Page 24 of Deceptive Games

I waited for him to check the room before he let me in, my eyes scanning my surroundings despite him giving me the all clear.

Approval lined his features when he noticed me double checking, but he didn’t mention it.

“Does anything look different?” he asked, moving around the room while keeping his eyes locked on the open door behind me.

“I don’t think so. Maybe Caden’s fancy mansion has rats,” I joked, narrowing my eyes on my bedside drawer. It was open a fraction, but when I had a look inside, nothing seemed out of place.

Not that I had anything in there worth stealing. The guys had already stolen and destroyed my diary, and I wasn’t dumb enough to get a new one.

What would I even write in it now? Dear diary, I killed a guy today?

“There’s no hidden panels in the wall or anything?”

“Jesus Christ, D. What kind of shit do you think the Holloways are hiding? Hidden corridors in the walls? Maybe a rape dungeon?”

“Hey, you know better than anyone that rich pricks with egos all have rape dungeons in their basements,” he said flatly, wincing as it left his mouth. “Shit, sorry. That was insensitive.”

“You don’t have to be rich to have a creepy basement. I bet Slash has one too,” I scoffed, nudging his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”

“It was uncalled for. You’re allowed to joke about it if you want, but?—”

“D,” I sighed, patting his shoulder. “Stop stressing. If I can tolerate Slash and Skeet’s bullshit, I can put up with you teasing me.”

“You’re too nice for our world, you know that?” he muttered, taking a hard look at me.

“Or I’m perfect for it,” I grinned, taking a cautious look under the bed before moving towards the bathroom. We double checked the closet and any space that was bigger than a damn cat, then we checked the other rooms too, but there was nothing.

“Maybe it’s rats after all,” he said as we left the bedroom that Jensen claimed as his own and started walking downstairs, my eyes going over my shoulder to make sure we were alone. I was losing my mind. I was pretty sure Caden’s bedroom door was closed when we checked it, but now it was open.

Was someone still inside? Was it Max? What if it was Tristan?

“Should you get back to the guys? Won’t you get in trouble for missing the meeting?” I asked, returning my attention to him and hoping I was wrong.

“You mean the pissing contest between Skeet and Slash? Pass. Skeet will fill me in later. I’d much rather hang out here with you and make sure no one kidnaps you again.”

“That was one time.”

“One time too many,” he pointed out, dropping back into his chair. “Do you carry?”

“Only the weight of the world on my shoulders. And my knife,” I deadpanned.

“Have you ever held a gun before?”

“I’m from the Heights and you know I killed your buddy with one. Of course I’ve held a gun before,” I scoffed, startled when he held his out to me. “I’m not touching that.”

“Why not?”

“And add my fingerprints to a murder weapon of one ofyourcrimes? No thanks. I learned my lesson with Liam.”

“We hide the bodies, they don’t get found. Take it.”

“Bodiesalwaysget found, some just take time,” I argued, my pulse spiking at the thought. I’d totally go down for Liam’s murder, his father would come looking for him eventually.

“Get out of your head,” he scolded, shaking the gun in front of me slightly. “You need to get comfortable with these things.”

“I’ll buy my own.”

“Donovan, I swear to God,” he growled, tucking his gun in the back of his pants. “You’ve got rich kid money, right? Get some cash out of whatever bank account Josie set you up with, and we’ll find you a gun.”