Page 85 of Twisted Little Game

Since when is my stalker using the word we instead of I? Are there multiple people, or is he just trying to scare the shit out of me?

A photo comes through after the barrage of texts.

It’s a police record.

The photo is grainy, a shot taken of a physical piece of paper, but there’s a mugshot at the top.

It’s a picture of Roman.

The first thing I notice is that even in a mugshot, Roman looks fucking incredible. Handsome, threatening, and smoldering as he looks out at the camera.

Next to me, Roman is currently scanning the tents in the festival, and I step to one side so he can’t easily glance down to see my screen. I zoom in on the criminal document.

It goes into detail about what Roman was found doing, in New York City, when he was nineteen.

-CLASSIFIED-

Suspect was armed.

Victim, Rocco Maletti, age 28, was found tied to a radiator in the corner of the room. When questioned, both the suspect and victim corroborated that Petrov had intent to kill.

Petrov filed a claim that Maletti had threatened his mother with a knife, 24 hours prior.

A big red stamp has been put on the top and bottom of the paper:

DISMISSED.

I clutch my phone, and when Roman turns back toward me, I close the screen immediately, shoving it into my pocket.

“What is that look on your face?” Roman asks.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Are you?”

I exhale. “Yes. I just want to get in, and have fun, okay?”

My heart feels heavy when I see the way his eyes scan my face.

He knows I’m lying.

He probably just thinks I’m irritated by him following me around, when in reality, it’s so much worse.

All I can picture is Roman, years ago, going after someone for threatening his mom… and then, later on, the threats became real. His mom did end up dead. The amount of pain Roman must have felt is unimaginable.

I think through the previous text messages, too, and cold fear slides down my spine.

How the fuck does this person have this info to begin with? My stalker knows about Roman, clearly… but how do they have access to this classified police document?

And if the police knew Roman had intent to kill this Rocco Maletti guy, how did the case get dismissed?

I glance around, as if my stalker, or stalkers, are going to suddenly appear here on the quad. But everything is the same around me. Happy students, lanterns, and fall decor, all around.

It feels like it takes forever to get through the line, but it’s probably only five minutes. We both exchange our little festival passes for wristbands, and I notice that Roman keeps his body close to mine as we walk up.

The front entrance is an arch decorated with hay, and I walk under it, going a little ahead of him.

We’re about to walk through when I hear a sound like a tiny explosion.