Page 34 of Poisoned Pawns (The Gamemakers Trilogy #1)

Ivy-I Killed Who?

Getting back to the sorority house this morning, there’s an invitation taped to my door for tonight’s scavenger hunt.

We are expected to attend, blah blah blah.

Why did I join? Regret is setting in. I’m better off at the dorms. I’ll never fit in here.

I’m not like these girls—like at all. Katie would’ve fit in much better, but me?

This is not what I wanted, but more so what’s required of me.

“Follow in my mother's footsteps,” I say to myself mockingly as I chuck my phone on the bed along with the envelope and head for a shower.

After leaving Desmond’s last night, Pierce brought me to his place.

I was in no condition to come back here without Everly and Millie questioning me, so I stayed with him and he put cream on all the marks that Desmond left.

I’m not sure what to think about all of that.

Am I pissed? Yes. Am I hurt? Again, yes.

Like, why would he do that? We were having such a fun time, and I’m not sure where it went wrong and why he felt the need to take it that far.

For now, I just don’t want to speak with him.

I need time to process if I’m being honest. Too much is happening at once.

I feel like I don’t have time to even catch my breath before the next tragedy strikes.

As if on auto-pilot, I get in the shower and do my thing.

Pierce was a complete gentleman, more than I ever thought he would be.

I guess I’m not used to men being nice to me without expecting something in return.

The nightmare I had woke him up and left me feeling embarrassed.

I literally bolted out of there. I felt so ashamed and vulnerable, but it didn't help that the dream seemed so real, like I was having an out-of-body experience and that it was happening in that very room.

Like, why would I have been there arguing with Katie? It makes no sense to me.

Finishing up, I turn the shower off and step out, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my body.

I wince, feeling the cotton run against all the slice marks.

I want to kill him for what he did, but I need to move my ass or I’m going to be late for class.

I only have two today. English Lit and Psychology.

Getting ready in record time, I fly out of my room and down the hall to see if Millie has left yet. I knock and turn the knob, but it’s locked. Sighing, I go down the stairs and straight out the front door, not acknowledging the snickering going on as I leave. Fuck them bitches.

Taking a deep breath, I hop in my Range Rover and head to class.

I’ll check on Millz later. I know she wants some space, but I need her to pull through.

She can’t let this shit break her. She is already broken enough.

After her dad left all those years ago, I’ve watched my best friend go from a happy-go-lucky girl to a quiet, battered one.

We’ve asked her time and time again what the hell happened, but she’s always been tight-lipped, and now we kinda know why.

She was being abused and not just her, but Desmond too.

It truly hurts my heart knowing that this was happening, and we didn’t know.

I mean, we knew something was going on, but not that.

Definitely not that. I just thought she missed her dad and was having abandonment issues, but how wrong I was.

Pulling into the parking lot, I get out and head towards the school.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, feeling eyes on me.

Looking around, I don’t see anyone out of the norm, but that doesn’t mean shit.

As I walk towards the building, whispers from students, along with some crying, have me on edge.

What the fuck is going on? My phone vibrates in my pocket and I take it out and see a message I’ve been dreading.

Checkmate:

Little Pawn, you’ve been a very bad girl.

Rolling my eyes, I open the door to the school and another message comes through.

Checkmate:

You will pay for your actions when the time is right. Just know that I know what you did and so will she.

What the fuck does that mean? Why is this idiot always so goddamn cryptic, like for christ's sake? My mind is whirling as I try to figure out what the texts mean, and I slam into a hard body, nearly falling back, but strong hands steady me. I look up and my eyes lock on the most gorgeous green-hazel eyes I’ve ever seen.

It’s like looking at fresh cut grass exploding into orange flames licking up into the bright blue sky. Simply stunning, and I can’t look away.

“Forgive me,” he says, his voice deep and smooth like Tennessee whiskey. I blink, not knowing how to respond. “Are you alright? Did I hurt you?” he asks, and I shake my head.

“N-no. I’m fine. Sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” I say, taking in his features. His high cheekbones and strong jawline, naked of facial hair, has me reaching up to outline the dimple on his left cheek as he smiles.

“Hey, Ivy,” someone calls from down the hall, taking me out of the trance I was in. Immediately, I drop my hand and take a step back.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,” I tell him, completely embarrassed, but his hands linger a moment longer before he lets go of my arms.

“It’s okay. Darlin’,” he says, causing a blush to creep up my cheeks. Jesus Christ.

“I-I,” I stammer and take off. I can’t believe I just touched him like that. And why the fuck was I stuttering? What the fuck? Who is he? My mind is a ball of mush by the time I get to English Lit.

Sitting in my seat, I place my head in my hands, trying to center myself and get my shit together, but the minute I look up, there he is walking through the doorway and climbing the stairs in black ripped jeans, combat boots, and a red t-shirt.

He winks at me as a single black curl falls across his brow.

Please don’t sit next to me, please don’t sit next to me.

I’ve already embarrassed myself enough for one day.

Letting out a breath as he passes me, I take out my laptop and get to work.

I need a distraction, and fast, because I can feel his eyes digging into the back of my head, forcing me to want to know him.

There’s this invisible pull, like a choke collar wrapped around my neck pulling me back by a leash, and the more I pull forward, the harder he pulls back.

But the thing is, I want him to pull harder, letting the bite of the prongs dig into my skin.

What the fuck? Why? I don’t even know him.

Jesus. Get it together, Ivy. You have enough fucking issues for one girl to handle.

Let's not bring that tall drink of sexiness into your darkness. But he has darkness too, I can feel it. It’s radiating from his flesh, seeking me out.

It's intoxicating. Why am I sitting here arguing with myself over a boy, I don’t know? Why? Am I going crazy?

The professor finally walks in, thank god, and now I can get the distraction I need.

While the professor is going on and on about what we have to do for this semester's project, I hear a commotion behind me and then Oliver fucking Michaels is storming out of the room, slamming the door in his wake. I roll my eyes, hoping he gets splinters under every nail on his fingers and toes to where he cannot remove them. Asshole. Out of all the guys, he’s the one that gets on my last fucking nerve.

I don’t know what it is about him, but I just want to punch his face in again.

I’m not sure if it’s because he was the last person I saw with Katie or if it's something deeper than that, but I don’t want to find out.

If he just stays out of my way, I’ll stay out of his. It’s pretty fucking simple.

The bell rings and I pack my stuff up and head to the mess hall to grab a drink and hopefully hide in the library. I really don’t want to deal with people today.

The day flies by and I’m finally back at the sorority house laying in my bed.

My door swings open to a crying Millie. Bolting out of bed, her body collides with mine, and I wrap my arms around her tightly.

“What happened?” I ask as she sobs into my chest. Everly walks in and shuts the door behind her.

“Someone going to tell me what the fuck is going on?” I yell, and Everly hiccups, wiping her eyes.

"Someone found Warren dead at Whitestone Lake; he'd been stabbed multiple times," she informs me, and my eyes widen. What the fuck? No? It can’t be.

“What?” I say because I’m at a loss for words.

“He was found this morning, face down on the shoreline. At first, they were going to blame the urban legend, but the stab wounds tell a different story,” she hiccups.

“Holy shit. Millie, I’m so sorry,” I tell her, squeezing her tighter.

I didn’t know it was Warren that I killed.

Why would they leave the body? But why don’t I feel an ounce of remorse?

I killed my best friend's boyfriend. She lifts her head to look at me, and I wipe the tears from her eyes. “It will be okay, babe.”

“Who would do such a thing? He was a good person. We had so much fun together and now he’s g-gone. I’m never going to see him again. God, this is so fucked up,” she sobs. I cup her face and look into her green eyes, the same color as her brother’s.

“They will find his killer. Justice will be served. I’m so sorry you have to go through this, Millz.

It’s not fair.” I feel like a coward lying to her.

But if she knew he was playing the game and tried to rape me, would she be mad about what I did?

I wasn’t the one who made the first stab, though.

I’m pretty sure the other masked man’s wound would’ve sufficed, but of course, I couldn't help myself as usual.

“We still have to do this stupid fucking scavenger hunt. Beth doesn’t give a fuck that Warren is dead. ‘The show must go on,’ were her exact words,” Everly states.

“She’s such a cunt. She needs to get off her high horse before I make my threat a goddamn promise,” I spit. Millie raises her head and smiles.

“I want in on that. I fucking can’t stand her,” she laughs.

“Oh, my little Mildred is blood thirsty tonight, aye?” I mock, and she laughs harder. I haven’t heard her do that in a long time.

“I agree with this plan,” Everly chimes in.

“Okay, then tonight, during this scavenger game, let’s go hunting,” I say, and both of their eyes widen. “Jesus, not to actually kill her, but let’s fuck with her. Fuck it.” I shrug.

“I can get behind that,” Everly says, and Millie nods.

“Yep. I’m down,” she adds.

“Alright. We play by her rules, but once we have everything we need for the game, we split up and corner her. Make her squeal like a little pig,” I suggest, and they both nod with sinister smiles on their faces.

“For Warren,” Millie says.

“For Warren,” me and Everly say in unison.

Fuck it. Maybe I will take it just a step further tonight and really make her beg for mercy.