by Kitty Cox
"Kiss me?"
"Can I hold you?"
She took a trembling breath. "I want you to."
He leaned closer. "Will you tell me when to stop?"
"Yeah."
Then his mouth met hers. Gently, slowly, his lips slid across hers. He smelled clean and sharp. She could almost taste him on each breath, then her mouth opened. As his tongue worshiped her, she felt his hand on her arm. Warm. Wet. Soft. Everything about him was good and safe, and she relaxed into him with a moan.
"Touch me," he begged. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Sugar, but I want you to touch me back."
Without opening her eyes, she reached out. Her hands met his chest and his mouth returned. He teased her, taunted her, and drove her higher, but she was touching him back. Timid fingers traced hard planes of muscle and his tongue mimicked the caress, twining with hers. The heat of his hand was like a fire, daring her to enjoy it. The feel of him was like a dream come true. For the first time in years, Destiny Pierce liked being touched.
"Tonight," he whispered, sliding his mouth along her neck, "we're going to see how far I can kiss. Come to bed, Dez." He stepped back and grabbed a towel, holding it out for her. "Naked."
She took it. "Chance?"
"Yeah, Sugar?"
"You make me feel safe."
Without asking, he reached up and touched her face. Just the tips of his fingers on her jaw, but she didn't flinch. Slowly, his gaze moved from his hand to her eyes. "You make me feel real. You make me feel like a good man, Dez, and I want to prove to you that I can be."
When he stepped back, she followed, all the way to the bed. She could do this. Together, they were doing this, and Dez was pretty sure that's what love was all about. Maybe she wasn't truly as broken as she'd always thought.
Chapter 25
The overly happy tune refused to stop. It wasn't even real music. Dez grabbed her pillow to press it over her head and felt a solid mass holding up her weight. When it shifted and made the noise go away, she smiled. Her head was still on Chance's shoulder, and she hadn't freaked out. She also hadn't woken up screaming.
"Gonna hide under there," he asked, "or come help me sell our game?"
She groaned and snuggled closer, enjoying the way he smelled. "Ten more minutes?"
He laughed as he slid out from under her. "Sure. I gotta take a piss, then you can take your time getting ready."
"Takes you ten minutes to piss?" she grumbled, rolling over to find a pillow that wouldn't just walk away.
"Does when you leave me with a hard-on." He chuckled. "Unless you want to take care of that first?"
"Tomorrow," she mumbled, tugging the blankets closer. "Maybe we'll try for the real thing."
"Not helping!"
She laughed, but that proved she wasn't going to fall back asleep. Giving up, Dez crawled out of bed and found clothes. It might be summer in Las Vegas, but she wanted a real shirt. It would make it harder for anyone to accidentally touch her. Considering they kept the convention hall close to freezing, a longsleeve would also keep her warm. She paired that with dark jeans and round toed boots. By the time she got into the bathroom, all she had left was to put on makeup, and that required a mirror.
She stepped out to find Chance dressed to impress. Her shirt had the company logo on it, but his advertised the game. Silk was written in bold letters, framed with a neon-colored battle. Vivid tracers, bright-colored armor, and the tropical-style flowers proved that their game would be nothing like the others. It also showed every muscle he had.
She wouldn't be the only one thinking about what was under it. As they made their way over to the demonstration booth, she saw at least four women check him out. One looked like a reporter. If Chance's muscles could get Silk into the top ten, Dez wasn't going to complain. At this point, she was ready to use every trick in the book. The first of which was showing the customer a damned good game, and the rest of the team was gearing up to do just that.
As soon as she stepped inside the heavy curtains, Braden waved her toward the corner. Their booth backed up to a narrow gap filled with power cables. On the other side of that was another line of game displays, but it left enough space that no one should stumble in accidentally. That's where they'd hidden the developers' computer. Out of sight, she could tweak anything on the fly, from the network to the game code. It was the whole reason she was here, to make their promo run as smooth as, well, Silk.
"We're taking ten at a time," Braden said, gesturing to the empty desks. "They'll get fifteen minutes, then we'll swap for the next. I've got that pair reserved for media, but they're both wired to serve as a backup in case your machine has a tantrum."
She nodded, but her eyes were on her screen. "I've got ten loaded characters. Logins are Silk one through ten. Passwords are Deviant ten through one. High with low, down the row."
"Can do. Gonna set out a kiosk in game so they can build their own character for testing?"
With a shrug, she opened another tab. "I can do that. Means alpha testers will get access to it, too. Just keep that in mind."
"Then send out a system message – and we're starting all these guys in Terra Verde."
She tossed him a girlish grin. That was her favorite part of the world. "I'll make sure alpha testers know that, too. More players make it more interesting, right?"
"Exactly." Then he leaned closer. "Have a good night?"
Her eyes flicked up, but she couldn't hide the grin. "I like the shower."
"More Fyre?" He used Chance's game name like the pun it was meant to be.
Dez looked at the curtain but nodded. "Hand job," she whispered.
"You touched him?"
"Oh yeah."
Braden laughed, then stepped back. "Jealous. So jealous."
She laughed, knowing he was mostly just giving her shit. "Hey? What about..." Her finger flicked to the far side of the booth.
"Amy?" he asked, then shook his head. "Not gonna happen. Pretty sure she spent last night with Mark, but he deserves it."
"Sam?"
He gave her a disgusted look. "She's getting cozy with Tim."
Then she smiled. "Andy?"
"Has a very hot little boyfriend. Jeff and I are gonna be cruisin' for hotties this weekend, though. You're welcome to tag along if your man needs some personal time."
She shoved her nose back to the monitor. "He quit."
Braden let out a shocked rush of air. "Totally?"
"Amy was the last, and you know how that went."
"Damn." He leaned back, peeking around the curtain at Chance. "He looks happy, too. Ok. I gotta log these in, but if you need to get out of here, just let me know, ok?"
"Promise." She lifted a hand, waving as he hurried to get the show on the road.
And what a show it was. An hour before the convention was truly open, a line had already started. By the time they began seating people at computers, it stretched around the corner. Each group got five minutes to get seated, then fifteen minutes of play time. That meant thirty people tried Silk each hour, but the line kept growing.
It didn't take long for the gamer media to start hovering, either. Between Braden giving personalized demonstrations, Chance smooth-talking anyone who stayed still too long, and Amy rambling off game details as easily as she did everything else, Dez could barely hear herself think. Thankfully, her little hole was screened off from the mob. Shielding her from everyone else was a thick set of pitch-black drapes. Her space wasn't big, but it was hers, and no one had a clue she was in there. It kept her isolated enough that she didn't feel ready to lose her mind.
That's what she thought until someone laughed just on the other side. Like a record in her mind, she recognized it. Time and distance were supposed to make the memories fade, but that sound she knew. She knew it all too well, and her hands froze on the keys. Then the bastard spoke.
"Rumors say you sold half the company, Mr. Hunter."
Chance answered from only feet away. "Sold makes it sound like I'm rolling i
n money, but it's true, I have a partner."
"An anonymous one?" her nightmare asked.
Dez's hands were shaking. She pulled them to her chest, too scared to move. Whoever Chance was talking to had no idea she was there, but he would soon. He'd told her to stay away from games. He'd said he'd kill her if she tried. He told her she'd be better off dead, then had proved it was true.
"A silent one," Chance corrected. "I promise you, by the end of the weekend, it won't be a very big secret."
"So give me an exclusive? I'll make sure Silk gets the coverage it deserves."
Chance laughed. "I think that's already guaranteed. Excuse me. If I'm not mistaken, TGC is wanting to talk to me."
Somehow, she'd managed to slide out of her chair and under the desk. Dez didn't remember doing it, but her mind was locked in the past. She knew that voice! Each time she blinked, she could see that day. Light had seeped around the edges of the blindfold, and his shoes had been white. That was all she knew. He'd been there to throw her into the van. He'd been in the warehouse. Each time they'd cut her, he'd warned her to never touch another game, but she hadn't listened, and now he was back.
Dez tried to breathe, but her lungs found only a vacuum. She couldn't hear over the pounding of her heart, and tears were filling her eyes. She'd thought she was safe. Each time she started to get ahead, they proved she could only fail. They would win. They'd always win, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
He would find her. All he had to do was step through the curtain, and no one would know what he did. With thousands of people milling around them, she couldn't even pick him out. She'd never seen his face! All she knew was his voice – and the warning that if she touched another game, he'd make her pay. He'd make it worse than before. This time, he'd kill her. Or worse, he'd do what they'd done before, but this time he wouldn't stop!
"Time's up," a man's voice said, shoving the curtain aside.
Dez squeaked and curled around herself, trying to hide. For a single moment, she was convinced she was about to die, then Jeff stepped around the corner, his eyes wide. As soon as he saw her, he dropped to his knees.
"Braden!" he yelled before lowering his voice. "What happened, Dez?"
Jeff shifted to his rump and blocked the opening between her and the rest of the world. It felt like he was trapping her under the cheap wood, but also like he was shielding her from everything beyond. She finally found enough air to suck in a breath.
She shook her head. "I shouldn't be here. They'll find me."
"Who?" His voice was sympathetic, begging her to talk to him.
"Them. They. The people who told me to stop."
"Braden!" he yelled again. When he spoke to her, it sounded different. "What happened, Dez? I'm not going to let anyone touch you, but I need to know what happened."
The first sob nearly strangled her. "They're here," she muttered.
The curtain jerked back with a clank of metal as Braden rushed in. "What's wrong?" he demanded. Then he saw her. "Oh fuck. Dez? Jeff, handle the game. Dez, what's wrong?"
"Fuck the game," Jeff told him.
Braden just pointed, sliding in closer. "She won't thank you later. C'mon, Dez. Talk to me, kid."
The kid did it. They'd never called her that. Only Chance did – well, and now Braden. This time, when she tried to breathe, it was easier, but her eyes were still blurred with tears of terror. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed his arm.
"I heard him. He's here, Brae. He's here and he's gonna find me."
His big hand closed over hers, feeling warm and gentle. "Over my big, pissed, and dead body, ok? You just hang on, and Jeff will handle Silk. We got this, Dez. I'm not gonna let anyone find you because Chance would fire me, and you know how bad I want this, right?"
"Yeah..." Her words were a whimper. "Brae?"
"Whatcha need?"
With her free hand, she wiped at her nose. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
"It's ok. There's a zillion people out there. You probably just got triggered by something, but we're all here. I'm not gonna let anyone touch you."
"But what if he finds me?"
"Then he can look at you from afar like all the other fans. No one's gonna get close to you. Not with Jeff and me acting as bodyguards for the rest of the weekend, right?"
From over their head, Jeff answered, "You know it. I get to be tough, too."
That made her almost giggle. The sound was weak and broken, but she still found a smile in the middle of her tears. "You're tough," she told Jeff. "Made it through scoliosis, so kinda have to be."
"Yeah." She saw his legs shift, then he knelt to look at her under the desk. "What happened, Dez?
She looked from his face to Braden's and saw nothing but honest concern, so she tried to explain. "I heard someone talking to Chance. He was asking about the silent partner."
"Been a few of those," Braden said gently. "Everyone wants to know who Chance is getting money from."
With the hand still on his arm, she squeezed, making him pay attention. "I knew this one's voice."
"So we're looking for someone with a record?" Jeff asked. She knew he was trying to phrase it as kindly as he could.
But there was no easy way to say what came next. "I don't think they caught him."
"They caught a bunch of guys," Braden pointed out.
"Not him." She looked over at Jeff. "I knew his voice. I heard him!"
"Sometimes people sound alike," Jeff told her. "Are you sure it was the same person?"
And that was the problem. Time and distance made memories fade. She wasn't sure. She could never be sure because she couldn't see them. "No," she barely breathed.
"Then we'll stick close until you know, ok?" He patted Braden's arm. "One of us will always be right with ya. We're a team, Dez."
"The Flawed team," Braden added. "Now move over and share your hole."
He bent his legs and scooted into the tiny space with her, then somehow managed to unwind himself around her. Like this, she was safe. No one could get close without going through Braden first, and she knew how that would end. Just outside her new-found haven, Jeff leaned back.
"We need to shut down the booth?"
"Ask Chance," Braden said, not giving Dez time to answer. "Swap out this group, tell Sam to take over for me and go find Chance. He'll kick both our asses if you don't."
"On it."
And he was. Before she could say a thing, Jeff stood and slipped through the curtain. On the other side, all she could hear was the pleased hum of future customers. Thankfully, none of them sounded a thing like her nightmares. Dez sighed and let her neck relax until her chin was against her chest.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I don't mean to be such a fuck up."
"Me either. Doesn't make us bad people, though, right?" Braden leaned closer. "And thanks, Dez. Pretty flattered that you'd touch me, especially in the middle of that."
"I did?"
"Yeah." He tapped his arm. "You grabbed me. Kinda makes me understand Chance a bit."
She forced herself to laugh. "Not giving you a hand job."
"Not brave enough to let ya. Your boyfriend would beat the ever-lovin' shit outta me." Then he sighed. "What did you hear? Just a voice, or a phrase?"
"His voice. The man who told me to never touch a game. I heard his voice."
"Are you sure?"
She just stared at the ground. "It was three years ago. I'm probably just being stupid."
"Then I'll be stupid with ya. Sound like a plan? We can both be all twitchy about every motherfucker in this place until you either hear him again and we get his ass arrested, or we get you back home safe and sound."
"Brae?" She waited until he looked up. "Don't tell Chance, ok?"
His brow furrowed. "Why not?"
"Because I'm probably just being stupid and don't wanna ruin his weekend. I'm ok. I just got freaked out over something and had a moment."
"Dez..."
For the second time, sh
e reached out and touched him. "Please?"
His eyes dropped to her hand. "Ok, but I'm staying back here with you for the rest of the day. Deal?"
"Sounds perfect."
Chapter 26
Of course, Chance had rushed to find her. He'd also said he was taking her home. Somehow Braden and Dez managed to convince him that she'd be ok and it had all been just a panic attack. It had, but she was sure she knew the man. That part she didn't exactly clarify.
With Jeff and Braden both swearing they wouldn't leave her alone, they finally calmed him down. Almost an hour later, they even got him back to work, but not until Dez was once again handling the back side of things. A reporter from a major magazine helped. When Dez got excited over the potential article, he had nothing left to argue, so he went to charm the reporter. The poor guy didn't stand a chance.
Throughout the rest of the day, Braden was her constant companion. The two times he left – to take a leak and get them both some food – Jeff took his place. The rest of the team noticed, but no one made a production out of it. They just made sure the demo ran perfectly.
And it did! They sold out of shirts by noon. By sundown, they broke one hundred thousand pre-orders. Granted, most of those were online, but they all added up. Chance's voice was starting to get rough, and Amy's was long gone. Mark took her place, but he didn't have the same knack for it. When they turned off the computers at nine p.m. for the official demonstrations on the main stage, they'd run through nearly five hundred people trying out Silk.
Then Dez checked the applications for beta and nearly passed out. Shocked, she dropped into her chair and squealed in delight, pointing at her screen. The sound brought the rest, thinking they were running to her rescue until they saw it. All Dez could do was laugh. None of them knew quite what to say.
Chance leaned over her chair. "Two million applications?"
"For beta!" Dez couldn't even try to sound professional.
"For Silk," Amy croaked. "Wait 'till they see the trailer."
Which brought them all back to their senses. Mark and Tim would man the booth, answering questions for the people who were still lingering, but the rest of them shut the whole thing down. They had a presentation to give. This was the highlight of the convention. Every game was featured. Every business got their moment. Time was allotted to every development company. Most had to split it between their products, but Deviant only had Silk. Well, and a very impressive trailer. They were about to change all the rules of massively multiplayer online gaming, and none of them wanted to be late to their own party.