Playing The Game - Book Four in The WSU Series

- Chapter Five -

Last Year.

"You fucking knew."

And the silence is now gone, I close my eyes as I wait for Lizzie to elaborate, "you said, yes?" She asks her tone harsh as I turn to face her. Instead of stepping closer, I stay where I am, the distance between us is needed, I need it.

"I couldn't say, no," I reply, I can't allow my father to give the business to my brother, "you could of." Her voice now returning to its normal level, the underlying softness shining through. "I won't go through with it," she admits, it doesn't come as a shock that she'd refuse-- but I would of thought her father argued and won, otherwise she wouldn't be here right now.

"I can't go through with it. I won't do that to Gio," she instantly cringes at the name, "says who?" I ask, "says me." I shouldn't laugh, but I do, this is entertaining, her bursting into my room hoping I'd just back off. That I'd tell my father she doesn't want to so we should respect her decision. "Why are you doing this?" She questions, I pay closer attention to the way she's breathing her heart beating a thousand miles per minute. "I have no choice," and that's the truth, I have no choice when it comes to my fathers' orders.

"Everyone has a choice, you just made the wrong one." I take a step closer but stop when she holds her breath, "what do you want me to say?" I ask, her eyes finding mine, "what I want is for you to call it off. Tell your father you won't do it," her confidence amazes me, even after our tragic past she still believes I'd listen to her. "I could— but I won't."

"Rot in Hell," she hisses before breaking the distance between us, "I'll see you there," I smirk knowing that we both deserve Hell. We've been surrounded by the dark all our life. "If you think I'm going to go through with it, you're fucking idiotic," she curses, our bodies almost touching. "Tell you father that, maybe he'll hit you again," the words are poison when they leave my mouth but it's true, if Lizzie did go against her father he would abuse her and it wouldn't be the first time. "He couldn't hurt me as much as you have," she states.

I have hurt her, I betrayed her.

"Go home, Elizabeth," her eyes burning with hate as I speak her name, "I hate you." I know, I hate myself even more. "I hate you too, Lizzie," she rolls her eyes before storming out of my room, making sure to slam my door behind her.