Page 158 of Dark Little Game

The puzzle pieces start to snap together in my mind.

The Thornwick family made me think they were after me.

Because theywantedme to flee.

To protect me from my own father’s deal with the Zhangs.

And the only way they knew they could ensure I wouldn’t take matters into my own hands was by making me thinktheywere after me.

The Thornwicks fucking saved me.

It fucking worked.

I fled London.

And now the Zhang family had found their way here, for a target that mattered more to my father, these days.

Weston.

My father’s company was worth hundreds of millions, yet he couldn’t spare a dime for me.

“He wasn’t willing to part with eight million,” I say out loud, to no one and to everyone. “And he was going to let me be kidnapped and killed instead. Earlier this semester, he was willing to let Rayne, James, and Ethan be hurt, too.”

“I’m not going to take over the Knox Corporation, Hunter,” Wes says suddenly, the words spilling from him in a panicked tone. “I’m never trusting him again.”

Something white-hot fills me.

It’s over.

Weston was never my enemy, after all.

We were both just pawns.

I’m not going to be able to hold back.

If they’re going to kill me, they can kill me.

But there’s nothing in the world that is going to stop me from protecting Rayne and Wes.

I look up at Rayne, giving him a look that I hopecommunicates one thing and one thingonly:you need to stay safe. Don’t move an inch.

But Rayne gets something different from my look.

This whole time, I’d thought he was terrified.

But he wasplanningsomething.

My heart drops as he suddenly moves, in a quick instant, bringing his closed fist up under Briar’s hand and knocking the Glock right out of her hand.

Holy fuck.

“Rayne,no?—”

I know how quick Briar is because I’ve been fencing with her for months now.

But Rayne’s movement catches her off guard, and as he moves, he manages to catch the falling gun before it hits the pavement.

And then he’s the one holding a gun, instead.