Page 31 of Cross Check Daddies
I laugh quietly, a grin tugging at my lips. She’s not wrong. I’ve been losinga lotlately. And the worst part? It feels good. Like she’s winning more than just the game.
“You’re a handful,”I type, grinning to myself.
“I know. And you love it.”
Her reply sends a jolt through me. Every message feels more like an invitation than a simple exchange. More like we’re flirting in some strange, digital way.
I sigh, trying to focus on the game again. But my mind keeps wandering back to her.
“Alright. Let’s see if I can actually beat you now.”
“We’ll see. Try to keep up.”
She snipes me again.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Brooke
I’ve been buryingmyself in work, trying to focus on the game launch, but I can’t help it. My mind keeps wandering back to the King brothers.
Tanner’s smile, his touch, and the way he made me feel like I was alotmore than just a woman in a room full of men. And then there’s Cam. The tension between us still lingers, even though it’s been days since we last spoke—since he left my office that day—and the guilt is eating at me.
I’m distracted, so I log into Call of Duty again. If I’m being honest, I need the escape. I need something that’s purely mine—where the only thing I’m thinking about is how to outplay my opponents, not how my body reacts when I’m near any of the Kings. So every night, without fail, I find myself sniping someone in particular. And not only at night.
IceViceversusPixelVixen.I laugh at myself every time.
Whoever this guy is, I can’t stop obsessing over him. The way he plays, the way he taunts me with every kill. I didn't win a single game against him yesterday, which is so unlike me, but I also don’t care. It’s like he’s this perfect puzzle I can’t solve, and Ineedto.
I’m deep into another round when Lisa knocks on my door. “The coder is here for the meeting,” she says, poking her head inside. I roll my shoulders, stretch, and shut my laptop.
“Thanks, Lisa. I’ll be right there,” I call after her.
I take a deep breath, trying to push aside the chaos in my head. This meeting is important. The game isimportant. It needs my full attention. I can’t afford distractions. But I know how things can be with me—how quickly I can get caught up in a thought, a person, or a feeling. I need to focus on the task at hand.
I meet the coder in the conference room. He’s a quiet guy, serious but efficient. His name is Alan, and he’s been working on the code for the past week. He’s young, a bit socially awkward, but he knows his stuff. I take a seat at the table, my notes and sketches scattered in front of me.
“So, we’ve got the base game mechanics locked in,” I tell Alan as I go over the latest build. “Character customization is coming along nicely. But we still need a few more tweaks to the AI behavior. We want the enemies to react realistically, especially when it comes to strategy and adapting to player moves.”
Alan nods, tapping away on his laptop. “I’ve been working on that. The behavior models are almost done. Should be ready for testing soon.”
“Great,” I say, reviewing the design doc. “The game’s world-building is also looking solid. We’ve got the levels mapped out, but I think we need more variety in terms of location design. We don’t want things to get repetitive.”
I pause for a moment, considering the next piece of the puzzle. “I’ve got some names ready for the game—things we’re shopping around, but I thinkIceMenmakes the most sense… What do you think?”
Alan leans forward, eyes scanning the rest of the names. He thinks for a moment, nodding slightly. “Naming it after the teamwill guarantee recognition not only from the target audience, but everyone.”
I smile. He gets it. “Alright, I’ll bring it up in the next round of meetings.”
As the conversation moves on, I can’t ignore the knot in my stomach. I’m trying to stay focused on the game development, but it’s hard when my thoughts are still buzzing with all the unspoken tension around the King brothers. I clear my throat, pushing the feelings aside. I can’t afford to let it distract me, not now.
The meeting wraps up quickly, and as I walk out of the room, I check my watch. I’ve got a meeting with the team coordinator next, at the arena. Another part of the project is moving along. Another step toward getting this game out the door.
I'm just out of the office when I hear someone call my name. I freeze.
“Brooke,” he calls again.
It’s Cam.
