Page 7 of Deadly Little Games

“Back off, Gage,” Alec says, and Gage steps back slightly before chuckling under his breath.

Hazen studies my brother with a heavy stare, running a hand through his short-clipped hair. “You’ve got some nerve, kid, I’ll give you that. Come see me later. I’ve got a job for you.” Hazen nods at my brother, who swallows hard. This isn’t good—this isn’t good at all. My brother working for them would be trouble. Fuck.

Hazen’s eyes come back to me. He slowly looks me up and down. My traitorous body burns with need or hate—I have no idea. But I won’t be going there.

“Bye, Freya. Be a good little hood rat, won’t you?” Gage grins, and I glare daggers right through him.

They all leave, moving into the crowded dance floor, and I finally release the breath I was holding in.

“What the hell have I told you, Frey?” Alec snaps. “Stay away from them.”

“Did you not notice? They stopped me from leaving,” I snap, crossing my arms over my chest.

Alec rolls his eyes. “You know everyone fromDaringville only uses us for their benefit. It’s how our town works.”

“What about you? Hazen just asked you to come see him about a job,” I say, raising an eyebrow.

His fingers wrap around the necklace I got him that mirrors my own. It’s one you give to your best friend. I gave it to him when I was ten, and he’s never taken off his half of the small heart pendant with our initials on it. Neither have I.

“Don’t worry about that—I’ll handle it. We need to lie low. It’s only six months until we are out of here and can start fresh. It’s not ideal, but you know how much we need the money. I’ve lined up a place to stay with Levi and it’s more than I thought,” Alec says, and I nod.

He’s right. Doing a job for them shits all over a shift at the diner. I just hate the thought of him getting caught up in Daringville politics.

Amirah bumps into my hip. “What did my brother want?” she asks with a hint of suspicion. She’s got nothing to worry about with him and me. One and done. Never again.

“Just to remind me of the rules and to threaten me. You know, the usual.” I shrug, watching the guys leave. Everyone in their path moves aside. I shake my head. Pathetic.

Mia, my brother’s girlfriend, pushes through the crowd, grabbing Alec’s hand. “Come on, baby, let’s go.”

He shifts uncomfortably, taking a step backward. I have no idea why he doesn’t just break up with her already. She’s way too needy, and besides, she’s from Daringville.

We are allowed to fuck each other, but only if they initiate it first. The whole system is fucked, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. That’s why there are riotshappening almost every night, mostly initiated by fans of 18 Hood music. Those guys sure know how to rile up the masses.

Alec presses a kiss against my forehead.

“I’ll see you later,” he says, and I nod.

There’s a ball in the pit of my stomach as I watch him go up to Hazen, Gage, and Lucas. As they walk up the hill, Lucas looks over his shoulder. The corner of his mouth lifts and he winks. Then they are gone, and it takes everything in me not to race after them to see what they are going to do.

A loud bang followed by rattling wakes me from a deep sleep. Opening my eyes, it takes me a moment to remember where I am. Bottles and butted-out smokes line the surface of the coffee table in front of me, and the TV plays in the background. I grab the remote, turn off the TV, and flick on the living room light.

There’s more banging, and then the door of the trailer swings open. My mother falls onto the dirty carpet floor face first. She laughs with her face on the ground and ass in the air.

I groan, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Fucking hell, not again. Every night is the exact same. When I turned eighteen, I swore I’d get my own place, but three years later, I’m still here under the same roof, putting up with the same shit. If only money did grow on trees.

I push myself off the couch and head to the door, then lean down and try to lift her up. She pushes me away, digging her nails into my flesh and mumbling something under her breath. I should leave the bitch on the ground. Ifthe roles were reversed, she’d do that to me, but unfortunately, I have a heart.

Loud, heavy footsteps sound behind me. “Aren’t I glad to see you?”

Every part of me freezes, turning to ice at the sound of his voice.

Oh, fuck.

Chapter Two

Freya

Glancing up, I find her pimp daddy, Gavin, standing just outside our trailer, a smoke to his lips. He sucks in a drag, the red bud casting shadows around his face. The streetlights aren’t working as usual, so it’s pitch black. Not ideal when you live here.

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