Page 7 of Now Streaming

She couldn’t believe she had just said that, but it was too late to take it back. Especially since she only realized as she was saying it that it was true.

“So you admit you’ve fantasized about me?”

Not one to back down, Min gave him a savage grin. “Of course. The current one involves slow dismemberment.”

They both held their breath, eyes locked. She saw the moment he decided to try a different tactic, feeling him pull away even as he kept her against the wall.

“I don’t really have time for this, babe. Those suits up there already wasted enough of my day, and now you’re making me late.”

She felt her panic rise at that. “Wait, you’re not doing the tournament?”

He studied her, seeing the change in her, curious. His thumb almost caressing her trapped wrist as he stared at her, considering.

“No. The douche made it clear that they wanted to cut a deal for me to reveal my identity during their stream. I don’t like being pressured, and my privacy is too important to lose it to one lame tournament.”

She ignored the ‘lame’ comment. Min quickly put the pieces together in her head. This was why Bleeding Sword was willing to give her a spot in the tournament, even though her recent viewership had tanked. She was being offered this chance because of her rivalry with DeathsHead. Their streams together always resulted in both of their highest ratings, and the tournament wanted those kinds of numbers for themselves, even if Min’s star had fallen.

And if Death wasn’t going to be in the tournament… it’s possible the company would decide they didn’t need her, didn’t need to risk having to sponsor such a controversial streamer if she won. While she had walked out in a temper, a clearer head was currently prevailing. Min couldn’t let him walk away from the tournament. If she was going to go back up there and grovel for a spot, which she was currently gearing up to do, she would need DeathsHead signed on to boost her chances of success.

Fuck, she needed him.

“I’ll give you my code if you do the tournament.” The offer rushed out of her in a long breath before she could stop it.

He was surprised. “What’s in it for you?”

“My sister just got out of the hospital.” She hated telling him the truth, but she couldn’t let him walk away. She glanced away from him, not able to meet his eyes. “Car accident. Her surgeries were expensive, and the bills are piling up. I haven’t been able to work for a few months now. Winning the tournament would help. The sponsorship… it would help a lot.”

It would change her miserable life, and she knew it. He was silent, his gaze dropping to her mouth before traveling back up to her eyes. She could see him weighing his options, torn between whether to believe her.

“You really think you could beat me?” He smirked at her, and Min suddenly remembered that he didn’t know who she was. He clearly believing her to be a rookie streamer, and a rookie would have almost no chance against a pro like DeathsHead.

Min met his smirk with a cold smile. “I have before.”

He froze at that, his eyes searching her face, still not recognizing her without the heavy makeup, without the wig, without the outfit, and she found herself both grateful and disappointed that he didn’t know her without it. Or maybe that he had never really cared to know her.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Do we have a deal?” She held her breath, not sure what she would do if he said no. His thumb absently caressed her wrist again as he gazed at her, and she wondered if he even realized he was doing it. Finally, his mouth compressed into a flat line.

“Deal.”

Her breath whooshed out of her as she sagged against the wall.

Min recited her code, and he kept hold of her while he typed it in. The phone immediately unlocked, showing him her texts with her sister, seeing the picture of her with her mom in the hospital, Devery’s leg encased in the large cast. He scrolled through some of the texts, then went to her photos. She straightened her spine, her mouth flattening as he invaded her privacy even further.

“I told you I didn’t take your picture.”

He ignored her, scrolling through her pictures, seeing her with her sister, her mom, cooking and laughing and being together. He checked her trash file, finding nothing. If anything, she could feel his body grow more tense as he violated her phone, searching everything he could before finally clicking it off. When he finally met her eyes, she could see the regret flash through them before he hid it. He handed her back the phone.

“I’m sorry.”

His voice was sincere, and cold air rushed over her as he stepped back, letting go of her wrist. The sensation was so sudden that she almost stumbled, rocking toward him a little before she caught herself. His hand reached over to the control panel and released the elevator. He leaned against the wall furthest away from her, staring at her, his eyes hooded but still on her as they rode the rest of the way to the parking garage in silence.

The doors dinged open, revealing the two executives from before standing there, waiting for them. Min could only guess what she and DeathsHead looked like. She could feel her face was flushed and her breath was short. DeathsHead, however, was calm, showing nothing of their conversation or of how close they had been only moments ago. He gave the execs a cold look before turning his eyes back to her. She didn’t say anything, worried the slightest thing would cause him to renege on their deal.

Finally, he turned back to the executives. “I’ll do the tournament.”

The suits practically sagged in relief, and one came forward, hand up to clap Death on the back before thinking better of it and running his hand through his own hair.

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