Page 4

Jackson

“Are you ready for this?” I asked through the microphone resting against my cheek as I waited for the popcorn to finish in the microwave. The smell of burning, buttered greatness filled the air, and I let out a sigh. What could be better than this?

The apartment to myself, all my favorite snacks, and a night of Ride or Die with an audience of at least three thousand gamers waiting to watch.

“Ooh, Jackson. It almost sounds like you’re not going to get killed in the first ten minutes of our operation,” Liam, my gaming partner, said, unimpressed and unbothered, but that could be his accent. He was British, after all, and they had a weird sense of humor.

“Do you have your camera set up for the live?”

“Yes. Have you?”

“Nope. I’m playing in my living room tonight, so the viewers are only going to get your pretty face.”

“Good. Means we’ll get at least one thousand more subscribers then.”

I rolled my eyes, but he had a point. Besides my excellent gaming skills, Liam was a pretty motherfucker, and we regularly had girls joining the lives solely because they’d seen his face all over social media and wanted to get his attention.

When the microwave dinged, I took the popcorn out and poured it into a large bowl before stuffing a handful in my mouth. Then I snatched the controller from the kitchen island and made my way to the couch with an extra skip in my step.

Nope. There was nothing better in life than this.

Just as I walked past, Thea’s door opened and all my hope of a solo evening died.

“It stinks out here.” Her hand wafted across her face, and she pinched her nose, cringing. “What did you cook? A dead rat?”

I bit my tongue, doing my best not to go against Tanner’s wishes the first night he was gone, but, as usual, Thea was making it somewhat difficult.

“Why are you still here?”

Thea’s dark eyes followed the popcorn spilling out of my mouth and into the bowl I was holding. Her lip curled, which surprised me. I thought she’d be happy I wasn’t dropping it on the floor.

“You know, I didn’t think it would be possible to be less attracted to you, but congratulations, you’ve somehow managed to do it.”

“Really?” I looked her up and down. “You’re going to judge my attractiveness”—I gestured my chin in her direction—“when you’re dressed like that.”

Her gaze dropped to the furry purple onesie with Covey’s logo printed across her stomach. That wasn’t even the most offensive part of her outfit. No, that accolade was saved for the sheer pink robe with fluffy cuffs she was wearing over it.

Seriously, she looked like she was trying to date the hockey team’s mascot. Although, I’m guessing Crushie had better taste.

She didn’t flinch at my insult to her outfit. Instead, she patted down the purple fluff and pushed her shoulders back with pride. “What’s wrong with this? Tanner bought it for me.”

It all made sense at the mention of her overprotective brother. The same one who gave me a little lecture the second week his sister joined Covey U.

“Everything. Absolutely everything is wrong with that.”

She pouted, and a thought came to my mind. Was she going out in that? If so, I needed to say something to save all the guys in college with a cat allergy.

“Look, I don’t like to dole out advice often.”

She tipped her nose up in typical defiant-Thea fashion. Always judging. Always right, even when she was completely wrong. “That’s because you’d actually need some wisdom for that.”

I stepped closer to her, and my nose twitched from the fluffy collar of her robe. “Don’t worry, I don’t need much wisdom to know your brother only bought this for you to turn off every single one of his friends.”

Her lips curved into a smile. “Is it working?”

“On me? Don’t worry, Pyro. I was turned off a long time ago.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Come to think of it, let’s hope you don’t burn the place down again. That outfit looks flammable.”

That smile on her face quickly turned to a sneer. “I hate you.”

“The feeling’s mutual, but for the sake of wanting the apartment to myself, I would suggest you don’t go out in that. It won’t help your lack-of-friends situation.”

“That’s fine because I’m not going out.”

“Yet,” I said.

“At all,” she replied, halting me. I looked at her, but she just continued to casually pluck the fluff off her onesie.

She wasn’t going out?

Had I missed something?

Didn’t she just say it was my night in?

Why was she acting so casual about this?

I glanced over to the refrigerator to the note she wrote, and it confirmed everything going through my mind. “But it’s my night tonight.”

She crossed her arms and sighed as though I was wasting her time. “I’m aware.”

“So, shouldn’t you be leaving the apartment?”

“Nope.” She tied up her sheer robe, and frankly, it was hard to take her seriously when she was dressed as a Furbie from hell.

I shook my head. “You’re confusing me.”

“Aww, is all of that too much information for you to handle in your teeny-tiny brain? I’m staying in, but don’t worry, I won’t cramp your style. I’ll be in my room all night.” She waved her hand in front of my face. “So, feel free to get back to whatever it was you were doing. Well, actually, if you’re watching porn on the big screen, I’d rather you leave the masturbating to your room. I have to sit on that couch from time to time.”

“Whoa,” a deep voice said in my ear, one I almost forgot was there.

“Did you hear that, Liam?”

“Who’s Liam?”

“I heard everything. Who is this girl?”

“My worst nightmare,” I answered before turning my attention back to Thea. “Pyro. You created the rules, and now you’re not abiding by them.”

“I am. I’ll be in my room all night. It’ll be like I’m not here.”

Looking at her door, I knew damn well that would do nothing to stop her overbearing presence from taking over the place. She couldn’t help it. She just had this way about her. It was almost like she could suck everyone’s attention in the room without even trying. At least, that was how I felt whenever she was around.

“But you will be here.”

“I already explained that.”

“I was promised the place to myself tonight.”

“Oh, please. It’s not like you’re doing anything important.” She flitted her hand toward the living room and looked me up and down with disgust.

I glanced over to the TV in mock shock. “Nothing important?” She acts like I’m not allowed to entertain myself during the offseason. I wasn’t a robot like Tanner, but I was also nowhere near as talented, and any hopes of getting drafted were long gone for me. “I’m about to go on a heist with a guy who’d rather get cottage ear than wear a helmet while a thousand people watch.”

“It’s cauliflower ear,” Liam said. “And I don’t risk it, because I’m not in the scrum.”

“Oh, yeah. Can’t ruin your pretty face either,” I said with a smile.

“Who do you keep talking to?” Thea asked.

“My friend Liam. He’s a nice guy, I think you two might hit it off.”

“Why do you think that?” she asked, trying to hide the smirk threatening to cross her face.

“Because he’s in the UK. Time zone means talking to you would be minimal.”

“I’m game. She sounds fit,” Liam said in my ear, and I chose to ignore it. Knowing her, she’d steal all of his time, and I’d never have a heist partner again.

“I hate you,” she said so clearly and concisely I was certain her English teacher from high school would be proud.

“Didn’t we already do this, Pyro?”

Her fists were clenched, and the fluffy outfit only emphasized her body vibrating with anger. Why was it so satisfying to see her like this?

As she turned on her heels, the robe dramatically floated in the air before she slammed the door behind her. I pressed my lips together, holding back my laugh at the end of her robe being caught in the door and imagining her on the other side trying to move, only to be stopped.

I waited for a couple of minutes, ready to mock her, but the door didn’t open. Was she standing behind it waiting for me to leave?

“What happened?” Liam interrupted the silence. “Did you mute your mic? If you’re shagging over there, I don’t feel it’s fair that I’m missing out on it. Therefore, I would kindly request you turn everything on so I can watch.”

I rolled my eyes at the thought. Thea and I screwing? I’d have more luck with a feral cat than that ice queen. Was it harsh to call her that? Maybe, considering it was only me she seemed to be the ice queen with.

“Right. If you aren’t going to answer, then I’m just going to have to send you an invite.” I heard my computer ringing from here. My room was next door to Thea’s, and any noise from either of our rooms could be heard by the other.

I grinned when I heard a low grumble of annoyance and saw the end of the fluffy robe flinching. She was trying to pull it through the door, but there was no chance of that happening.

After another low grumble, I stepped forward, knocking on her door.

“Do you need a little help in there, Pyro?”

She gasped, and the robe stopped moving, which I assumed was because she was frozen to the spot.

“What does she need help with? Cleaning her pipes?” Liam added, and I ignored.

“Go away, Jackson.” I enjoyed how difficult she found rolling out my name. It was like the anger dripped from her tongue with every syllable.

“Alright, but I’m out here if you need me, Pyro.”

I sauntered into the living room, pretending not to hear the door creak open before quickly shutting again, and looked over my shoulder to see the pink fluff was gone.

“Are you ready, Liam?”

“Where’d your friend go? I was having so much fun.”

“Away.”

I dropped onto the couch and placed the popcorn next to me.

“Aww, that’s sad. Any chance we can get her back at some point? If she’s as fit as she sounds, we might be able to use her in a few of the videos and up our numbers.”

I cringed. Thea meeting Liam was enough to make me gag. Her being part of my channel, or worse, meeting the subscribers and having all those guys drooling over her? No. Just no. It wasn’t going to happen.

“She’s busy.”

“She didn’t sound it.”

“Are we getting past level thirty-six tonight or what?” I changed the subject, prepping the live.

“That’s ambitious.”

“If you want to win in this world, you’ve got to be determined.”

Once everything was set up, I grabbed one of the couch cushions and placed it behind my back for lumbar support. Playing in the living room was always a little different since I didn’t have my gaming chair, but I wanted to take advantage of the time I had.

The game switched on, and I shook my shoulders out, trying to relax, which seemed impossible since I knew Thea could walk out of her room any minute.

How was I supposed to have a good time when she was right there?

I could imagine her in her room. Her legs were probably crossed, her lips in a pout as she refluffed the end of her robe.

“Need a little help here, mate.” Liam interrupted my thoughts, and I looked up at the screen.

Shit.

When had he started? Liam was already running from an onslaught of cops while I was revving up the engine of the getaway car.

“How many are after you?” I asked, annoyed that Liam couldn’t do a damn thing without me.

“At least twenty.” I could hear the effort as I drove around the block to find him.

“Give me a second,” I grumbled. Sometimes, I wondered what Liam brought to the table besides his good looks. I would have completed the game by now if it weren’t dual player, but then I remembered the increased follow count and the endorsement offer sitting in my inbox. All things I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for him.

I guessed I should be thankful even if he were prone to getting killed on every street corner.

With that, I saved his ass and moved on to the next level.