Page 106 of Wanna Play A Game?

Anger runs through me. Again, they’re trying to take all choice from me, including the choice to live. I’m so done. I don’t know how to act. I just lean into my anger, putting my finger in Miles’ chest. His green eyes flare, and he looks angry.

I hiss, “I didn’t ask you to be my knight in shining armor. In fact, I didn’t ask to be here at all. If you’re looking for a helpless woman you can save, you haven’t found her here. So either get your fingers out of my fucking life or let me have a goddamn say.”

Hurt flares in Miles’ eyes for a brief second, and something twists in my gut. Then his eyes flash to anger and Miles snarls, “You know what? Fine. Sawyer, get the coal.”

I hear Sawyer leave. Miles and I are locked in a stare. Anger swirls in his green eyes. It’s a look I’ve never seen him direct at me before. It sends a mix of fear and anger into me. But it’s better than pity.

Sawyer returns. I snatch the bucket from him and whirl on Ben.

His watery eyes are wide in fear. Acid drops in my stomach. Am I really about to do this? All of our history flashes in my mind. The days we got along and sat next to each other peacefully on the couch. The times he made me laugh, and the times he made me come. The bucket is metal and hot, and I can feel the skin on my fingers burning.

The screaming. The many things thrown at me. The nights he’d go through my phone, convinced I was cheating on him.

I pull in a breath and drop the bucket on top of the cage.

Chapter 52

Sawyer

Cali whirls on us with fire in her eyes. She looks wild and alive and afraid. I suck in a breath, her fear going straight to my dick. It jolts me out of my darkness for a second.

Cali gives me a double take, “What are you laughing at, pretty boy?”

I school my face. I didn’t realize I was smirking. I say mockingly, “You, pretty girl.”

“This isn’t funny.”

I raise my hands in surrender. “Believe me. Both of my men are about to lose their shit, and I’m not entirely sure you won’t murder me tonight. Nothing is funny about this.”

I feel the darkness swirling in me. That broken look on her face when she talked about Ben before, the fear on her face when we blindfolded her, and the absolute punch to the gut when I found out he hit her have me swirling in my demons again. I hate how easy it is to kick me back into my childhood.

That’s because this is where you belong, son. I am your home. Lean into what I’ve taught you.

I shake my head.

Cali gives me a face. “I’m going upstairs.”

I breathe in the fire spitting from her. It clears my mind for a second.

And then she’s gone.

I move to chase after her, to get her brightness back, but Miles grabs my arm. “We need to talk.”

I shake him off. “What?”

“How are we going to handle Ryder? He’s hurt.”

Look at you hurting the people you love. You’ll never escape me, son. You’re just like me.

I shake my head again.

Ben has started screaming behind his gag again. The rats are getting restless. It clears my mind for a second.

I can sense Miles looking at me. He asks, “What are we going to do about Cali?”

I watch the rats run from one end of Ben’s stomach to the other. They know something bad is coming.

Miles snaps my name.