Five Fights: The Game of Life Series, #5

By Belle Brooks

"There's no better wolf than a dead one."

 

This is the end.

The sound of cars makes my heart beat faster. The sight of a bitumen road gives me hope. The faces of my family waiting for me are all I can see as I battle to survive.

 

I can't look back.

 

I can't cry out.

 

Fight, Morgan.

 

He is the Wolf, and I'm the thirteenth woman he has called his Red. This is his last chance to scratch my name from the list of bitches who've wronged him.

 

Will he claim my life?

 

"I'm coming for you, Red. It's time to die. – The Wolf

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Belle Brooks
• Release date: Mar 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9780648126393

Belle Brooks

Born in Australia, Belle Brooks has always had a passion for books and creative writing. She loves exploring the different ways stories can be told through the use of text and in-depth characters. Since she was a child her strong talent and interest in creative writing was evident, explaining that her favourite class in school was English. Despite her love for all things books, she decided the world of advertising and marketing was where she could put her talents to use in the business realm, well that is until now. Belle enjoys creative writing and creating fictional stories that leave a valued message inside the pages.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Published 2018

ISBN – 9780648126393

Five Fights

©2018 by Belle Brooks

Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permission of the publisher, Obie Books, Po Box 2302, Yeppoon QLD Australia 4703.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All rights are reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in past in any form. This edition is published in arrangement with Obie Books Q.L.D.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by

Obie Books

Po Box 2302

Yeppoon Qld 4701

AUSTRALIA

Cover design by Tracey (Soxie) Weston.

Editing by Lauren Clarke

Formatting by Jaye Cox

For all emergency service personnel.

Every day you put your lives on the line to protect and serve others.

You run into conflict whilst we run for shelter.

Thank you for your bravery and heroic actions.

Thank you for saving lives.

A NOTE TO THE READER

The Game of Life Novella Series is comprised of five parts. To enjoy this highly suspenseful psychological thriller, it’s advised that you read each book in the correct order as shown below.

Book One – One Fear

Book Two –Two Footsteps

Book Three – Three Breaths

Book Four – Four Hearts

Book Five – Five Fights

These books have been written using UK English and contain euphemisms and slang words that form part of the Australian spoken word, which is the basis of this book’s writing style.

Please remember that the words are not misspelled. They are slang terms and form part of everyday Australian vernacular.

Reid

I sit watching the hands on the clock rotate slowly, so slowly it appears they don’t move at all. 3:40 a.m., and still no word. Not a whisper. Nothing.

Shaky breaths part my lips. My jaw clenches tight at the same time as my hands. My stomach rolls like a tidal wave, then knots into a tight ball. Why haven’t we heard anything? Is no news good news?

He places his hands on the breakfast bar. His platinum wedding ring flashes past my vision, catching my attention. I can see the grazes on his knuckles and hear every unsteady breath he takes, but I don’t look up and meet Cruise’s gaze. Instead, I turn my eyes back to those slowly rotating hands barely circling the clock.

He clears his throat, but says nothing. I know he wants me to look at him, but I won’t. I can’t.

Since Cruise’s return three hours ago, we’ve kept distance between each other. I’m mad, in pain, and on the verge of an internal death, one that will obliviate any chance of me coming out of this the same person I once was. I have no fight left. I’m not even sure what is left to fight for. I know my brother didn’t take Morgan—the police have cleared him—but I hadn’t realised how much I needed Cruise to be here by my side in the most difficult moment of my life. He wasn’t here. Now that he is, I want him to leave.

It remains quiet in the house, apart from each breath Cruise takes and the ticking sound from the clock.

The storm whipped, beat, and thrashed the earth until just after midnight. It was loud, violent, and powerful, worse than the weather the night Morgan disappeared, and I can’t help thinking that if she was out there in that, I doubt she’d have survived. What shelter did she have, if any?

I thought the storm would never stop, even though I pleaded for it to, for Morgan’s sake, for ours, for the officers who were out searching for her.

Eventually, it did, just as abruptly as it arrived. An eerie calm has since replaced those furious howls of wind, and no matter how hard I try to shake an overwhelming sense of doom, I can’t.

Reid, Cruise whispers. Everyone’s asleep.

I don’t give him my attention or answer. Instead, I keep my eyes fixated on the clock.

I’m so sorry, brother. If I had known, I would have been here in a heartbeat.

It’s too late for apologies.

Talk to me. Please.

I close my eyes and try to pretend he’s not even standing there. I just want Cruise to disappear and go back to his mate’s place, far, far away from me.

Talk to me.

Nothing to say, I murmur.

But there is. I’m here. He pauses. I’m here for you. Let me help you.

Find Morgan. Bring her home, I punch out. That’s the only help I want.

I will. Tell me how, and I’ll bring her home.

Mechanically, I rotate my head. If I knew, wouldn’t you think I’d have taken care of it myself already.

He blinks. His lips part. His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat, forcing his mouth to close. I’d never hurt Morgan. You know that, right? Cruise speaks softly. His eyes are pleading when they connect with mine.

I nod.

Together, you and me, we can work this puzzle out. I know we can.

You stink really bad. He does, like a mix of stale ale, rotten eggs, and the unique, pungent odour of papaya. I want to dry heave with each inhale.

Yeah. I fucked up, okay? I need to pull my head in and get my shit together.

You need a shower first.

He grins. That bad, hey?

"Worse than having my head stuffed inside