Hayes (A Carolina Cyclones Story)

40.

Hayes

Kissing Maggie never gets old. Whether it's steamy, lush kisses between my bedsheets or stolen pecks throughout our day I'm never disappointed. My favorite kind though, are the ones like right now, unhurried, almost lazy, as she wishes me good luck before my morning skate. We're leaned up against the wall that leads to the locker room, my hands digging into her sides as her tongue works against mine. She pulls away abruptly and much sooner than I like, a growl echoing from my chest.

"I'm not done kissing you." I whisper, pulling her back against me. There's a mischievous twinkle in her eye that tells me she's up to something.

"Are you sure?" Her fingers trail down my throat and across the top of my chest that's exposed by the undone button of my shirt. "I thought you might want me to call Landon up and kiss him instead."

I'm so caught off guard I can't help but burst into a fit of laughter.

"It's not funny!" She swats at my chest. Maggie and I had gone over to her and Rachel's apartment last night. Landon, Maggie's younger brother, had been having a rough time since his breakup with his high school sweetheart and she'd wanted to cheer him up and for me to meet him. I'd gone into the night a bit of a nervous wreck. Landon is the only member of her family that she talks about, her relationship with her parents is strained. I'd wanted to make a good impression and I'd expected him to give me a bit of a roughing-up given I'm dating his sister and all. Instead, I'd had a great time with a cool dude playing video games and talking shit. An insta-bromance if you will.

"I promise you princess," I say, pressing even closer to her now, our faces mere millimeters apart, "as much as I loved meeting your brother and am relieved he didn't threaten to shred me, he's not got what I'm looking for."

"Oh yeah, and what's that?"

"You." I say simply, leaning forward to press a kiss to her nose.

"You're a charmer Hayes Hansen." She grins slowly pulling away as the door at the end of the corridor opens revealing the first of my teammates beginning to arrive.

"I live to please, Miss Evans. I've got to go get ready for morning skate, you working here all day?"

"Yeah, I'll be around. I have to start meeting with those of you going on the hall of fame section in the next few weeks before everyone heads out for the off-season so that I can have your portraits ready. I brought clothes to change into for the game in case I just stay the whole time."

"Alright, I'll come find you after this wraps up before I head home to nap to see where you're at."

I press a final kiss to her lips and give her hand a squeeze before heading into the locker room. Hoping that the good mood she's got me in will last through practice.

*

Surprisingly, my good mood does last. Mostly because morning skate was optional and Jax opted out. God it's hard to believe I used to look forward to seeing him. Now I fucking dread it because I just know he's going to do something bone-headed that makes my head hurt. I don't know what to say to him to help him get his head out of his ass. It's been a few weeks since management spoke with me about basically giving him an ultimatum and nothing has changed. If a threat to his job won't set him straight I'm just not sure anything can. But it doesn't stop me from wondering if he'd still be so problematic if someone else was captain.

Since we have a game later our practice is light, just enough to loosen up our muscles and get our heads in the right mindset to play our best tonight. I barely break a sweat but I still make my way to the showers afterward and freshen up before heading down to Maggie's office.

I stop short outside her door when the sound of her laughter drifts out. I can make out a male voice though I can't quite tell what they're saying. I'm not normally the jealous type but a primal desire to rush right in and metaphorically mark my territory overwhelms me and I just barely manage to keep myself under control. Especially when I realize the male voice belongs to fucking Jax. 

His back is to me so I can't try to make out what he's saying but she's got her head thrown back in a fit of laughter like he's the damn funniest man since Kevin Hart. Bile rises in my throat and I have to stop myself from charging in there and acting like some kind of dominating Neanderthal. This is our workplace and I have to remember that so instead I wait, my hands curled up in tight fists, the vein in my neck straining until finally Maggie's gaze drifts towards her door and she notices me. 

Instantly, my whole body relaxes at the sight of her smile. Every nerve that was previously harder than steel turned to putty as her emerald eyes land on me. 

"Hi Hayes!" 

Jax's head immediately snaps towards me, fire is in his eyes and I immediately feel territorial. Every crude remark he's made about Maggie that's ever rubbed me the wrong way comes roaring back into my brain and I realize that this fucker is not my friend. 

Maybe he never was.

But right now, he's trying to get my girl and that has me seeing red. 

"Everything okay?" The sound of her sweet voice pulls me back and I meet her gaze. 

"Yeah, love. I just came to see you before I head home."

"We're just finishing up here." She says, standing to her feet and stepping around her desk and into my awaiting arms. 

I can't fight the smug smile that makes its way to my lips. She's fucking mine. 

"Uh, yeah, I'll just head out. Nice talking to you Maggie." He says, bending slightly and pecking her cheek causing the flush that I love so much to spread across her cheeks in a way that makes me hate it. 

Who the actual fuck does he think he is?

"See ya, Cap!" He calls out, a look of victory on his face that has me questioning if murder might be worth the consequences. I'd look fine in orange. 

I turn to look at her, my eyebrows raised. "There something I need to know?" 

Her eyes widen, panic filling them as she begins to speak to try to placate me. "Hayes, no. We were just working on the sketch for his section of the wall. I swear. I don't know why he would do that. I'd never do that to you..."  I hate myself a little bit that I need to hear it from her. That I need to know she isn't into him. To make myself believe that I can be someone's first choice.

"I believe you." I promise after a moment, "He's an asshole and a sore spot for me right now. It just caught me off guard is all. The big guns have been standing on his throat recently and he seems to be dealing with that by lashing out even more. I thought he was my friend but every day I find myself questioning that." I shrug. "I guess I know the answer now."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for love. He and I are gonna have to work out our shit or he really is gonna find his ass traded or out the league next year."