Four Hearts (The Game of Life Novella Series Book 4) by Belle Brooks

Author:Belle Brooks [Brooks, Belle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Obie Books
Published: 2018-02-27T18:30:00+00:00

Every step I take up the staircase has my muscles burning. I feel as if I’ve run a marathon twice over. My stomach growls and groans from hunger, and even though it hurts I still can’t fathom the idea of eating anything.

When I reach the bedroom door, I pause. It’s only for a moment, but it’s long enough to hear the sudden slamming of another door behind me.

I twist on my heel and glare down the corridor. “Morgan,” I whisper.

Silently, one foot in front of the other, I approach the children’s bedrooms. Aleeha’s is where I stop.

I place my hand on the handle and push it wide open. “What are you doing in here?”

My finger is pointed in Dusty’s direction as he bends over Aleeha’s bed.

“Reid.” He flings his body towards me. His hand whips outwards, and in his grasp there’s a purple pony. “Linda asked me to get this.”

“Why?” I snap, stepping towards him.

“John said she wanted it, and your folks are going next door.”

A blowing curtain steels my attention. Aleeha’s window is open.

Was it open earlier? When was the last time I came in here? I can remember Shirley holding Aleeha on her bed; that was the last time I was here in her room. Maybe Kylee and Ronald opened it? Or was it Dusty?

“The window.” I point in its direction.

Dusty crooks his neck and looks behind him.

“Did you open it?”

“Yes,” he says, facing me once more.

“Why?”

“The room had a bad …” He stops speaking. “The room needed some airing. I couldn’t hold it in.”

“You farted?”

He nods. “Mate, I just came to get the pony as instructed.”

“Hon, have you —”

I swivel on my heel. Linda’s eyes are wide. Her lips are pulled tight.

“You tell him to get this toy?”

“No, John did. What’s going on here?” Her eyebrows furrow.

“I’ll explain downstairs.” Dusty walks towards me, turning sideways to slip through the gap between me and the doorframe. “I let one rip in there. I opened the window to let some fresh air in and the door slammed. Reid got a fright, I think.”

Dusty passes Disco Bash, Aleeha’s pony, to Linda.

“Reid.” Linda steps towards me. “It’s okay.” She runs her free hand down my arm. “I’ll see that Aleeha gets Disco Bash.”

I close my eyes and cup my hands to my forehead. “Just go,” I huff.

I want to be the one taking my daughter’s toy to her. Giving her the comfort she seeks. Not any-fucking-body else.

“I’ll ring you. Remember what Dusty said. Keep your eyes on the cops.”

“Why is that again, exactly?” I drop my arms until my hands dangle at my sides.

Dusty looks to his left, then his right. “Because there’s a lot they —”

“Linda, have you got the pony?” John calls. I can hear the sound of his feet hitting each stair.

“Got it,” Linda yells.

When John’s head pops into view, his eyes narrow. “Reid, what are you still doing up? Go and get some sleep, for the love of all things that are holy.”

I shift my eyes to Dusty, then to Linda, then back to John.

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