Playing Games.
Book Three
Endgame Series
Published by Cara E. Holt.
Copyright © 2021 by Cara E. Holt.
No reproduction without permission.
All rights reserved.
License notes
This e-book is an original work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.
Cover by Mullaney e-book covers.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Grayson.
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
Chapter 1
I HOLD MY HANDS OUT in front of me as I take small uncertain steps forward, unable to see a thing. Olly giggles excitedly beside me and squeezes my hand with excitement. My family has pulled me out of my bed this morning and placed a blindfold over my eyes, and I am now being led by them to what I could only assume was my 18th birthday present. Yes, today was my birthday. I was eighteen, officially an adult. My first birthday without my lovely Mum, and my first one with my dad.
“No peeking, Evy,” Olly commands. “Get the door, Daddy.”
“I am, I am,” my dad replies and I hear the front door click open.
“We’re going outside?” I ask, and I hear another giggle from Olly in response.
“Okay, stop right here,” Olly orders me.
Dom’s hands on my shoulders stop me from going any further.
“Take it off, Dom,” Olly demands and Dom unties the scarf that is over my eyes. “Quicker Dom!”
“Okay, Okay!” Dom says, the humour clear in his tone of voice as he undoes the last knot.
“Wait. Let’s countdown. You ready, Olly?” Sophie asks him. “Three, two, one!”
Dom whips the scarf from my eyes and I blink twice at what I see in front of me. I look from the shiny new car on the drive to my dad and then Sophie.
“You’re shittin me!” I immediately cover my mouth, realising I have just sworn in front of my little brother.
“Everly said a swear word, Mummy.”
Sophie fights a smile. “Yes, she did, but we’ll let her off today because it’s her birthday.”
In a daze, I walk towards the car that has a large red bow on the front and run my hand along its paint work.
“I can’t believe you got me a car, and not just any car.” I feel tears brimming in my eyes as I fight the emotions inside of me. You see, a VW Beetle had been my mum’s trusty old car and when it gave up the ghost two years ago, she’d said a tearful goodbye to it and bought a cheap little Kia run-around. So, when I’d had a casual conversation about cars with my family and they had asked me what my dream first car was, I wistfully told them I wanted a cream VW convertible that I would name Gretta. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect them to buy me one for my birthday.
“Are you okay, honey?” My dad comes up beside me and dangles the keys in front of me.
I take the keys from him, jumping up and down like an excited child at Christmas. “It’s perfect! I love it. God, Mum would love this car.”
My dad places his arm around my shoulder and hugs me into his side. “I’m so pleased you like it.”
I shake my head, beaming from head to toe. “Dad, I don’t like this car, I adore it.”
“Want to take it for a spin?” he asks, holding up two ‘L’ plates.
“Yes! Yes,” I reply immediately and before he can say another word, I press the unlock button, whip open the door and take a seat inside my new baby. I run my hands over the steering wheel and take in the interior. On the dash is a wobbly head united football player.
“Whose touch is this?” I ask, laughing.
“That is Dom’s touch,” Sophie tells me, pointing at Dom, who grins and rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, that is the first and last time you will ever catch me buying anything from the United online shop.”
I flick the head of the wobbly figure and watch it bob side to side. My dad opens the passenger door and slides in beside me. “Ready?”
“Hell, yes. Watch out world here I come,” I shout as I start the engine and find the biting point. Ever so slowly, we move forward and head down the drive.
“This is amazing,” I squeal as I drive out on to the street.
“Remember to use your mirrors,” my dad reminds me. I’ve been having driving lessons for just over a month and I am slowly getting the hang of things, but I have never been out with my dad before, so this is a novel experience.
“Are you happy, honey?” he asks me. I can feel him studying my face intently.
I know what he is asking me this. Today is not going to be an easy day. It is my first birthday without my lovely mum. I officially became an adult today and my mum is not here to see it.
“I’m as happy as I can be,” I tell him with a brave smile. “It’s not the same without her, but I’m doing okay.”
He nods and reaches over and squeezes my hand that rests on the gear stick. “She would be proud of the young woman you’re becoming.”
“I hope so,” I reply with a smile.
We go around the block three times and then dad checks his watch and says we should head back for breakfast. My heart thumps in my chest when we pull into the drive, and I see Grayson waiting. He’s leaning back against his car looking every inch the deliciously hot snack he was. Our college uniform clings to him in all the right places, the shirt straining against his muscled chest, and I inwardly sigh at the sight of my boyfriend. I kill the engine and I am up out of the car and launching myself at him.
“Hey baby,” he
