Page 36 of Deadly Little Games

I frown, warmth filling my stomach. He’d do that for me?

My heartbeat echoes in my ears, my feet frozen to the spot. Fucking hell. I need to move, to get this over with. To clear this debt for my brother, then he can come home, and I can kick his fucking ass for putting me through this. We’ll laugh about it later, but now I have to move.

I continue walking step by step until I reach the spacebetween Lucas and Hazen. On the opposite side of Hazen, Gage raises his hand in the air. As the car door opens, a man dressed in all black exits the vehicle. Before opening the back door, he acknowledges Gage with a nod, then he pulls out a guy wearing a black bag over his head. The captive thrashes around, yelling, but I can’t discern what he’s saying through the material.

The other guy pushes him forward until they are standing directly in front of us. The dude from the passenger seat walks over, watching me. My fingers tighten around the knife. Sweat drips down my neck as I wait for them to uncover whoever is under the bag.

If it’s someone I know, there’s no way I can do this, but chances are if it’s someone from Daringhood, I will know them. If not personally, then know of them.

“Leave and get back to headquarters,” Gage says to the two men in black, and they nod.

The blindfolded man is tripped by one of them, causing him to fall forward. He groans, moving around in the dirt, but he can’t get up. His hands are bound behind his back. The other two leave, driving off down the track. Now it’s just us here.

“Freya, will you do the honors of revealing your target?” Gage asks like I have a choice in this. I look over at him and shake my head before heading toward the guy. I flip Gage off over my shoulder, and Lucas laughs.

With my knife clutched firmly in my hand, I come to a stop in front of the masked man and then help him into a seated position. He doesn’t fight me, which I’m thankful for. He’s a small guy, thin as a stick, so it’s easy to move him.

My fingers curl around the fabric of the mask, and I lift it off, then stumblebackward.

When his beady eyes meet mine, he throws his head back, and his laughter fills the air.

Well, now this job just got a little easier. I’ve been dreaming of killing this piece of scum ever since he started whoring out my mother.

Gavin motherfucking McCreed.

Chapter Eighteen

Freya

Gavin’s face breaks into a wide grin as he looks up at me, and his eyes fill with hope as if I am his savior. The Brotherhood stands behind me, making me seem like the lesser of two evils.

“Oh, Freya! Aren’t I glad to see you? Now be a little sweetie and untie me.” He tries to stand but falls to his knees again.

I look down at him, my heart racing, and my chest rises and falls rapidly. The nerve of this guy. The amount of shit he’s put my mother through... and now he’s at my feet, begging me to save him.

With a calculated move, I lower myself down, the cold metal of the knife pressing against his throat, and his eyes widen. The sharp tip pierces his skin, causing a trickle of blood to run down his neck. I hate him.

“Please, Freya! I’ll do anything you want. I’ve got money. Is that what you want?” Gavin begs, his eyes glazing over. The strong asshole act is gone, and now he’s on his knees, pleading for a lifeline.

Hazen laughs and walks over to stand behind Gavin. “That’s the reason you’re here, Gavin. You owe not only your boss money, but in turn, us, and he’s put up a reward for you.” Hazen forcefully grabs a handful of Gavin’s hair. He winces in pain as his head jerks backward.

My throat tightens as Hazen’s face takes on a deadly expression. His eyes transform into a mesmerizing shade of deep blue, so dark they seem almost black.

“Do you know the punishment for going behind our backs?” he asks, and Gavin whimpers like a little bitch.

I murmur the word “death,” and Hazen gestures toward my knife. I pass it over to him.

“Remember I said earlier that you would be going on a bear hunt?” he asks, and I respond with a questioning raise of my eyebrows. In one fluid motion, Hazen uses the knife to cut Gavin’s restraints and then swiftly kicks him in the back. With a thud, he collapses to the ground.

“Freya here is going to count to ten, and you best hope you’re a fast runner, Gavin. ’Cause she’s fit,” Gage says, coming up to stand beside me, his shoulder gently brushing against mine.

I start counting as Gavin lifts his gaze from the ground. “One, two.” With a burst of energy, he leaps up and bolts past the shimmering lake, moving straight toward the depths of the forest.

“What are the chances that it’s Gavin McCreed, someone I actually hate?” I ask, looking between the three men. Lucas smirks, his eyes gleaming with mischief, Gage shrugs nonchalantly, and Hazen carefully hands me back the knife.

“Looks like you’re going hunting, and I’ll be right behind you,” Hazen says, his voice filled with anticipation.

I pause for a moment to absorb the peaceful sounds of the rustling leaves before following the path that leads mealong the lake. The calmness of the outside world is a stark contrast to the turmoil I feel inside. I’m itching to run, to move, to release this fire inside me. Am I really going to find him and kill him? I do hate his guts, but can I actually do this?

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