WICKED GAMES | COMPLETE

TWENTY NINE

Andie

Andie barely found a free spot in the back of the room before the audience exploded into a chaos of cheers and screams, and it was another moment before they finally settled back into their seats and she could see the stage.

A young, blonde woman dressed in a gold jumpsuit emerged. Andie had no idea who that was, but she knew that Golden Vault's new announcement was going to affect Miles' work, so she had rushed down for it.

"Give a big welcome to our Golden Girl and her golden girls!" One of the men on the stage boomed into the mic, stirring another round of hoots and whistles from the audience as the girl jumped excitedly.

Andie couldn't see her face, but she could damn well see why they introduced her golden girls.

Now her voice squealed through the speakers.

"Oh. My. God. Guys, I am super duper excited to be working with the Golden Vault team! As you all know I always stream the latest and the best games on my channel, and I knew this was a golden opportunity to bring you only the best content! It's no secret that I love my fans, and now, I'm so happy to launch the Golden Stream, where you can join me on live streams exclusively for Golden Vault games!"

Andie didn't follow this streamer, or any other streamers for that matter, but she quickly surmised that this was bad news for Mad Labs. She wrung her hands, worried about whether Miles had planned for anything like this. Concern for him had creeped over her insidiously, and she now found herself actually caring about her friend's future.

Friend, she thought, replaying the word in her mind. It didn't sit right, but what else could she call him? Buddy? Pal? Friend with benefits? Fuck buddy? All of those terms implied something that was essentially platonic.

She rubbed her temple with her hand. This was no time to think about that. Mad Labs was up next, and Miles would come out with a big game plan.

He had to.

╳◯

After the host had cleared Golden Vault off the stage, the room emptied out considerably. Andie took the opportunity to scoot nearer to the stage so she could see Miles up close and hopefully catch his eye.

She glanced around the deserted room, worried that he might actually have no one else to look at but her.

That thought quickly slipped away as the auditorium suddenly filled up with a new mass of fans. Andie scanned the new audience. Unlike Golden Vault, which attracted many loud frat boy types, Mad Labs pulled both guys and girls, many of whom came dressed like Jessa.

"ALRIGHT GAMERSUNITE, WHO'S READY FOR THE MAD LADS OF MAD LABS?"

The audience cheered, and Andie did her best to clap enthusiastically, unsure what was about to come.

"GIVE IT UP FOR MILES MASON AND LIAM PARSONS!"

The crowd suddenly surged up in a wave of mad screams and cries, and Andie was compelled by the energy in the room to rise with the rest of the fans.

Her heartbeat quickened as Miles stepped out on the stage, looking as suave as ever in his crisp white shirt and black jeans. He was followed by a blonde man of lean build. She guessed that was Liam Parsons.

"Thank you everyone for coming out here with us. Please settle down." If it wasn't for his velvet voice, Miles would have sounded like a professor. "If you haven't got a snack, grab your friend's, and if you have a snack, protect it from your friends."

Admiring his frame from the floor, Andie realised that Miles was in his element, and he suddenly looked even sexier than she remembered. He was calm and composed, commanding the room with just a flick of the button on his clicker.

And commanding me with a flick of my button, Andie thought before shoving the steamy memory away.

"Two years ago, we launched Red Sky, and last year, Wasteland. We all loved the ending with Jessa - I mean, look at you girls here in the front row."

The Jessas squealed in delight as Miles winked at them. Andie pouted, wondering if he had even seen her sitting right behind them.

"It didn't take you hardcore gamers long to unlock the secret ending. In it we teased that something major was coming. Then, last Spring, we dropped the Easter Teaser."

He clicked the slide, and an image of a graffiti wall appeared on the screen. Andie blinked in surprise, recognising the telltale M/M from Straight to Dawn that Miles had revealed to her in a moment of vulnerability.

Why the hell was he showing it to everyone now?

For a split second, Miles shot a look straight at Andie, his green eyes locking hers in an indecipherable stare. An alien feeling consumed her, and this man who had just made her come undone in her hotel room now felt like a completely untouchable stranger.

He pulled away and addressed the crowd.

"There will not be a sequel. Mad Labs is taking a hiatus."

Cries of shock and disbelief emanated through the crowd, quickly building into a deafening cacophony of protests. On stage, Liam Parsons mouthed "what the fuck?" and raised his palms in incredulity, gawking after Miles who marched wordlessly off stage.

Her head swimming in confusion, Andie squeezed through the mess of distressed fans. What Miles just announced went against everything he had revealed to her. What did he mean Mad Labs was taking a hiatus? He said they were back to work on a sequel and had better investors now. He wasn't even allowed to talk about Straight to Dawn.

Was it all a lie?

Gripped with anxiety, Andie rushed out of the auditorium, her eyes peeled for Miles in the crowd. She spotted him in the distance and sprinted towards him, only to stop dead in her tracks.

The tanned girl from the break room was holding him in an embrace, and his hands were pressed tightly against her back. Their lips were locked in a stormy kiss.

Andie felt the floor give way beneath her feet.