The Foxhole Court (All for the Game, #1)

by Nora Sakavic

It's about second chances, Neil. Second, third, fourth, whatever, as long as you get at least one more than what anyone else wanted to give you."

"University," he said quietly. It sounded like a dream; it tasted like damnation.

"It's not the world that's cruel," Neil said. "It's the people in it."

Andrew was just a psychotic midget, and Neil had grown up around violence. Handling him would be easy.

Keys meant Neil had explicit permission to be here and do what he liked. They meant he belonged.

Nicky hooked the twine handle over Neil's fingers. Neil watched him do it, trying to remember the last time someone gave him a gift and coming up blank. That his first one should be from Andrew was unsettling.

"I'm fine,"

Hope was a dangerous, disquieting thing, but he thought perhaps he liked it.

"It's fine, Coach," Andrew said, catching up to them. He touched Neil's back on his way by, fingers light enough to give Neil goose bumps, but didn't slow on his way to Kevin's side.

I love Andrew's subtle little moves!

This is the moment you stop being the rabbit."

Let Andrew give you things if he wants to. He's not normally the gifting type, so it's kind of fun."

"This means Andrew is keeping you, same as he kept Kevin. It means you're part of the family now."

"Being related doesn't make us family."

"Family means something different with us because it has to. It's not about blood. It's not even about who we like. It's about who Andrew's willing to protect."

You're one of us, which means we'll never push you further than you're willing to go.

A group of people shouldered their way up to the bar counter at Neil's back, pushing him into Andrew. Andrew didn't budge beneath his weight. He was something solid to lean against, something violent and fierce and unmoving. Neil couldn't remember what it felt like to have someone hold him up. It was terrifying and liberating all at once. His life was out of his control now; he was giving it to Andrew and hoping Andrew would keep it safe.

Andrew hooked his fingers in the collar of Neil's shirt and tugged just enough for Neil to feel it.

Andrew didn't let go until Neil nodded, and then he reached for Neil's hand. He took his cigarette back, put it between his lips, and pressed a warm key into Neil's empty palm.

Andrew used this key to unlock the front door and then took it off the ring on the porch. Now he was giving it to Neil.

Neil looked down at the key in his hand. "Home," he whispered, needing to hear it aloud. It was a foreign concept to him, an impossible dream. It was frightening and wonderful all at once, and it set his heart racing so fast he thought it'd drum out of his chest. "Welcome home, Neil."