Fake Game (The System #3)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

THIRTY-NINE

DEER

W aking up to an empty bed is not ideal.

Waking up to the smell of what is most certainly breakfast? That I can accept.

I stretch against the charcoal sheets; my muscles are still a little sore from last night. I give my wrists a roll, noting that the pink markings have all but faded away.

Raking my hands through my hair, I search the ground for my abandoned clothes only to find them neatly folded in the corner with my handbag perched on top.

How sweet.

I dig around for my half-dead phone, noticing a few missed texts from Lee and one from my da.

DA: Everything okay? Saw the news

ME: yup!! Don’t worry just overworked

I had to hope the excuse would hold up. I’d been lucky enough that it had taken him this long to notice anything was wrong. The odds of him clocking my lies at this point had to be nonexistent.

I eye my discarded clothes, quickly dropping the idea of putting them back on and instead opening Jackson’s closet to paw through it for something to wear.

It only feels fitting to settle on a distressed Devil Nun T-shirt I find tucked away in the back. Although, I thought that it would at least hit mid-thigh, but with my boobs, it rests a few inches higher,

I kind of wish I’d stashed some clothes here before I moved out.

Maybe I could go across the hall and see if I can snag something of Stevie’s?

The second I pull Jackson’s door open, Aleks’ door opens at the same time. The stunning brunette blinks her caramel eyes at me—dressed in only a NightBlade32 fan T-shirt, with tousled hair; we look like a mirror of one another.

Speak of the devil.

She smiles like a snake, her cat eyes narrowing as she realizes she’s caught me.

“Well, good morning.” She slings her arm around me and any chance I had of escaping back to Jackson’s room disappears as she pulls me along with her into the kitchen.

Jackson stands at the stove, his bare, tattooed back to us as he fiddles with what smells like eggs. Aleks is also shirtless, pulling a carton of creamer from the fridge. He turns our way as Stevie announces, “Look who I ran into.”

“Oh.” He gives me a knowing grin. “We were wondering who was making enough noise to rival us.”

My cheeks flush even though I will them not to.

“Aleksander, really?” Stevie rolls her eyes before releasing me and padding over to him.

“Hey, we’re all friends here.” He wraps his tattooed arms around her and gives her a quick peck. “I’m just finishing up your coffee. Take a seat, babe.”

Jackson’s heated gaze falls on me, tracing from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head.

“Morning,” his deep voice rumbles as he walks over, spatula still in hand. He places a kiss on my cheekbone before whispering in my ear, “Guess we should’ve used the gag.”

My toes curl, and I bite my bottom lip to keep my smile from being too obvious as I whisper back, “There’s always next time. Maybe you can get me a pretty one?”

His eyes flash, and I all but melt into the floor. My heart is becoming a mess over this man.

“Hop on a stool, I’m almost done cooking.” He gives my ass a quick tap before returning to the stove.

I climb on the seat next to Stevie, trying to ignore the way her eyes are silently watching me with a million loud questions. All the girls are going to seriously dig into me now.

“Your coffees, miladies.” Aleks slides the glass coffee mugs across the island to us before continuing to pour what looks like a gallon of chocolate syrup into his own.

“And I thought my coffee order was weird,” I tease, taking a sip of my strawberry concoction.

“You both have the worst sweet tooth.” Jackson rolls his eyes as he starts piling plates of bacon, eggs, toast, and hash browns onto the marble counter.

“Damn, I love your breakfasts.” Stevie immediately snags some hash browns and douses them in maple syrup.

“Oh, but that’s not all, Stephanie.” He leans down, opening the oven. A sweet berry aroma floats out, mingling with the unmistakable scent of freshly baked gooey banana. “Raspberry banana bread.” He flips the pan over and plops the most delicious looking loaf I’ve ever seen right in front of me.

My fingers itch to cut a piece.

“Give it a second, it’s hot,” Jackson warns, somehow reading my mind as he takes his seat next to me and cuts me a slice.

There’s commotion at the sound of a door flinging open, and a mostly naked British man comes sliding across the floorboards. “Is that brekkie I smell? On a weekday? What’s the special occasion?” Parker skids to a stop just shy of crashing into the corner of the island. He looks me over with a grin. “Oh, I see. Impressing your bird.”

This is so embarrassing.

Sydney comes strolling out, a pair of blue sweatpants in her hand that she throws at him before opening the fridge and taking out a jug of some green-looking juice. “Full house this morning.” Her gray gaze glints as she pours herself a glass.

“Banana bread’s vegan, Sydney.” Jackson nods at her.

“Ooh, thanks.”

Compared to the rest of us, Sydney looks the most put together, wearing a blue silk night set. She and Parker take their places on the last two stools that curve around the side of the island, the latter still not having put on any more clothes.

“Where’d you go last night, by the way? We were playing some rounds of Zombies and wanted backup,” Aleks asks Jackson, forking a bit of banana bread—that he has also topped with chocolate syrup—into his mouth.

“Movies.”

“Movies? To see what?”

“ Devil Nun 5 .”

“Didn’t we see that a few months ago?”

“Yeah, but they came out with an unrated director’s cut.”

His face drops. “And you went without me?”

“You don’t even like it.”

“That doesn’t matter. I always go with you. It’s our thing.” His cutlery clanks down as he leans forward to give Jackson a pained look. “Wow. This is such a betrayal.”

“Seriously?”

“I’m dead serious, bro.” He clutches a hand to his chest. “Why would you go alone?”

“Never said I went alone.”

“Oh?” Stevie perks up, eyes bouncing between us. “Did you guys go on a date?”

“Yeah.”

I almost choke on my coffee.

Date?

My stomach floods with the feeling of a windstorm picking up a pile of leaves and swirling them around and around. But it clashes with the fact that my brain becomes a loading screen, trying to process the idea as I sit here blinking. I see Jackson smirk out of the corner of my eye, and it just furthers my brain melting.

Stevie claps her hands together. “Ah, I love that for you guys!”

“Wait, you left the apartment? How was it?” Sydney interjects, eyes dancing between us. “There weren’t too many people, were there? Did you take precautions? Bring security? I can’t believe I didn’t know this.” Her love for me bubbles with concern, and I adore her for that.

I clear my throat, gathering all the mental marbles I just dropped. “It was fine. I was a little nervous, but the place turned out to be practically empty.”

Plus, I wasn’t able to really worry about anything with Jackson’s dick in my mouth—but no one needs to know that.

“That’s good.” Syd smiles. “Proud of you, girl.”

“Really? Whenever we go that place is packed,” Aleks mutters, still a little annoyed. “What’d you do, man? Rent the thing out?”

“Actually, yeah.”

“What?!”

We all turn to stare at him as he continues to eat his eggs like he didn’t just storm through a perfectly crafted sandcastle and reduce it all to waste.

Except for Parker, who just praises him with a “Nice one, mate.”

“Are you for real?” I lay my hand on Jackson’s wrist.

“Yeah.”

“W-why?”

He shrugs, placing his hand on mine. “Thought it would be less stressful for you and safer if we had it to ourselves.”

“So, you rented out the theater for me?”

“Yeah.”

“As in the whole thing? Not just the auditorium?”

“Yup.”

“Oh my Gods. Why didn’t you tell me?”

It’s the second largest movie theater in the whole state, which for Cali is pretty freaking huge. It would’ve cost him several thousands of dollars, and he did it for me—for my comfort.

“Because it’s something you needed to conquer up here.” He gives my temple an affectionate tap.

That’s it.

I’m done.

I’m in the gutter, being swept away downstream by this man without any hope of going back.

All my life, I’ve hidden my struggles, kept them trapped deep within me so no one saw them buried beneath my light. Not Jackson, though. He understands me down to the center of my fractured core and doesn’t shy away. He sits there with glue and helps me fill the cracks so that I can become whole again.

I slip my hand onto his thigh and lean forward. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you.”

“Please don’t start making out. It’s bad enough that we have one exhibitionist couple in this household.”

Jackson grabs a piece of crust and throws it at Parker who narrowly dodges it.

“What the—did you just throw bread at me?” He blinks in offense before grabbing a slice of banana bread and reeling his arm back. “You wank—”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Sydney’s hand shoots out to stop him. “Seriously, are you both five?”

“He started it.”

“Really?” she deadpans.

Parker juts out his bottom lip in a pout, and it fractures her mask, pulling a smile at the edges.

Jackson’s phone begins to ring on the table, and I spot an image of his parents on the screen.

“Hang on, I have to take this. You knuckleheads clean up.” He pushes off the stool and gestures to Aleks and Parker before heading in the direction of his room.

“Do you see the way he treats me?” Parker grumbles.

“I can help?” I offer.

“Nope.” Stevie puts a hand on my shoulder. “Apartment rules dictate that Aleks and Parker have to do it themselves if Jackson cooked. We’re exempt.”

My own phone starts buzzing on the counter, and I flip it over to see Lee blowing up my messages.

LEE: GIRL????

LEE: STEVIE SAID UR AT THE BOYS APARTMENT

LEE: SHE SAID U SLEPT THERE

LEE: AS IN SLEPT THERE SLEPT THERE

LEE: PICK UP UR PHONE NOWWWW

Lee’s face immediately fills my screen as her call filters through.

I glare at Stevie, who gives me a not-so-sorry smile as she clasps her hands back in her lap.

Dammit.

“Hel—”

“What the hell, Deer?” she whines. “As your best friend, I am seriously butt hurt right now.”

“Sorry, I—”

“Did you sleep with Jackson? Wait, no. Don’t tell me. He’s like a brother. I don’t want the details.”

“Then why’d you call?”

“Because I feel left out.” She lets out a loud huff, and I can imagine her pouting in my mind. “Are you guys dating?”

“That’s kinda hard to explain.”

“What do you—"

I frown, looking down at the totally black screen.

Shit.

I never charged it last night.

Lee is going to chew me out later.

“I need to go plug this in.” I wave my phone at the girls before slipping off the stool and padding over to Jackson’s bedroom.

Are you guys dating?

At this point, I have no idea what’s going on between Jackson and me. We’re sitting in this gray area that just gets murkier and murkier with each passing second.

How am I going to explain this to Lee when even I don’t understand what’s going on?

I stifle my groan as I twist the handle to his bedroom.

“I’ll have to ask Deer, but I can’t make any promises.”

I freeze.

Jackson switches to Cantonese, but there are a few English words peppered throughout. I try to weave together what I can, but it’s no use.

“Just tell her I’m sorry and that I’ll try, all right? Okay. Thank you. Bye bye.”

He hangs up, and I take that as my cue.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” He gives me a quick once over. “How much of that did you hear?”

“Mm.” I walk over to his bedside and plug my phone in. “About as much of it as I could make out in English.”

Jackson sighs, sitting on his bed.

I plop down next to him, resting my head against his shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“Angela has an audition for one of the summer music camps this weekend, and my parents wanted to see if we were free for dinner while they’re up here.”

“Oh. That’s sweet of them.”

“They have reservations at The Bay. You know how busy that place can be.”

True. It is the best seafood restaurant in town. A lot of big names dine there, so it is never short on customers. Not only that, but it would mean being in a place where I have no control. Any of the servers could be a potential danger, someone planted there to spike my drink again or something worse.

The premise sounds less and less nice the more I think about it.

But still…

“I don’t want to disappoint your parents.”

“It’s not disappointing them. They know you were in the hospital a few weeks ago.”

I let out a sigh. “Can you put me down as a maybe?”

“I can, but I don’t want you to force yourself. You did really well last night as it was.”

“About that…” This. This is the time to ask him. “Last night was a date? Like, a date date, not a fake date.”

“Depends.”

“On?”

“On if the idea of it being a real date freaks you out?”

“Doesn’t freak me out.” I try to keep my voice neutral because I am freaking out—but in a good way. My hopes start to rise higher and higher.

“Then, yes. It was an actual date.”

The apples of my cheeks puff up as I grin.

“I take your smiling to mean that’s a good thing,” he teases.

“I guess.” I look away, biting my lips together to tamp down my excitement.

“And why’s that, Sparkles? You becoming attached to me?”

“Hey, you’re the one who called it a date. That makes you the attached one.”

“True. I was getting quite sick of the whole fake dating thing.”

My heart leaps. “Huh?”

“I’m saying, I’m quite attached to you. Nothing fake about that.” He tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear, and his touch lingers, caressing my cheek. “You don’t exactly rent out a theater for someone you don’t like.”

“You like me?”

“I think I’ve liked you since that night we stayed up watching Devil Nun and you made me carry you back to my room.”

His confession rocks me. “That was weeks ago while you were still refusing to even consider fake dating me.”

“I like playing hard to get.”

“Jackson.”

“You ever noticed that you stopped calling me Shield?”

“What?” My smile drops as the realization crashes into me.

“Yup. Something tells me you like me as well.”

“Just a little.” I avert my gaze.

“A little?” He tugs me so we fall back onto the bed, and he pulls me into his arms. “You sure about that?”

I snuggle against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

“Fine, maybe more than a little.”

“How much more?”

“A lot more.” So much more—it feels like my soul is becoming one with his.

“Good, because you’re on my mind every second of every day. You’ve infiltrated my life for the better, lighting it up where it was dark, and there’s not a moment that goes by when I don’t crave you near me.” He squeezes me tightly, and all of his emotions flood into me. “You make me whole, Deer, and I don’t think I can let you go.”

“Then don’t. Keep me.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I’m yours.”