The Game: Rebels of Ridgecrest High (Book 3)
The Game: Chapter 14

I can’t get my head around what Mila just said. Why she needed the money.

I took her hand to let her know I’m here for her. I had no idea that the hit and run wasn’t an accident, that they intentionally hit her with their car. Or the fact that Roman is tied up in all of this because of his father.

Fuck. I take a deep breath and try to work out how to get money. I need to stop these people from hurting her… hurting Roman. He isn’t a bad guy. His father was, and now all this shit. Everything Mila says and does for Roman and Hunter makes sense now.

The way she acts when she’s out of the house. The way Roman watches her and protects her. Even from me. He’s protecting her from the Amato family.

“Mila, sit down. I need you to start again.” Alessandro’s very calm, but I don’t like it.

She tries to pull away from me, but I won’t let it happen. I’m not letting go of her. I lead her to the couch and take a seat in its soft buttery leather. As Mila talks to Alessandro, I pull out my phone and send Hunter a text, hoping he will read it. Because, if shit is about to go sideways here, I need back up.

Me: Mila is at the Amato house making a deal.

I can see he’s read it and the ellipses come up, as if he’s typing me a message, but go away. At least he knows.

Mila’s phone goes off in her bag, and she pulls it out and pressed the red button next to Hunter’s name. Crap, she isn’t taking his calls.

“So, tell me. Who said it’s the Amato family?” Alessandro asks, the way he relaxes back as if this isn’t a big deal gets to me. I don’t like the smug prick.

“Johnny and Carlos. They’re the ones who hit me with their car, beat Roman, and tell him where he needs to go. Who he needs to fight or what game he needs to lose.”

She’s shaking, and I want to comfort her more, but I don’t think she would appreciate that. I don’t know what I can and can’t do with her reading into it as more than me wanting to comfort her.

“Johnny and Carlos, you say?” Alessandro sits up straighter now. He knows those names.

“Yes. They stalked my house, and now I don’t live there anymore. I’m telling you it’s them. They even sent me creepy flowers to let me know they’re watching.”

I squeeze her hand tighter. I can’t believe this has been happening to her. She never said a thing. Even Roman. It’s not his fault his father was a junkie. He shouldn’t be paying off his debt. And now with him dead… shit.

Alessandro dials something into his phone and puts it to his ear. “Can you get Johnny and Carlos for me?” He hangs up before the person on the other end can reply.

Mila stands up, shaking her head. I don’t let go of her hand as I stand with her. The fuck is wrong with this guy. Why would he bring the two guys who tried to kill her into the same room with her.

“No, no, I can’t let them see me. They’ll kill me.” She pleads with Alessandro. His expression is hard. Does this guy have no heart at all?

“Over my dead body,” I growl. Fuck this. I try to pull her away, but Alessandro yells out for us to stop.

“Johnny and Carlos are my babysitters, more than anything else. They’re hired to watch my back while I’m at school and nothing else. So, if they’re the same guys you said did all this, we’re going to have a problem here.”

We? No, he’s going to have a problem.

Her phone rings again, and she looks at the number. I feel it in the way she lets go of my hand that she knows what I did.

“You told them.” She hisses under her breath at me.

I nod. They need to know where we were. I’m worried this made everything much worse for them.

As the two men—Johnny and Carlos—walk into the room, they pause when they see Mila.