Page 61 of Tangled in His Game

It sounded crazy before, but if Jake is a mafia boss, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything. Victor saving me messed up his whole plan then and trying again would’ve been too much work or too suspicious.

Okay, maybe I’m overreacting again and fixing hockey games is nowhere near actual murder, but this whole thing confirms my choice. Whatever Victor and Jake are doing is illegal. Victor is a bully who will stop at nothing to get what he wants and that apparently includes hurting his own teammates.

They’re his friends, and most of them worship him or look up to him, so that makes things even worse. I can’t believe he’d do that to them, or maybe that guy did it, although it would’ve been weird if someone saw him lurking around the locker rooms.

That’s why it must’ve been Victor himself who did it somehow. Hell, maybe he got the idea because I’d laced his water with sleeping pills.

Gah! I was so stupid to even try messing with someone like him. Him being rich and popular was already enough of a problem, and now that I’m pretty sure he’s participating in illegal things, I know I stand no chance against him.

It’s a good thing I’ve already decided to leave Emberwell. The opponent team celebrates as the game ends. Victor throws away his gloves and helmet and storms off. His teammates just look sad and confused.

Maybe Victor is upset he had to lose, after all. But then why didn’t he refuse to do it? If the game was important to Victor and the team, Jake could’ve just bet on them winning.

Sure, it probably wouldn’t have earned him as much money, but it’s his son’s career and happiness. Doesn’t Jake care about Victor at all? I can’t let myself feel bad for Victor, though.

I get to my feet and head to the exit with everyone else. This was the last game I watched, and I won’t see Victor again.

Actually, I’ll arrange my meeting to make sure it’s during Victor’s classes or something so I don’t risk running into him. Whatever fire there is left between us, I have to extinguish it for good. It shouldn’t be all that hard to do it, considering I almost literally burned to death because of him.

Maybe I’ll meet some cute, hot guy at my new college. Someone who’ll actually care about me and won’t try to make my life hell. Someone who’s not so rich and powerful that he wants to control everyone and everything and doesn’t care about anyone other than himself.

I feel someone’s gaze on me, and I glance over my shoulder. It’s that guy. Jake and his usual bodyguards are nowhere near, so why is he here? Is he following me? I quicken my steps and push through the crowd.

Some people curse at me, but I don’t care. I’m so done with the Overton family and their men. I don’t want to ever have to look over my shoulder in fear again, and once I’m no longer at Emberwell, I’ll be free.

I still haven’t picked my new college, but it’s better if it’s nowhere near here. I don’t want to look through the window of my room and see Victor lurking in the shadows. Oh, and maybe it would be perfect if my new college didn’t have a hockey team.

If they do, Victor will come to my new college to play against them. Sure, it might not be too often, but still. I don’t want any hockey teams or anything close by. It’s safer that way.

Maybe Victor will have to switch teams so the whole thing with game-fixing doesn’t become suspicious, and he probably doesn’t give a damn about college, so I don’t want to take any risks.

Me running away from him only for him to follow me to my new college would be a complete and utter disaster, especially since I probably wouldn’t be able to afford to move again.

Once I’m out of the arena, I look around, but I can’t see that guy, Victor, or Jake anywhere, so I breathe out a sigh of relief and head home.

Chapter 30

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