EIGHT
JESSICA
Ribbons of nerves unfurl in my stomach as Kane leaves the room.
When he drove us back here, I didn’t object or question where we were going because I wanted to spend more time with him, but I didn’t expect his friends to be hanging out at his place.
And I definitely didn’t expect to be alone with them. Well, this is awkward.
Engrossed in their racing game, they barely notice me as they banter with each other.
With his tongue between his teeth, Maverick crashes his car into Noah’s, forcing him off the road.
I take a moment to let my attention wander across the space. It is built for gaming. Multiple consoles, surround sound speakers, and a large display mounted at eye level. It feels more like a private studio than a playroom.
Where did Kane go? And when will he be back? Doubts start to creep in the longer I wait. Why am I here? I don’t belong.
Still sore from earlier, my body aches deliciously, and I try not to wince when I shift. Ha! Easier said than done. My pussy feels swollen and tender.
Checking the time on my phone, I consider whether I should leave while I still can. I’m fidgety and nervous and unsure if I should be here. My brother would kill me, for one.
I should leave. How hard can it be to sneak out while they’re distracted? And what about the guards at the gates? How do I get past them unnoticed? Would they stop me, or would they let me go? There’s no reason for them to keep me here, but I have a feeling Kane would have something to say if I left.
“Don’t make us chase you down,” Maverick says, blocking Noah from overtaking him, his brows furrowing. I freeze and glance between them. Is he talking to me?
He glances over his shoulder. “You’re two seconds away from bolting.”
What? No. Why would he think that?
“I’m not.”
Don’t know why I sound so defensive, but I do.
They exchange amused looks.
“Please,” Noah says with a brash laugh. “You look ready to make a run for it any second.”
I mean, yeah, I was. But that doesn’t mean I’ll admit it.
Maverick pauses the game and holds the remote out to me. “You play?”
My eyes widen. Does he want me to try? Why?
“Go on,” he says, urging me to take the remote. “Don’t look so scared.”
I’m not afraid of a racing game. I regularly play against my brother and his friends, but I feel out of place here with these guys in their expensive clothes that cost more than I’ll ever earn in a month. I hardly dare sit on this luxurious sofa, worried I might stain it with my poverty.
Still, my body moves on its own. I accept the remote, unsure of what to do next.
“Have you played before?” Maverick asks as he shifts his large body slightly to study me with a curious look. The way they watch me makes me feel like an animal in a zoo. I squirm under their gaze.
“Of course. Who hasn’t?” I ask.
He jerks his head toward Noah. “Think you’re good enough to beat the master here?”
Laughing softly, Noah shakes his head.
Maverick jostles his shoulder. “Don’t be modest now just because there’s a woman present.”
