Page 93 of Wicked Games

My blood ran cold. “No.”

“Why? He’s actually the perfect fall guy. I know you’ve been sleeping with him, as much as you’ve tried to cover it up. I guess you didn’t realize the bedrooms have cameras and mics in them, like everywhere else in the building,” she said. “By the way, so much for us being friends, huh? You wouldn’t even tell me what’s going on in your love life. That’s so shitty of you.”

“I… it only happened a few days ago.”

April rolled her eyes. “Whatever. We’ll make it seem like he used his family money and connections to help you set this up. His parents are friends with my parents, so they’d probablyknow our family purchased this island and the old school building last year to turn it into a nature reserve for sea birds. So he knew it would be empty for a while and therefore usable for this diabolical plan of yours. Then, at the last minute, you betrayed him and killed him.”

“No one will ever believe that.”

Her forehead wrinkled. “Won’t they? You and Maverick have been sharing a dorm for weeks at school. Plenty of time for you to fall in love and hatch a crazy plan together,” she said. “Anyway, I feel like I’ve been talking forever. Are we done with question time?”

“No,” I said, glaring at her. “I want to know something else.”

“What is it?”

“Why risk so much by setting this place up and making everyone play these games?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier for you and your parents to hire a hitman?”

April let out a brittle laugh. “Isn’t it obvious?” she said. “We want them to suffer before they die. Mentally as well as physically. A hitman can’t provide that.”

“Right. I guess that makes sense to an unhinged maniac,” I said in a hollow voice. “You know that’s what you are, right?”

“Whatever, Carey. It doesn’t matter in the end,” she said. “Anyway, now that I’ve got you here, I’ll have to come up with a reason to explain to the group why you’ve suddenly disappeared from the games. Any suggestions?”

“Nope.”

She hesitated and scratched her head. “I guess we’ll just say that you broke the rules by leaving your room after curfew yet again, and you paid the ultimate price. They’ll all believe that,” she said. She took a couple of steps closer. “And for now…”

With that, she twisted the gun in her hand and smashed it into the side of my head.

Maverick

The alarm on my phone blared, signaling that it was six o’clock. After a quick shower, I dressed and headed directly to Carey’s room.

She didn’t answer when I knocked. Figuring she was in the bathroom and unable to hear me, I tried the handle and found it unlocked.Weird.I could’ve sworn I heard her lock the door after I left last night.

I stepped inside and peered around. “Carey?”

The room was empty. So was the bathroom. She must’ve hopped out of bed and gone straight to the drawing room for breakfast while I was getting ready a few minutes ago. That made sense, seeing as we were still trying to hide our relationship from the others.

I headed down the stairs to find a full breakfast spread awaiting the group on the drawing room table. I only counted five place settings. Heart hammering, I hurried back upstairs and pounded on Brooke’s door. She opened it a couple of minutes later, eyes heavy-lidded with exhaustion. “What’s going on?”

“Is Carey with you?” I asked, peering over her shoulder.

“No. Why?”

I didn’t bother answering. Instead, I headed down to Zach’s room. Carey wasn’t there either, and I knew there was no way she was hanging out with Jasmine.

“Oh, shit,” I muttered, stomach flipping as something occurred to me. Hudson could’ve finally decided to make good on his threat to hurt Carey.

I broke into a run and headed to the other end of the hall. Hudson’s room was locked, and he didn’t answer for several minutes, even though I was hammering on the door the entire time.

“Jesus, man,” he said when he finally opened the door a crack. “What the fuck is your problem?”

“Where’s Carey?”

He sneered. “How the fuck would I know where your little girlfriend is?”

I shoved his door all the way open, pushing him aside. “Carey! Are you okay?”

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