Chapter 2
I died. Fuck. Not again .
“Anyone have an extra health pack?”
“Um, are we not going to talk about how ComeFindJack11 joined our crew last night?” Juniper calls out as her avatar drops a care package for mine.
“He’s overrated,” Skat grumbles.
“Ha, you’re just jealous,” I snort.
RageMachine chuckles. “Hell yeah, we are. You two were creaming your fucking pants when he joined.”
“Gross, Rage. But you’re not wrong,” Juniper teases.
I feel a blush sweep across my face. ComeFindJack11 is one of the most well-known players in gaming. He seemingly came out of nowhere a few months ago. It’s baffling that he’d want to play with us. Not that we suck, but we’re nowhere near his level. And then hearing his voice… Fuck.
He sounded sexy, but voices can be deceiving. I once agreed to go on a date with someone I met on here and was severely disappointed. He was ten years older than he claimed to be and missing half his teeth. Never again.
But Jack… I want to imagine that he looks like a thirst trap with abs, like one of those Ghostface cosplayers. At least I can have the fantasy to get me through my dreary existence.
“Hey, you girls okay? We heard about what happened at Joystick. You didn’t mention it last night,” RageMachine asks. While we actually do know each other’s real names, we still call each other by our gamertags on here. Skat’s real name is Laken and RageMachine is really Kole.
“Yup. It happened after we left,” Juniper quips.
I breathe a sigh of relief that she didn’t tell them anything. “Yeah, we just found out about it today,” I add. I don’t like lying to my friends, but I don’t have the stomach to deal with the questions that would ensue if they knew the real story.
“I feel bad for the poor girl he assaulted. But I bet she feels safer now knowing he’s dead.” Skat snickers.
My stomach knots. Do I feel safer? Or relieved? A twinge of guilt twists in my gut because what I really feel is joy. Pure fucking joy knowing that fucker was splattered on the pavement. That must make me a disturbed individual. I still find it hard to believe he killed himself. But what other explanation is there? No one saw what he did to me. And even if someone did, I doubt they would risk their own freedom to kill for a girl they never met.
“Okay, subject change, please,” Juniper hisses. “No more talk of dead guys.”
I sigh again. I’m lucky she’s got my back. I’m too polite for my own good. “Sounds good to me.”
We play for a few more hours until everyone starts yawning. Skat and RageMachine both have to be up early for work tomorrow. I hang back with Juniper for a few more minutes after the other two leave the group chat.
“Are you really okay, Roxy?”
I’m in shock and still processing. I don’t want to think about what could’ve happened if that door hadn’t burst open.
I take a swig of my wine. “I’m fine. I want to pretend like it never happened. Because nothing really did happen.”
She sighs loudly into her headset. “Okay, Roxy. I’m here if you ever want to talk about it though.”
“I know,” I murmur.
“Well, I gotta cut out too. Milo called in sick, so they’ve got me opening the record store tomorrow,” she huffs out.
“It’s all good, babe. I’m going to finish up a couple of quests and head to bed soon too. I’ll bring you a coffee tomorrow, and we can talk shit about Milo in front of Coast.”
“That’s why you’re my bestie. Love you, girlie.”
“Love you too.”
I pour another glass of wine and sink farther into my couch cushions. I have my headset halfway off when a new notification pops up on my screen.
ComeFindJack11 is inviting you to a private group chat.
Oh, shit. I swallow down a big gulp of wine. My belly flutters. He intimidates the fuck out of me. “Fuck it.” I blow out a deep breath and accept the invite.
“You left me hanging there for a minute,” Jack drawls.
“Sorry,” I say through a nervous chuckle. “I was getting something to drink.”
“Oh, yeah? What are you drinking tonight, Jill?”
Fuck. His fucking voice. He should be narrating smutty audiobooks. “Nothing good. Just some cheap white wine.”
“Mmm. A good buddy of mine owns a winery. I’ll have to get you a bottle sometime. It’s the good stuff.”
The heat in my body rises. “Yeah, sure. Maybe.” Part of me is intrigued. But then I remember he’s a stranger on the internet. He could be a stalker or a serial killer.
“Relax, Jill. I’m not trying to get your address… yet.” His laugh is deep and smoky.
“Very funny,” I quip back. “So, what are you doing up so late?”
His avatar spawns into my location and circles mine. “I don’t sleep much. And you? What’s your excuse?”
“Same. And tomorrow’s my day off, so I can sleep in. Lucky for you, I’m an insomniac.” I grab the bottle off the kitchen counter and pour more wine. Something about him makes me want to feel light and dizzy. I haven’t flirted with a man in a while.
He laughs again. “Yeah, it is. I’m glad I caught you before you logged off. Now I’m gonna keep you up all fucking night.”
A tingle flickers between my thighs. I press my legs together and clench. “So sure of yourself, aren’t you.”
“Mmm. I always get what I want,” he rasps.
Good lord. I stifle a whimper. “We’ll see about that.”
He chuckles, and I can guarantee there’s a smirk on his face. Which is crazy because I have no idea what he looks like.
“You got plans with your boyfriend tomorrow, Jilly girl?”
Now it’s my turn to smirk. I feel my cheeks flush. “Ah, fishing, are we?”
“Am I wrong to assume that a girl with a voice as sexy as yours is taken?” His voice deepens; his breaths heavier.
We aren’t even playing the game anymore. Our avatars stand next to each other, unmoving.
I let out a shaky laugh. “You would be wrong to assume, yes. I am very single.” Why did I say it like that? Oh, my god. Now he’s going to think I’m desperate. Fuck me.
“That’s a shame. Such a waste of a voice. Any man would be lucky to hear you screaming out his name in the middle of the night.”
Fucking hell. I can’t see myself, but I’m assuming my cheeks are bright red by the level of heat in them. “Thanks. I think.”
“You’re welcome. Now, let’s get this character of yours leveled up. Come over here, Jill. I’m going to drop some more weapons for you. Yeah, right there. Now pick that up.”
The way he commands me to him. It’s just a game, but holy hell. I’ve never considered myself to be a sub, but I like the way he tells me what to do. There’s just something satisfying about it.
“Good. Now equip the shotgun, and let’s go kill some fucking swamp creatures.” He spawns out, and I follow him. Like a total fucking simp .
We plow through the swamp, taking out toad-looking creatures left and right. I follow close behind him, his character leading the way.
“Oh, shit. I’m cornered!” I shout.
“I got you. Hang tight.” Jack’s avatar leaps into the middle of the group surrounding me and takes them all out with one continuous spray of bullets.
My health meter hangs by one bar. “Fuck. That was close. Thanks for the assist.”
“You never have to worry about dying when I’m around, pretty girl.”
A chill snakes up my back. Pretty girl. He must be referring to my avatar. It’s an odd choice of words. But he’s charming as fuck. “You don’t know if I’m pretty.”
He chuckles. “With a voice like yours, I’m sure you’re a fucking knockout.”
The hairs on my arms prickle. I’m aroused by his voice. Like fully fucking turned on. Is he aroused by mine? “I’m sure you’d like to know…” I tease.
“Come here, Jill. I have another health pack for you.”
I look around the screen to see where his avatar disappeared to. “Where are you?” I laugh.
“Over there. Behind the shack. Go fetch.”
I take another big gulp of wine. There’s a darker tone to his voice that makes my pussy clench. It’s almost degrading. Who knew I had that kink?
“Thanks,” I murmur as I retrieve the package he dropped for me.
“Do you like it when I tell you what to do?” he rasps.
I swallow down the lump in my throat, my palms sweating around my controller. I let out a nervous giggle. “I appreciate you helping me in the game.”
He breathes heavily into the headset. “That’s not what I asked. Do you like being submissive?”
Another tingle flickers straight to my clit. I clench my thighs tightly together, desperate to feel some kind of friction. “Um… I don’t understand.”
He sucks in a sharp breath. “I think you do… Let’s play a different kind of game. Take off your panties.”
Oh, fuck. “Excuse me? You’re joking, right?” Great. He’s a fucking pervert.
“I can hear the ache in your voice, Jilly girl. I’m giving you permission to relieve it. Now put your controller down and take them off.”
My fingers tremble. “I don’t even know you. You’ve got a lot of nerve asking me this.”
“I’m not asking. And if you didn’t want to do it, you would’ve already logged off and blocked me.”
Fuck. He’s right. I’m curious as to how far this is going to go. And I’ve been wet from the second I heard his voice tonight.
I set the controller down on my coffee table and chug the rest of my wine. I slide my sweatpants off first. A sigh escapes my throat at the thought of what I’m doing.
“I-I don’t think I can do this.” I squeak.
“You can and you will. If I have to tell you again, there will be a punishment,” he growls.
Shit. Fuck. I don’t even know what reality I’m in anymore. I push my black lace panties down to my ankles and kick them off.
“O-okay. They’re off,” I stutter.
“Good girl. Now spread your legs apart and hold your controller against your pussy.”
I’m in deep and too far to turn back now. Sober and hungover me is going to hate this me in the morning.
I open my legs and press the controller against my clit. “Okay,” I say on a shaky breath. “What now?” I feel so naughty.
He actually purrs. “Now, I’m going to take your character to the edge of death, heal her, then do it again. Over and over until I hear you cum.”
The controller vibrates when you’re being attacked in the game.
Fucking hell. But after everything that happened last night at Joystick, this makes me feel more in control than I’ve ever felt. Last night, I was helpless.
Just like the day I tore my ACL. It was my fault I didn’t land the switch leap. I knew it seconds before my feet hit the ground. It was the aftermath I lost control of. Losing my scholarship, my dance partner, and even my boyfriend. I gave up.
At this moment, I just want to feel something other than my own bitter apathy. I want to feel alive.
I take a deep breath and lean back against the couch.
“Don’t take your eyes off the screen. I want you to watch how I get you off,” he commands.
He fires the first round of shots at my avatar. The sudden vibration of the controller sends a spasm to my clit. I bite my lip to stifle a moan. Sweat beads down my back.
“I can hear you suppressing what you want. I don’t like that. Moan for me, or I’ll edge you all fucking night.” He fires off another round of shots, and I gasp.
“Fuck,” I whine as I arch my back, pressing my hips farther into the couch cushions.
“Mmm. Better. Do you like how I can touch you without even being in the same room?”
I never thought of it that way. Fuck. I’m even more turned on now. “We don’t even know each other,” I rasp. I lick a bead of sweat off my upper lip.
“We’re getting to know each other real good tonight. I’m learning all the right buttons to press.” He loads a max-capacity clip into his machine gun and fires off a longer round. A deep moan belts from my throat as my body shakes, my toes curling. The vibration sends shockwaves through my core.
“Please,” I beg. “Stop.” There are no intelligible thoughts in my head. I’m spiraling, teetering back and forth between desire and shame.
He chuckles. “You can move the controller anytime you want. Only you can make this stop. Because I won’t.”
I exhale slowly, my teeth chattering as the controller reverberates through me. “No, let’s keep going.”
“I had a feeling you might say that.”
He fires off another long round of gunshots at my avatar, and I buck.
“ Fuuck .”