching the tunnels for any sign of him. Some even stood from their seats every time movement appeared near the entrance,

However, Levi never came out. Even when the Chicago Badgers scored the first point of the game, the reaction wasn’t focused on the scoreboard.

It was focused on Levi’s absence,

A strange heaviness settled in my chest.

Not long after, the Badgers scored again.

Coach Dennis abruptly stood from the bench, shouting loudly, his voice echoing across the rink.

“What are you doing?” he barked, face turning red. “Wake the fuck up!”

However, even with his calls, the boys still played disorientedly.

With Connor at center, the entire formation looked off-balance. Nobody seemed fully synced with each other.

Chapter 42

Connor looked especially frustrated.

35 voucher

Instead of passing, he kept trying to force plays on his own, determined to score the first point for the team himself. But every failed attempt only created more openings for the Badgers. And they took advantage of every single one.

When another turnover led to another score from Chicago, I instinctively looked toward the tunnel again. I was hoping that Levi’s presence would somehow calm the team down.

However, deep down, I already knew the truth from the start.

Maybe he really wasn’t coming after all.

I quietly sighed before glancing toward Beth, who was already handling an overwhelming barrage of calls.

Even with the roaring crowd, I could still hear snippets of her voice.

“No, Levi is not out of the team,” she said quickly. “He’s just resting before the actual season starts.”

She paused, biting her lip.

“No, sir. We’re still in the process of convincing him for the photoshoot, but don’t worry-”

She abruptly stopped talking, and our eyes met.

That was enough for me to understand.

She was most likely speaking with one of Apollo’s representatives.

Beth immediately forced a smile at me like everything was under control, but I knew better now.

She turned away afterward and moved farther into the corner so I wouldn’t overhear the rest of the conversation.

T

Just then, another explosive wave of cheers erupted from the opposing bleachers, instantly dragging my attention back

toward the rink.

The Chicago Badgers had scored again.

My heart dropped.

Lia and I slowly turned toward each other, both of us now wearing the same worried expression.

This was actually bad.

Coach Dennis slammed his fist against the metal lockers, the deafening clang reverberating throughout the entire room and making me flinch.

The players sat slumped on the benches, drenched in sweat and exhaustion.

The team had been forced to rotate positions the entire game just to compensate, and it showed horribly on the ice.

The Chicago Badgers won with a brutal four-point gap.

5-1.

A complete blowout.

“What the fuck was that?” Coach Dennis exploded. “You got fucking destroyed by the Badgers?”

2/4

15

O

2

m

|||

O

<

11:49 Wed, Jul 15 AMM.

Chapter 42

Silence swallowed the locker room whole.

“That has never happened before!”

35 voushey

His face was even redder now, veins visible against his neck, and for a brief second, I genuinely worried about his blood

pressure.

However, when his murderous gaze snapped toward me, I feared for my own blood pressure more. Fortunately, he redirected his attention back to the players before I could lose my breath.

“Can’t you really play without Levi?” he demanded.

The question seemed to crush whatever little spirit remained inside the room. Honestly, even I felt like Coach Dennis was being too harsh.

He dragged both hands through his hair in frustration.

“This is exactly why I was against that guy taking a break when he can still play perfectly fine.”

His eyes landed on me again. This time, I could feel everyone else looking at me too.

I instinctively lowered my gaze to the floor.

Back then, I had been completely sure of my decision.

But now, seeing the state of the team without him, it suddenly became painfully obvious why resting had never been simple for him in the first place.

Too many people relied on him. Too much pressure sat on his shoulders.

Coach Dennis eventually stormed out of the locker room, shaking his head in disappointment.

One by one, the players started standing too, each of them looking equally frustrated. Maybe even worse.

Even Desmond, who was usually carefree and annoyingly flirty no matter the situation, clicked his tongue under his breath before grabbing his things without saying a word.

I bit my lip when Forest suddenly walked toward me.

Without hesitation, he lifted his ungloved hand and gently patted my head.

“Don’t worry, Hope,” he said softly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just need to talk with the guys first.”

I nodded quietly.

Soon enough, the locker room emptied until only Beth and I remained.

The silence afterward felt heavy. But then the door suddenly opened again.

Lia rushed inside, slightly breathless and looking disheveled, like she had run the entire way here.

She hesitated near the doorway before nervously biting her lip.

“Umm… Beth,” she said carefully. “Mrs. Tundra wants to speak with you.”

1

11:49 Wed, Jul 15 A