Page 132 of Play the Game

I step in between her and Kane and weave my fingers through her hair so she’ll look at me. The hazy gloss cuts me deep. “Let's go home, baby.”

Her bottom lip trembles, but Scottie is resilient. I watch as she silently reprimands herself before she places her hand in mine and lets me lead her to my car.

Neither of us say anything when the engine starts up.

I place my hand on her thigh as she stares out the window, silently letting her know that I’m here if she needs me.

Except, I’m not entirely sure that she’ll ever really need me.

And if she does, I don’t think she’ll admit it.

I’min and out of an unrestful sleep, waking up every hour on the dot.

A yawn flows from my mouth as I reach over for her, making sure she’s okay.

Scottie hasn’t said a word, other than a clipped,‘I’m fine.’After we showered, she climbed into bed with me, and I could hear her troubled thoughts like they were my own.

I didn’t press or force her to talk to me.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and listened for her breathing to calm before I fell asleep too.

“Hey,” I rasp. “You okay?”

Something soft brushes against my arm, and I pull my eyes open.

What the hell?

It takes me a second to adjust to the dark room. I stare at her side of the bed, but instead of Scottie, I see two glowing eyes gazing back at me.

I immediately sit up.

“Shutter?”

To my surprise, he lets out a loud meow. The dumpster cat walks over to me and nudges my hand before nipping me gently on the thumb.

He jumps off the bed and prances over to the open bedroom door.

I look around the room. “Scottie?”

Shutter meows again, and he’s staring at me from the threshold.

My heart slips when he comes back onto the blanket and glares at me from the foot of my bed.

He meows again, and this time, it’s louder.

I fling the covers off my legs, and Shutter rushes to beat me to the door.

“Scottie?” I repeat, glancing around my room one more time.

Shutter meows and zooms past my legs, racing me to the stairs.

I follow after him with unease backing my every step.

Where is she, and why is Shutter inside?

The house is blanketed with darkness, and there’s a nip in the air that I know is from outside.

I stare at the open front door, and a fear like I’ve never felt wraps around my throat and chokes me.

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