BLADES & BREAKAWAYS
Chapter 17 Backlash & Loyalty
Ryker Hayes' POV
The locker room is suffocating.
I run a hand through my damp hair, my jersey still clinging to my skin from the grueling practice. The tension in the air is thick, heavier than usual. I don't need to look up to know the stares are there.
I can feel them.
Coach Bennett's voice cuts through the silence like a blade.
"We lost a major sponsor today."
A few murmurs ripple through the team, but no one is surprised. I sure as hell aren't.
I sit up straight on the bench, shoulders squared, jaw tight. I've been waiting for this moment since the second that damn photo of me and Blake went viral.
The coach's gaze lands on me.
"You know why."
I exhale through my nose, nodding once. "Yeah. I know why."
No excuses. No apologies.
The room stays silent, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on me.
"It's not personal, Hayes," Bennett continues, though we both know it is. "But you need to understand what this means. The league, the sponsors-they're watching you right now. Every move you make."
I lean back against the lockers, forcing a smirk. "So what? You want me to pretend it didn't happen?"
The coach doesn't answer. That's all the confirmation I need.
My fingers curl into fists.
They want silence. They want me to back down, to act like who I am-who I love-is something to be ashamed of.
Too bad.
Because I don't play defense off the ice.
The confrontation comes sooner than I expect.
After practice, as I'm heading toward the exit, a familiar voice stops me in my tracks.
"You should've kept your mouth shut."
I turn, already knowing who it is.
Logan Carter. An old teammate, someone I used to get along with. A guy who once had my back in fights on the ice.
Now? He looks at me like I'm a liability.
I cross my arms. "Got something to say, Carter? Or are you just here to waste my time?"
Logan scoffs. "Come on, man. You know how this works. You think the league is gonna protect you? You think the fans will?"
My jaw tightens. "I don't need protection."
"You're making it harder for all of us."
That one makes me laugh, sharp and humorless. "Harder for who? You?"
Logan shakes his head, frustration clear in his expression. "Look, I don't care what you do off the ice. But this? This affects the whole team