Page 11 of Twisted Little Game

I lean against the wall on the side of the house and breathe deep, wincing at the pain on my palm.

The leaves on the stone walkway nearby rustle in the breeze.

And I think of home.

The city.

Football season is starting up, and I’m not playing for the first time.

A deep flood of bitter disappointment surges through me.

Everything I’ve ever known is so far away… so how am I already fucking up my life here, too?

My whisper reaches no one, harsh and broken. “Fuck, fuck, fuck⁠—”

I turn fast and slam my bloodied fist into the stone wall.

My knuckles scream with pain, and when I feel a fat, wet tear break off from the corner of my eye, I reach back and throw the next punch against the wall harder.

Stop it.

Just fucking stop.

I know I’m right on the edge of breaking my own knuckles.

I clutch my fist hard again under the throbbing pain, feeling the slashes on my palm sear with heat as I hit the wall again.

It’s only been hours since I left the city. I could have said no, when my brother suggested coming here, because I’m nineteen and for some arbitrary reason that means I’m well into being an independent adult. But… I knew Luke was right.

I had to leave.

To start over.

I turn and lean the side of my body against the cool wall, holding my fucked-up hand against my body like it’s a bird with a broken wing.

It hurts so much.

I hiss as I move the paper towels on my hand, which are now bloomed with more red than white. I didn’t grab enough of them for how bad the cut on my palm is.

My stomach plummets when I see movement nearby.

I hear footsteps on the gravel, coming around the corner of the house.

And then he appears again.

The last fucking person on Earth I want to see.

Roman Petrov, whoever the fuck he is, followed me out here.

I don’t usually feel that short being five foot ten, but… when I was against his body, I did.

“Don’t run,” Roman says in a low tone.

I glance to one side.

There’s a gap between two rose bushes at the side of the yard. I could exit quickly if I needed to. Get out around the side of the house and take off onto the street.

He steps into the low light of the lantern on the side of the house. He’s carrying something in his hands.