2024-12-11 16:30:33“Are they going well?” I don’t know why I ask, but the question leaves my mouth before I have a chance to think twice. I don’t really know that much about Herson, and some part of me is drawn to the news like a magnet.
“No,” Sydney scoffs. “But he is putting on a good act for the cameras at least. I’m just worried his patience is going to snap at some point. He’s been in a foul mood all week because of them.”
“How many has it been?”
“Only two so far, but there’s definitely more on the horizon.”
“Ugh.” Lee wriggles her body in a feigned shiver. “That’s my worst nightmare. I totally get how he must feel. Even my parents are putting the pressure on me. The perfect daughter should be getting married before thirty.”
“I feel bad for those poor girls,” Stevie sighs as she pours more wine.
“Yeah, he isn’t invested at all,” Sydney agrees.
“Negative percent interested. He’s still sneaking out to see his hookups. I caught him coming back at like four a.m. the other day. I didn’t even know the Club was open that late.”
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard about Herson’s active sex life, and like every time before, I find myself straining to hear more. He seems to be secretive about it but not enough that the rest of us don’t know what he gets up to. I’ve never been one to shy away from good sex, but it’s hard to find a partner when you’ve turned into a slightly paranoid recluse whose entire life is online. I haven’t touched a dating app since the Panther Hunter stuff started up, which means I’ve been married to my vibratorsthe last few months—and as amazing as the Pleasure Core 3000 is, it doesn’t exactly replace the kinkier desires I harbor that only a person can fulfill.
“He must be a good lay,” I muse.
“Yeah. I mean, he is massive,” Stevie agrees.
“Ohmigods, you’ve seen his dick?”
“What? No, I meant his body is massive.” Then her eyes narrow, and a sly smile spreads over her perfect face. “Interesting that your mind went there.”
Shit.
I scramble to backtrack.
“I’m just saying. It would make sense. He is tall.”
Stevie cocks her head in thought. “You make a good point. He’s only a little shorter than Aleks.”
“Exactly, we could assume a correlation.”
“Isn’t Parker shorter than them both?” Stevie smirks, her eyes sliding to the blond.
“Hang on, I’ll have you know I measure—”
“Parker,” Sydney shrieks, cutting him off.
“What? I was just going to point out that I’m taller than Herson.” Honestly, all three of the men in The System were well over six feet tall, so by our assumptions they should all have pretty solid cocks. “So, does this mean I can stay?”
“Fine,” Lee caves. “Just this once.”
“Sweet.” Parker pumps his fist in the air at the win.
“Now, hush up and let us get back to the murder at hand.”
***
Four drinks, two dead bodies, and one screaming Parker later (turns out the visualization of a finger getting cut off didn’t sit well with him), we’re calling it a night.
“Can I get a ride from somebody?” I grab the empty bowls from the table and bring them into the kitchen to wash in the sink.
“You didn’t drive?” Lee furrows her brows as she puts the spare cookies into a Tupperware container.
“No?” I give her a look. “Shield picked me up.”
“Really? Why?”
I pause mid plate scrub. “Didn’t you ask him?”
She shakes her head.
That’s weird.
“I can give you a ride.” Stevie smiles as she comes up next to me to wash her wine glass.
I shoot a desperate glance back at Sydney. I love Stevie, but she really isn’t the best driver. Neither am I, but Stevie is arguably worse. She hits objects that aren’t even moving.
“We can give you a ride back to yours,” Parker offers, sensing my distress.
“Thanks.” I turn to give Lee a big hug before saying goodbye.
“We still on for tomorrow?” she asks.
My stomach drops at the mention of tomorrow’s horror stream we’d previously planned, pre-swat, and it must show on my face because she gives my hand a squeeze.
“We don’t have to if you aren’t ready yet.”
I shake my head. “No. If I put it off, I’ll just keep doing that. Plus, Blade said he would join.”
“Okay, love you.”
“Love you.”
I grab my phone from the bowl in the hallway and rush to catch up to Syd and Parker, who are waiting by the elevator.
“You good?” Sydney gives me a once over as we descend to the lobby.
“Of course.” I smile, unlocking my phone and checking for any notifications. My eyes snag on a Discord message from Herson.
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IT’S A VIDEO GAME THING
Panther’s hand tenses on my arm, the tips of her nails pressing into my skin ever so slightly, though her face stays a practiced, placid mask.“Technically. It’s also my gamertag.”“What does that mean?”Po powhispers to me, but her voice carries across the table.“It’s a video game thing,” I whisper back.“You play games as well?” She leans across to make eye contact with Panther.“I do,” she smiles. “I’m not as famous as Herson, though. He is part of an epic legacy, and everyone really respects him.”She is laying it on thick, but I don’t really mind it. It’s nice to have someone in my corner who actually understands me, who believes in me.That being said, she is selling herself short. I don’t think Panther realizes how many people adore her content, how she has quickly become a star in the community.“It’s still just playing games,” Auntie An chimes in.Panther tilts her head. “I know a lot of people have trouble understanding the video game industry, let alone streaming, but it is
NICKNAME
“Nei neoi peng yau hai been?”Where is your girlfriend?Shit.I look down to see my grandmother has snuck her way over to me during the shuffle. She is peering around, not in an accusatory way, but there is definitely a suspicious glint in the way she is taking in the situation. Considering it seems like my supposed girlfriend sprang out of nowhere, I don’t blame her. Getting this ruse past her is going to be harder than convincing Auntie An—at least she’s seen Panther. My grandmother, on the other hand, is one of the sharpest women I know. The onlyperson who can beat her at mahjong is my grandfather, and that’s because she secretly lets him win.“Youryi masaid she was coming.”God damn Auntie An.“She—”“Hey, Angela. Congratulations, your performance was totally magical.”Every bone in my body turns to stone at the words.I would recognize her voice in a room filled with a thousand people.I turn around, and sure enough, Panther stands in front of my little sister. If not for her pin
SHE ROLLS HER EYES
—shealwaysrolls her eyes—and begins ripping open the takeout bags Lee brought. The smell of melted cheese and ketchup wafts around us as we settle in.“By the way, are you guys busy Sat?” Lee reaches forward and grabs her burger, taking a large bite.“Why?” I steal a fry from her lap.“There’s this content creator party downtown.”I wrinkle my nose. “Pass.”“Aw, come on. You’re not going to make me go alone.”Dammit. See, nowthisis why I always ended up going out. It wasn’t becauseIever wanted to but because I would never let Lee go alone. My sense of Girl Code is too strong, even if my social anxiety pulses like a beacon during a storm at the idea.“You could always get one of the boys to go with you,” Syd offers. “I ended up having to move their streaming schedule around that day so they could have it free.”“Why?”“Herson’s sister has another piano thing.”My ears perk up, and I try to sound casual as I ask, “Where is that again?”“The recital? Her high school, I think.”“Back down
I’M GOING TO TAKE THAT AS A YES
I look at the mountain of boxes just in the living room. I have absolutely zero motivation to open them. Maybe I should’ve just thrown everything out and started new. Minimalism is pretty in right now.“I’m going to take that as a yes.”I give her a half-assed smile, and she rolls her eyes playfully before going to speak with the movers.Thank the Gods she came to help me out. I’d be seriously lost without her.Literally. I can’t even see over some of these boxes.I look around my new place, which is a lot larger than I expected. Even with all the boxes piled up, I can tell I lucked out with the stunning open floor plan and two massive bedrooms. When Parker said he was getting the apartment repainted, I thought he meant because the previous tenants ruined the walls. Nope. He’d gotten the entire apartment painted an extremely sheer pastel pink color. He even went so far as to get a doorbell system installed to give me peace of mind. It seems a little much for an apartment on the fortie
I DON’T SAY ANYTHING
I don’t say anything and neither does she.She’s been here for a little over a week and this is the second night I’ve caught her having some sort of a nightmare. My throat thickens as I think about the weeks she spent before coming here when she was holed up in her apartment all alone. How many times did this happen after the incident? How many nights did she cry alone?No wonder she looked a mess when I picked her up. She’d probably given up on sleeping altogether.Panther releases another hiccup, but her body begins to relax under my hand. I feel some of the tension ease from the tight curl she’s been holding as her muscles start to melt.Without giving it too much thought, I lower my body to the mattress. I curve into something like a C shape, molding myselfinto a fence of safety around her. My hand doesn’t leave her once in the process, anchoring her to me.She begins to wriggle, and I spot the tips of her fingers as they emerge from beneath her cocoon. Those pointy nails curve ar
BLOODY HELL
“Bloody hell. I forgot how awful you lot are,” he huffs. “No, she just wanted a night back at her own place.”“I can take the couch.” Panther’s soft voice slips through the barrage of noise.“You’re not taking the couch,” I cut back.“But—”“It’s not up for discussion.”“Don’t worry, Panther. Big guy here can survive on the couch; it’s custom made from Norway.” Parker slings an arm around my shoulders, a shit-eating grin slapped on his face.“You better sleep with one eye open.”He rolls his eyes. “Besides, it’s just one night. We can get you set up in your place tomorrow, and he can go back to his cave.”“Tomorrow? It’s ready?”Wait. What?“Yeah, technically. I mean, the paint job was finished up this weekend. Might still smell a little chemically tomorrow but shouldn’t be bad enough that you can’t move in a few days early.”No.No, I was supposed to have another few days with her.She wasn’t…This wasn’t supposed to be her last night.“Ohmigods. Yes! I can’t wait to see it.”“Great.
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