Page 74 of The Games We Play

“No!” I scream. Time slows. Everything is frozen as memories of Ryan flash across my mind. His goofy smile. He’s always smiling. I lunge for him. I can’t lose him.

It’s like I’m on the bottom of the ocean, running against the current and sinking in the sand. I have to get to him—I have to save him.

The gun fires, and Ryan’s body jerks at the impact, and he’s falling.

I wasn’t fast enough. I catch him before his head hits the carpeted floor, blood pouring from a wound in the center of his chest.

“No, no, no,” I repeat over and over, pressing my hands to his skin, willing the blood to stop flowing. “Ryan, please, don’t leave me. I can’t—you’re my best friend.”

Mr. Collins drops to his knees beside me, wraps an arm around my shoulder, and places his other on his son’s cheek.

Ryan’s lips move, but words don’t come out. His eyes bounce around the room until they finally land on me.

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay. Just keep your eyes open. I’m right here.” My hand trembles as I push his hair back from his eyes.

Everything is in slow motion as a woman screams, and I look up the stairs at a girl standing in one of Ryan’s T-shirts.

Katie.

Her gaze is locked on Ryan in my arms, and she takes a step forward, but her body flies back, and she lands on the stairs and doesn’t move again.

I turn my head to Dad with his gun aimed at the stairway.

Ryan makes a gargled noise, and I drop my gaze back to my best friend. The sparkle he held for me in his blue eyes all those years is gone. He stares into nothingness. His chest doesn’t rise, and the blood has slowed until it’s barely a trickle down his bare chest. My tears splash on his chest, and I drop my chin.

“I’m so sorry. You always deserved so much better than me.” I trace my fingers from his eyebrows to his cheeks and close his eyes, gently laying his head on the floor. Mr. Collins lets out a shaky breath and slumps against me. The warmth of his blood seeps into my dress, spreading across my side.

So much blood.

So much death.

So much that my father has to pay for.

“To think that could have been avoided if you’d only done what you were told,” Dad states with no emotion.

My hand slides to the floor, and my fingertips brush against the cold metal steel of the pistol. I raise it quickly and aim it right for my father.

Mr. Collins tenses and tries maneuvering me behind him, but he’s too weak.

“It’s me you want, Darius. Let her go. She’s your daughter, for fuck’s sake. Doesn’t that mean anything?” His speech is labored with raspy breaths, but I don’t dare take my eyes away from Dad. He isn’t taking anyone else from me.

“Mom chose death over living one more minute knowing about you. What makes you think I’d be any different?” I snap, shaking with adrenaline and rage.

“And you killed her. My daughter, my flesh and blood, showed her true self at such a young age. You have so much potential, Theresa.” He steps forward.

“No!” I shout, shoving the gun in his direction. “I’m nothing like you! I’d never stand by like you did while those girls were put through hell. I did my mother a kindness because I freed her from you.”

His eyes harden, and his free hand fists at his side. I place my finger over the trigger and take a steadying breath.

This is for Ryan.

For me.

For Mom and Mr. Collins. And poor Katie on the stairs. Love gets you killed—it makes you blind and fucks you over. This is for every woman who was forced to do those things against her will tonight. I will rid the world of this monster and bring his empire to the ground.

Glass shatters behind me, and I squeeze the trigger. Mr. Collins wraps his arms around me and shoves me to the floor, his body covering mine as more gunshots ring out. For a moment, all I hear is my breathing asmy cheek presses into the cold tile. Ryan lies beside me, his head rolled to the side, and for a second, I can pretend he’s asleep, and this is all a terrible dream.

But reality crashes around me as a canister bounces across the floor, and Mr. Collins pulls me to my feet, ushering me out the door and to his car.

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