Page 67 of Drop His Mask

How did her preciousmennot notice that she was in pain? They don’t deserve her.

“If the pain and swelling don’t lessen in the next few days with the antibiotics, we’ll need to ask for a doctor.”

Raven scoffed, “Like they’ll just send us help if we ask for it.”

197 quirked his lips. “They will.” He lifted his hands up to his mask. “It’s about time we share each other’s secrets, don’t you think? Now that we’re teammates and all.”

“What are you—”

He threw his mask to the floor and met her stare. His face was infamous and he had no doubt she would recognize who he was.

Raven’s mouth hung open as she took in 197.

“Close your mouth, you’ll catch flies.”

“I suspected, but I didn’t really think it was true. You’re not only a member of the Griffin gang you’re—”

“Yes.” He grinned coyly at her, stepping closer to the bed and leveling her with his gaze. “I am Griffin. Nice to ‘officially’ meet you.”

Raven opened her mouth in shock. Griffin quirked his lips at her before raising his eyes to the camera above the bed, glaring directly into it. He bared his teeth and blinked dramatically three times.

He hoped The Host was there to receive his message.

Chapter 36

Mangling Your Face

The Game Warden

One Year – Six Months Ago

“She’s been asking for you,” Felix griped from behind him.

The Game Warden’s eyes flickered up in the mirror to the man before shoving a needle into his nose. The Game Warden didn’t flinch as he removed it, replacing it with his own makeshift piercing.

“Why do you keep mangling your face?” Felix leaned against the doorframe, cocking an eyebrow.

Felix was currently in long sleeves and sweatpants, but The Game Warden knew how inked hisskin was below.

“That’s rich, isn’t it? You only needed the one tattoo for your bird boys, what are the others for?” The Game Warden focused back on the task at hand. Using an alcohol wipe, he cleaned the area around the piercing.

Felix hummed his disapproval. “Stop dodging my question. Sparrow has been asking about you. You haven’t seen her in months. The girl is getting older. She needs a familial connection. Someone to tie her emotions to. Nightingale left me to be her guard, but you were to be her uncle.”

“I can’t be around her before the games.” The Game Warden meticulously cleaned his piercing needle before putting it and all his supplies away in a box below the sink.

“The Host has been making more and more excuses to visit her wing.”

The Game Warden stiffened, turning to Felix. “What does he want with her?” He gestured for the man to enter the bathroom.

Felix didn’t answer until the door was shut. The two men took up the majority of the open space but The Game Warden knew this to be the one place they could speak freely.

“Look, I don’t know the full extent of it. But I know The Host isn’t from our country. He’s fromtheirs.”

The Game Warden eyed Felix warily. “Why don’t their women ever get thrown into this, like ours do?”

Felix’s face whitened, his pupils dilating. “Nightingale didn’t tell you why their women aren’t in thesegames? Fuck. No, I am not going to be the one. You need to figure that out for yourself. As for The Host, she left me in the dark too. But you still need to visit Sparrow. She’s safe for now, but we can’t let The Host near her alone, I know that much for certain.”

“I will. After this game. Keep Player 5 on her until then. If The Host does anything that is suspicious. Let me know.”

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