Page 139 of Forbidden Game

The last forty-eight hours were some of the worst of my entire life.

I hadn’t even second-guessed myself when Saturday morning rolled around. Everyone around me asked countless times if I was sure I didn’t want to go to the championship. My family especially.

Eventually, I had locked the door to Sydney’s hospital suite so it was only her father and me because I didn’t want to deal with them. I’d just wanted Sydney. I’d just wanted her to be all right. All my worries were nothing compared to the fear I’d felt.

I didn’t care about winning the championship, and I certainly didn’t care about pleasing the whims of the fucking board.

But Sydney had been right.

I do care about this run.

I care because I want to prove to myself that I am the best. I want to prove that I can do this. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks so long as I have that belief in myself.

It killed me to leave her in that hospital bed, but I saw that gleam in her eye. I saw how much she wanted this for me, and that’s why I love her. We are a team.

There is a part of me that mourns the impending loss. My severance from the Covington Hotel Group won’t be easy. My safety net will officially be gone. I will have nothing to fall back on other than myself.

Except I’m not alone.

The two guys running beside me are proof of that.

The girl in the hospital bed will always be mine. If I have Sydney, I can get through anything.

“And next, please welcome to the stage JustAGame.” The announcer’s voice booms across the crowd as we push through the double doors and into the B room. We begin running down the stairs, passing bleacher after bleacher.

There are already five gamers on stage. JustAGame would be the sixth.

I have minutes to get myself up there.

“Lastly, he’s your top pick and the self-proclaimed Final Destiny king, CreepyPillows.”

Creep bounds onto the stage, raising his arms to hype the crowd. They cheer for him, shaking the air around us.

“Get your ass up here, English.”

The crowd hushes, and everyone looks around until their gazes land on us. I halt in my progress, looking up to see that Creep has snatched the microphone from the announcer on stage. He grins down at me with that punchable face.

This is it. My moment of no return.

Aleks and Jackson clap a hand on either shoulder.

“You’ve got this, brother.” Jackson nods.

“Kick their asses.” Aleks pushes me forward.

I pick up my pace, racing down the stairs and then swerving around the mosh pit. A security guard joins me, guiding me quickly backstage and then to a set of stairs to lead me onto the stage.

“Please give a welcome to EnglishCoffee.”

Nerves rattle through me.

I step onto the stage to the thunderous crowd chanting my name. There is no doubt they know what I’ve been going through. Every media outlet has been covering the accident.

I take my place at the only free monitor.

The one right next to Creep.

Fuck.

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