Page 1 of Endgame
PROLOGUE
Everett
Twenty-three years ago
Agroan rises in my throat. I swallow it down. Clench my fists. Hold it all in.
I’m trying to stay calm—I really am—but I’ll lose my mind if I stay in my room for another second.
The room itself isn’t the problem. And no, even though I’m eighteen, I’m not itching to get out of here and go to college.
College means nothing to me.
Nothing does, ever since someone brutally raped Lotus, my fifteen-year-old adopted sister, two months ago.
And because she made me swear not to tell anyone for now, the only thing I can do to help is sleep on the floor beside her bed every night. I’m always careful to slip out before sunrise so our parents don’t find out.
They’d ask too many questions.
Questions she isn’t ready for yet.
And though she usually trusts me and wants me there, tonight, she asked me to stay away.
Why?
I pace my room, running my hand through my hair.
What’s so different about tonight?
She’s in pain, same as always. I saw it on her face earlier.
She’s still a shadow of herself, wandering aimlessly around the house. Still pulling on her hair, still not touching her meals. She won’t even poke at them with her fork.
Just stares through them, blankly.
Our parents have noticed the change. Of course they have.
Her sad blue eyes are impossible to ignore.
They keep asking her,What’s wrong, Lotus? Please, talk to us. We love you.
Every time I hear her repeat the same excuses, my teeth gnash.
Stress. School. Too many projects and tests. It’ll be over soon though. I’ll be fine.
Lies.
Without real help, she won’t be fine.
Real helpandjustice.
I can’t give her either, for the time being, since she’s freaked out about me confronting her rapist and making a scene. So freaked out she won’t tell me who it was.
The only two details she shared were that he was part of the secret society our parents belong to, Royalty, and that he wasn’t one of the adults.
I ruled out Stafford, my best friend, right away. I was with him that night. Thank fuck for small favors.
That leaves three suspects. First two are Arnold and Maverick, Stafford’s brothers. Then there’s Winston Clarke.
