Page 37

Dallas

“So, he’s coming? He’s actually coming?” Shelby asks as she spreads her Ghost Spider costume across her yellow comforter.

Shelby’s skepticism is warranted, but as excited as I am, I’d be lying if I said I’m not tempering my own expectations and preparing for disappointment.

“That’s what he said. You know, when I threatened never to speak to him again,” I smirk.

“Well,” she lowers her voice, “I don’t think AJ would’ve agreed to that if he’s actually Bowen. Plus, it’s a public place, there’s going to be, like, a million people there.”

She’s right, and after Aiden did me a solid and planted that GPS tracker on Bowen’s truck, I’ll know if he’s anywhere nearby. Not that he doesn’t have friends that are probably just as fucked up as he is, but I have to work with what I have.

Suddenly, a figure in a metallic, emerald green leotard, spiked wrist and arm cuffs, and turtle shell strapped to their back leaps through the doorway.

“ TA-DAAA! ” Maddie crows, planting her hands on her hips.

“That is sick! ” I gasp, admiring her Bowser costume.

She’s been going on and on about it for months, but refused to show any of us until now. Carter shuffles in behind Maddie and crouches down at her waist dramatically, peeking out from behind her back.

Shelby and I shriek with excitement at the sight of her Kamek costume. Carter straightens up, letting us admire her shiny robin’s egg blue robe, pointy hat, magic wand, and giant round glasses.

I reach out to feel the satin draped over her shoulders. “You all have to win something this year.”

“Forget Mario and Luigi, we’re going full-on villain from now on,” Maddie declares.

The front door slams and a muffled voice drifts up the stairs.

“We’re up here!” Carter calls out the bedroom door.

A few seconds later, Austin appears behind her, his bright eyes darting between all the characters in various state of costume.

“ Daaamn… ” he drawls, admiring Maddie’s shell. “That turned out clutch.”

“I know, right? Omigod —” She grabs the sides of her head. “I got this killer red wig, I can’t believe I forgot!”

She spins around and darts past Austin into the hallway.

“How about you?” he asks me, to which I respond with a knowing look. “Oh, yeah,” he smiles, “why’d I even ask?”

For the last six years, I’ve gone to every convention as Lara Croft, and I’ll always be Lara Croft until some earth-shattering event changes my mind. I’ve perfected my costume, and secretly, it’s part of the reason I never cut my hair. The longer it gets, the more realistic the costume.

“What’d you decide on?” Shelby asks Austin.

“I didn’t,” he sighs. “I ran out of time.”

“What he means is, he’s too cool for us,” Carter sneers as she adjusts her shimmery robe.

“You’re coming? ” I marvel. “Wow.”

I didn’t expect Austin would go all out in costume with us, but I’m shocked he found time in his busy schedule to even attend this year.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” he chuckles.

Except that I am.

“I got some new boots for my costume this year, want to see?”

Austin nods and follows me back to my bedroom, where I kneel down at the foot of the bed to retrieve the shoebox I’ve had stashed there since Christmas. Austin takes a seat on the edge of the bed as I lift out one of the brown Timberland Charles Street boots that I’ve kept in stellar condition for just this occasion.

“These are the exact boots that Lara wears in the 2013 reboot and Rise. ”

“No way.” He takes it from me and turns it over in his hands. After a few seconds, he hands it back to me. “I can’t wait to see it.”

“I’m glad you’re coming with us,” I say as I tuck the boot back into its box.

“Are you?”

I can’t read his tone. It’s familiar and upbeat, but laced with a hint of suspicion. I finish packing my boots away and slide the box back under my bed.

“Yes. As long as you mean it this time.”

“I mean a lot of things, Dallas.”

I brush my hair away from my face with a sigh. “Such as?”

“That I still miss you,” he cocks his head, “and I’m still waiting for you.”

“ Waiting… ” I say with sarcasm. “You used to be one of my best friends, Austin, and there was a time when I thought you could be more than that. I thought you felt the same way, until you took me out—” my eyes darken, “and then went home with someone else.”

Austin lets out an exasperated breath and moves to stand. “We’d both be better off if you didn’t hold grudges so easily.”

Better off?

“Maybe, but you’re a little late. I’m kind of seeing someone.”

OK, maybe the term, seeing, isn’t exactly true.

“Who?” he scoffs. “The serial killer guy?”

My muscles go rigid and images begin flashing through my mind—the railroad bridge, Bowen’s dark eyes and syrupy voice, and the terror followed by all the pain.

“What serial killer guy?” I ask with a half-hearted laugh.

“You know, the guy who’s into ropes and bondage and shit.”

“ Oh! ” I say louder than I mean to. “No, not that guy. Um, a different guy, a guy that I game with.”

Austin’s mouth curls bitterly. “What happened to you not having boyfriends?”

Is AJ my boyfriend now? It feels like it, but I’ve never even seen his face. Then again, blind people don’t see other people’s faces and obviously they can have relationships. But I’m not blind, so I don’t know if I can draw that parallel. I think right now I’m still just weird.

“Who knows?” I shrug. “Things can change if you find the right person.”

His caramel eyes grow more severe the longer he stares down at me. But my gaze doesn’t waver. Because I haven’t forgiven, and I haven’t forgotten.

“You mean the guy whose face you’ve never seen and you know nothing about?”

I say nothing, stone-faced to his smug expression.

I do know about AJ. I know a lot about AJ. And I know how it sounds, but the fact that I’ve never seen his face and don’t know his last name are tiny details compared to everything else we’ve told each other over the past three years. And after what I told him about Bowen, and then about Alex, he knows more about me than anyone else in this world.

“Better than the face I do see who only wants me around when it’s convenient.”

“Dallas,” he says dismissively, “you fuck around too much with people you don’t know. I think you’re going to get hurt one day, and it’s going to be a lot more than just crying about how some dude’s not a Spartan who stepped out of Halo .”

“I can take care of myself, Austin.” I smile up at him with the same fire behind my eyes. “Don’t you remember? I already know what it’s like to be disappointed by a man.”

Sometimes being a prick doesn’t involve piss and vinegar. Sometimes, it’s best served on ice with sugar and honey.

“Don’t forget who’s been here from the start, who’s always had your back regardless of what stupid decisions you’ve made.” He steps past me, his eyes still locked on mine. “The one who’s still here.”

The way he says it makes my chest tighten, and as soon as Austin storms out the door, I unclench my jaw and fight the urge to hurl one of my Lara Croft boots down the hall after him.

“ Fucking asshole, ” I mutter, slamming the door.

I stew about it for almost another hour before my phone vibrates on my desk.

AJ (8:16PM): Want to play?

Yes.

I swing the door shut with a slam and twist the lock. Grabbing my headset, I log in and it’s not five seconds before I hear AJ’s familiar deep voice in my ears.

“Riley Storm, how’s the weather?”

“Windy,” I reply. “How about you?”

“Do you like sushi?” he asks.

I reach for my mask, but then hesitate. Instead, I smile to myself, then slowly pivot and stroll around the end of my bed to the side table.

“I love sushi,” I reply, retrieving a black plastic box from the drawer.

“I just got home from dinner with my family. We went to this sushi place that’s supposed to be the best in town, but I don’t know, I still think mine’s better.”

“You know how to make sushi?” I ask as I hook my thumbs in my waistband and pull my shorts and underwear down in one motion.

“Hell yeah,” AJ replies as though I should’ve known. “You’d love a tuna maki, or maybe a yellowtail scallion.”

I bend over and plant my elbows on the bed. “Then that’s what I want for dinner after GalactiCon,” I tell him as I hold the largest purple plug in one hand and squeeze a generous amount of lube on it with the other.

“Done. You should be good and hungry after that, anyway.”

“Why’s that?” I slide the slick silicone over my skin until I find the right spot near my tailbone.

“Because the amount of cardio you’ll be doing beforehand will be unparalleled.” I start to slide it in, letting my muscles relax while he talks. “Second only to the ungodly amount of cum that’ll be dripping out of those tight little holes of yours.”

My mouth opens with a silent gasp as the widest part clears my tight entrance. It’s gotten much easier, and I’d be lying if I didn’t feel an exhilarating sense of accomplishment every time that I put one in. Letting out my breath, I straighten up and stroll over to my desk, tucking my leg under me before sinking down.

“The other day, I left one of your plugs in when I went to class.” I gently rock my hips back and forth, feeling the satisfying pressure. “I wasn’t thinking, sat down like normal, and almost screamed and fell out of my seat in front of everyone.”

“Oh, no,” AJ chuckles. “So, you're telling me you actually do have a virgin ass?”

“Are you surprised?”

“Filthy girl like you? Yeah.”

“You have no idea how filthy I am.”

“Because you’re a little butt slut now? I bet you’re positively unholy.”

With you, I could be...

“I also like how you call them my plugs,” he adds, “even though they were a gift for you. ”

“Sorry,” I snicker, reaching for my mask.

“Don’t be sorry. You’re mine, so what’s the difference?”

“I am, huh?” I remove my headset briefly to slide the black and purple mask down over my face. “Do you realize that I don’t even know your last name?” I ask as soon as my headset is back on.

“You trying to take it?”

“Is it a cool one?” I ask as I turn on my camera. “If you have a terrible last name, that won’t work for me. I have to maintain appearances.”

AJ’s familiar dark figure appears, sitting in his black leather chair with his face covered by his Ghost mask. “Many have attempted to capture it, but none have succeeded.”

That one makes me snort. “So, what do the A and the J stand for?”

“Absolutely Jacked,” he says without missing a beat.

“Oh my god, you’re so lame,” I laugh. “Anyway, how are you even going to find me at GalactiCon if you don’t know what I look like?”

“Easy, I’ll just look for the best Lara Croft.”

“Do you know how many Lara Crofts go to these things?” I snap.

“I’ll know,” he’s unfazed, “because I figured you out a long time ago. You like showing off, you like being watched, and you like me watching you best of all.”

Suddenly, I feel the faint ache in my chest again; the one that comes on when I realize someone who should be here is missing. And it’s happening more frequently. I’ve been able to keep it in check until now.

“Yes.” It comes out in nearly a whisper. “Because I wish you were here.”

“I have a lot of guilt about that, Ry.”

“Why?”

“If I’d decided to meet you earlier, then I could’ve prevented what happened to you. Because I’d never let anyone hurt you like that.”

“You don’t know that.”

AJ doesn’t know Bowen, or my brother, or about all the shattered pieces I left back in Dire Ridge.

“Yeah, I do. And after you told me about it, I took a risk sending you that package. I know it could’ve turned you off completely and pushed you away for good.”

An unexpected giggle escapes my throat. “You want to know a secret?”

“Always,” he replies, swiveling back and forth in his chair.

“I’m glad you sent it to me.” I swallow hard. “I laughed when you said I’m yours, but it’s true. Because this is one place that no one else has ever been. And you’re the first—” A wave of butterflies runs through my stomach as I say it. “I want you to be the first.”

AJ tilts his head, his dark eyes staring back at me from behind his skull mask.

“Do you want a sneak peek?” I ask.

“Of what?”

Slowly, I reach up and remove my headset. I hook my thumb in the bottom of my mask, and, before I can talk myself out of it, I slide it up my forehead and over my hair.

My face— my real face —appears in the rectangle box in the corner of my screen, exposed for the first time. It shouldn’t feel different than any other time I’m sitting in my bedroom, but it does. Now, AJ’s gaze feels like an electrical current boring into me through the ether as I slowly replace my headset over my ears.

“It’s nice to see you again, Riley,” AJ murmurs.

A brief jolt of adrenaline skitters through my chest and I furrow my brow apprehensively.

“ Again? ”

“I had a dream about you once,” AJ continues, “and you looked just like this. But your eyes weren’t as bright as they are now, and you weren’t looking at me the way you are now.”

I release the tension sitting like a cinderblock on my shoulders. “Is that good?”

“Darling, there is nothing and will never be anything more divine.”

The corners of my mouth curl into a sultry grin. “No?”

Then I reach over and retrieve my glasses, unfolding them and sliding the thick frames up my nose.

“Do you hate me that much?” AJ asks in his deep, lilting voice. “I thought your face couldn’t be more perfect and then you do that —when I can’t even touch you?”

“I thought I was being nice to you.”

“By taunting me over my video feed?”

I untuck my leg and stand up so my hips come into frame, revealing my bare groin. Then I turn my ass to the camera and give my chair a kick, rolling it away. I toss my controller onto the bed and crawl onto all fours, spreading my legs and arching my back to give him a full view of my ass and pussy.

“ Fuuuck, Riley… ” he groans over my headset, all but confirming he sees the sparkly end of the purple plug between my ass cheeks.

At that, I wiggle my ass back and forth, eliciting a chuckle from him. Spreading my knees wider, I bounce my ass in quick successions and then roll my hips in the air.

“Goddamn, you’re so fucking cute,” he rasps in response, making me all but gush down my thighs.

I turn over onto my elbows and let my knees fall open onto the bed.

“You can leave that necklace on,” AJ says. “It looks pretty on you.”

“Is your jealous streak over?”

“I’ll make you a deal. If you still want to wear it after spending one night with me, you can keep it.”

“Hmm…” I glance up at the ceiling in consideration.

Maybe Shelby’s right, maybe I would make a good cam girl, after all. But this is different than any other time I’ve sat in front of the camera. Right now, I only want AJ to watch me. I only want his eyes on me because he's the only one I can let see all of me. And fuck , I wish he was here in my room right now instead of on my screen.

“OK, deal.”

“That was a pretty generous sneak peek.” His voice hitches slightly, and I know he’s smiling.

“That’s not what I was talking about.” I reach for the controller next to me. “You told me to get myself off as many times as possible. Do you want to watch?”

“Sadistic little fucker, aren’t you?”

I set the controller to continuously vibrate—secret tech girl trick—and draw my knees up, opening them as wide as I can. “You can help me if you want.”

AJ leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. “Get it wet first,” he commands.

I bring the controller to my mouth, turning slightly so he can watch me slide the handle back and forth over my tongue, coating it with my saliva while its sharp vibration buzzes through my head. I reach between my thighs and run the controller over my clit, letting my head fall back with an exhale.

“Slower,” his deep voice rumbles through my speaker. “I edge the fuck out of my woman.”

Impossible, I won’t last that long.

My hips start rolling against the vibration and a shiver skitters through my belly and down my thighs.

“Am I making you shake, Ry? This’ll be nothing compared to how hard you’ll clench around me when I’m pumping that pretty little pussy full of my cum.”

My chest heaves with every pass over my slick skin, his sweet voice drawing every drop out of my pulsing core. I give an airy moan in response, my eyes fluttering with the intense pleasure.

“Every inch of you is absolutely perfect. And you’re going to be perfect for me.” His dark eyes watch me intently. “Put me in that wet little cunt.”

I hesitate, air hissing through my teeth with each breath. I don’t know if I can convince myself to do it. I haven’t put anything there since that one night—not fingers, not a vibrator, nothing. The pain has since dissipated, but the memory is still there, as fresh as ever. And even from behind his mask, I can tell that AJ knows it.

“Look at me, Riley,” AJ draws my hectic eyes to his. “I’m your man now. From now on, you’re going to do what you want, when you want, and with who you want. And I’ll wait for you, because you’re my flame that never goes out, and together we’re going to be unstoppable.”

Maybe I am blind, but not in the same way as someone who’s lost their physical sight. Maybe AJ and I are two flames shrouded in secrecy, too molten to let anyone get close. With our masks, we can be whoever we want to be. But it also means we can show each other the things no one else is allowed to see.

My hand drops, sliding the handle through the liquid heat until it dips into the wettest part of me. I pull back and slide it in again, pushing it deeper. Then again. And again.

“ Oh god, you feel good, ” I whimper as I run the handle against my wall.

It vibrates against the toy on the other side, making my abs clench and my nerves fire. My head rolls back and forth across my shoulders, my chest heaving while the tension builds and I imagine AJ’s the one between my thighs.

“Take it deep, Ry.” He leans back in his chair and slides his hand down the front of his pants. “Fuck it like you’re playing to win.”

I nearly stop breathing when he takes out his cock, hard and at attention. My mouth falls open as I watch him, his hand moving over the veins tracking his length as he slowly strokes it. Even when shadow descends over his eyes, I can still feel them like embers on my skin.

“I’m going to show you off, just how you like it,” he rumbles through labored breaths, “except, next time, it’s going to be me inside you while you scream my name into that mic for everyone from here to Singapore.”

“Because I want them all to see how good my Ghost fucks me,” I smile coyly.

He groans a muffled curse in response, making my heartrate skyrocket as the pleasure intensifies. My hips pick up pace, thrusting forward as I fuck the controller for him.

“AJ?” my voice crackles as I press the end of the glistening controller against my clit.

“Yeah, baby?”

Electricity radiates through me, the vibrations consuming every nerve ending.

“ Ay— ” my jaw drops and my muscles tense as I feel the wave crest.

“Let me hear it,” he moans.

I collapse onto the bed, arching my back as electricity shoots through my core. “ Oh—harder… ” I gasp, thrusting the controller deeper and faster. “ Harder! ” I let out an airy cry as the orgasm rips through me.

Eventually, my hand falls away and the controller rolls onto the bed, its hum muted by the comforter. A hurricane still rages in my head, my muscles convulsing from coming so hard to the image of AJ watching me. My legs still splayed open and my thighs slick with arousal, I push myself up onto my trembling arms.

Slowly, AJ lifts his hand and shows it to the camera. “How’s that for a collab?”

When he spreads his fingers, I can clearly see the strings of thick cum stretching between them.

I break into a smile, the euphoria still coursing through my veins. “I’ll share the payout when you get here.”

I raise my hand to show him my own glistening fingertips and then open my mouth, sliding my middle and index fingers over my tongue and sucking the cum clean off of them.

Like I said, maybe I’d make a good cam girl, after all.

●●●

“He said you hold grudges? ” Shelby hisses as we walk arm-in-arm behind Maddie, Austin, Carter, and Carter’s boyfriend, Tyson, dressed as a Dry Bones to match her Kamek costume.

“Apparently, I should get over it, let bygones be bygones. You know, ‘til the next time he decides to ditch me for another Frankenstein Barbie with too much lip filler that can’t move her face.”

“God, what a chode,” she rolls her eyes with disgust beneath her pink and white Ghost Spider hood.

Austin and I haven’t spoken since the other night when he felt the need to tell me that I’m being the unreasonable one for not putting up with his fickle bullshit. I thought he would’ve grown up like the rest of us since high school, but the only difference seems to be that he has even more money and a better wardrobe.

“It doesn’t matter,” I lift my chin with resolve, “same nonsense, different day.”

Strutting along in my brand-new Timberland Charles Street boots, we follow the others through the glass doors and into the concourse of the convention center, where we’re immediately plunged into 900 different fantasy worlds. Every so often, I catch Austin glance over his shoulder at me.

And he should, because I look positively righteous in my teal tank top, tight black shorts, pocket knife, and two prop pistols strapped to each thigh. And to top it off, I finally figured out how to seamlessly braid black extensions into my ponytail so my hair hangs down past my waist. I’m ready to forget reality for the rest of the evening and immerse myself in the fantastical chaos of GalactiCon.

Shelby pulls me close. “Alright, so Ghost Daddy’s supposed to meet you here, right?”

“Yes,” I chuckle. “ AJ said he was going to be here.”

“How will you know who he is? What’s he wearing?”

I slow my pace, “I—I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? Didn’t you plan this out?”

We didn’t get that far.

“I…don’t know!” I barely get the words out before bursting into laughter.

“Oh my god, I can’t even with you right now!” she snips and pulls me along beside her.

If worse comes to worse, I can just call him. But it would be more fun to just find him—or for him to find me…

In the meantime, I keep my eyes peeled for some strange guy who may or may not appear to be searching for me. However, I don’t let my guard down in the slightest, knowing that AJ might not be the only one looking for me. My tracker app indicates that Bowen’s still outside the city limits. I’ve noticed that he doesn’t venture here often, not since the night he showed up at Blood Horse with his date. I should be relieved, but that fact seems unsettling in itself.

“Any sign of him?” Shelby asks an hour later while we’re passing through the food court.

Suddenly, I stop dead in my tracks. “Shel, I’m such an idiot.”

Her dark eyes bulge in alarm. “Why?”

“ Because, who is he?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who is AJ always dressed as?”

Her eyes dart around in thought. “Ghost from Call of Duty ?”

I arch my brow. “And where are we?”

She gazes around at all the video game characters strolling past. Then it finally dawns on her.

“We are idiots!” she gasps.

“Good, I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

“ Of course, he would just be dressed as Ghost. I thought it might be that guy over there.” She nods at a line of tables where a local brewery’s set up shop. “I noticed him looking at us earlier.”

“Which one?”

“The guy who looks like he stepped out of the Hive from Resident Evil ,” she snickers. “He’s not looking right now, but he’s the one all in black.”

Peering across the atrium, I can’t get a good look at him; he’s kind of stocky and his hair is covered by a black ball cap that’s turned backward. But as soon as he turns his head, a crowd crosses in front of us, further obscuring my view. And once they pass, he’s gone.

Like a ghost.

Regardless, I still think it’s a reasonable assumption that AJ will show up to a fandom convention wearing the same mask he always wears. But the longer Shelby and I wander through the convention center, stopping at tables and taking pictures, I’m no closer to finding him. It’s getting dark, and I start to wonder if I’m only delaying the inevitable disappointment.

Shelby points to the fountain in the distance. “I see Carter and Tyson, I’m going to ask them when they want to get dinner.”

“OK,” I sigh, sufficiently deflated. “I saw they have the new PlayStation back there and there’s no one in line right now. Come get me when you all decide?”

What better way to console myself than blast a bunch of aliens into gooey pulp? I join the line of other players in front of the screens and zone out, trying to avoid the worst-case-scenario that’s quickly becoming reality. Maybe Austin is right, maybe I do fuck around too much with people I don’t know.

Get a grip. Austin is not right, he’s just acting like a tool and sulking because you won’t give him another chance to disappoint you.

“You make a great Lara,” someone says from behind my shoulder.

At first, my heart about skips a beat because I think it’s finally AJ, but I dismiss it quickly. It’s slight, but I can tell this guy’s voice isn’t as deep as AJ’s.

“Thanks,” I regard him, but keep my eyes on the screen as my thumbs dart over the controller. “There are always a lot of Laras, but it’s kind of my thing.”

“You’re definitely the most realistic. Maybe you can come home with me.” He lowers his voice and leans down into my ear. “I like the little ones.”

My chest tightens.

Are you fucking kidding me?

Great, just another perv who’s here to fetishize the nerdy girls. Suddenly, I take a shot to the side and my character crumples to the ground, ending my turn. And I was doing so well until this douche-canoe showed up. I grit my teeth and swivel on my heel, ready for a fight.

“And maybe you can kiss my ass!” I snarl through clenched teeth, coming face to face with the man in black.

“I’d love to,” he grins down at me, his white teeth popping against his russet eyes.

I blink and my mouth slowly falls open. Sounds mute and everything in my periphery melts away as I stare up at the face before me.

“ Alex? ”

The corner of his mouth curls. “Hey, Mama,” he murmurs, cupping the sides of my face and gently pressing his lips to mine.