Page 56 of The Games of Madmen

“In here,” I call out, pacing the living room and chewing on my nail. My feet are bandaged well, but it still feels like the wounds on the soles tear open with every movement. However, in a fucked-up way, it grounds me.

Adam’s eyes scan my face and linger on my throat. I’d put cover up over the bruises, not wanting their mom to question me about them.

“Have you heard anything?” he eventually asks, coming too close, and swiping a strand of hair from my face.

“Nothing.” There’s a tremor in my voice that’s not put on.

“It’ll be okay. He probably just needed to cool off.”

“Where would he go?” I ask him, pretending to wipe away a tear. “Is there someone he would go to?”

Narrowing his eyes on me, he looks around the room. “Like a side piece?” He laughs without humor. “That man could barely handle you. He didn’t need to go elsewhere, according to him.”

“A friend then?” I throw my hands up as I walk over to the kitchen and plant my ass on a stool in hopes he’ll follow. I need him away from the windows.

“Did he say anything when he left?” he asks, still looking around, as if the room is going to speak to him to solve this mystery.

“Adam,” I say his name like a plea and cover my face, whimpering into my hands. I hear his footfalls, and then his hands remove mine from my face.

Cupping my cheeks, he tilts my face up to his. “Tell me exactly what he said.”

Sniffling, I shrug my shoulders. “I told him I wasn’t in the mood for sex and wanted to shower because it was hot, and he freaked out. Said it’s because I’d rather be fucking you than him.”

His eyes flare with pleasure at my words, and his tongue sweeps out to moisten his bottom lip.

“Why would he think that?” he implores, fishing for the words he wants to hear. Fucking men and always needing their ego stroked.

Taking a deep breath that lifts my chest and brings his attention to my tits, I say, “He told me he’s not stupid and can see there’s tension between us.” I bring my hands up to cover his that’re still holding my face. “When I didn’t deny that, he got mad and told me he would kill us all before he’d let you fuck me.”

Adam loves his brother but doesn’t like being told he can’t have something he wants. Jeremiah threatening to kill us all rather than let Adam have a taste will irritate his ego.

“Then he left.” I suck my bottom lip into my mouth and watch Adam’s pupils dilate.

Too fucking easy.

“Levi,” he barks.

“Boss?” Levi clears his throat as he enters the kitchen.

“Get some men together. Drive around the local motels and sites where someone would park their car to sleep off a comedown.”

My stomach knots when Levi nods and walks back toward the front door. “On it, Boss.”

“Levi,” I call out, halting him.

“Yeah?”

I fidget for a second, trying to think of something to stall him and then say, “Don’t let him drive if you find him. He was pretty wasted when he left.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he assures me. “Don’t worry.”

“Thanks.” I can’t think of anything else to say without being suspicious.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Turning his attention back on me, Adam asks, “What time is Roza coming home?”

I’m focused on the front door when Levi leaves through it, and Adam has to repeat himself to get my attention.