Page 71 of Game Changer

“Good thing I’m not a QB,” I joke, but it’s not funny at fucking all with playoffs.

Cory wraps a scarf around my arm like a tourniquet. Then he wraps his arms around Syd. “Okay, sweetheart, let’s take it slow, okay?”

I look down and see my foot’s not between his shoulders; it’s on the back of his head.My bad.

As soon as I lift my foot, he starts in, “You can’t leave me here! I’m a cop! Uncuff me! I?—”

I grab his ankle and start dragging him up the hill.

“Someone call for help?”

I look up and see Hudson and his brother Rome coming down.

“Appreciated, but this is bitch work,” I huff.

“He’s shot.” Sydney’s voice quivers.

“In and out, no big thing, Cupcake. That’s why God gave me two arms.”

“You haven’t seen it, have you?” Hudson asks as he bends down and grabs the other ankle.

“Fuck no. Right now, I’m a hero. She sees me fall out, she’ll never get that swoony look in her stunning baby blues when she looks at me.”

“She’s a whore!”

I reach in my pocket, grab a glove, drop his fucking foot, move to his head, and force his fucking jaw open as he cries out like the little bitch-ass he is. “The next words that come out of your mouth is gratitude that so many people love her enough to show up. If it was just me, I’d have killed you with your own fucking gun and tossed you in the lake.”

“Need some help?” comes from the top again.

“Just need the State boys to get the shitbag’s pistol to put into evidence.” I see a couple cops reeling, with ropes and shit.

“We can take him,” one says and makes a move.

“Oh no, I’ll take him there.”

Remington and several others are at the top of the hill when I get there. Lily is with the ladies and runs straight for … Sydney.

Hudson chuckles. “How’s it feel being number two?”

“Damn good.” I kick the motherfucker in the side—real fucking hard, too. “Cory, he’s all yours.”

“Daddy, don’t,” Sydney says to him as she hugs Lily tight.

“Daddy, you’re bleeding,” Lily adds.

“Promise you I’m gonna be okay; just need a couple of stitches.” I lean in and kiss her head then Sydney’s. “Gonna warn you both. I don’t do well with seeing my own blood, so if I pass out, I’ll be fine.”

And everything goes black.

Chapter 16

Scratching the Surface

Sydney

Watching Boone drop was terrifying. I have no idea how I managed to think fast enough to hide Lily’s face so she wouldn’t see it.

“We’re breaking all kinds of rules today, Lily girl.” Dad smiles sadly as he looks in the rearview mirror at Lily and me.

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