Prologue
“FUCK YEAH!” Damon Dakiedes was beyond happy. He had just gotten off the phone with his lawyers. The NHL had finally agreed and an offer was already on the table. He couldn’t wait to break the news to his daughter, Andromeda. She would be over the moon. All she had ever wanted to do since she was a little girl was play hockey. She dominated the ice, taking her high school to the Michigan State championships and winning twice. She made captain along with her twin brother, Apollo playing for the University of Michigan Wolverines. She was fast and fierce, a force to be reckoned with when she had a hockey stick in her hands. He shook his head, running his hands through his thick black hair, unable to keep the goofy grin off his face. “We did it!” he muttered. His little girl was going to play professional hockey!
“Hey Pops you ok? I heard you yelling.” Her soft voice came from the door of the study. Damon lifted his head and smiled at his daughter.
“Meda, honey, we did it.” His soft whisper settled over her like a summer breeze.
“Don’t play with me, Pops.” Striding into the office she stood in front of her father’s desk. Seeing the gleam in her father’s dark eyes and the joy on his usually stoic face, she braced herself. “Th-they said yes??”
Damon rounded his desk and pulled his only daughter into a bone crushing hug. “We did it, Meda! You’re going to the pros! Not only did they say yes but you’ve already got an offer. I’ve got my lawyers looking it over right now.” Pulling back, she placed her hands on her father’s cheeks.
“Oh my God!” Smiling broadly, Damon hugged her again.
“Your mother would be so damn proud of you. I know I am.”
Meda was speechless. She never thought the league would allow a woman to play in a male dominated sport. She never thought she would be the first. But, she was her father’s daughter and defeat was not in her vocabulary. Damon had never let her quit, always pushing her beyond her limits to be the best she could be. The tears escaped her eyes and trailed down her flushed cheeks. “I can’t believe this! I’M GOING PRO!”
“Yo Pops! What’s with the yel…” Meda laughed when her twin brother sauntered into the room. The laughter didn’t register in Apollo’s mind. All he saw were the tears streaming down his sister’s face. Strong arms wrapped around her as he placed his chin on the top of her head. “Tough break baby sis. Fucking morons don’t see your greatness all because you don’t have a dick swinging between your legs. Bunch of dumbasses….” He sighed deeply as he moved away from her. They had been playing together since they were four. They were known as the Demolition Derby because they worked so well together on the ice. It was as if they could read each other’s thoughts which allowed them to run circles around their competition. They moved as one fluid player, taking their teams to the top over the years. He wasn’t sure how well he would be able to play without her.
Reading her brother’s thoughts, she pulled away and slapped his arm. “They said yes, Pollo! THEY SAID YES!” Stunned, Apollo looked down at his baby sister.
“Pops! Are you serious?! They said yes?!” Slapping a wet sloppy kiss on her forehead, Apollo lifted his sister in his arms and swung her around the room. “HELL YEAH!” he shouted. “I can’t believe it! I am so proud of you, baby sis. We are going to kick ass!” Meda just laughed and hugged her brother tightly.
“You bet we are!”
“So are you going to ask me who you will be playing for?” her father beamed.
“Sorry Pops,” she giggled. “Who will I be playing for?”
“The Sounders,” he said, a devious grin spreading across his face brought out the dimple in his left cheek. The twins eyed each other in shock and silence. They were going to play for the team their dad led to the Stanley Cup championships a record six times in a row. This was the team that built the Dakiedes hockey dynasty, started proudly by Damon. All her brothers played for them at one time or another in their professional careers. The Michigan Sounders was in their blood and it was only natural they be the team she began her own career with.
“FUCK YEAH!” they shouted in unison.
