Page 240 of Hateful Games

I don’t want yet another part of my life to be disrupted by him.

With that in mind, I quietly shut my laptop and tiptoe to the bedroom. The lamp on my side is switched on, which I have a habit of doing at home too. Nova must’ve noticed that. Standing in the doorway, I study his silhouette.

He lies in the bed, arm thrown over his face and the covers hiding his lower body. His bare chest rises and falls with his steady heartbeat.

He’s fast asleep.

Confident he won’t wake up, I back away and walk to the living room. Underneath the L-shaped couch, I hid my clothes for tonight. Mini leather pleated skirt, stockings, and a cropped tank top. All black. Paired with my knee-length heeled boots from yesterday.

I change into my outfit in the spare bathroom.

Over the vanity, I reapply my red lipstick and fluff my hair. The makeup is still perfectly done from when I went out to dinner.

Donning on my long coat, I grab my phone and exit the suite.

My heart is in my throat until I slide into the back seat of the cab.

I look at the skyline of our hotel.

As it vanishes, arousal spikes as I prepare to exercise my demons.

Chapter sixty-one

Rosalie

The locations are always discreet.

Unexpected.

Often public.

Tonight, it’s a secret maze hidden above a dark, loud, and lively nightclub. With my name already on the guest list, courtesy of The Provocative Playground, I’m allowed inside. I arrive early with half an hour to go. Instead of escaping up the flight of roped-off stairs to the private booths upstairs, I shove past the crowd to the swamped bar.

A single drink won’t hurt.

Somehow past the drunken group of teen girls, who obviously fooled the security guard, I catch the attention of the bartender. A sweaty mess yet still handsome, he makes his way over.

“A cranberry vodka, please.”

Unlike Bianca, I cannot handle hard liquor and need something fruity mixed with it. The moment the bartender serves me my drink, I take a sip and slide onto the vacated barstool. Glancing around the bodies dancing, I try hard to not let my thoughts drift to Nova.

My freedom—how little it may be—is very important to me.

It’s the sole reason I’m struggling with Nova’s intentions. I’m giving him an inch; he’s vying for a mile and then some. He doesn’t realize the heartbreak I’m saving him from.

He says we’re for eternity.

We aren’t.

We’re each other’s ruination.

We can fool ourselves for a little while but the truth remains. We were meant to be rivals and we’ll always be.

Downing the drink in single go, I place the empty glass on the counter and walk toward the private stairs leading to the top floor. Down the hallway on the left, there’s an unmarked door leading to the maze.

The hunting ground for tonight.

The prey—me.

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