Page 65 of Drop His Mask

She hadn’t yet.

“Julie?” Small steps approached him from behind before short arms wrapped partially around him. “There, there. All better now.”

His heart warmed and he turned gradually, so as not to knock the child over. He gathered her carefully into his embrace. Hugging her gently to him.

“You always make everything better, you know that, don’t you? Just like your mama. Now it’s time for bed.”

Sparrow’s blue eyes sparkled in excitement. “Oh, story time! Tell me again how you met Mama.”

Uncle Julie chuckled a bit, walking back to her bed, setting her down tenderly before tucking her in.

“Again? Aren’t you tired of that one?”

Sparrow shook her head aggressively in the bed. “I miss Aunty, too. But she promised when she comes back, I’ll get to see Mama.”

Uncle Julian froze. “What did you say?”

“Story!” Sparrow squealed.

“No, Sparrow, not…” Uncle Julie heaved a sigh. Sparrow was too young to understand. He doubted she even knew what she was talking about.

He shifted, sitting warily on the bed next to her. He started up the story again. It was probably the hundredth time he had told it. “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little rabbit with bright piercing eyes…”

Chapter 35

Open The Door, Little Girl

Player 197

Present Day

Player 197 awoke in his room with a start. Jumping off of his bed, he stomped out of the space. He wanted nothing more than to shake 195,Oleks.The fucker had clearly done something withhisRaven.

But he would save it. At least Oleks had done one good deed.

And where the fuck was The Host? He hadn’t heard from him again in far too long.

Had The Host gone too far? Given too much away?

The last time Player 197 had heard from The Host was when he watched on from his room as the other players competed in the puppet game. When The Host had purposefully given the inaccurate players remaining—65instead of 67—197 had been confused, until he saw which team played in the second round.

It was a hint. Just not for him.

197 marched his way across the living room, to the bedroom in which 196 had resided. He attempted to open it, but the door was locked. He began pounding on it.

“Raven, are you in there?” 197 tried to regain control of his emotions, but he could admit that he was terrified.

Nothing was going according to plan. He hadn’t heard from The Host in far too long.

What if something has gone wrong? How will we escape this alive?

At least there was still Felix and Miko. They were two of his trusted men. They promised everything was okay, that it was all ready to go.

They just needed to survive a little bit longer.

197 pressed his head against the wall, the cool wood at odds against his hot skin. He breathed in and out a few times, attempting to steady his breath.

Raven had changed everything.

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