The Long Game

CONTENTS Author’s Note Dedication Playlist 1. Riley 2. Riley 3. Riley 4. Miles 5. Riley 6. Miles 7. Miles 8. Riley 9. Miles 10. Miles 11. Miles 12. Riley 13. Riley 14. Riley 15. Miles 16. Miles 17. Riley Miles 18. Miles 19. Riley 20. Miles 21. Miles 22. Riley 23. Riley 24. Miles 25. Miles 26. Riley 27. Miles 28. Miles 29. Riley 30. Riley 31. Miles 32. Riley 33. Miles 34. Riley 35. Riley 36. Miles 37. Riley 38. Miles 39. Riley 40. Riley Epilogue Glossary Thank you for reading! Connect With Me Acknowledgments About the Author Also by Cassie Flinchum Copyright © 2023 by Cassie Flinchum All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places and incidents are the 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. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. ASIN: B0C6HT7LHZ Spicy Cover Design: Jo, Dark Ink Designs Discreet Cover Design: Aliyah, @kylahdesigns Editor: Jenn Lockwood Editing Proofreader: Sophie, Iris Peony Editing First paperback edition July 2023 www.Cassie-Flinchum.com Created with Vellum AUTHOR’S NOTE This is just a friendly reminder before you begin reading that while this is a contemporary romance, there are still potentially triggering topics for some readers. I hope I have handled these topics with the care and generosity they deserve. Please proceed with caution. Triggers: Anxiety, depression, foster care, and abandonment issues. This book is recommended for those 18+. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my email, [email protected] or my Instagram, @authorcassieflinchum DEDICATION For anyone who has ever struggled with a mental illness. You are not a burden, your feelings are valid, and you are not defined by your struggles. You are a warrior. PLAYLIST Tattoo – Loreen Till Forever Falls Apart – Ashe and FINNEAS Girls Like Me Don’t Cry – Thuy Broken Promise – Jon Dretto Wolves - Lauren Jauregui feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Russ Girls Like Us – Zoe Wees Give You Love – Alex Warren Spark – Ed Sheeran Arms – Christina Perri Sweet Silver Lining – Kate Voegele Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas 18 – One Direction Nightmare – Halsey Desire – Meg Myers Oxygen – Robin Schulz & Winona Oak Survive My Own Mind – Ashley Kutcher All My Heart – Sleeping With Sirens Bennie And The Jets – Elton John The Heart Wants What It Wants – Selena Gomez Honest – Kodaline The Only Exception – Paramore Stop And Stare – OneRepublic Under Your Scars – Godsmack CHAPTER 1 RILEY I don’t know how much fucking more I can take. It doesn’t matter who you believe in—God, spirits, or whichever—they say that they give the hardest battles to the strongest warriors. Well, I’m no fucking warrior and I’m certainly not strong. And to whoever cursed my ass or is currently sticking pins in a voodoo doll shaped like me—I’d love for you to quit because I’m tired of being life’s proverbial punching bag. It’s the only explanation as to why I’m standing in my apartment looking at a pile of boxes full of my personal things that were clearly thrown haphazardly together, with no regard to their value. Not that they have much anyway. “What the hell, Madison?” I ask in disbelief. “Look, Riley. I’m sorry. Nolan was kicked out of his place and he’s my boyfriend; I can’t let him live on the street,” she states, defending the situation. “And how the hell does that translate into kicking me out?” My entire world is falling apart and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I wish I’d never agreed to rent from her without my name on the lease. “He’s a musician. Your room has to be his studio or else he won’t be able to work. I hate to do this, especially since you’ve been a good tenant, but I’m sorry. And no guy wants to live with his girlfriend and a random roommate.” Hearing her refer to me as a ‘random roommate’ hurts, but not enough for me to carry the pain out of this room when I’m gone. We started working together a few years ago, and I’ve been living here for two of them. “This is bullshit, and you know it, Madison.” I shake my head. “This isn’t right.” “We all have to do things that we don’t want to,” she says with a resigned tone. She tells me like I don’t already fucking know that, but she doesn’t know my life. I don’t think anyone truly does, even my best friend. “I’ll give you to the end of the day to get your things,” Madison adds. “If you don’t—” “Don’t finish that sentence,” I grit. “I’ll get my shit later.” As I’m turning to leave, her voice filters through the air, effectively stopping me in my tracks. “Riley.” I cast my eyes over my shoulder, refusing to face fully in her direction. “What?” “Can you pay this month’s rent? Nolan doesn’t get his check for a couple weeks and I’m a few days late already.” “You’re kidding me, right?” Her lack of an answer tells me all I need to know. A dark, humorless laugh escapes me before I have the chance to keep it inside. “You screw me over, then you want me to pay you? Funny.” I laugh again. I reach into my pocket, and relief pops into Madison’s eyes. “Thank you, Riley. You don’t know what this means to