Game On (The Game Series)

by Carella, A. J.

  She jumped at the buzzing of her phone as it skittered across the coffee table. She grabbed it, thinking it would be Kyle. As soon as she saw who it was, her heart started pounding.

  The text was from Sergei. Opening the attachment she saw the photo she had come to expect and her heart clenched. There she was, her beautiful baby. Except she wasn’t a baby any more, she was fourteen. As with every other message she had received, the feelings that came over her left her reeling as if from a punch in the stomach.

  She was still coming to terms with the fact that her daughter was still alive and every time a message arrived it brought all her emotions into sharp focus. All those years she had grieved for her child, for the future she would never had, and it had all been a lie. Now, she grieved for all those years of not being there for her first steps, her first words and her first day at school.

  After that first message in Geneva, the photos had started arriving every month. The second time they were still trying to get settled in L.A. Kyle was being interviewed by the LAPD over his evidence against Luccio and looking for a job, so she hadn’t wanted to bother him. After that, as the messages kept arriving, there had never seemed like a good time.

  Now it was too late. She could no more stop receiving these messages than she could rip out her own heart. Touching the screen of the phone with her finger, she traced the contours of her daughter’s face. There was no doubt who she was: the shape of her face, her mouth and her nose were identical to Tara’s. Her eyes flashed the same green though her hair was brown and not the black of her mother’s hair.

  A message had been included this time and, dragging her eyes away from the photo, she read the words. I’ve told her all about you. She wants to meet you.

  Tara clutched the phone to her chest. She couldn’t go back. There was no shadow of a doubt in her mind that Sergei would never let her leave again, yet she didn’t know how she was going to stay away.

  Feeling like she was being torn in two, Tara curled up on the couch and cried. Trying Kyle’s number once more, it just went to voicemail. She needed him right now. She’d been self-reliant for so long. It had taken a lot for her to let down her defences and trust and confide in Kyle. Now she had come to rely on him. Where was he when she needed him most?

  Chapter 4

  Kyle hadn’t known where he was headed when he’d left the apartment, he’d just needed to get out. He’d been walking aimlessly and was surprised when he looked up and saw that he was standing outside the police precinct. He stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. Luccio was in that building somewhere and he had information that could change his life. Deciding he had no choice, he walked up the front steps to the big glass double doors and went inside.

  Announcing himself to the officer at the front desk, Kyle told him who he wanted to see. He waited, taking a seat on one of the scratched and dirty plastic chairs that littered the waiting area. He didn’t have to wait long. A few minutes later the locked door to the side front desk swung open and there she was.

  Sandy hadn’t changed a bit. Her shoulder length dark brown hair was held back in a ponytail and her beautiful violet eyes wore only minimal make-up. She was wearing stonewashed blue jeans and a white blouse that did nothing to hide a fantastic figure.

  Despite her looks, what Kyle had always found most attractive about her was the aura of competence she exuded. Nothing fazed her, and he’d seen her take down a 6-foot bad guy brandishing a gun single-handed. This woman was tough. She didn’t seem to be thrilled to see him, though, judging by the frown on her face as she walked towards him.

  “Kyle, what on earth are you doing here?”

  He stood up. “You know why I’m here Sandy. You didn’t honestly expect me to stay away after your call, did you?”

  Putting her hands in her pants pockets, she raised her eyebrow. “And what do you think you can do? Have you forgotten that you’re not LAPD any more?”

  “Of course I haven’t,” he replied. “Look, I know there’s nothing I can do, but I have to be here. You understand that, don’t you?”

  Sandy nodded. She’d been the one who had broken the news to him when Lori had been killed and he knew he didn’t have to remind her what that had done to him. “Yes, of course I understand, but what are you going to do? Sit out here until we’ve interviewed him? Even if you do, I won’t be able to tell you anything. You know that.”

  Kyle did, but he was hoping that he would be able to twist her arm. “I’m not asking to sit in on the interview or anything. Just observe. Please?” He let out a breath when Sandy, after a long pause and a very hard look, reluctantly nodded her agreement.

  “Okay. But you do exactly as you’re told. It’s my ass on the line if anyone sees you.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Chapter 5

  He hadn’t given up. He had no intention of giving up. Nobody had ever walked away from him before and they weren’t about to start now. In the six months since Tara had gone, Sergei had been busy carrying out damage control. Some of the girls started complaining about their working conditions and threatening to leave, and he’d had come down hard on them, making an example of them.

  The players hadn’t been happy, either. Tara had been one of his most popular prizes and participation in the games had noticeably dropped off once word had got out that she was no longer available. If she’d done the right thing, paid the 250k to buy herself out, he would have let her go. He liked to think he was quite honourable like that. But to just run out on him? Leave him with a very unhappy client and embarrass him? No. She was going to pay for that.

  For the time being, though, now that a few of the girls had been disciplined, he had a few vacancies that needed to be filled. He was interviewing the last of the replacement girls today and then he’d be able to give Tara his full attention and decide what he was going to do. A knock on his office door signalled that the girl had arrived and he turned his thoughts to the matter at hand.

  His office was located above his most successful London casino, and this is where he had been holding interviews. As his flagship casino, no expense had been spared in the décor and this applied to his own private office as well. It was huge, and the floor was covered with thick, black carpet. The walls were stark white in contrast, covered in black and white prints of famous fifties movie stars.

  A large black leather couch was set against one wall and across from the couch sat a black glass desk. The only nod to color of any kind was the green blinds on the windows behind the desk, which filled the entire wall. A door led from the office to a private bathroom, complete with a floor to ceiling shower, the walls lined with imported Italian stone.

  “Come in,” he said now, and Joey, one of his aides, walked in followed by a girl of about twenty. As she came to stand in front of his desk, he looked her up and down and liked what he saw. Her short blue dress showed off her long legs nicely. Her blonde hair was piled high on top of her head, exposing the long curve of her neck. He needed to see more, though. This was an audition, after all.

  “Get your clothes off,” he barked. Without a word, she confidently unbuttoned her dress and let it slip to the floor, kicking her shoes aside. She was not wearing a bra and stood in just her panties, about the size of a piece of string. Her breasts were round and pert and just the perfect size. The nipples stood erect under his gaze.

  It had no effect on Sergei. She was far too old for his tastes, but he needed to see if she was up to the job. That’s what Joey was for. “You ready for your audition?”

  The girl smiled at him and nodded. At that Joey stepped forward and stood behind her. Reaching round from behind her, he took both her tits is his hands and started caressing them, flicking the nipples as he did. Lowering his face, Joey bit her neck while he squeezed her tits, hard.

  She seemed to enjoy it and reached up with one hand and pulled his head down harder into her neck. Sergei watched as, with her free hand, she reached inside her own panties and started rubbing her pussy.


  Letting her go, Joey pulled his pants down to his knees and sat on the chair across the desk from Sergei. “Suck this, bitch,” he said, as he pulled her face into his crotch. The girl willingly took Joey’s cock in her mouth, sucking and lapping at it with clear enjoyment.

  Pulling her ass towards him, Joey pushed her panties aside and shoved his fingers up inside her, feeling her wetness. Roughly, he started fucking her with his fingers, her juices running down onto his hand.

  Despite himself, Sergei’s cock was now pushing against the fabric of his pants so, reaching down, he slid down his zipper and allowed his cock to spring free from his shorts. He could see that the girl’s pussy was completely shaved and he liked that. Wanting a taste, he stood up from behind his desk, stepped out of his pants and shorts, and walked over to lie down on his couch.

  “Come here. Let me taste that pussy.” He watched as she walked over and pulled down her panties, tossing them aside. Climbing onto the sofa and straddling his face, she lowered herself down. Letting go of his cock and grabbing her hips, Sergei licked at her hungrily and, taking her clit in his mouth, sucked hard.

  She was rubbing her pussy against his face now as Joey came to stand behind his head. As he looked up he could see her hungrily take Joey’s cock in her mouth and slide it in and out, little moans escaping her throat. Her pussy was dripping wet and ready to be fucked.

  Telling her to kneel on the couch and bend over, he watched as Joey took his cock in his hand and guided it into her pussy. He slid it in slowly at first but quickly started pounding it into her harder and harder, his balls slapping against her clit. Joey was panting now, the sweat dripping off his forehead as he fucked her.

  Sergei sat next to her on the couch and squeezed her bouncing tits as he massaged his own cock. She was begging for it now and he wanted his share. “Come here and sit on my cock, bitch.”

  Joey pulled his cock out and she moved sideways to straddle Sergei, impaling herself on his cock, her tits in his face. Taking a nipple in his mouth he bit down hard, making her cry out. He was so hard inside her now that he knew it wouldn’t be long before he filled her with his come. Joey had joined them on the couch, sitting next to Sergei, and she was squeezing his balls as he jacked himself off, watching her get fucked. Turning her around on his lap, with his cock still inside her, Sergei held her legs wide and watched as Joey stood up and stood in front of her. With one hand squeezing one of her tits, and one hand rubbing his cock, Joey came all over her wet pussy with a loud cry. Unable to hold himself back any more, Sergei rammed his cock up inside her as far as he could and came in great shuddering spasms.

  ***

  After Joey and the girl had gone, Sergei had cleaned himself up in his bathroom before pouring himself a coffee from his coffee maker. That had been fun, and he’d surprised himself. Usually he just watched and didn’t join in.

  Feeling relaxed, Sergei reached for his cell phone. It was time. Every month since Tara had left he had, without fail, sent her a different photo of her daughter. For the first few months the text had gone ignored but last month she had replied. Just four words. What is she like?

  That had been enough to tell him that he was doing the right thing. She would come back of her own accord, of that he had no doubt, and when she did? Well, she would pay. He had no intention of letting her have anything to do with Anna. She was his daughter and his alone. She didn’t even know about Tara and he wasn’t about to tell her that her mother was a whore, but Tara didn’t know that and he could, and would, use it to get what he wanted. He pressed send, the message off to its intended target. He knew he was getting to her. It was just a matter of time until she did what he wanted.

  Chapter 6

  Kyle looked down at his phone. It was Tara again. She’d been calling him since he left the apartment but he hadn’t answered. He didn’t want to talk to her and her constant calling felt almost like an intrusion. He ignored the call, telling himself that he’d talk to her when he had a better idea of what he wanted to say. Not wanting to be disturbed again, he switched his phone off.

  After agreeing to let him watch the interview, Sandy had buzzed him through the main door and into the precinct. Ushering him through to a side room, she’d left him with strict instructions that he was to remain there and keep quiet. He felt a bit guilty for pressuring her to let him be here, but he needed to hear what Luccio had to say.

  Putting his phone in his pocket, he returned his attention to the window in front of him and watched as Sandy entered the room and sat down at the table across from Luccio. He felt as tightly coiled as a spring, the tension stiffening his shoulders and leaving his fists clenched. He watched as Sandy handed the paperwork for the plea deal to Luccio’s legal counsel. It took him several minutes to read it and the silence while he did nearly drove him crazy.

  Once it was signed, the questioning began in earnest. Sandy started slowly at first, going over old ground and re-establishing what they already knew. Kyle wanted to shout at her to just get on with it, but he knew that Sandy was a skilled interrogator who knew what she was doing. She would get there, he would just have to be patient. Eventually, she brought him around to the subject of Lori. He could feel the tension in the room as Luccio began to describe what had happened.

  Kyle stood transfixed, his breathing shallow, as he heard Luccio explain that it was a drug deal gone bad. Luccio had supplied a large proportion of the drugs in downtown L.A. through his network of dealers. One of these had been selling product through a staff member at the video store next to the Walmart where Lori had been shopping. The store manager had walked in on the deal taking place and called 911, so the dealer had run. That’s when he had come across Lori in the parking lot and stolen her car, killing her and her baby in the process.

  Kyle felt sick to his stomach as Luccio explained that it had never been meant to happen. That sick feeling turned into disbelief, though, as Luccio kept on talking. He explained that when he found out that Lori’s husband was a cop, he had been worried that, somehow, it would be traced back to him. He’d kept an eye on Kyle through his various contacts and, when Kyle had lost everything, he had stepped in to offer him the job as his head of security to keep him close.

  They still didn’t have a name though and that was all that Kyle was really interested in. As though she could sense what he was thinking, Sandy asked him the one question that they were really here for. Who had shot her?

  With a last look at his counsel, who nodded his agreement, Luccio turned to Sandy and gave up the name. Deshaun Ali. He had a name! Kyle felt adrenalin rush through his veins. At long last they would get his wife’s killer.

  ***

  “I want to talk to him,” Kyle said as soon as Sandy opened the door to the side room.

  She looked at him as if he had lost his mind. “Not gonna happen!”

  “Please, Sandy, I’ve got questions I need answers to,” he pleaded.

  “You know better than anyone else what would happen if I let you in there! I could lose my job from letting you watch as it is.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Kyle, but the answer’s no.”

  He knew better than to push it. And she was right, he’d already tried their friendship as it was and it wouldn’t be fair to push it further. “Look, we’ve got a name. It’s more than we’ve ever had.”

  Kyle nodded. Yes, it was, but a name wasn’t enough. They would need to find him and even then, Luccio telling them that he was the one who had killed Lori wasn’t enough to actually arrest and charge him for it. They would need more. “So, what are you going to do next? Have you heard of this guy? Do you know where you’re going to look?”

  Sandy held up her hands. “Slow down. We’ve only just gotten the name!”

  He knew she was right. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself down. “Yeah, of course. I’m sorry. Thanks for everything you just did in there,” he told her. “Just keep me in the loop, okay?”

  Sandy placed her hand on his arm. “Of cours
e I will.”

  ***

  It was dark by the time he let himself in to the apartment and he was surprised to find there were no lights on. Walking over to the lamp in the living room he switched it on and was surprised to see Tara curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Watching her, Kyle felt ashamed about the way he had treated her that morning. Crouching down in front of her he stroked her cheek, pushing a strand of her hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear. She stirred under his touch, and when she opened her eyes he could see that she had been crying.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked her.

  She looked at him for moment, then shook her head and smiled brightly. “Nothing, nothing at all. Where did you go? I was worried about you.”

  Seeing the concern etched on her face, Kyle felt like a complete bastard for walking out the way he had, with no explanation. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” He knew he owed her an explanation. “Have you eaten?”

  She shook her head.

  “Okay, I’ll make us some pasta.” He’d had time since leaving the precinct to think, to get his head straight. He hadn’t come home right away, not wanting to face Tara and answer her questions. He’d needed some time to himself to figure out what was going on in his head.

  Finding a bar, he’d spent the next few hours nursing a couple of beers and trying to understand his feelings. He’d finally figured out that it had been the guilt that had made him react the way he had. He couldn’t believe he’d felt anger towards Tara, even for an instant. She had not made him fall in love with her, hadn’t made him choose to move forward with his life. No, any anger he felt should be directed at himself for allowing justice for Lori to take a back seat.