When he’s gone, my hand drifts up to the little metal plaque with my name on it. It’s the smallest thing, but there’s something about seeing my name in the Aces locker room like this that makes it feel real in a way it hasn’t until now. But that doesn’t mean I can stop busting my ass. As the rookie on the team, I still have a lot to prove to the rest of the guys.

I sling my bag off my shoulder and start getting geared up for practice, but before I finish, I hear several voices echoing down the hall. Three men I instantly recognize appear in the entrance, laughing and talking amongst themselves, but they freeze when they spot me.

“Well, would you look at that? I guess the rookie beat us to the punch,” a dark-haired man sporting a teasing grin says to the others.

“Don’t start giving the new guy shit already, Theo,” a guy who looks like he’s the oldest of the three chides and crosses his hulking arms over his chest.

“Yeah, Sawyer is right. Your playing is probably enough to scare him off on its own,” the last one adds, making the other two laugh. He strides over to offer me a hand to shake. “Noah, team captain.”

I take his hand and grip it firmly, meeting his gaze steadily. “Declan Murray.”

“Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Yeah, seriously. Dunaway won’t shut up about you, actually,” Theo says as he walks to his locker.

Sawyer covers his mouth with one hand and points at Theo with the other so he can’t see it. “He’s just jealous,” he mouths, and I let a knowing smirk play across my lips.

“I saw that,” Theo snaps.

“Saw what?” Sawyer asks, playing stupid. Theo scowls at him, but Noah shoots him a look and shakes his head at me.

“You’ll get used to all of Theo’s bullshit eventually.”

“He’s gonna have to. He’s stuck with me now, whether he likes it or not,” Theo says before he tugs his shirt over his head, showing off just how ripped he is. He tosses it into his locker and steps across the room to shake my hand too. “Theo. In all seriousness, though, we’re glad to have you.”

“Declan. And that’s good because you’re stuck with me now, whether you like it or not,” I tell him, my voice carrying a confident edge as he chuckles and drops my hand.

“That’s cute, rookie.”

“See? He’s going to fit right in,” Sawyer says, smiling, and throws an arm around my shoulders. “I’m Sawyer. Looks like you and I are gonna be working together a lot on the defensive side of things. So if you have any questions or anything, I’m your guy.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”