WICKED GAMES | COMPLETE

FIFTEEN

Andie

Booth A03. Andie chanted mentally as she weaved against the crowds making their exodus from the event.

The showcase had dragged on, and by the time My Ninja Love had finished its presentation, the sky was already dark.

She had thrown on her camo jacket, because hell if she was going to spend more time arguing in a revealing top with that smug Miles guy. She'd rather earn her wins using her logic, not her assets.

Although winning a debate with him might prove to be a challenge, because if the man had any talent, his voice was all of it.

She stopped at booth A01. She had spotted booth A05 and traced her steps back, but she couldn't for the life of her find booth A03. Or A02, or A04.

All that stood between A01 and A05 was a massive pavilion, sheltered by a dark red dome and covered in banners of accolades against a backdrop of a city in ruin. A tall statue of a woman in a camo shirt and black skirt stood in the centre of the pavilion, dragging a shotgun beside her with a man casually leaning against it –

Andie realised where booth A03 was.

"About time," Miles grunted as he pushed off the shotgun and approached her.

"You said to come when I was done. The showcase dragged on. I wasn't done."

"Fair enough." He cryptically studied the addition to her outfit. "Camo."

"It's getting cold," she retorted, crossing her arms. "So... This is your booth?"

He walked towards a counter and grabbed a bottle of water, handing it to Andie. "You could say that."

She scanned the posters, the titles RED SKY and WASTELAND lettered everywhere in blood-red font. She racked her brain, trying to recall where she had heard these familiar names before. 

A TV perched on the wall, its remote sitting enticingly on the glass table before it. She turned it on and the screen winked to life, showing Miles' face sprawled in technicolour, his lips dancing on mute.

Behind him, crowds of fans jumped and screamed in silence as he smiled into the camera.

Below him, words scrolled into the frame.

THE GAMER'S DREAM: HOT CREATOR MILES MASON TALKS ABOUT HIS WEAPONS OF MASS ATTRACTION.

It certainly seemed that the world had a hard-on for this guy. But something told Andie it wasn't just about his smouldering looks, or the way he looked at you like he actually cared enough to model a character after you.

There had to be some substance to his seduction.

"So what do you do, here at..." she picked up a plaque sitting on one of the decorated counters. "... Mad Labs?"

"Nothing like what they're doing for My Ninja Love," Miles teased, sending a hot flash through Andie's body.

"Don't tell me you sat in."

"Just the first few minutes." He smirked, a playful glint dancing in his eye. "Enough to call you Kiko."

"Ugh, stop," Andie cringed. "If I tell you my name, will you stop calling me that?"

He raised an eyebrow expectantly.

Sigh. "It's Andie. My name is Andie."

"Andie... Kiko?"

"Ugh! Craven, okay? Andie Craven. Now can we please eat?"