Page 27 of The Game

Heart hammering, I open my mouth to speak a few white lies, but she shakes her head, eyes sweeping up and down the hall.

“Don’t speak their names here,” she whispers, a warning note to her shaking voice. “But…you…you know them? Where to find them?”

Confused as hell now, I consider my answer carefully before I give a shallow nod. Her face blanches, and she clutches her daughter tighter.

“He…he…”

Tears pool in her eyes, and I cannot tell if they are of fear or sadness. After a moment, a somber smile paints her lips, and a faraway, dreamy look enters her dark eyes.

“I…I need to speak with Jameson.”

CHAPTER15

Alice

“Where’s your head, bunny?” Teddy asks, panting, hands on hips as we stand in the middle of the ring, going through our final practice rounds before the show begins. Smoothing my palms over my sides, I shrug. I helped him blend his smoky eye earlier, and every time he cracked a joke, I was only able to give a half-hearted laugh in return.

Tonight, he’ll be chopping me in half, though not literally; I’ve learned those ominous boxes are nothing but a trick of the eye, mirrors and angles and an extra actress. The sword he holds and twirls for fun still makes me queasy. My eyes swish to Oksana; she’s in her own lingerie set, dutifully carrying trays to and from the kitchen, practicing in her spiked heels. She’s stunning, absolutely gorgeous, and her interest in Jameson makes me hate her. How does he know her, and how does she know him?

He’d told me he’d only ever been in love once before me, that she’d cheated and left him—around five years ago. As the puzzle pieces click together, my stomach sinks further and further. Does…does Jameson have a daughter? If so, does he know about her? Why didn’t he ever tell me?

“I’m fine,” I mutter with a heavy sigh. “Dick-wad is demanding to drive me home after our…game tonight.”

Teddy catches the sword and drops his gaze to mine, frowning. He’d given me the talk when we initially began plotting together, reminding me we both still had to play our roles, even though I could tell it made him upset to have to say that.

“I’ll think of a diversion so he doesn’t linger.”

Chewing my lip, I nod, and he tosses his sword aside with a metallic clang.

“That’s not all.”

Snorting, I cross my arms and bring my watering eyes to the silks suspended above us. Part of me wishes I could twirl around in the air tonight instead of being trapped in a stuffy box for a few hours, but all of it beats getting on my knees for Daniel. Fighting back my tears, I shrug again. When I drop my eyes, he’s standing directly in front of me, gaze always so much more piercing when surrounded by black.

“I think…I think the new girl knows someone I know. Knows him…intimately…”

He smirks.

“Jealous?”

Annoyed, I make a sound of disgust and move to leave, but he grips my arm, keeping me planted.

“Get over it, Alice. You’re not perfect, and neither are they.”

“She has a fucking kid, Teddy!” I hiss quietly. His grip tightens, but he raises a brow.

“So you know for sure it’s one of theirs? Seems a stretch.”

“What…what if it is?”

He simply shakes his head again as though I am stupid and missing the mark. Which, maybe I am, but seriously? Anyone would be feeling the same in my situation.

“Then you be a big girl and suck it up and realize people have pasts that have nothing to do with you. Seriously, you’re going to potentially begrudge a girl the chance to know her father? If your twins are so great as you say, then how dare you be their gatekeeper for an innocent life?”

Running my tongue across my teeth, I want to be angry with him, but the way his eyes blaze into mine, the way his nostrils flare and his grip tightens—it shows me how serious he is. He only gets like this when he sees something in me that is snide and bitchy, and the more time I’m around him, I do realize I was sheltered and spoiled and privileged.

“Fine. You’re right. Happy?”

His smirk is quick to bloom.

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