Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“Don’t call me that.”
He grabs my laptop, opens it, types in the passcode—he’s the only other person who knows it—and then starts tapping. A minute later, he sighs tiredly.
“What is it?” I demand, pacing.
“The story is spreading. Dakota’s name is starting to appear in articles, as well as her photo.”
“Are the headlines being kind to her?” I ask.
He shakes his head slowly. “It’s just what you thought. Here’s one. Seductive Streamer DakkyDuck Bags Billionaire Jackson Cross.”
“That’s not even close to the truth,” I snap. “She didn’t bag me. We chose this. Together. Are they all like that?”
“Half are accusing her of being a—” He stops when I give him a dark look. “Of using you. The other half are accusing you of using your power to your advantage.”
“I knew we were playing with fire.” Pop. Another tennis ball bites the dust. I toss the remains into the trash and grab a third. “I knew it, Petey. But somehow, I didn’t want to believe it.”
“The whole team wants to meet,” Pete tells me. “This is going to require a coordinated PR effort.”
“I’m yours to command,” I say gruffly. “This isn’t my skillset. At all. When’s the meeting?”
He checks his watch. “Twenty-two minutes. We’ll…” He trails off, staring at the screen in complete shock. “Did you assault a trucker at a diner?”
I drop into my chair heavily, a surreal chuckle escaping me that has no humor in it at all.
“No,” I say. “I threatened him because he behaved like a creep to Dakota. Commented on her body, wouldn’t take no for an answer, tried to play the victim when I called him out.”
“The video shows you walking toward him like you’re ready to tear his head off,” he murmurs, watching it. I can see the reflection in his glasses. “Then it cuts. The trucker, Trent Stillwell, says that after the video ended, you put your hand on his arm and dragged him out of the diner.”
“He was already halfway out,” I snap. “And as much as I wanted to crack his head like an egg, I didn’t lay a finger on him.”
Pete grits his teeth.
“This is bad, isn’t it?” I say.
“Bro…” He unclenches his teeth with an effort. “It’s more than bad. If this isn’t handled correctly, this could be the end.”
CHAPTER 25
DAKOTA
Iwake with sunlight on my closed eyelids and a big smile on my face. I feel like I’m floating on that cliched Cloud Nine, like nothing bad is ever going to happen again. I’m not some naïve fool. I know that’s impossible.
But it feels true. I grab my phone, clicking on the first notification. It’s a text from Jack, taken from outside my apartment building, saying he wishes he were here with me instead. I’m about to text him back when Mara calls me. It’s eleven AM—she’s usually at work at this time—so I answer fast, worried something is wrong.
“Finally,” she says tightly. “I’ve called ten times.”
“I was sleeping,” I reply. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Have you been online today yet?”
“No… why?”
“Oh, Dakota,” she murmurs.
“Just tell me.”
“Somebody leaked messages between you and Jackson from inside the game. On a test level or something?”
“No,” I murmur.
“You use each other’s names and… well, I haven’t read them, obviously. But you have virtual sex, apparently, and there’s lots of romance in there too.”
“Let me guess. I’ve gone from a self-made woman to a fuck-her-way-to-the-top opportunist overnight.”
“Uh,” Mara says.
“Mara.”
“Half say something like that,” she admits. “The other half blames him for taking advantage of you.”
“Nobody’s taking advantage of anyone,” I hiss. “That’s not what’s happening between us at all.”
“All the internet knows is that a streamer known for playing this one game is now in a relationship with the CEO. I know things are more complicated than that, but the rest of the world doesn’t.”
“I don’t even want to look,” I admit.
“You don’t have to.”
I almost laugh at that. “Yes, Mara, I do. Can I call you back?”
“I’m here for you, hon.”
I walk into my office and boot up my computer. It feels like a sick joke, with my legs still aching from this morning, my sex still sore in the best possible way. Just when everything seemed like it was going to be perfect…
None of the major newspapers have picked it up yet, but it’s all over smaller tech and streamer news. There are twenty-three Reddit threads about it, countless Facebook posts. We’re all over X too. I’ve been tagged a thousand times on five different platforms.
I scan some of the messages, a pit tightening in my stomach.
WalkNova25: I wish I could say I’m surprised, but this is what these women do. Her stream was stagnating, so she decided to use her other assets. I can’t blame her. But how can she respect herself after this?
WhisperWind555: It’s not her fault. She’s ten years younger than him. HE took advantage of HER. It’s classic billionaire stuff. For the longest time, I thought he was one of the good ones. I was wrong.