Playing Heart Games

Level 49: Get Threatened

VIOLET

My eyes had already begun to water when I stumbled outside.

I'm Axel's girlfriend.

Axel had a girlfriend.

Someone who'd known him for years.

Who hadn't broken his heart over a lie.

The first tear escaped.

What had I expected to happen? That I'd just go in and tell him that everything was a lie? That he'd be happy to see me?

I don't think we ever stopped caring about each other.

I was such an idiot.

The world blurred as I staggered towards my car. I fumbled with the door handle. I needed to leave. I needed to get as far away as I could.

"Violet?"

I stiffened. I scrubbed my eyes with my forearm, then turned around.

A guy.

He was tall, preppy, hands tucked into his pockets. His hair was black, slightly overgrown, contrasting with his alabaster skin.

He seemed familiar.

"Can I help you?" I rasped.

He studied me. "Are you Violet Madison?"

A British accent.

I frowned. "Yes?"

He pulled out a phone and handed it to me.

A video started playing as soon as I touched it. CCTV footage. A jewellery store, marble floors, expensive trinkets hanging from a series of racks.

"What—"

A girl's figure stepped into the screen, pausing in front of a display.

Alissa.

She glanced around, once, before she unhooked a bracelet from the display and tucked it into her pocket.

"That was your step sister—Alissa Dawson."

My eyes snapped to him. "This can't be real."

Alissa had everything. She didn't need to steal—

The boy's expression didn't change. He looked utterly bored. "It was taken two weeks ago."

"Where—where did you get...?"

"Everything has a price," he said. "Your mother is new around here, isn't she?"

Hairs prickled on the back of my neck.

He gazed into the distance. "She's trying to make friends in a very cliquey neighbourhood. She's been here for almost four months and she's only made one friend. The other women are starting to let her in, but it wouldn't be helpful if people knew her stepdaughter was a shoplifter."

His eyes met mine and I realised why I recognised him. His eyes were identical to Bree's—a pale lime green.

"How do you think your mother would fare when they discover she has a thief for a stepdaughter?"

A familiar sensation rolled over me. The same sensation that I'd felt when Dakota had threatened Axel.

"What do you want from me?" I whispered.

He didn't blink. "I want you to pretend to be my girlfriend."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"Keep the phone. I've programmed my number into it. Send me a message when you've made a decision."

He turned and walked away.