Page 155 of Fake Game

“Hold on. Give me a second.” She gets up and heads to the glass door that leads to our outdoor patio and steps outside, gesturing for her shadow to follow.

The air instantly falls to a deathly quiet as we watch them through the glass, but they turn their backs to us so we can’t see their expressions. The seconds trickle by as we wait.

“Dammit,” Paige breaks the silence, the frustration clear in her voice as she glares down at her phone. She pushes off the wall, her heels pounding on the tiles as she stalks over to her sister. But despite her clear determination, she doesn’t make it there before Phoebe is already at the door and stepping back inside.

The elder sister tilts her head. “What?”

“Where did you get this lead of yours?”

Phoebe blinks and then sidesteps Paige, heading back to where the rest of us wait, without giving an answer.

“Phoebe.”

“The team found him.” She waves her hand dismissively.

Him.

“Team?” Paige’s voice rises. “If it was the team, then where’s my notification?” She comes trekking back, shaking her phone in the air.

“What does it matter?”

“It matters because I told you everything had to be done legally. Le-gal-ly.”

“Stop,” Parker barks. “Both of you, seriously.”

The two sisters whip their heads to their younger brother, the ice in their eyes cold enough to freeze a lake. Parker flinches back like a wounded dog at the sight.

Aleks sighs, standing up and placing himself between the sisters. “He has a point. Your arguing isn’t helping any of us.” They begin to protest, but he holds a hand out, giving them his signaturedon’t fuck with melook that has them both hesitating. “What’s done is done, and we’ll deal with the technicalities later. Now, tell us who the fuck it is.”

“Floor’s yours, sis.” Paige gestures patronizingly to Phoebe.

She gives herself a second to roll her eyes before slipping back into that cool composure she normally has. Phoebe perches back on the edge of the coffee table.

“Rick Adley.”

Who?

“What?” Deer blinks in confusion.

“That’s who we traced it back to.”

“No.” She shakes her head, laughing through a tight smile. “That’s not possible. Whoever it is must be framing him.”

“Who’s Rick Adley?” I ask.

“He’s her lead moderator,” Phoebe states.

“What? Her mod? Why would he do this.”

“He wouldn’t. It doesn’t make sense.” Deer shoots out of my grip and begins pacing around, folding her arms across her chest. “You’re wrong.”

“My source is never wrong,” Phoebe drawls. “That’s why they cost a pretty penny.”

“Please, don’t say that where I can hear it,” Paige reprimands.

“Well, they’re wrong this time. Rick’s been working with me for years. He’s the one who’s been stopping all the Deer Hunterstuff on my streams and socials. Why would he do that if he was the one doing it in the first place?” Deer is spiraling, her fingers raking nervous red marks down her arms.

I walk over and place my hands over hers, stopping her from hurting herself.

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