Page 13 of A Fool's Game

“A little Christmas date. How sweet,” one of the other guys sneers.

“Must not have gone very well if you’re here and she’s not.”

I shake my head. “Yeah. It went pretty bad.”

“Sucks to be you.”

“Can I go? You’ve got all my money. There are cards in there with pretty high limits.”

“Take his phone so he can’t cancel them or call the police,” the third guy chimes in.

“Yeah, give me your phone, asshole.”

It breaks my heart to part with it, but I hold it out obediently. “That’s all I got.”

“That’s what you said a second ago.” He turns behind him to the guy not holding the gun on me. “Search him.”

I barely even register that the guy’s swinging before his fist connects with my jaw, sending me down to the snowy sidewalk. I feel a boot on the back of my neck, forcing my face into the ground as multiple hands rifle through my pockets.

“Hey!”

I can’t see well enough to determine where the shout comes from, but I know it’s not one of the three thugs who attacked me.

“I’m calling the police! Leave him alone.”

The voice isn’t getting closer, so it must be someone in a nearby window. Either way, it’s enough to spook my muggers, and they take off without a word, leaving me laying there, listening to their footfalls get quieter and quieter.

When I finally muster up the energy to roll to my side, I see a dark figure running toward me across the street and curl back up defensively.

“It’s okay. They’re gone. I called the police. Are you all right?”

I nod, even though I’m not sure it’s the right answer. I wipe my hand on my wet pants and use it to touch my face gingerly. All of my teeth are fine, thank god, and my nose doesn’t feel broken.

My hand comes away from my lip bloody, and I cringe. Pushing myself to my feet, I try to shake it off.

“Do you live nearby? Want me to walk you home?”

I take in the Good Samaritan for the first time. An older man, dressed in pajamas with a coat thrown over. He doesn’t look like an accomplice, but I can’t take any chances. My father would kill me if he found out I stupidly led criminals back to my apartment.

Hell, he’d kill me if he knew half of the dumb shit I did. It’s probably a miracle I haven’t been robbed before.

“No. I don’t live nearby. I’ll just wait for the cops. Thank you.”

He lets me sit on the steps leading up to his apartment over the shop across the street to wait for the police. Two officers take my statement and drive me home.

It’s only when I get out of the shower and stand in my steamy bathroom, examining my split lip in the mirror that I remember.

I rush back to my room and find my soakedpants where I tossed them in the hamper. Digging through all the pockets, I come to the dreaded conclusion pretty quickly. When those guys emptied my pockets, they took everything.

Including my fool card.

And Gem’s number.

Chapter 6

Ainsley

“You’re late, pretty boy.”

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