Page 120 of Brutal Game

My thighs clenched at his words, but I forced myself not to get lost in lust. It was time to broach the harder subject, to see if he was for real.

“So if you believe me about Coach Jensen, what does that mean?”

“It means that he’s going down. Anyone who hurts you…” he shook his head. “I don’t really know him, can’t trust him. I let my past cloud my instincts. And since he hurt your brother, he hurt you. I’m right, aren’t I? This isn’t just for your brother, this is foryou.”

I swallowed. “Yes.”

He was right. I’d told myself for so long I was doing this all for Asher, but it was for me, too. My family had been hurt so much over the years, and I couldn’t take any more. I’d had to prove to myself that I was powerful enough to stand up to the injustice in the world—and win.

“Who else hurt you, Aviva? Tell me, and I’ll rip them apart.”

So many people. The men who’d murdered my parents. The Gold family, for never helping us. The world at large, for making me feel so small.

He watched me. “Tell me. Whohurtyou. Besides me.”

If he truly wanted to know, I’d tell him. “I don’t know. Society? The patriarchy?” I stared at him, needing him to hear the last part. “Institutions that put men in positions of authority and never hold them accountable for the terrible things they do. Take your pick.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, and I worried that I’d crossed a line, it was too much, that even with all we’d been through, this was when he’d walk away.

Instead, he stared at me, his eyes so silver, I almost gasped. There was love there, trust, determination.Loyalty.

“Then let’s burn it down together, princess.”

40

Jack

The next night, I’d become a full on liar.

And I was okay with it.

I hadn’t meant it when I’d said “together.” We’d go to the cops together. Show the world what Coach—Joshua Jensen—had done together. But in order for me to take him down, I needed to go to his house, and I refused to bring Aviva with me. Something told me it wasn’t safe, and I trusted my instincts. I wasn’t risking her safety, even if she got pissed at me over it.

She was pissed at me. She sat on her bed and glared at me with those big brown eyes.

“Do you know how beautiful you are when you’re angry?” I asked her, a little entranced.

“You can’t sweet talk your way out of this, Jack Feldman,” she said. “What happened to burning down the worldtogether?”

I shrugged. “We can do that after. For now, you’re goingto stay here and Lucy and Leslie are going to keep you company.”

“What if it’s not safe? I don’t want you to go alone.”

Her worry for me warmed me to my very soul. “I’ll be fine. Coach—Joshua—trusts me.”

A sliver of guilt slid inside me at the thought of betraying Joshua’s trust, but I forced myself to ignore it. I’d spent years looking up to the man, of course it was going to be hard to let go of it. But exposing the truth—and giving Aviva what she wanted—mattered more.

“Jack, I swear to god, I will not?—”

I shut her up with a hard, brutal, claiming kiss. I owned her mouth with mine, demanding entry, not giving a fuck that my friends were watching. She moaned and let me in, and I tasted her, got lost in her.

Remembered that I had justice to carry out for her.

Reluctantly, I pulled away, satisfied by the dazed look in her eyes.

“I love you princess. Be a good girl for me.”

She threw a pillow at me but I ignored it. She was going to have to get used to me making the decisions and imposing my will on her. That was how it was going to work, even if she hated it. Because she loved me.

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