Page 52 of Wicked Games

“Answer now or we’ll all die!”

“Fine!” Hudson threw up his hands. “Four. Happy now?”

Maverick rapidly typed in the number and let out a heavy sigh of relief. “That’s correct. Just one more person now. Rhys.”

Kiara let out a theatrical groan of satisfaction. “Oh, thankGod.We already know his secret. He’s been pretending to be rich.” She paused, stood, and did a little mock bow. “You’re welcome, everyone!”

“That’s not the question.” Maverick looked over at Rhys. “Who’s your secret lover?”

Rhys’s face instantly paled. Clearly, he hadn’t expected the Game Master to know this particular secret. “I… how did he…”

“Just answer,” Jasmine snapped. “I had to admit I was sleeping with a teacher. Surely yours is no worse.”

Rhys was silent for several seconds. Then he jumped to his feet and ran to the door. “Let me out!” he shouted, pounding on it with his fists. “Let me the fuck out!”

“There’s no way out unless you answer the question,” I called out.

Rhys kept smashing on the door, but nothing happened. Maverick strode over, grabbed him by the shoulders, and dragged him back to the table. “This isn’t the 1950s. No one cares if you’re gay. You can just say it.”

“I’m not gay,” Rhys muttered.

“For fuck’s sake, why can’t you just tell us who you’ve been sleeping with?” Jasmine asked sharply. “I mean, our lives literally depend on it, or did you forget that?”

Rhys fell silent again.

“Is it some sort of creepy age gap thing? Much older woman? Or a young girl?” Kiara asked, nose wrinkling.

Rhys glared at her. “No! I’m not a fucking pedo!”

“Answer the question, man,” Maverick said. He glanced at the laptop screen. “We’re down to three and a half minutes.”

“I… I can’t. Really.”

Maverick looked over at Hudson. He was sitting with his head down and shoulders hunched, presumably trying to make himself as small as possible to avoid attention after his shocking admission.

“Hudson, you’re his best friend,” Maverick said. “Who’s he fucking?”

Hudson lifted his chin. “I don’t know,” he mumbled.

“Fucking say it.”

“I swear, I really don’t know the answer to this one!” Hudson said. “We don’t really talk about shit like that. A few party hookups, maybe, but none of them are embarrassing.”

Rhys was still silent. Hudson turned to face him. “C’mon, dude. Just tell us. It can’t be that bad.”

Courteney’s head was starting to loll. I was beginning to feel weak as well, and it was getting difficult to focus.

Maverick leaned closer to Rhys. “Answer the questionnow.Or would you honestly rather die and take the rest of us with you?”

Rhys looked at the table. “Elena,” he said in a ragged whisper.

Kiara and Jasmine’s mouths dropped open in perfect O shapes.

“Yoursister?” Hudson said, eyes bulging. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Half-sister,” Rhys muttered.

“That’s still a biological relation!” Jasmine said, face contorting with disgust. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

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