Page 2 of Deadly Little Games

We spend the rest of the drive in comfortable silence. I love my brother. He’s one of my best friends and the closest thing I have to a real father. We’ve always had each other’sbacks. As we are only a year apart, I’ve followed him around since we were young. It’s always been us against the world, but the older we get, the more time we spend apart. He’s got his shit and I’ve got mine.

Alec pulls his car off the main road, hitting the dirt track. The trees tower over his car on either side the farther we drive. He stops at the end of the road just before the massive silos. I lean over the console, pressing a kiss against his cheek and rustling up his mousey-brown hair. He swats me away, laughing.

“Text me if you need me and I’ll be there,” he says, and I nod.

“Love you. Bye,” I reply, opening my door, sliding out, and slamming it shut before he can say anything back.

The beams of his lights illuminate the path, leading me through the trees until I finally reach the fence. I quickly crouch down and slip under it, entering a spacious paddock. I love this part—when his headlights disappear down the road and I’m left alone in the pitch-black night, my heart racing as I anticipate a boogeyman lurking nearby. I can feel the weight of the knife in my boot as my hand glides over it, ready for any situation.Bring it on, anyone who dares to come out of the shadows.

I grab my phone and there’s a text from Mom. My stomach sinks. The words are a jumbled mess, a reflection of her chaotic state of mind. I send Alec a text to check on her when he’s done with the new girl. I need a night off from all the drama at home.

The cool night air whips my hair back from my face, and I pull my sweater tighter around my body. I lift my phone up, pressingcallon Amirah’s number. She answers within two rings.

“Where the hell are you, babe?” she says, and I grin.

“Just coming through the paddock, about to hit the train tracks. Are you on the other side?”

The darkness gradually gives way to a lighter hue, revealing massive spotlights shining down from above the tracks.

“Yep, hurry. The coast is clear, but we don’t have long,” she says, then hangs up.

I swiftly slide my phone into the back pocket of my denim shorts and increase my pace. The closer I get, my heart races and the excitement grows, just as it always does. This is what I live for—the thrill, that feeling that builds from the pit of my stomach. With a burst of energy, I sprint the last few feet, coming to a halt just as the paddock comes to an end. The grass brushes against my calves, sending a tickling sensation up my legs. I turn my head to the left and then to the right, taking in the sight of the train tracks that stretch endlessly in both directions.

It’s dead silent. All I can hear is the rustling of grass, and I can just make out the shadow of a body pressed against the wall of the train station building where guards usually patrol. I scan the tall fence, my eyes searching for any signs of bodies hanging from the wire, but thankfully, there are none tonight. Thank fuck.

Amirah kicks off the wall, waving me over. She probably distracted the guards by sending them to get something for her. She’s got that kind of pull in Daringville. Her family is high up in the ranks. The Ledgers were some of the first people to settle in Daring before the founding families divided everything.

With one final breath, I take off running, the gravel crunching beneath my boots, and I don’t stop until I crash into Amirah on the other side. I hug her so tight I feel like I might snap her in half.

“I’ll never get tired of watching you run for your life,” she says. Pulling back, she takes my hand and we are off once again. I sneak a glance back at the train tracks and then at the paddock beyond, a smile spreading across my face.

“You know how much I live for that shit,” I say, then giggle.

“Yep, come on. You need to get out of those shoes and into something a little more Daringville.” She lets go of my hand and presses a button on her keys, and her expensive-as-all-get-out car lights up the quiet car park. Once we’re inside, I can finally breathe again.

“Your dress and shoes are in the back,” Amirah says, her dead-straight, long black hair falling gracefully behind her ear.

I grab the bag of clothes from the back seat, feeling the weight of it in my hands, and eagerly unzip it to discover a stunning black sequin dress. I squeal, yanking it out. “This is perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I say, reaching in to find a matching pair of sparkling pumps.

“That’s what best friends are for, and as always, you’ll fit right in. You know I’d be lost without you, and I’m always grateful we secretly rekindled our friendship because no one gets me like you do,” Amirah says.

“Aww, are we having a moment?” I playfully tease, and Amirah’s laughter echoes through the air.

“But in all seriousness,” Amirah says, her grip tightening around my hand, “if anyone catches me sneaking you in here, it won’t be pretty for me.” She doesn’t have to spell it out for me; I know what’s at stake here. If The Brotherhood found out, she would pay. I’ve seen the bruises that line her stomach, and it kills me that she’s risking that for me.

“I don’t want you to get into trouble with them. I can go back,” I say, and Amirah laughs it off.

“No, fuck that. You’re already here and they don’t know. Let’s just let our hair down and have a good night.” She revs the engine before we fly down the road, heading toward the private estates.

A few cars drive past, but I’m safe now with Amirah. Well, not completely, but the hard part of sneaking over the tracks is done. I’m ready to unwind and let loose, leaving all my worries behind for the night.

While I struggle to put on my clothes, my heart races as Amirah takes a sharp turn, the sound of tires squealing filling the air. My groan is met with her infectious giggle, and she immediately reaches over to turn up the stereo. “Escape” by Kx5 plays, and I bob my head along to the beat.

After kicking off my shorts, I shimmy down the dress until it covers my ass. I shove my clothes back into the bag, throwing it on the back seat. Slipping my feet into the heels feels like slipping into a second skin—a perfect fit.

When I flip down the mirror, I see my blonde wig in disarray, strands sticking out in every direction, so I quickly readjust it, carefully arranging my bangs. The wig sits right above my shoulders in a cute bob. It’s totally different from my long brown hair, and that’s the whole idea. I’m unrecognizable here. No one questions Amirah—especially not me, her best friend from upstate.

After driving for a few more minutes, we finally come to a halt just outside the exclusive private estate. Amirah winds down her window, letting in a rush of fresh air as she presses in the code and watches as the black wrought-iron gates slowly open. There are a couple of security guards lined up, and some patrolling the area, and they wave us through.

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