Page 119 of Forbidden Game

“I don’t joke about royalty, babe.”

She opens her mouth to say something before letting out a laugh and resting her cheek against my chest. I feel her shoulders relax, and it calms a piece of me as well. She’s always so high-strung. Always thinking and worrying and planning. I just want to be able to provide a space where she can feel safe enough to turn off her brain and just be. I want to be her person.

“Unless you don’t want to tell them we’re dating?” I ask her the question because I saw her hesitation earlier. I ask her the question because I know how secretive she’s been.

“I want to tell them, but….” She trails off. Her arms tighten around me, and she snuggles in closer. “But I’m worried about it getting out. It’s the biggest PR taboo, and even though you think you have Mathias handled, it’s still against my contract, Parker.”

“I trust them. They won’t say anything.” I know that with every fiber of my being. The lads would never breathe a word, and the girls would never do anything to hurt Syd. “I’ll deal with Mathias if it comes to that. I promise. You won’t face him alone.”

I’ll have to find some way to get ahold of her contract so Paige can look it over. There would be a loophole somewhere where she wouldn’t lose her job.

“Okay. I trust you.”

My heart stops, those three words freezing time around me.

I have no clue whether she knows the true weight of what she just said, but it grounds everything. Earning Sydney’s trust is like platinuming in a game. You spend hours doing everything possible to complete every single side quest, collect every token and relic, and finally, when it’s all done, you get that little silver trophy next to your name and everything becomes worth it. Loving Sydney for five years, never giving up, was worth it just to hear those three words.

“Also, you need to put some clothes on before we go back out there.” Sydney pulls back from my hold and gives me a pointed look.

I laugh, but my chest aches with the flurry of emotions pooling within me. “Why? I’m not ashamed.”

“I know.” She rolls her eyes and walks to my dresser, pulling out a pair of bright blue sweatpants and tossing them to me. “But the last thing I need is a literal dick measuring competition.”

I grin, stepping into the fabric. “You know we—”

“No. No, I don’t know. And I don’t want to know.”

“Are you sure?” I waggle my brows.

She sighs, pushing past me to the door. Her hand rests on the handle for a beat before she takes in an audible breath and wrenches it open.

Sydney walks into the apartment with practiced confidence. You would think she was walking into a boardroom to give a presentation to executives, not a living room full of gamers while wearing just an oversized shirt. Her shoulders are pulled back and her strides measured as she makes her way to the L-shaped couch and perches on the edge cushion nearest Stevie.

The three of them look up briefly from the couch before turning back to the racing game they’re playing. But I catch the small smile tugging at the corner of Stevie’s lips.

“Would you look at that. He does know how to wear clothes,” Jackson mocks.

“Ha ha.” I take a seat next to Aleks, stealing his controller. “Why does everyone have an aversion to seeing me naked? It’s a privilege. You should feel special that I allow you the honor of seeing my goods.”

“Dude, grab your own.” Aleks wrenches the controller back, his character crashing in the process. He sends me a glare as he waits to respawn on the track.

“Parker, I’m surprised more people haven’t seen you naked,” Stevie sighs, maneuvering her vehicle smoothly into first place and overtaking Jackson.

“Please don’t say that,” Syd laments. “I don’t want to bail him out of jail after hearing he went streaking just to prove your point.”

I give her a wolfish grin. “What a great idea.”

Jackson’s character crosses the finish line, and he hisses out a “yes,” balling his hand in a fist.

Stevie tsks, her car slotting in at third place across the finish line. “Cheater.”

“Parker’s the fucking cheater,” Aleks growls from eleventh place. “I could’ve won if he didn’t steal the damn controller.”

“Oh, babe.” Stevie pats his leg. “You were already losing.”

“Hate this fucking game.”

Stevie lets out a shimmery laugh, her eyes full of such love as she stares at the broody gamer. She notices me staring and gives me a once over. Then, her sweet smile turns serpentine. “Nice shirt, Syd.”

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