Page 27 of Play to Win

“Packing.There are some things in the bathroom I need.”She disappears and returns a moment later with a bright pink sequined bag apparently stuffed with ...I don’t even know.She flings it into the suitcase too.Next she grabs a bag with knitting needles sticking out the top—knitting needles!—and tosses it in.

Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she stands and looks around.She takes a few steps over to a tall dresser, shoots me a self-conscious glance, then picks up a stuffed toy.She quickly buries it beneath the crumpled clothing in the luggage.

I smile.“What is that?”

“Pete.Pete the Penguin.My mom gave him to me.I was always fascinated by penguins as a kid.”

The pain in my chest from watching her chaotic packing eases and shifts into warmth.I nod.

“Okay, I’m ready!”She attempts to close the case, wrestling with the zipper.

I sigh.“If you packed things neatly, you’d have more room.”

“No, I wouldn’t.It’s the same amount of clothes.It won’t make a difference in how much room they take up if they’re arranged differently.”

“Yes.It will.”I nudge her aside and zip up the suitcase, then lift it off the bed.“Anything else you need to do?”

She walks out to the living room, stands in the middle, and looks around.“I have no idea how long I’ll be gone.I don’t have any plants to water.I don’t get much mail.I guess it’s all good here for a while.”

“Okay.Let’s hit the road, Jack.”

She smiles and starts singing the song.“No more, no more, no more,” she sings as she locks the door behind us and we start down the hall.

We’re just entering the stairwell when the elevator dings at the other end of the hall.I glance over my shoulder and—fuck!—Ed and Lincoln step out of the elevator.

“Shit!”My heart lurches.“Lacey—go!”I whisper, giving her a shove.

“Jeez, slow your roll,” she mutters.

“They’re here,” I say in her ear.“Get your cute ass down the stairs right fucking now.”

I hear a shout at the end of the hall.

“Fuck, they saw us.Go!”

She scampers down the stairs and I follow.I can’t move fast enough with this goddamn suitcase, so I abandon it and leap down the stairs close behind Lacey.Blasting into the building’s foyer, I hear steps clattering behind us.

“Run to the vehicle!”I grab my key fob and fumble to unlock the doors as we run.Lacey yanks open the passenger door and throws herself in.I sprint to my own door, start the car before my door’s even closed, pitch it into gear, and peel out.

Lacey’s crumpled on the seat, but she leans over to peer out the back window.“Oh my God!I can’t believe this!”

“Put your seatbelt on.”I fasten my own with one hand.

“Thugs are chasing us, probably with guns, and you’re worried about ourseatbelts?”

“Habit.”I rub my chest.“I think I’m having a heart attack.”

“Me too.”She lets out a long breath.“Holy shit.”

“Yeah.”I keep glancing in the rearview mirror to see if they try to follow us.I make a fast right turn, then a left, then a right, zigzagging through the residential neighborhood.

“My suitcase ...?”

“I’m sorry.I had to leave it.”

She’s silent, and when I glance at her a moment later, she swipes at a tear on her cheek.Shit.

“We’ll get you new stuff in L.A.”

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