Playing The Game - Book Four in The WSU Series

- Chapter Forty-Nine -

Three Months Ago

"Lizzie hasn't been seen in the media for a while now," Roma comments as I watch him flick through the newspaper. "Her dad's death must have hit her hard," he states as he reads the new articles that have been written about her. I wonder if she knows yet? If she's staying with Andrew Lewis, I wonder if he would have told her about Dominic Young's death, or if he'll wait for me to tell her.

I know from talking to Em and the girls that whenever they try to bring it up, Lizzie always avoids it. Whether she knows or not, she doesn't let them explain. "When was the last time you spoke to her?" I ask just as Roma shrugs, "it's odd," he mutters before looking up at me. "She always calls me on an unknown number, and then only for a couple of seconds," he states before shrugging. I know why, she doesn't want me to locate her phone. Yet, I already know where she is. She knows it too— she must, I've given her the freedom she desired, maybe one day she'll return. Kai is currently not talking to me because he believes I should bring her back, Kai argued that if I loved her I should go find her. But I refuse to make Lizzie return especially if she doesn't love me.

This game she set, I refuse to play because I no longer wish to be the reason she hates.

"I hope she's okay," Roma comments as he closes the newspaper, "how is she?" He asks and for once I don't know. I'm assuming she's happy because she's gotten everything she's ever wished for. Lizzie got her freedom. "Lizzie is fine," I admit, "she's currently in Italy with some family." Some family, she didn't even know them five months ago, and now she's spent the last two months with them.

"I remembered you being a better liar," Roma mutters as he pushes the newspaper in my direction. I glance down to see on the front cover and image of Lizzie, with the heading:

DADDY'S MONEY PAYS WELL.

I scoff as I turn the newspaper over, "is Lizzie aware of her father's suicide?" Roma questions and I have to admit, out of all the questions he could have possibly asked, that wasn't one of them. "Of course," I lie. Roma shakes his head at my words, "Lizzie told me and Ele that night she was heading back home, then, the next day her father is all over the media due to his death. Do you know something we don't?" Roma asks with bluntness to his tone, "no," I lie again, I've always done it— I'm not going to start telling the truth now. That would be pointless.

"I always knew Alex was secretive, but I would have never guessed you too— especially when you were everywhere in the media last summer," Roma states the obvious. The only reason I was spotted last summer was that I was trying to forget Lizzie, I knew I couldn't hook up with any of the girls I was seen with— she didn't know that. Maybe I wanted to hurt her, in the way she hurt me. Lizzies on my mind during the day, and she haunts my nights. I shouldn't be foolish enough into wishing she would come home, Lizzies always expressed how New York isn't her home. And now that I've taken over I know she won't want to return. Kai is right about one thing, I did make myself look weak. According to him, and his alliances with the other families, I've been made to look like a fool— in their eyes I can't even find my wife.