Page 125 of Wanna Play A Game?
“You’re bleeding!” she says.
“What?” I keep checking her.
Cali struggles to get away. “Your back. You’re bleeding, Sawyer.”
I glance down. Oh. My shirt is stained red. I must be leaking through the bandage.
“Cali, it’s okay.”
“You’re bleeding a lot!” She darts toward the bathroom.
“Cali! It’s fine.” But she’s disappeared. She comes back out with a wet towel and toilet paper. Part of me warms seeing her concern.
“I just need a new bandage.” I pull my shirt up, twisting so she can see my back.
Cali is silent.
I want to turn around to see what she thinks, but I don’t. Some part of me is afraid she’ll think it’s ugly.
I turn back around and stand, the strangest feeling hitting me. I feel ready to bolt. “Yeah. Anyway, just wanted to check on you.”
“Wait.” Cali looks at the things in her hand.
I pause. She looks like she’s searching for something to say.
“Cali, I don’t need your sympathy,” I say, harsher than I mean to. Fuck, why is this so hard for me?
“Good,” she snaps. “Because I wasn’t going to give it.” She takes a deep breath. “I want to earn more points.”
It takes me a second to process those words. Wait. She wants to leave?
Pain lances through me. I had forgotten about the game for a second. The imaginary world I had built up in my head on the drive comes crashing down, and rage washes over me. I turn on my heel and stalk to the door. “No.”
“Please!” Cali says. “I’ll do anything.”
I whirl, feeling the anger tight in my chest. I shouldn’t have been so stupid, letting my emotions get involved. “Anything?” I say mockingly.
Cali throws the towel on the bed and puts her hands on her hips. “Anything,” she says.
I desperately want to tell her that ‘anything’ is to stay. But seeing how much I’ve already fucked up this conversation, I don’t see that going well. I’m mad at myself. “Fine,” I snarl. “If you fuck Ryder, I’ll give you points.”
“How many?” Cali shoots back.
A snarl builds in my chest. “A hundred.”
“That’s not enough! Ryder will never fuck me.”
I’m not so sure about that. I shrug. “That’s a risk you gotta take. Either play the game or don’t, Cali.”
“That’s fucked up, Sawyer, and you know it. Eight hundred, and I won’t do it for any less.”
I can’t keep the bark out of my voice. “That’s enough for you to leave.”
“That’s the point, jackass.” Cali hisses and crosses her arms.
Darkness settles over my vision. I should have known better. Shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up that she’d want to stay.
“Fine,” I snarl. “But you don’t get to tell him about the deal. Or Miles. And it has to happen within the next three days, or all points are off.” I stalk to the door. “You hear me? You’ll lose all of them. Good luck, bunny.”
