Rookies Say It Better
Book 2 in The Minor League Mayhem Series
Heather C. Myers
Contents
1. Alec
2. Noah
3. Alec
4. Noah
5. Alec
6. Noah
7. Alec
8. Noah
9. Alec
10. Noah
11. Alec
12. Noah
13. Alec
14. Noah
15. Alec
16. Noah
17. Alec
18. Noah
19. Alec
20. Noah
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Acknowledgments
1
Alec
“I told you, I didn’t fuck her.”
Alec Sinclair wasn’t prone to having to explain his sexual exploits, especially not to his employee. Then again, he didn’t exactly work for a nine-to-five company.
“I believe you.”
Seraphina Hanson had a gaze that could pin a grown man to his chair. The fact that Alec was nineteen - nearly twenty - didn’t make a difference. She had this unmistakable power that kept men doing whatever she wanted. It probably had to do with her power - being in charge of an NHL team was one of the most powerful positions there were. And, like her grandfather before her, she didn’t just own the team, she managed it as well.
“The problem is, other people aren’t going to believe you because of the perception they have of you,” Seraphina continued, lacing her fingers together and keeping them on the surface of her desk. “Witnesses say the two of you were flirting at Ultra last night. It’s not helping that she’s running her mouth to anyone who will listen that the two of you did, in fact, fuck.”
Alec blinked. He didn’t think he had heard Seraphina actually say that word before. Normally, she was all business. Being a woman in a man’s club made it difficult for her to be taken seriously. After winning the Stanley Cup after three years, she earned more respect. And more haters. A lot of people in the hockey realm considered the win a fluke, and they had no problem bringing up the fact that she was sleeping with her goal tender as evidence that she was unfit to do the job she inherited after her grandfather died.
“Well, she’s lying.” Alec ran his fingers through his hair, clenching his teeth together and bouncing his knee up and down. The one night he doesn’t bring anyone home, the one night, he actually behaved himself, he was completely getting screwed over.
“I know she is.”
“Can’t you just sue her?” he asked. He couldn’t keep his hands still. He wanted to stand up. He wanted to pace this fancy office that overlooked the beautiful view of the ocean that was located just across the street of the Ice Palace. “For... what’s that word where they slandering my name and my character?”
“Libel?” Seraphina asked.
“Yeah, that.”
“We could,” she allowed. “Even though the burden would be on her to prove that what she said was true, people would be more inclined to believe her.”
“And why is that?”
Seraphina sighed, looking away. Alec suddenly felt like a child and he stilled his body. His cheeks pinched and even though she was probably only ten years older than he was, he couldn’t help but feel like he was still so naive.
“Because it’s not like you hide your behavior, Alec,” she pointed out. “Look, I don’t care about your personal life. You’re a good forward, and that’s why I have you on the Mayhem. But when my players start to get attention for things off the ice, that’s when I need to step in and assess the situation.”
“Like the other Alec?”
“Yes,” she said crisply. Alec could tell it wasn’t a subject she wanted to discuss but the fact that she was willing to in order to make her point made him realize how important this was to her. “That was an unfortunate situation, but we got through it. And I’m sure we’ll be able to get through this one as well.” She leaned back in his chair, glancing across the room.
Alec followed her gaze and found that she was looking at a picture of her grandfather. He was much younger in the photo and he was smiling. Alec has no idea how old he was but he knew Ken Brown was the founder of the team. There would be no Newport Beach Seagulls without him, which meant there would be no Irvine Mayhem either.
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you can’t sleep with girls,” she said finally, looking back at him. “I’m not here to control what happens to you and your personal life. What matters is people are starting to look at you like, well, like a man slut.”
Alec’s eyes went wide. “Are you-are you slut-shaming me?” he asked.
“I could only be slut-shaming you if you were an actual slut,” Seraphina said. “I actually think that word is meaningless. You are someone comfortable with your sexuality. I get that. Again, it’s not my place to control what you do. Quite frankly, I don’t want to. I’m not your mother. What I do need is for you to maybe slow it down.”
“Slow it down?” Alex had no idea what she meant by that.
“You know how some players thrive with sex?” she asked.
Again, Alec was surprised by what the two of them were discussing. When Seraphina Hanson asked to speak with him after practice, he wasn’t expecting a conversation about his sex life. He didn’t think anyone actually cared.
“Look, can I interject here?” He leaned forward, his mind racing, trying to make sense of what was going on without being rude. “I don’t think it’s fair that my sex life is on trial here. So what if some girl is saying that I had sex with her. I’m a hockey player. She’s bragging about it. Why is that an issue? This is bound to happen, whether it’s me or any player in the league. I’m sure Skaarsgard got his shard of pu- of action. I’m sure he still does. I don’t see him in this office being lectured for it.”
Seraphina narrowed her eyes. “You want to know why Skaarsgard isn’t getting a lecture?” she asked, her voice firm and slightly annoyed. “It’s because he’s not
