Vi rounded on him, suddenly cutting into his line of sight, eyes fiery. “Is that how you think about this, Sin?”
A decidedly vague question, and yet he knew what she meant. “I would never control you.” He stared into those fiery eyes. Now that the words hung in the air, they felt too true, too vulnerable. Had he misunderstood her?
“What are you thinking of then?” she demanded.
The Knight card. Conquest. Ah, fuck. The wheels and locks inside of him that kept his secrets hidden away groaned as he tried to heave them open.
“My mom,” he said. It was all he could manage.
The fire in her gaze faded. Something in his tone must have revealed the effort, the pain behind the words. She slipped quietly beside him and leaned back against the arcade machine. They sat in silence for a moment, both frowning.
“Sorry I was late,” he managed finally, trying to restore some semblance of normalcy. “If I hadn’t been, maybe you wouldn’t have had to deal with any of that.”
“No. Don’t be silly. He was determined to track me down sooner or later to make that offer. And besides, I got quite the show out of it. Where did you learn to do that whole MMA thing?”
Suddenly shy, he shrugged. “Videos. Local gym. Asshole older brother.”
She looked at her phone again, then frowned. “Wait, you have a job? Like a non-gaming job?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked out over the bar, scanning for Mouse again—and to make sure Max was really gone. And maybe because it was easier to confess things when he wasn’t meeting her gaze. “Sort of. I don’t tell people about it. I’ve been meaning to explain, I’ve retired from tournaments. Won most of them once already anyway. Getting too old, you know.”
She snorted. “Yeah, you’re a right old bastard at twenty-six.”
She kept her eyes on the phone. He hadn’t realized she knew exactly how old he was, or that she had bothered to remember.
“What kind of job? Or… am I prying?”
“You are prying. But I think I like it. I have a media company. I make videos and put them online. Cover the big tournaments, tutorials, equipment, stuff like that. A couple of different channels. I have a few I manage for other people. Gaming channels, product channels, one for a friend who has that MMA gym downtown. It’s all YouTube and Twitch mostly. I make good money off them.”
The last bit came out unbidden. God, what was he doing? Just because some old ex had shown up, he felt the need to assert his manly financial assets? He was just like his fucking father: when the dicks came out, the pissing match started. He didn’t want to win her over because of that.
Or maybe he simply wanted her to know who he was. The truth. All of it. Even the spoiled-rich-kid parts.
She was staring at him, wide-eyed. “This is a secret, right?”
“Oh. Yes. A big secret. Don’t share, okay?”
“Why is it a secret? Why not tell everyone? For God’s sake, your—”
“My family doesn’t need to know,” he said quickly. God, let his trust not be misplaced.
“But I do?” she said slowly.
“Well, you were prying.”
“You mentioned ‘work’ first. You knew I would ask. You wouldn’t have mentioned it if you hadn’t already decided to tell me.”
He smiled. “You’re very perceptive, you know that? Even without the tarot cards. I wanted you to know I wasn’t lying and that I wanted to be here already.”
“Oh. That was… thoughtful.”
“Where is Mouse anyway?” He didn’t actually want to know. He wanted to know what she would do if he kissed her right now.
He leaned closer subconsciously, and now her shoulder touched the front of his. She licked her lips, the movement catching his eyes and locking him in place, unsure whether that was a nervous gesture or an excited one. Or both.
“We should—”
A hand clapped down on his shoulder. “Hey! Look at you two. My, you do look the part! I never knew you were such an actress, Vi.” Mouse grinned at them.
“Happy birthday, Mouse,” Jack mustered, shaking his hand. He was pretty sure Mouse would have preferred a hug, but considering the bar was about 75% gay, he was going to stick with a handshake for the moment.
“I guess you saw my text then?”
Frowning, Jack pulled out his phone. “Uh, no, we were… indisposed.”
Mouse’s message waited patiently on the screen. Dude. Your brother Frank is here. What’s he doing at my birthday, huh? Did he follow you? Weird. There’s no bimbos here for him to dick around with tonight. Except maybe Diego but I don’t think he’s Frank’s type.
He looked up to catch a quick exchange of expressions between Mouse and Vi, Mouse’s one eyebrow raised in what seemed to be amusement. He’d been gesturing wildly but smoothed it all away with a grin as soon as Jack looked up. Deciding to ignore it, Jack held up the text for Vi to see too. Now he earned his own amused eyebrow raise.
Mouse mouthed, You’re showing her your phone?
Jack shrugged and tried to suppress a sheepish grin that he didn’t understand. It was the best response he could give. He didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. He would have let her look through his email, call history, tax returns, and baby albums at that moment if she’d asked. The realization was both exciting and terrifying.
Vi took his hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. “There.” She looked at Mouse. “Convincing?”
He tossed up his hands. “Honey, I was convinced way before that, but you know Frank is a boner, so he probably needs something more literal. Like the two of you making out in a dark corner.”
“Well, he basically already saw that,” Vi mumbled.
“What now?” Mouse clasped his hands and looked delighted, like this was all for his entertainment and a great birthday present to boot. “Details, please.”
“Oh, nothing,” Violet said with a cheery smile. “Jack, can you get me a new drink? I don’t want to know if there’s anything wrong with this one.”
“Sure.” He only hesitated for a moment. He could do this for her. It was just one drink, one that he probably wouldn’t like and wasn’t for him. “What would you like?”
“An old-fashioned.”
“Got it. Mouse, do you want a drink for your birthday?”
“You sure? Wow. Well, yeah. I’ll come with you. A French 75, please. Vi, we moved over to that big booth. There should be space for us all now. Do you wanna sit down?”
She nodded. “Uh, yeah, I need a moment. To sit. That was awful. See you guys over there.”
“We’ll keep an eye on you,” Jack said as they parted.
“Dude, what is up with that?” asked Mouse as they strode to the barstools. “Thanks for coming out, by the way. I know it’s hard for you. She asked, huh?”
“Very insightful.” Jack pursed his lips, flagged down the bartender, and carefully ordered the drinks. Iced tea for him. People always assumed it was a Long Island.
“Well, it’s still nice to see you out and about. So are you fucking her or what?”
“Worse. I think I’m actually falling in love with her. You have to help me.”
“What now? Oh, this is delicious.” Mouse grinned even wider, only a little surprised by this confession. “The determined bachelor just said the l word.”
“I know. This is a disaster.” Jack ran his hands through his hair.
“What happened? What’s this about you sucking face in front of Frank?”
“She kissed me. Part of convincing them the gig was real, she said. Everything’s gone to hell in a handbasket from that point forward.” He sank onto the barstool.
“Oh, that’ll do it. So she likes you too. What’s the problem?” Mouse leaned against the bar and scanned the massive display of lighted bottles climbing the walls before them.
“I don’t know if she likes me. I think it was just the girlfriend act. I’m not sure.”
Mouse smirked. “I am.”
�
�She only kissed me when my brother barged into the room, and then she told me not to be stupid about it afterward. I don’t think she meant it.”
“The words or the kiss?” said Mouse, frowning.
“I have no idea at this point. You’ve got to talk me out of this.” This was his last chance.
“Well, was it good? Or an awkward-wet-noodles sort of thing?” Mouse propped his chin on his elbow.
“Gross. Why are you even asking?” The ridiculous edge of threat in his voice surprised him.
“Dude. You’re ready to deck any guy that gets within ten feet of her. Do you hear yourself? It’s lucky she’s sitting at a table full of gay guys.”
That was helping him keep it together, it was true.
“Was it good or what? C’mon, indulge me. It’s my birthday.”
Jack sighed, staring at the bar for a moment before he relented. “Flawless. Best ever. It didn’t hurt she’d been kicking my ass on my Xbox beforehand. There, you perv, you happy?”
“I knew it. She worries about that, you know.”
“What?” He scowled at his shoes.
“Apparently one of her exes told her she was terrible at… well, let’s just say sucking in general, shall we?”
“How the fuck did that come up with you?” He was white-knuckling the bar now. Neither of their drinks had shown up.
“Hey, I give great pointers on that. But she didn’t need them. She’s dated some jerks, man. Don’t get involved if you’re not serious about this.”
“I know. Talk me out of this. Isn’t this mega-creepy?”
Mouse shrugged. “She kissed you first, right? I mean, if you had kissed her, I’d give you a lecture. But you didn’t initiate so… that’s at least fifty percent less creepy.”
“That’s comforting.”
“But look, she’s my friend. Don’t just screw her. She’s been through enough.”
“Do you think I’d even be talking to you if I wanted a hit and run?”
“What the fuck has happened to you, man? I thought you wanted me to talk you out of this.”
“I do. I mean…” She had happened to him. Her and her bullets and brutalities and f words, her witty retorts to his brother and—where was his brother? Still at the bar? “Does she hate me as much as I thought she did? I thought that made this safe.”
“I didn’t think she’d agree to your little proposal. How much did you offer her exactly?”
She hadn’t told him already? “Four thousand.”
“Fuck, dude. Uh, well. I believe she once called you the king of the assholes, but that was after a particularly bad match.” Mouse scanned the bar as Jack winced. “I have to beg her to play with you, though, man.”
He hadn’t realized that. “What? Why?”
“Cause you treat her like shit in-game. I mean, you’ve hardly been playing the last couple of weeks. But you’re constantly telling her what she’s doing wrong. It’s annoying as fuck.”
“She could be great if she just—”
“You never tell me what I should be doing.”
“That’s cause you’re just fucking around. You don’t want to be good, and she does.”
“Does she? You don’t tell any of the guys what to do.”
He scowled because Mouse was right.
“When she’s the only girl, which is most of the time, it comes across like you don’t want girls in the game. Or that you think she’s worse than everyone else and needs to be dealt with.”
His eyes widened. “Oh. Shit.”
“Yeah. But I mean now I’m thinking maybe you’ve just had a hard-on for her all along and not realized it.”
“And that was my fucking stupid dysfunctional way of showing it? Fuck.” He smacked a hand to his forehead. Mouse was totally and completely right.
“It’s not like your dad has given you much of a model for how to talk politely to women.”
“Don’t remind me.” He hung his head. God, if she’d interpreted his misguided efforts to help as harassment… Not just interpreted, she was right. If Mouse said he was acting like a douche, he certainly was. The way Violet talked was noticeably differently from his brother, his dad. More kind. More respectful. He probably sounded just like them. A horrifying thought. She wouldn’t be off base to lump him in with them and their “aristocracy” and their bitchy lies and stupid barbs.
Mouse clapped him on the shoulder again. “Wow. If I had realized you were trying to help, I would have told you to fucking stop it sooner.”
“That… might have been good. Then I wouldn’t have so much damage to control.”
Her old-fashioned had arrived, and he took a sip of his iced tea. They just waited on Mouse’s drink. Damn, this bar was slow. Jack glanced over at the table, where she was laughing with Mouse’s friend with the curly blond hair who always wore the killer suits, phone back in hand. For once, all of the pain he’d seen his parents go through… it seemed maybe worth it. Not that Vi was anything like his parents.
When he glanced back, Mouse was staring at him, something strange in his eyes.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” said Jack.
“Dude, you are seriously in love with her.”
“Talk me out of this. This is a terrible idea, right?”
“No way. This is a great idea.”
“C’mon. Tell me I’m not good enough for her.” He wasn’t.
“Why? So Max can rejoin the party? So I can be your only friend until you’re too old to type? Sorry, I plan to have my own husband to wallow with by then. Notice I’ve been looking for years and he hasn’t come along yet. Take a chance, you coward.”
Jack took a long, bracing swallow. “Am I going to hate myself for this? Or you, for not talking me out of this?”
Mouse frowned at him now. “Just because our parents destroyed each other doesn’t mean you and Violet can’t do better.”
Jack blinked.
“That’s what I tell myself, anyway. Not everybody fails at this shit.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m going to screw it up.” He had no examples. The golden fish were just a tease, an unattainable possible future not meant for him.
“You seem to be doing just fine on your own.”
“Dude. I offered to pay her four thousand dollars to be my fake girlfriend and then fell in love with her when she kissed me one time. Does that really qualify as ‘just fine’?”
The bar patron next to him turned and walked away, eyebrows raised and an amused smile on his lips. Maybe Jack should have kept his voice down.
Mouse snorted. “Just tell her.”
They sat in silence for a moment.
“Sorry I didn’t see that asshole corner her. I should have been watching out for her better,” Mouse said softly.
A knot of tension inside relaxed, one he hadn’t noticed before. “It’s okay. She seems like a girl who can handle herself.”
“She acts tougher than she is, my friend.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Mouse’s French 75 arrived, finally, and they clinked glasses. He took a deep breath.
“Happy birthday, you asshole. I can’t believe you wouldn’t talk me out of this.” He smiled. “I’ll blame you from the smoldering wreckage.”
Mouse just grinned and walked toward the table.
Jack followed him, her drink in hand. He eased into the seat next to her, their thighs touching. He set down the drink and curled his arm around her waist again. She flashed him a smile, still finishing what she was saying to Mouse’s blond friend. Her side molded to his. It felt natural, comfortable, flawless to sit beside her like this. He wanted to be closer still.
The smile, the way she leaned against him—they didn’t feel like an act. This couldn’t be just brilliant, entrancing acting that had torn down all his walls. Could it? Had any of it had been real?
He needed to get her—or Frank—out of this bar. Time to find out for certain.
Chapter 6
&n
bsp; As Violet sank into her seat, still stunned, her phone vibrated in her hand. She glanced down, bracing herself for more Max, but what she saw was almost worse. Chris.
How about that drink tonight?
Oh, he had no idea. She needed a few after all she’d just seen. At the way Jack had sent Max reeling like a drunken sailor. At his texts and hints and cracking the door open to his private world. At the sight of him in a navy-blue dress shirt instead of another hoodie.
She could tell Chris to come here, although there was the issue that Frank was somewhere nearby. But Jack hadn’t asked her to take part in his ploy tonight. She’d made her appearance, and the place was packed with Mouse’s friends now. If she wanted to see Chris, she could head somewhere else on the other side of town. There was really nothing stopping her.
Nothing except the way Jack had joined her here in the booth, again a quiet, happy puppy, molding himself to her side while she continued talking to Mouse’s friend Adrian.
She downed the last of her old-fashioned.
“You want another one?” he asked.
“Sure.” He was off before she could reach for her purse.
She grabbed the phone and pulled up Chris’s message as soon as he was gone. I can’t tonight, sorry.
Or ever, because I’m seeing someone, she wanted to add. But that wasn’t true.
C’mon, that’s what you’ve said every night. Are we doing this or not? came the abrupt reply.
Violet blinked at the phone. Not, apparently, she thought. Even if everything from Jack was an act, she still preferred him. And Chris? Altruistic, sexy, brilliant, whatever—there’d been no fire there. And she needed fire. As soon as possible, in fact.
Good thing she had some beside her right now, bringing her another drink.
Good Game: A Gamer Romance (Leveling Up In Love Book 1) Page 10