Page 17 of Deadly Little Games

I spin around and sprint up the stairs. Gage curses, then his shoes pound against the stairs after me. The music starts to fade, and I reach the final step, glancing left and right. Light spills into the hallway from the slightly open door across from Lucas’s room. Voices rise the closer I get, and when I push the door open, I freeze.

My brother’s sitting there with a block of off-white powder, little baggies, and a small knife in his hand. My heart stops beating.

What the fuck have you done?

Chapter Seven

Freya

My brother jumps up, kicking back his chair, and it falls to the ground with a thud.

He takes a step toward me, and I take one back, hitting a wall of muscle. I look over my shoulder, meeting Gage’s green eyes once again. He shuts the door behind him, and I create some distance between us, stepping further into the room.

There are two rows of tables set up, one with bricks and bricks of white powder, tubs of various chemicals, and other tools. Seems like this is a little drug operation. Shaking my head, I can’t believe this. My brother is working for them and dealing with drugs that have torn our family apart. Doesn’t he remember why we were forced out of here in the first place? I can’t go back there.

It’s no surprise that The Daring Brotherhood imports and deals drugs across the two towns—everyone knows that. They are in charge of everything. The only question is why the fuck is my brother involved? He hates drugs and how much they’ve fucked our family up.It’s one of the main reasons we are moving away from here. So we can get Mom clean and give her a fresh start.

“I can explain,” he says, and that’s exactly what Mom used to say. Before I can even think twice about the consequences, I grab a bunch of already made-up baggies from the table in front of my brother and storm into the tiled en suite straight ahead.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Hazen’s deep voice follows me into the bathroom. Despite the shiver working its way up my spine, I choose to ignore him.

Alec races behind me. “Freya, no! I can explain, don’t—” He reaches for me but he’s too late. I throw the baggies into the toilet bowl and flush. The plastic swirls and disappears down the toilet. Shit. Did I just get Alec in more trouble?

“Now would be the perfect time to explain, Alec,” I say, turning around. He’s standing in the middle of the bathroom doorway, his face pale. Lucas is standing behind him, gazing at me with such intensity, as if he’s attempting to understand me. The playful signature smirk has vanished, and in its place is a furious scowl.

Alec turns around, facing him. “Give us a minute?”

Lucas scoffs. “Seriously? It’s my house, but whatever. Have your little family chat. Just don’t go flushing anything else down that toilet or there will be more than hell to pay, Freya.”

Alec closes the door, leaving them outside, and I release a long, audible breath.

“I’m doing what I have to do to get out of here. We need this money, Freya.” He steps forward, reaching for me, but I stumble backward, hitting the vanity. “Please understand.”

“How can you do this? What if it ends up with Mom?What if the next time she collapses through the trailer door, it’s all your fault?”

He looks as though I’ve slapped him, his face pale. He takes a step back, hitting the door. His fingers wrap around his necklace and mine itch to do the same to mine.

“Look, we can go tell them you’re not doing this anymore. We don’t need the money that badly?—”

“We do! I want to get you out of this place now. I want to help Mom now—not after I’ve been at college for a few months and saved some extra dollars.” He pauses, takes a step closer, then tucks a lock of hair over my ear. “I’m doing this for you, sis.”

My stomach churns. “Fuck, I know we want out, but anything but this, Alec. Anything.”

A knock sounds at the door and Alec’s body stiffens. He steps forward, his hands reaching out to grab onto mine. I look down at his big hands wrapped around mine.

“Let’s not do this here. Just let me be your big brother and look after you.”

I look up into his crystal-blue eyes, which are identical to mine. “Like how you forgot to pick me up after work tonight?” It’s a low blow, but fuck him, I can’t lose him to this shit. He’s better than that, and we have a plan.

Alec drops my hands, running one through his dark-brown hair. “Fuck. I’m so sorry, Freya. I-I just had a lot on my mind with all this stuff. It won’t happen again. Promise. Let’s just?—”

The door opens and Hazen’s presence fills the space as he looks back and forth at us.

“Finished your little mothers’ meeting?” he says, and I brush past Alec, stopping in front of Hazen.

“Move,” I snap through gritted teeth. I need to get out ofhere. Everything’s fucked, and I need to do something. Anything to release this built-up anger.

The corner of Hazen’s mouth lifts before he crosses his arms over his chest, showing off his bulging muscles and colorful tattoos that look way too good on his tanned skin.

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