These Games We Play

chapter twenty eight:sisters

Once we were outside I was launched with questions. Because as it turns out I hadn't exactly explained it all that well.

"What happened in the woods?" Pip finally asked.

"There was an incident yesterday," Oren said, "with a bullet and a tree."

"We are well aware of that Oren. Eva, how did you get hurt. Please tell me you weren't shot and you have been brushing over it." Pip said turning away from my body guard.

"I wasn't shot. I was shot at. Big difference."

"There is not a big difference." Lia finally pipped up. "You know you haven't talked about what happened."

"I just said I was shot at. I'm fine okay not dead at all. Only got hit by bark."

"You got hit by bark and your sweater was covered in blood?" Cam asked. "Oren please explain?"

"It's unclear if the shots were meant to scare Eva, or if she was a genuine target. The shooter missed, but she was injured by debris. The bark was lodged into her collarbone, I took it out and gave her stiches." Orne stated. "I'll give you all a minute."

He retreated down the hall-still in sight, still close enough to hear but far enough away to pretend he couldn't. So he was a coward and a traitor.

Lia and Cam followed after him. They knew this was just a Radways sister conversation. I would tell them about it later.

"There were shots plural?" Pip asked me.

"Oren and Alisa are taking care of the situation," I told her. "I didn't want you to worry." Pip lifted her hand to my cheek, her eyes falling on the scratch I'd covered up.

"And who's taking care of you?" She asked me.

"I told you I always land on my feet." I muttered. "Besides you have enough to deal with."

"What are you talking about?" Pip asked. I heard her suck in a quick breath, then exhale. "Is this about Ethan?" She'd said his name. The floodgates were officially open, and there was no holding it back now.

"He's been texting you."

"I don't text him back," Pip said defensively.

"You also haven't blocked him." She didn't have a reply for that. "You could have blocked him," I said hoarsely.

"Alisa said she got you a new phone use that. You could report him for violating the restraining order."

"I didn't ask for a restraining order!" Pip seemed to regret those words the second she'd said them. She swallowed. "And I don't want a new phone. All my friends have the number for this one. Dad has the number for this one."

I stared at her. "Dad?" I hadn't seen Peter Radways in two years. My caseworker had been in touch with him, but he hadn't so much as placed a phone call to me. He hadn't even come to my mother's funeral. I didn't want anything to do with him. If I told Pip, why I don't think she would either. But I hadn't told her why I hated him so much. I hadn't told anyone.

"Did Dad call you?" I asked Pip. "Did you talk to him?"

"He just... wanted to check on us, you know?" I knew that he'd probably seen the news. I knew that he didn't have my new number. I knew that he had billions of reasons to want me now when he'd never cared enough to stick around for either of us before.

"He wants money," I told Pip, my voice flat. "Just like Ethan. Just like your mom." Mentioning her mother was a low blow. They may not have talked to each other in ages but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"Who does Oren think shot you?" Pip asked she wanted to know I was okay that we were still safe here.

"The shots were fired from inside the walls of the estate," I said, repeating what I'd been told. "Whoever shot me had access."

"That's why Oren is tightening security," Pip said, the gears in her head turning behind her kohl-lined eyes.

"Essential personnel only." Her dark lips fixed themselves into a thin line. "Why didn't you tell me last night."

"You were sleeping, have you seen Ethan yes, or no?"

"No, I haven't. I'm not going to." She pulled me into a hug then. I wasn't going to cry again I refused to.

"But for the record, Evangeline, you're a minor, and I'm still your legal guardian. The next time someone tries to shoot you, I damn well want to know as soon as it happens. Now tell me about this kiss."