Page 138 of Forbidden Game

“Sydney—”

“Parker Covington, I’m not fucking around.”

Silence fills the room.

Jackson lets out a low whistle. “She just swore, dude.”

“Shut up.” Parker glares at him briefly before looking back at me. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Don’t be dumb, Parker. I’m perfectly fine. But if you don’t go to that run right this very second, I promise you that I won’t be the only person in a hospital bed.”

Phoebe lets out a snort, and Paige pinches her.

“Go show Creep that he’s no match for you. Show the world that you can beat him.” I push a soft kiss to his lips. “You need to do this.”

Because he would regret it if he didn’t.

Parker would come to terms with his family because, at the end of the day, he would always have their love. While a part of him had worried about disappointing them, I know that would never be the case. They have the same love between them as my father and I have. So long as Parker is happy, they would be. And Parker’s happiness lies with his gaming career. He would feel more disappointed in himself if he is left in the balance with Creep, if he doesn’t give this a shot. He knew going into this championship that winning those first two runs was in the bag. It is the unknown of Final Destiny that will hang over him until he faces it.

I am going to make him face it.

“Listen to the girl,” a rich British voice rumbles into the room.

Parker’s hands fall from my jaw as everyone turns to look at the newcomer.

Suddenly, the room feels too full.

The formidable man strolling into the room has a thick head of silver hair and clear blue eyes. The very same eyes as four other people in this room. Philip Covington stops at the end of my bed, and I do my best to keep eye contact with him. Something tells me that I’ll lose if I look away.

“Dad, what’re you doing here?” Patrick Covington asks.

“My meeting with the Keltons ended early, so I thought I would stop by.” He cocks his head, assessing me. “It’s a pleasure to you meet you, Sydney.”

“You too, sir.” I swallow the ball in my throat.

He’s a lot more intimidating than I expected. No wonder Parker felt pressure from him.

“What shall you do, Parker?”

His icy stare shifts from me to his grandson. I watch the rise of Parker’s chest as he remains silent for a few beats. And then I see it, that slight uptick of his mouth, the barest hint of a smirk.

“I’m going to need a boatload of energy drinks.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

PARKER

“Run faster,” Aleks yells at me.

“I’m faster than you!”

“You’re both slow,” Jackson calls from ahead of us.

The three of us are sprinting through the convention center. The good thing is we’d all slipped on our masks, so people are parting like the Red Sea for us as we navigate our way to the B stage.

I’d barely had enough time to stop by the hotel to pick up my gear before coming here. The two energy drinks I’d downed are not sitting happily in my stomach. I’d attempted a third one, but Jackson literally slapped it out of my hand, saying I would crash.

I am running on no sleep.

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