Page 26 of Tangled in His Game

You’re crazy.

You’re crazy.

I take a seat because the classroom is spinning around me. Those were the exact words Sebastian used whenever I dared to call him out for his abuse.

Does Victor somehow know that too? Has he talked to Sebastian? Or is it just a coincidence? I run my hand over my face.

Maybe Iamcrazy. I should’ve transferred to another college right away. Why am I even trying to deal with Victor? Everyone here wants me gone anyway. But then again, most students have gotten used to me and probably couldn’t care less whether I stay or leave.

It’s just Victor. He’s the one who picked me as his target for some reason, and he doesn’t want to let me go. I don’t understand why. Why does hurting me like this and humiliating me make him so happy?

If he thinks I shouldn’t be at Emberwell because I’m poor, well, tough luck. He could ignore me. If he didn’t keep coming after me, he wouldn’t even notice me.

Maybe he’s the crazy one, and nothing he does makes any sense. But how can I tell my parents that I want to leave? They already had to use our savings to buy me a new phone and laptop. Fixing the front door costs too.

I don’t know how we could afford it if I moved somewhere else. Am I giving up too quickly and too easily? Victor already thinks he’s won, but I need to stop him somehow because it’s obvious he’ll keep going.

Since he was worried enough about the videos I mentioned to break into my house, there has to be something bigger and more important than his weird post-game training. I need to find out what it is and be smarter about it.

If I find out something about Victor that can really hurt him, then I can use it against him, hopefully without him figuring out that I’m behind it. And even if hedoesfind out, he’ll be too busy trying to salvage his career and his life.

Maybe I should try to find that guy who met with Victor in the alley, but that’s too dangerous. If Victor is using drugs or taking something to increase his performance, I need to find proof that I can easily share with the whole world.

Victor has been following me, but maybe I should start following him. But where does he even go when he’s not in class, training, playing hockey, or stalking me? In his dorm room, I guess. And that club his father owns.

Maybe I should check out the club this week. It’s a public place with lots of people, and it’s on the opposite side of the city. If Victor hangs out there, I can see who else he’s with. Clubs are perfect places for drug dealers too, so maybe his friend shows up and I can finally confirm or disprove my theory about the contents of the packet Victor took. Victor won’t expect me there either, so I could catch him unawares.

If you get too close to the fire, you’ll burn.

Maybe, but if I burn, I want Victor to burn with me.

Chapter 13

IHAVE TO SWITCH Afew buses to get to the right place, but as I walk down the dark alley that leads to the club, I wonder if I should go back home and forget about the whole thing. The alley stinks of mud and piss, and if it weren’t for the huge neon sign with the club’s name, I wouldn’t even know where I was going.

It’s cold too, but only because I dressed up for the occasion. Maybe Victor won’t even recognize me because I’m wearing makeup—just some eyeliner and red lipstick—a black leather miniskirt, matching jacket, and red top. I also put a choker around my neck.

---