Page 103 of The Game

A smile grows on my face, and I feel how evil it is in my bones.

“Step closer, you fucking piece of shit, and see what thosefilthy Russianswill do to you.”

He shakes his head, and as my eyes catch movement behind him, my smile grows all the wider. His bodyguards’ eyes are round, one of them pressing his two fingers to his own ear piece before his eyes flash to mine across the dim office.

“Boss—”

“Not now,” the old man hisses, daring to step closer. Tilting my chin up, I hold my ground, releasing my arms, letting my fingers dangle over the slitted opening of my thin purse. “You,” he seethes, pointing a crooked finger at me. “You and those fucking cocksuckers ruined everything, and now you will pay.”

“What did I ruin, huh? Your nasty circus? The place you went to get your jollies because you’re too old and worthless to get it up anymore?”

My eyes waver with tears as I sneer at him, but this time, they are tears of righteous anger for my friends, for myself, for Teddy, for all my twins endured to get me back.

His sneer matches mine as he paces closer.

“You ruined more than you know, you little cunt—”

“Boss—”

“What?!” he roars, whirling on his men as my fingers dive into my purse, encircling the bony handle of the knife. A pounding begins at the door, so booming it drowns out the beating of my own heart and the thumping of the bass below. He turns back to me, eyes widening slightly before they narrow into slits.

“Call them off, or I have them killed. Your choice, dirty bitch.”

Taking a deep breath, I envision exactly what it is I want to do, where I will aim. I just pray that somehow, all those times practicing with Teddy for fun will pay off. As soon as a thunderous boom sounds from below, eliciting screams of fear and terror, my eyes widen, and I rip the knife from my purse, launching it straight for his chest. Too old to move efficiently, the knife sinks into his arm as he screams, one guard rushing forward as the door he leaves behind slams open.

He crumples to the ground, howling in pain as I stare in numb shock, somehow giddy I actually hit him, before the reality sinks in and the popping of gunfire registers, taking me back to that night.

God, that night will never fucking leave me.

Before I can allow the memories to pull me under, something slams into me, pinning me to the ground as another volley of gunfire sounds. Breath knocked from my lungs, hands splayed in surrender by my head as a familiar warmth and weight blankets me, those teal eyes find mine.

“Stay the fuck down, got it, bunny?” he grits out over the gunfire.

“Ted-Teddy,” I pant, one side of his face covered in crimson, fiery hot blood pulsing from somewhere on his body and coating mine. Blinking away my shock as screams and grunts and howls of agony sound all around me, I watch as his face pales shade by shade. “Teddy?” I croak again. He’s gritting his teeth against the pain, his body becoming increasingly heavy over mine—and it’s then I realize what’s happened.

No no no. My hands waver over his body, searching frantically for the source of his blood. “No, no, no,” I cry as he grins, blood painting the lines between his teeth, the white turning pink.

“It’s okay, bunny,” he says soothingly. Shaking my head, I attempt to wrestle myself out from beneath him, but with every second, he becomes heavier and heavier.

“No!” I scream in his face as his eyes begin to droop, the volley of gunfire a constant cacophony ringing in my ears as he bleeds out over me, washing me in his blood, cleansing me with his soul. “Teddy, no!” I sob, slapping at his face and shoulders and using all my strength to attempt to roll him off of me so I can put pressure on his wound. So I can save him the way he saved me.

But his eyes bounce back open, finding mine through the smoke and darkness, lights flickering above us. He smiles again as I sob. Reaching his bloodied fingers up, he traces my cheek, leaving a sticky trail of crimson, dropping his forehead to mine.

“Shh, bunny. I’ve got ya. Just going to find you in another life, remember?”

Shaking my head, I sob, “No, please, please. I need you here, please! Please don’t leave me,please.”

His smile grows all the wider.

“I’m free, Alice, finally…free…and you…gave me that…” he chokes out. Shaking my head against the inevitable, I cling to him and sob.

His cold lips fall to mine, our first and last kiss.

And once again, the tides of this world turn, a drop of death in the midst of life as those teal eyes gloss over and dim until there is nothing left.

CHAPTER 51

Alice