Page 63 of Wicked Games

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said. He hesitated, rubbing his jaw, before going on. “I just meant… stop blaming yourself.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

“I had no idea something like that happened to you that night. I always thought you were some strung-out idiot on a joyride. I had no idea you were drugged and attacked,” he said, head slowly shaking. “That changes everything. I mean…shit.”

“I still fucked up. I stole a car and drove it even though I knew I was too messed up to drive.”

“No.Ifucked up.” Maverick put a hand on my shoulder. “If I knew the truth about all this shit from the start, I would’ve seen everything differently. I know it. I’m sorry.”

“You really don’t need to apologize.”

“No, I really do.” He pulled his hand away. “Fuck.Fuck.I’ve been a total asshole to you.”

“Well, I won’t deny that,” I said softly. “But I guess it’s water under the bridge now.”

“I should’ve talked to you. I should’ve asked for your side of things.”

I looked down at my lap, picking at a fingernail. “Yeah, maybe. But you were hurt really badly. So I get it. You didn’t want to talk to me when you saw me at Babylon. You just wanted to hurt me back.”

“I’m an asshole.”

“No. Hudson is the real asshole in this situation,” I said, shaking my head. “I didn’t need that Truth or Die game to know he’s a predator. I have firsthand experience with it.”

Maverick’s jaw twitched. “I’ll kill him,” he muttered. “I’ll fucking kill him.”

I stared at him as he spoke, forehead creasing. Before we were plunged into these nightmarish games, I would’ve taken that statement from him as a figure of speech. Something to express his intense rage toward Hudson for the things he did to me and all those other girls. But now I knew there was a very real chance that he’d actually kill Hudson. After all, he’d thrown Tate right under the bus to protect me… and that was when he still despised me.

I fell silent, not quite knowing what to say.

Maverick leaned over and put a hand on my shoulder again. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “Honestly, Carey. If I knew the whole story, I never would’ve blamed you for what happened. I’d be upset about the car, sure, but I would’ve understood.”

I lifted my chin and met his intense gaze. “I’m sorry too. About Julian.”

“Thanks,” he muttered. He hesitated for a few seconds before speaking up again. “I was totally wrong about you.”

“I guess we were both wrong about each other.”

“I wish I could make it up to you.” He rubbed his chin, slowly shaking his head. “The things I’ve said and done… I’ve been such a piece of shit.”

“Maverick.” I raised a brow, head slightly tilting. “Youkilleda guy because he was trying to kill me. I’d say that’s a pretty decent start at making things up to me, wouldn’t you?”

He let out a short, mirthless bark of laughter. “Jesus, we’re really in a fucked-up place, aren’t we?” he said. “We’ve only beenhere for two days and things have already devolved into this shit.”

“Yeah.” I pursed my lips and shook my head. “It’s crazy. People are literally dying and we’re just sitting here talking about it like it’s normal.”

“No shit,” Maverick replied. “And you’re right—this stuff already feels normal to me. I don’t even feel bad for what I did to Tate. I just saw him getting ready to kill you and I knew I had to stop him. That was all I could think. I didn’t even hesitate.”

“I forgot to thank you,” I said softly. “You saved my life.”

“You didn’t forget. You thanked me earlier.”

I raised a brow. “No, I came to your door and yelled at you about it.”

“Eh.” He shrugged. “You acknowledged that I saved you. I think that counts.”

“If you say so,” I said, a ghost of a smile playing on my lips. “But… thanks. Seriously. There was no way I could’ve defended myself against Tate. If I’d eventriedto reach out to grab his string, he would’ve instantly lashed out and gotten mine first. The bigger person would win nine times out of ten in a game like that.”

A grim look appeared on Maverick’s face. “Yeah. It was a nasty game. Whoever the Game Master is, he or she is a total fucking psychopath.”

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