All those times we talked about her dad, all those times I wondered who he might be, I never dreamed it would be Steve.
My best friend.
And I’m racing home to have a heart-to-heart with his daughter.
It’s a mess. I can’t deny it.
But I can’t stop.
We meet in the starting zone, Floating Kingdom, the same place we met all those months ago. It’s a giant floating city, as big as a planet, made of gleaming metal. Ships dock and take off endlessly, filling the sky as tiny black dots.
Maddie has chosen her princess avatar again, but she’s underdressed compared to her previous Genevieve account. I’ve chosen my old avatar too, wearing nothing but a brown rag.
“I guess we were lucky with our old names,” Maddie says, in her princess’s voice, making me ache to hear the real her.
But I think the voices are part of it for her. It will make this easier.
I chuckle when I see what she means. Her name is now Genevieve799. Mine is Smolder55.
We joined the game when it first launched and so most of the usernames weren’t taken.
“That’s not the only reason I regret deleting my account.”
I move close to her, pressing the keys to initiate a private chat so no one else can overhear us. The whole city is full of aliens and humans and a variety of other creatures, all chattering loudly… until she accepts and everything goes silent, except for our voices.
“All our gear, our star power, our ship?”
“Yeah, exactly.” I laugh drily. “I guess that’s what I get for having a temper tantrum. Fuck, I wish you were here.”
I can’t stop myself from saying it. My hand is so tight on the mouse I feel like I could break it. My body fills with heat when I think about Maddie in that fuck-me outfit, her hair disheveled, just waiting for me to kick the door in and take her.
“I know. So do I.”
“I can be there in thirty minutes,” I snarl.
“I know, Max. I know. But… I need to tell you something first. Am I a coward?”
“For not being able to tell me to my face?”
“Yeah.”
“No. I know you, Gen…” I chuckle. “Old habits die hard. Maddie, I know you. You find it easier to speak in the game. And if my hunch is right, you’ve got something pretty big to tell me. Is it about Steve?”
“No, yes. I mean, we should talk about dad, about what’s going on here. I have no idea how we’re going to fix that issue. But this isn’t about him.”
“So...”
I emote a waving hand motion.
She giggles. Even if the princess avatar’s voice is sweet, I know that Maddie’s real laughter would sound sweeter.
I ache to be with her again. I can still taste her tangy sex on my tongue.
If this was real life, I sense she’d be turning away from me right now, eager for some privacy. But her avatar just stares at mine.
I wonder what she’s doing on the other side of the computer.
Is she biting her lip, the same way she did when I brought her closer and closer to orgasm?
“Maddie, whatever it is, you can tell me.”
“I feel like you’ve already guessed.”
I swallow. “I have a hunch. But I wouldn’t take that chance from you.”
She laughs drily. I can hear the sarcasm, even in the princess’s voice. “It’s not much of a chance, Max.”
I wait, drumming my fingers against my desk.
With a sigh, she says, “I’m a virgin.”
I close my eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply.
There’s no going back now.
It’s going to ruin Steve. It might make him hate me, hate us.
But I know I can’t walk away from Maddie, not after this.
Chapter Eleven
Madelyn
I wish I hadn’t asked to meet him in the game. It’s impossible to tell what he’s thinking as the seconds stretch and his avatar just stands there, gazing mutely at me. I try to imagine what he’s thinking.
I made a mistake. I wanted a quick lay, some crazy sex with my online princess, but it turns out she’s an inexperienced virgin.
“Max?”
“I’m here.”
I bite down, so hard my teeth actually hurt. Willing myself to stop, I ask, “So what do you think about it?”
“I wish you’d told me when I was at your apartment… Hell, Maddie. I feel like an ass. Can we switch to a video call?”
I look down at my outfit. I’ve showered and changed into a baggy T-shirt and some fluffy PJ bottoms.
After what we did, I didn’t feel like I could wear the shorts, as though dad was going to drop by and somehow sense my betrayal through my clothes.
Nerves tell me no, don’t video-chat with him. He probably doesn’t feel comfortable dropping the not-interested bombshell on me over the game.
“Why?” I say after a pause.
“Because what I have to say is very important. I can even come back to your place. It won’t take long.”