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The satisfaction of taking down the Echelon Society, of taking down Carrick, is not a feeling I’m ready to give up. But first…
“What about my father?”
“You have enough to bail him out. Your winnings, the money you earned from the games, was wired into a private account I had my people make for you.Technicallyit’s illegal betting money, but it barely scratches the surface on the Echelon Society’s account, so it will just look like another transaction. It’s all yours.”
“How much?”
“Two million.”
“I’m amillionaire?” I asked hoarsely. My thoughts race with questions, but there was one that stuck out above the rest. “If I help you take down others… can I make more money?”
Laurence smirks, something mischievous lurking beneath his eyes. “Yes, though the feds won’t like it. I never promised I wasn’t a devil myself. I did, after all, take that money from the Echelon Society without them knowing.”
“You’re full of surprises, Laurence Vale. What can’t you do?”
Laurence pushes me down into the bed, getting on top of me and pinning my hands to the pillow. “You’ll just have to stay with me to find out, sweetheart. The games barely even scratched the surface.”
“Is it bad that I enjoyed the games?” I ask as he begins to kiss my throat.
“Not at all…” He pulls away to hover just above my lips. “Welcome to the delights of devils, Eve.”
Epilogue: Lily
The Games Begin Again
The chaos was overwhelming. I saw as Laurence quickly slipped Eve away, clear that this was something he had been planning. She’d involved me from the start, and then left me to be a victim to the feds with the rest of the corrupt people.
After helping Eve, being there for her, I didn’t deserve this.
Betrayal has no end in this world. Even when I thought I had stumbled upon integrity, upon gentleness, it bit me in the ass. Even Morticia was of the same type of scum. She quickly left me as the feds closed in, herding me toward the wall with as many of the Advocates, Players, and audience as they could, shouting orders with guns pointed in our faces.
I kept my composure not because the shock was getting to me, but because a slow, silent rage was boiling beneath the surface. Anger was new to me. I’d never entertained it, never allowed myself to feel. I had to be the kind, understanding one for my siblings when we were abandoned by our parents, and even now I take on that calm exterior. Sarah is herded up beside me. I grab her hand, thinking of the other girls in the processing center. They’ll be free, but those of us caught in this room… I don’t know how this will go for us. It will take a lot of convincing.
People are being arrested, a lot of the big names. Carrick is forced down to the floor, his hands cuffed behind his back before the feds yank him to his feet. The rest is a blur. There’s too much shouting, too much chaos as Echelon Society members are rounded up and filed out. We’re led out with them. Sarah doesn’t let go of my hand.
She leans in behind me, her voice laced with fear. “What will happen to us?”
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. Looking behind her, I see that, for the most part, the Players have gathered together. Strength in unity and all that. The not-so-innocent women who willingly partook in the illegal betting of the games.
What a mess.
Once we’re outside, I see that there are helicopters big enough to fit a good number of people inside each of them lining the beach.
A gunshot rings out, and everyone ducks down to the sand. I can’t pinpoint the source of it as somebody starts to shoot at the feds. Idiots.
A shootout starts, and I cover my ears, my composure cracking as rage and fear split my exterior. My hands shake and my breathing becomes heavy. I hear the sound of it in my head and try to let it steady me as I look around, trying to find a way out of this. Sand scratches at my face, my forearms, my exposed skin. I turn to look at Sarah, who has tears of fear running down her cheeks. “Lily!” she cries out, reaching for me again. I take her hand firmly, look to the edge of the jungle, and begin to guide her there.
“Grab the others,” I command her as more shots from the mansion ring out.
I underestimated the violence of the Echelon Society. Good riddance to them.
I guide the rest of the girls to the jungle as we crawl to it, slipping in between the ferns while everyone else is occupied with the shootout. As soon as we’re deep enough, I rise to my feet, helping the other girls steady themselves as we take off into a run.
The sounds of gunshots continue, though they slowly dissipate, still echoing among the trees as we press deeper inthe jungle. The island isn’t huge. Eventually we’ll reach the other end, or the processing center I have yet to see, somewhere to hide. Maybe if we hide long enough the chaos will settle, the feds will leave with the true criminals, and someone will find us, take us home, and we can all forget about this mess.
Every remaining Player, Clover, Bree, and Sarah…
“Where Stella?” I ask.
