Page 27 of Deadly Little Games

She dives back into Dominic and Eveline’s dresser, pulling out jewels and wads of cash, shoving them into her duffle bag. My stomach churns with a heavy weight, a sense of dread settling deep within me. The fear of getting caughtfills me with sheer terror, and I can’t help but shudder at the thought of what might unfold.

Dominic’s anger toward us has been escalating, and he frequently directs his outbursts toward my mom and even me. No matter how hard I try, my efforts to be a good girl are constantly criticized by him.

“Help me or fuck off!” Mom yells, and I don’t want to help. This isn’t right. Even if I don’t like Dominic, I don’t want to steal from him. It’s wrong.

The door to their bedroom unexpectedly swings open, and I lose my footing, stumbling backward and slamming against the wall, my breath catching in my throat. Dominic storms toward my mother, his rage evident in his every step, and without hesitation, he tightly grips her hair and yanks her up. My scream fills the air as I charge at him, but I’m halted by a pair of hands gripping my waist tightly. When I glance up, I find myself captivated by the depth of Hazen’s blue eyes. He pleads with me to stop, but I can’t. Dominic is hurting my mother.

“What the fuck are you doing, you little crack whore?” Dominic growls, and my mother just laughs.

“You know I’ve killed people for less. You are done. I can’t keep you around here anymore. You are gone,” he says, and I break free from Hazen’s embrace, running at Dominic. I hold onto his arm tightly as he gazes down at me with an intense, penetrating look, causing my heart to race.

“Please don’t hurt her,” I plea. He releases my mother, causing her to collapse at his feet. His hand closes around my neck, applying pressure. I can’t breathe. Without making a single move, Hazen stands there and watches us. Help me, I try to say, but my voice is blocked by Dominic’s hand.

I’m thrown to the floor, my head hits the carpet, and pain echoes in my ears as I struggle to catch my breath. He pullsout a knife, its gleaming blade catching the light, and I scream.

I kick my legs, adrenaline surging through my body as I try to stand and run, but he’s too strong. My mother remains motionless on the floor. Her eyes are vacant, like windows to a soul lost in another world as she stares right through me.

“Hold her down,” he growls, and Hazen doesn’t move. “Now!” Dominic yells, and he moves to hover over me. He holds me down and I’m completely immobile. I look up into his ocean-blue eyes, begging him to release me, but he doesn’t. He whispers an apology, but it’s not enough.

My top is sliced open by Dominic’s knife, and I scream once more. My chest rises and falls in a frenzied rhythm, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

“No, please!”

The moment the knife descends, a wave of intense, burning pain engulfs me.

I’ll never forget that pain; my scars are a daily reminder of it. And I can still feel the knife carving my flesh.

“Freya, wait,” Hazen yells behind me, but I don’t look back. I can’t.

All my childhood memories of being with them shatter into a million pieces. Of course, he doesn’t fucking remember, but to me those memories will never go away. They are sewn deep in my past, and I’ve still got the scars to prove it.

I don’t stop walking until I’m deep in the party house. People are crowding around me, and I grab a bottle of liquor from the kitchen, unscrewing the lid and chugging a quarter of it. It sears a fiery path down my throat, providing the exact sensation I crave.

The music is so loud that it drowns out all other sounds, making it impossible to hear my own thoughts. I move around, asking a couple of people if they have seen mybrother, but their faces remain blank, clueless. Hazen gets lost in the crowd, and I’m glad. I’m done with him for the night. I need to find my brother and get the hell out of here.

Without warning, someone’s shoulder collides with mine. I whirl around with my fist cocked back, ready to retaliate, but I come to a sudden halt as I lock eyes with Kai, who greets me with a sly smirk.

“Fuck, that bad of a night huh?” he asks, snatching the bottle from my other hand, and I laugh as he takes a swig.

“You have no idea,” I admit with a sigh. “Have you seen Alec?”

Kai shakes his head, passing the bottle back to me. His gaze drifts above me, his eyes growing darker.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Kai snaps, taking a step forward. I place my hand on his chest before warmth hits my back.

“Chill, Kai, he’s looking for Alec,” I say, glancing between them both. Kai breathes in and out against my hand and Hazen seems unfazed, even as Zion and Bear come up and surround us.

“You have no business here. Leave now,” Kai growls, his hand reaching into his jeans pocket. The silver of his blade catches my eye, and I shake my head. For fuck’s sake. All this “my dick is bigger than yours” shit is starting to piss me off.

“Anything going on here is my business.” Hazen looks Kai up and down before the corner of his mouth lifts. “Do you forget who runs this town?”

I have to use all my strength to keep Kai from moving forward by pressing my hand against his chest.

“Enough. He’s with me so just fucking drop it, Kai,” I say, letting out a sigh. “Please.”

Kai looks between us before he steps back, snatchingthe bottle from me once again, then he turns his back and disappears into the crowd with Zion and Bear behind him.

I whirl around, leveling Hazen with a glare, and he shrugs as if to say, “What did you expect?” And he’s right. It’s no secret that Kai and the boys from 18 Hood hate The Brotherhood. Hate that they rule everything. They have been trying to take back Daringhood for years, but The Brotherhood just holds too much power here. They control too much. It wouldn’t be impossible to kick them out, but it would take an all-out war to do so.

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