Page 31 of The Power Play

Charlie: Murder is wrong, Audrey.

Audrey: NOT LIKE THAT!

Audrey: Just trust me.

Charlie: I’ll think about it.

Audrey: Clock is ticking. See you later. *wink emoji*

“You’re hidingthings and I’m going to need you to spill all of it,” Chandler says as soon as I sit down at the table she got us.

“I’m sorry I’m late, thank you for checking on my wellbeing, I love you too,” I retort sarcastically.

“To be honest, I thought you were late because you were sleeping with a certain hockey player you’re living with.”

“I lived with you for over a year, and we never slept together,” I tease, still deflecting her original comment.

“You know if you had a dick, you’d be the one for me.”

“I wouldn’t be enough for you since one doesn’t satisfy you. You need three,” I wink at her. She throws her head back laughing.

“You’re not wrong,” she says through her laughter. “But back to you, what has happened with you and Charlie?”

“The same thing I’ve been telling you, nothing more than a kiss or two,” I shrug.

“Nope, there’s more.”

I groan but am saved from answering right away when our first round of mimosas are delivered. I take a giant gulp of mine; the mix of orange juice and champagne instantly relaxes me from the chaotic morning and the glare from my best friend across the table.

“Okay, okay,” I start, and she perks up, clearly waiting for the juicy details. “He knows I’m Lacey.”

“How did that happen?” she questions because that’s not information I offer up to just anyone in my real life. I have friends who do cam as well and even with them we call each other our alter ego names to make things less complicated when we collaborate.

I explain everything that has happened from him seeing my cam room and figuring it out, but not telling me, to when I figured it out. Then finally I tell her about our second kiss that didn’t go as far as I wanted it to.

We have our second round of mimosas by the time I’m finished with my story, and I drink the entire thing like a shot and signal for a third.

“So, youdowant to fuck him,” Chandler finally says.

“That is what you got from all that?”

“Well yeah, because now it’s more obvious than ever that it should happen.”

I sigh, “It’s more complicated than that apparently. He has an ex that fucked him over and so he has major trust issues and doesn’t sleep around.”

Chandler scoffs, “I get that.”

I nod, even though I have never been in a relationship or experienced heartbreak in that way I have had a front row seat to it through friends, including Chandler.

“So, yes I want to have sex with him, and I’m pretty sure he wants to have sex with me. I’m just not sure if it’s going to happen.”

“But you’reyou. You’re Audrey Hudson. You’reLacey.”

I laugh, “I love your confidence in me.”

“Seriously, if you both want each other then why not?”

Shrugging, “I’m not saying it’s not possible, just up in the air right now. Oh, apparently this ex of his is going to the game tomorrow and is using his mom to get to him.”

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