Page 94 of Rat Race

“Not here, you don’t,” Daimen replied, his tone harsh. “You know what’s happening, don’t you?”

Yep, you’re taking me to partake in something I have no desire to be in.

Well, that was sort of a lie.

No, I didn’t want to play in the Games. But I needed to if I wanted to find my mom.

I knew after what she’d done that they’d come for me. It was the only logical next step. Didn’t make it any less annoying.

“Does your wife know what you’re doing tonight, James?” I asked one of the helpers. His eyes widened when he realized I knew his name. But that’s not all I knew. “You promised her you would quit. Begged her not to leave, even when you saw what it was doing to the kids. Yet you’re still here and Jenny has been, what? Kicked out of her fourth school, was it? Something aboutrecreating Hide N’ Seek on the playground and bashing a kid’s skull in?—”

“Are you done playing?” Daimen asked in a pitiful attempt to regain my attention. “We really don’t have time for this.”

James remained quiet, his face turning red in uneven blotches. The truth was his wifedidknow what he was doing tonight and was quietly packing up the kids to go spend a nice long trip at her parents’ cabin up in some remote woodsy area this dickhead didn’t even know the name of.

Real bummer. Almost as much of a bummer as having to leave the house that’d become my temporary home. It wasn’t mine, exactly. But it wasn’t not mine either, if you gave a fuck about squatters rights.

“Aw, c’mon Damien. I hadn’t even gotten to Walter’s gambling addiction,” I said with an exaggerated pout, hooking my thumb towards him the best I could while cuffed to the floor. It wasn’t as interesting as James’s situation for sure, but Walter owed the wrong peoplewaytoo much money, and they were considering holding his dog captive until he paid it back.

I might’ve thought Marley and Me was a drag, but it didn’t mean I was heartless.

Another bummer, really.

Besides, Walter was a total loner—not a shock given his horrifying internet search history—and didn’t have much besides his little tan pug.

“How is Tank by the way?” I asked him, almost cracking a smile at the way his jaw clenched.

Daimen raised an eyebrow at me. “You really think this will save you?”

“No, what I think is that it’s stupid as fuck to put me in the Games with what I know,” I answered, shifting on my seat in a futile attempt to try and get more comfortable.

For a second, Daimen looked like he might actually agree with me.

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” he warned.

“And you,” I said and slid across the bench so I was closer to him, my arms extended awkwardly with the chain. “When you go home to your wife, don’t forget to ask her if you’ve ever made her come as hard as I did.” His face twisted in anger and this time I didn’t bite my smile back. “What, you think those three-hour salon trips were really to do her hair? Three hours on a bob, Daimen.Really?”

Sharon wasn’t really my type, but damn did that womanloveto talk during her post orgasm cigarette.

There was a long moment of silence and I could practically hear the steam building up inside him.

“End this.”

The helpers lunged at me, taking their chance to bend me to their will.

But it was too late.

A loud boom burst from outside the van. The shock of it was so strong that it had the van turning on its side.

Expecting the impact, I braced myself for the turn and, as soon as I could, had the picks I’d stowed under my tongue out to pop the locks on the handcuffs. Seven seconds later, I was pushing the back doors open and scrambling outside.

An intense, red fire licked at the sky met by a cloud of ash and smoke. My temporary home in flames due to the explosive I’d hidden in my desk drawer. All I needed was someonejustcurious enough to open it.

Sucked to be them.

No doubt an explosion that powerful would’ve killed anyone unlucky enough to be inside.

I reveled in the image. Let myself feel the swell of pride from killing thebastardsthat’d taken the only person I loved.

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