Forbidden Game

Chapter Twenty-Two

The punch coming for me barely misses my chin.

I square my eyes at my opponent.

Bending my knees, I drop my lead arm into a ninety-degree angle before driving my fist up. I land the uppercut perfectly, and he goes staggering backward, his knee crashing onto the canvas to steady himself from falling completely.

I grin against my mouthguard, breathing heavily.

“All right, men. Let’s call it.” Jax taps on the ropes to get our attention.

“I can keep going.” I shrug.

“I know you can, but David here needs a breather. Why don’t you go help Sydney finish up her practice instead?”

I perk up at the thought and twist to see where she is.

Sydney lands a strong side kick to the punching bag in the far-right corner of the gym. I hop out of the ring and tug off my gloves as I head over to her. She looks sinful in her tight workout gear. The light purple leggings hug her ass in a way that has me drooling.

I come up behind her and drop a puff of cold air against her bare neck.

She squeals and wheels around, striking me in the side with a kick. My forearm comes up to block her, but she’s strong enough that I still let out a light grunt at the contact. Her doe eyes narrow when she looks up at me.

Sydney punches me lightly in the chest with her glove.

“Don’t sneak up on someone in the gym.”

“You were just too tempting.” I grin, gripping her left hip and tugging her a little closer to me.

She rolls her eyes but smiles back at me. Unable to help myself, I drop a kiss on her button nose. She’s too fucking adorable. It’s a chore to not be touching her all the time.

“All right, let’s finish up so we can head home.” I tap her hip and push her back toward the bag.

“Bossy.” Her eyes light up as they scan up and down my body. “I like it.”

Heat rushes to my dick, but I will it away as I help her finish her practice.

We run through a few combinations, focusing mainly on a double jab, right hook, left kick, left kick combo. She doesn’t have the timing down yet, and the lag between the two kicks means she’s not dealing enough damage as she should. It’s a popular combo to learn, but a lot of people struggle with the finishing kicks. Even so, Syd is frustrated.

“Hey, you’re getting close.” I squeeze her shoulder.

“Not close enough,” she huffs and blows her bangs off her forehead before removing her gloves.

I laugh and pick up my own gloves before throwing my arm around her shoulders and guiding her out of the gym and toward my car.

She wrinkles her nose and tries to push away from me. “Ugh, you’re so sweaty.”

“Me?” I look down at her. “You’re the one glistening right now, love. I’m not even sure I should let you in my car. Don’t want you ruining the leather.”

“Ha ha, very funny.”

I open the door for her, and she slides into the Lambo—which I did get cleaned after our ocean date. I get in the driver’s side and throw our gloves on the ground of the passenger seat.

The drive back to the apartment complex is smooth. She only yells at me once when I hit one hundred on a particularly empty strip of highway and gives me a mild glare when I swerve a little to fast into my parking spot.

“My place or yours?” I ask her when we enter the private elevator, pulling her to my side.

“Well, I need to shower, as you so kindly pointed out earlier.” Sarcasm drips from her tone as she stares up at me.

“You could always shower with me. I have many jets in my shower and many ways to use them.” I wink, and she flushes.

“Yeah, sure, and how do you propose we explain why I’m using your shower instead of my own that’s just fifty floors away?”

“No one’s home.” I shrug, hitting the button for the penthouse. “Aleks and Stevie have a brunch date, and Jackson’s at his sister’s violin recital.”

She purses her lips and pulls out her phone to open the tracking app. Sure enough, the little map shows Stevie and Aleks at a nearby café while Jackson is an hour away at his sister’s school.

It is a rare occasion to have the apartment to myself.

I lean down and rest my chin on her shoulder. “See? Now why don’t you come up and play with me?”

She shivers and peeks up at me through her lashes with a girlish smile. “Okay, hotshot.”

I grin, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She turns into me, and our lips come together in a soft marriage. My hand snakes around the soft dip of her hip and pulls her closer.

In no time, I have her pressed up against the wall of the elevator, panting as our kisses become feverish. She moans into my mouth, and my cock stiffens at the noise.

The elevator doors open, and we stumble out into the apartment, kicking off our trainers as we keep kissing.

I waste no time throwing our gloves into the entryway and dipping down to pick her up. She lets out a twinkling laugh as I princess carry her into my bedroom. I use my knee to open the door to my ensuite and deposit her on the marble next to the sink. I drag my lips away from her as I step into the shower and crank up all the handles, releasing sprays from every direction.

The bathroom begins to fog up, and I turn back to the beauty behind me. Sydney swings her legs as she stares at me through hooded eyes. I run my hands down her thighs as I lean in to kiss her. My hands continue to trail up her waist, onto her bare skin, until the tips of my fingers toy with the bottom of her sports bra.

My heart beats heavily as I curl my fingers under the band.

“May I?”

“Please,” she breathes.

I tug the lilac fabric from her body and toss it on the floor behind us. Her small breasts pop free, and those pale pink nipples harden. She’s a sight to behold.

I dip my head to swirl one of them in my mouth. I taste her salty skin as my tongue circles her hard peak, and her chest arches farther into me. I lick a path up her chest and neck, sucking on a particularly sensitive spot that has her gasping and clenching beneath me.

Sydney’s hands reach out to claw at the edges of my T-shirt. I let her tugs it off me. She pulls back and admires me. I like having her eyes on me, tracking every inch of my skin like she is trying to memorize it.

She reaches out and runs a single finger down my sternum.

“God, you’re pretty,” she says, cocking her head to the side.

“Pretty?”

“Mmm,” she hums, letting that finger trail lower and lower. “It’s like someone cut you out of a magazine.”

My laugh turns to a strangled groan when that finger reaches the band of my shorts. My hand closes around hers, and I use both our hands to tug them off. My cock springs to attention, free from its constraints.

A spark of clarity breaks through Sydney’s haze as she stares down at me.

“It’s bigger than I remember.” She looks almost horrified as she eyes my dick.

“All the better to fuck you with.” I grin.

She hits my chest and hops off the marble, shimmying out of her leggings.

I stare, slack-jawed, as she stands before me. My eyes trace over every inch of her, cataloging every curve and dip on her short frame.

She gives me a shy smile before opening the door to the shower and stepping inside.

She stands under the spray, and the water sluices off her skin. She looks like a naiad, an ethereal beauty at home in the water. I’m at risk of drowning myself just so I can please her. I would kneel at her feet and offer her whatever she asked for.

I step behind her as she turns her face up to the rainfall shower head. Her blonde hair turns darker as it becomes drenched, and I reach around, placing my hands on the sides of her ribs. Her skin shines as the light hits it, and I become lost in her beauty.

I’m jealous of the water that touches every inch of her skin, wishing I could somehow do the same.

I twist Sydney around and pull her into a soft kiss. The water cascades around us, hitting from every direction. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I reach down, hooking my hands under her thighs and lifting her. I walk forward until her back rests against the cool tiles.

“You’re so bloody gorgeous,” I mutter.

Sydney’s legs tighten around me, and my eyes roll back at the feeling of her cunt pressed against my stomach. I groan as the tip of my dick keeps bumping against her ass as she shifts.

Fuck, I want to be inside her.

I tug on her bottom lip and draw it into my mouth as I grip her harder. Her hands come up to thread through my wet hair, and I sigh into the feeling. Her kisses taste like the sweetest poison, killing me with pure pleasure.

“Parker, I want you. All of you.”

And fuck me if I don’t almost blow my load just hearing her utter those words.

I adjust my grip and carefully carry her out of the shower.

“I—What are you doing?”

“Putting you somewhere more comfortable.”

“But I’m all wet!”

“That’s what she said.”

“Oh my God.”

I crawl onto my bed with her still hooked around me and lay her on her back. She stares up at me, her golden strands splayed across my sheets and darkening them with water.

I drag my tongue down her body, tasting the water on her skin as I make my way to her sweet pussy. I lick a clean path up her slit and stare up at her.

“Cherries.” I wink.

She attempts to kick me, but I take hold of her leg and press it open so she’s butterflied before me.

Such a pretty sight.

My tongue dives into her heat, and she lets out a gasp. Her knees attempt to close, but I keep a firm grip on them. She squirms under my ministrations until she is a panting mess.

Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest, and my Eve has completely surrendered herself to the garden of pleasure.

I suck on her clit, and she moans my name. “Parker. Please.”

“What’s that, love?”

I slip two fingers into her hot cunt.

“Please. I said please.”

“Please what?” I curl my fingers and stroke her faster.

“F—fuck me. Please. Oh God, please.”

“You’re so perfect when you beg.”

I grin, reaching into my bedside drawer and pulling out a condom. Using my teeth, I rip open the foil and roll it onto my heavy cock.

Leaning forward, I brace my arms around her head. I clear her bangs from her forehead and look straight in her slate-gray eyes as I position the head of my cock at her entrance.

I don’t break contact as I slowly push inside.

“Damn, you take me well,” I whisper.

Her pouty lips form a small O and her lashes flutter, but she never lets them close completely. We stare into each other’s eyes as we become one, and fuck me if it isn’t the hottest, most intimate moment of my entire life.

“Holy crap.” Her ankles hook behind the backs of my knees. “This feels amazing. You feel amazing.”

“And I’m only halfway.”

“What?” Her eyes blow wide. “Halfway?”

Her pussy tenses around my cock, and I let out a groan at the added pressure.

“Relax,” I soothe, bringing my hand between us to roll her clit.

“You’re going to split me apart,” she splutters.

“I promise you, I’m not. Although, I’m flattered you think so.” I press forward and kiss her.

She melts against my lips and her cunt releases its hold, letting me slip in another few inches. When I’m fully seated within her, I let out a deep breath, stilling so I can just bask in the feeling.

I move slowly at first, pulling out to the tip before pushing myself back to the hilt. It’s torture but feels so fucking good. I’m drawing out the pleasure, losing myself in the feeling of her tight pussy clamping around my dick over and over and over.

“More,” she gasps.

“More? More, what?” I ask.

“More, please.”

“That’s my girl.”

I pick up the pace, pounding into her with more force. The bed starts to creak as we move faster and faster.

“You like that, baby?”

“Yes,” she moans. “Don’t stop.”

My body heats with each stroke. I lift one of her knees higher, deepening my angle. The little noises she makes get louder and louder, and I don’t stop the low grunt from pouring out of my mouth in response. When Sydney comes undone, it’s the single most euphoric sight.

I feel my balls tightening as I go faster and faster, pistoning into her sweet heat.

“Parker?” Her voice is low and breathy.

“Yeah?”

“Can we flip?”

“Sounds hot.” I smirk.

I wrap my arms around her ribs and roll us over. She doesn’t even pause. Within seconds she’s taking control, swirling her hips a few times.

Stars burst in my vision when she lifts her hips to the tip of my dick and slams herself back down.

“Holy fuck,” I swear, arching my hips to meet hers.

I take my time roaming her body with my eyes, watching every part of her body bounce with the motion. The view from down here is heavenly.

Sydney loses herself in her movements, and it’s a treasure to watch her take what she wants. There’s nothing more powerful than the woman on top of me. She feeds the hunger inside her, never letting up.

I bring my hands up to grip the plush globes of her ass, holding them as she grinds harder and harder. It alters the angle slightly, and my dick manages to slip even deeper. I groan, gripping her tighter. The tip of my finger dips close to her hole, and she sucks in a breath, her eyes widening. But when she looks down at me, there’s nothing but carnal desire flowing through her.

Interesting.

I’ll keep that little piece of knowledge in my back pocket.

“It feels so good,” she moans, throwing her head back as she continues to ride me into oblivion.

I lift my hips to push into her, following her movements and increasing the pace. Her hand snakes down to rub her clit, and I just about come.

“Fuck, you’re sexy when you touch yourself.”

She just gives me a sex-drunk grin in return, and I think I lose the last piece of my heart to her in that very moment.

Her moans become short gasps, and her pacing begins to falter. I reach my hand out to replace her own, two fingers swirling her swollen bud as she chases the high. I mentally plead with my cock to stay in control. There’s no fucking way I’m not getting her off first this time. No matter how hard she makes it for me.

And I’m fucking hard.

“Oh my God.”

It’s the only warning I have before she completely comes apart. Sydney’s eyes glaze over, and her lips part with a silent prayer. Her hands reach out mindlessly, grasping on to whatever they can as she crashes. Her fingers rake down my chest, and the pain unlocks the last thread of restraint I have.

Her name leaves my lips in a guttural groan. Pleasure pours out of me, and my hips buck up into her clenching cunt. This time it’s my hands reaching out, grasping her thighs as I push farther and farther into her.

By the time my orgasm ends, we’re both panting messes, holding on to each other for stability.

Sydney pushes off my body and flops next to me with a sigh. I immediately mourn the loss of her pussy pulsing around me. We lie in a comfortable silence as the endorphins course their way throughout our bodies.

“I knew I’d render you speechless with my dick.” I tug her to my chest and peck her nose.

“You know what, I’ll give it to you this time, Parker.”

I look down and raise my brow.

She smiles and lifts her hand to trace the scar on my temple. “Best sex ever.”

“We make a great team.”

I pick her up and carry her back to the shower so we can actually wash off this time. We take a bit longer than necessary when I pull her back to me for another make out session until she weasels her way out of my grasp. She laughs as she washes my hair and styles it in a mohawk. I earn a stern glare when I lather her body with soap and spend a little too much time cleaning her tits.

We wrap ourselves in the soft blue towels hanging on the heated rack, and she hums to herself while dotting moisturizer over her face.

Everything in this moment seems unreal, like I’m living in a video game. I would hit save on life right now just so I could come back to this scene over and over.

I feel like the luckiest man alive.

“I need an energy drink. Race you to the kitchen?” I tug on a wet strand of her hair.

“Parker, I am not racing you to the kitchen.”

“Ah. I wore you out, so you don’t have the energy. Fair enough.”

“All right, hotshot.”

Sydney darts out of the bathroom without a second glance, and I curse, running after her. She pushes out of my bedroom and rounds the corner, but I reach out and throw my hands around her waist, gripping her towel. She squeals with laughter.

Then, she squeals in horror.

And someone else squeals in horror.

I look up and get a perfect view of Aleks’ bare ass. Stevie is bent over the kitchen island before him, her golden skin on display.

“Oh, come on, mate. We eat there,” I whine.

Sydney freaks out and tries to retreat into the safety of my room. Only issue is, I’m still holding her towel, and it gets caught in the sudden movement, ripping from her body and landing on the floorboards. She screeches again and crouches down into a ball to cover herself.

In an effort to save her from her sheer nudity, I throw my own towel over her.

Which…in hindsight…does not improve the situation that much.

In fact, I think Aleks might be more mad as he turns around to glare at me while blocking Stevie from view.

“Stop looking at my naked girlfriend!” he shouts, cupping his junk to hide it.

“Stop looking at my naked girlfriend!” I throw back, not bothering to hide anything.

“Seriously. You’re both naked!” Stevie huffs over Aleks’ shoulder.

I avert my gaze from her anyway and instead watch as Sydney subtly crawls back to my bedroom in the midst of the chaos.

“Clearly, I’m late to the party.” Jackson’s deep voice reverberates around us. “Not really sure I wanted to be invited though. Orgies aren’t really my thing.”

He stands in the hallway, leaning against the wall. A pair of rumpled black jeans dangle from his hands. He throws them in Aleks’ direction, who grabs them midair with one hand.

“Thanks.” He nods. “Mind tossing Stevie’s stuff as well?”

Jackson laughs but bends to pick up more of the discarded clothes littering our floor.

“None of you were supposed to be home,” I mutter, watching them all.

Assholes ruined everything. Here I was, about to have a fantastic afternoon with my cute girlfriend cuddled against me, and instead, I’m standing in my kitchen naked with my roommates.

“Was that Sydney?” Jackson walks past me and opens the fridge, grabbing the water filter pitcher and pouring himself a glass.

“Nope.”

“Really? Looked suspiciously like her,” Stevie coos, a black pleated mini skirt and oversized sweater covering her previously exposed skin.

“I know.” I tilt my head and lower my voice dramatically, “It’s just the uncanniest thing, isn’t it?”

“Seriously, dude,” Aleks deadpans as he throws up a hand to cover Stevie’s eyes. “Can you not be naked?”

“No need to be jealous.” I shrug, and stroll back to my room, happy to take the easy out. There is no way for me to avoid this conversation if I stay out here. They’re all too nosy. Especially Stephanie. I saw that little glint in her eye.

Girl is too observant for her own good.

I slip into my room to find Sydney burning a hole in the ground as she paces the length of the room. She’s thrown on one of my shirts; the fabric brushes her knees. Hot. She nibbles on her thumb, deep in thought.

She stops when she sees me and rushes over.

“I can’t go back out there, Parker.” Her eyes widen so much that the tips of her eyelashes brush her eyebrows.

“I’m not one hundred percent sure what your alternative is, though, love. Unless you want to dip onto the balcony and rappel fifty floors to your place. I’ve done it a bunch of times in Devil’s City, and I’m sure Jackson has some ropes and a harness hidden in that compartment under his bed he thinks no one knows about.”

I throw my thumb in the direction of the sliding doors that blend seamlessly into my floor-to-ceiling windows. In addition to my room being the largest in the apartment, it also leads directly onto the balcony. Owner privilege really does have its perks.

Sydney raises her hands, and they curl like she wants to strangle me. Which she probably does.

“Parker, this is serious.” That telltale anxiety begins to pulse off her.

I reach forward and cup her hands between my own, forcing them to relax as I place a kiss on them. Tilting my head down to soothe her panicked expression, I give her a sincere smile.

“It’s all going to be fine, Syd.”

“They saw me!”

“They think they saw you,” I correct.

It’s the wrong thing to say. I knew it was, but the words still left my mouth.

Her eye twitches the way it does when she gets mad at me.

I pull her into a tight hug, attempting to diffuse her emotions. She tries to push out, but after a moment she goes slack and her arms reach around to curl around my waist.

“This was not the plan,” she mutters into my chest.

“I know.” I stroke her damp hair in a repetitive motion. “I know, but it’s not the end of the world.”

“What am I supposed to say to them?”

“Whatever you want. I’ll take your lead.”

She peers up at me and gnaws on her bottom lip. “It seems sort of pointless to try to lie.”

“Then we don’t.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Sydney. I couldn’t be more bloody proud to be dating if you if I tried. I’d introduce you to the royal family if you’d let me.”

“You’re joking.”

“I don’t joke about royalty, babe.”

She opens her mouth to say something before letting out a laugh and resting her cheek against my chest. I feel her shoulders relax, and it calms a piece of me as well. She’s always so high-strung. Always thinking and worrying and planning. I just want to be able to provide a space where she can feel safe enough to turn off her brain and just be. I want to be her person.

“Unless you don’t want to tell them we’re dating?” I ask her the question because I saw her hesitation earlier. I ask her the question because I know how secretive she’s been.

“I want to tell them, but….” She trails off. Her arms tighten around me, and she snuggles in closer. “But I’m worried about it getting out. It’s the biggest PR taboo, and even though you think you have Mathias handled, it’s still against my contract, Parker.”

“I trust them. They won’t say anything.” I know that with every fiber of my being. The lads would never breathe a word, and the girls would never do anything to hurt Syd. “I’ll deal with Mathias if it comes to that. I promise. You won’t face him alone.”

I’ll have to find some way to get ahold of her contract so Paige can look it over. There would be a loophole somewhere where she wouldn’t lose her job.

“Okay. I trust you.”

My heart stops, those three words freezing time around me.

I have no clue whether she knows the true weight of what she just said, but it grounds everything. Earning Sydney’s trust is like platinuming in a game. You spend hours doing everything possible to complete every single side quest, collect every token and relic, and finally, when it’s all done, you get that little silver trophy next to your name and everything becomes worth it. Loving Sydney for five years, never giving up, was worth it just to hear those three words.

“Also, you need to put some clothes on before we go back out there.” Sydney pulls back from my hold and gives me a pointed look.

I laugh, but my chest aches with the flurry of emotions pooling within me. “Why? I’m not ashamed.”

“I know.” She rolls her eyes and walks to my dresser, pulling out a pair of bright blue sweatpants and tossing them to me. “But the last thing I need is a literal dick measuring competition.”

I grin, stepping into the fabric. “You know we—”

“No. No, I don’t know. And I don’t want to know.”

“Are you sure?” I waggle my brows.

She sighs, pushing past me to the door. Her hand rests on the handle for a beat before she takes in an audible breath and wrenches it open.

Sydney walks into the apartment with practiced confidence. You would think she was walking into a boardroom to give a presentation to executives, not a living room full of gamers while wearing just an oversized shirt. Her shoulders are pulled back and her strides measured as she makes her way to the L-shaped couch and perches on the edge cushion nearest Stevie.

The three of them look up briefly from the couch before turning back to the racing game they’re playing. But I catch the small smile tugging at the corner of Stevie’s lips.

“Would you look at that. He does know how to wear clothes,” Jackson mocks.

“Ha ha.” I take a seat next to Aleks, stealing his controller. “Why does everyone have an aversion to seeing me naked? It’s a privilege. You should feel special that I allow you the honor of seeing my goods.”

“Dude, grab your own.” Aleks wrenches the controller back, his character crashing in the process. He sends me a glare as he waits to respawn on the track.

“Parker, I’m surprised more people haven’t seen you naked,” Stevie sighs, maneuvering her vehicle smoothly into first place and overtaking Jackson.

“Please don’t say that,” Syd laments. “I don’t want to bail him out of jail after hearing he went streaking just to prove your point.”

I give her a wolfish grin. “What a great idea.”

Jackson’s character crosses the finish line, and he hisses out a “yes,” balling his hand in a fist.

Stevie tsks, her car slotting in at third place across the finish line. “Cheater.”

“Parker’s the fucking cheater,” Aleks growls from eleventh place. “I could’ve won if he didn’t steal the damn controller.”

“Oh, babe.” Stevie pats his leg. “You were already losing.”

“Hate this fucking game.”

Stevie lets out a shimmery laugh, her eyes full of such love as she stares at the broody gamer. She notices me staring and gives me a once over. Then, her sweet smile turns serpentine. “Nice shirt, Syd.”

“Thanks.” Syd keeps her face straight as she brushes imaginary lint from the sleeve.

The nonchalance sets off a glint in Aleks’ eyes as they bounce from Stevie to Syd. “What’s it made of?” He leans over and rubs the bottom of the shirt. “Feels like boyfriend material.”

Jackson snorts something sounding like the word “loser,” and I whack Aleks on the back of the head.

“Hands off my girlfriend, dude.”

“I KNEW IT!” Stevie squeals as she jumps to her feet. “I told you he said girlfriend earlier.” She points a finger at Aleks.

Sydney flushes but manages to keep her composure.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her on top of his lap. “You’re always right.”

“Damn straight.”

“I’m surprised it took the rest of you this long to notice.” Jackson lifts his legs onto the coffee table and crosses them at the ankle with a smug look.

“What are you talking about?” Syd frowns across the couch at him.

“I’ve known for weeks.”

“Bullshit,” I accuse, getting up and moving seats to where Stevie previously was, hooking my arm around Syd’s shoulders.

“What tipped you off?” she asks.

“Seattle, among other things.”

Her lips curls, “Ugh,” and she glares up at me. “I told you it was suspicious.”

“Oh, come on. Aleks didn’t realize, and he was right outside the door!”

“At this point, I think you could’ve opened the door, and he still wouldn’t have put two and two together.”

“Hey, hey,” Aleks butts in. “Not cool. We gang up on Parker. We don’t gang up on me. That’s not how this works.”

“Just wait until the girls find out. They’re going to freak!” Stevie grins.

“Lee’s going to kill me,” Sydney whines.

“Well, she’s going to figure it out during Halloween unless you find a way to keep Mr. Handsy here in line.” Stevie inclines her head toward me.

I realize my hand has been tracing an absent path up and down Sydney’s arm.

“Who wants to bet?” I smirk. “If Lee or Deer will figure it out first?”

“Parker.” Sydney draws out my name in warning.

“I’m in,” Aleks smirks back.

“Of course you are,” Stevie sighs.

“If Deer figures it out first, I get to take the Lambo out.” Aleks holds out a hand to me, the chipped black nail polish glinting.

“Fine. If it’s Lee, then you to have to get my name tattooed on your ass.” I grip his hand hard.

I am so going to win.

“Boys and their games,” Stevie sings.

“This boy would like to get back to the actual game.” Jackson points his controller at the TV, which has just been replaying the last race as we’ve been talking.

“Do you think I could play?” Syd’s voice is quiet.

I look down at her, unveiled shock on my face.

“Oh my God, yes!” Stevie bounces up to grab one of the spare controllers. “I’ll teach you everything. And then, we can kick their asses together.”

“Hey.” I snatch the black controller from her. “If anyone’s teaching her, it’s me.”

Stevie mouths a word that looks a lot like “whipped” before plopping herself next to Aleks and picking up her gold controller. I stick my tongue out at her but smile.

“So long as it’s not Aleks, I don’t care. I want to learn how to win,” Sydney comments.

“Burn,” Jackson and I crow.

“All right, you fuckers keep this up, and we’ll see who’s laughing when I fuck you all up.” He waves his controller at all of us.

“We’re taking the piss,” I say, batting his hand away.

Light dances in my chest as I hand the black controller to Sydney. This is the first time she’s ever asked to play with us. Every time I’ve offered in the past, she would shrug it off. So much so that none of us really asked her anymore.

Sydney curves her hands around the controller, testing out the feel. I take the time to explain the basics and how there are power-ups on the course she can use.

She nods along, and her interest feels like winning a game when you’ve been down three points the entire time, just to score a Fury Kill in the last second.

I don’t even care about playing myself; all my attention is on her, is on the way every single day she becomes more and more a part of my family, and I never want to let her go.