Page 108 of Risky Game

“What in the hell did he do? I’m going to kill him.”

“Don’t.” I swiped drying tears off my cheeks and went to my brother. “He didn’t do anything. It was all my fault.”

He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me. He threatened Logan’s life more than once, and soon, I was being turned in Molly’s arms.

“I’m so sorry.”

“I was an idiot,” I cried. “A huge stupid dumb idiot. Again.”

They held me while I cried, and then Jassen returned, glass of wine in his hand he held out for me and a scowl etched so deep into his features I wasn’t sure the lines would ever go away.

“Drink. Take a second and tell us what happened.”

Molly guided me to the couch and returned a few seconds later with a box of tissues. I took one, waited until I could breathe without a sob hitching my throat, and I peered up at both of them.

Molly’s expression was softer, patient, like always. Jassen’s was so scary I ignored him. “I fucked up. Started a fight when we didn’t need to be having one and we couldn’t even talk about it with his parents there. And then Vanessa called him, and I’m pretty sure she wants him back. And he said it’d be best for Amelia if she did.”

“What?” Molly’s jaw dropped in shock.

Jassen’s nostrils flared, eyes burning hot enough to set me on fire. “That fucking dick.”

He stomped off and the next thing we heard was the garage door opening.

I jumped off the couch to chase after him, but Molly stopped me. “Let him. He hasn’t liked this because he thought Logan was taking advantage of you and he’s been holding it in for far too long. His game is starting to suffer from it, so let him go. He needs to get this off his chest, have it out with the man he respects but hasn’t done a great job of loving his little sister.”

“But—”

“He’ll be back and it’ll be fine. Trust me.” She kissed my cheek, bent down, and picked up my glass from the coffee table. “Drink up and tell me everything.”

I passed out before Jassen returned home. I told Molly everything. Well, not everything. Sweet Molly didn’t need to know about how much I enjoyed being told to get on my knees or tied up. I didn’t need to give the woman a heart attack. I told her all the rest. How everything started. How I’d told him I didn’t want anything with feelings and how the just sex had been my own idea. I told him how it went from that party at their house to me basically living in his room with him.

And then I told her the part that scared me the most.

In the last month, I hadn’t once thought of what I would do after Christmas. I hadn’t once thought about the day I would have to leave and head to grad school. I hadn’t once missed school or had a single urge to return. And I had not given a single moment’s thought to the day when I would have to say goodbye to Logan or Amelia. It wasn’t even because I was too terrified of that day coming and hurting too much. It was because I couldn’t fathom there being a day when I didn’t see them, when they weren’t in my life.

Molly listened through all of it. When I started yawning, she walked me to the guestroom and brought in my bag even though she was pregnant and I was more than capable of taking care of myself.

“Let me,” she’d insisted.

And I let her. Because hell, when was the last time anyone had ever, truly, taken care of me?

I woke to sunshine, a splitting headache, and cold sheets next to me. Groaning, I rolled over and buried my face into the pillow next to me. I’d made a huge mistake yesterday. Or maybe the best decision for me.

As I flipped through the haze of yesterday, I tried to remember everything I’d said to Molly, all the advice she gave me.

Jassen.

I flung up and instantly regretted it. I pressed the heel of my palm to my temple and scrambled out of bed. “Shit,” I grunted as the room swayed and wobbled, and pain pierced through my skull.

“Never drinking again,” I muttered.

It was a lie, but I didn’t dwell. Jassen had still been gone, late last night when Molly helped me to my room and tossed me the pajamas I was currently wearing.

What in the hell happened when he went to Logan’s last night?

And did everyone survive?

As much in a hurry as I was to find my brother, even though it was possible he was already at the field for practice, I took a few minutes to wipe away yesterday’s makeup and mascara, brush my teeth, and slather my dehydrated face with some moisturizer.

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