A Lover's Game Read online

  Charlie nodded curtly. “Okay, good.”

  “Are you still worried about that?”

  “A little. I'm worried about you, too.”

  Elias laughed. “Roger isn't going to come after us for being gay. He just might make jokes about it.”

  “Still.”

  He sighed. “I know, Charlie.”

  “I don't feel comfortable with him as our Guild Master. I feel like he would just hold it over our heads every chance he got. That's why I didn't want to say I had a husband.”

  “Or that you were divorcing said husband.”

  Charlie nodded. “I know we were short on players, but maybe we could have pushed the campaign.”

  “You know Mike and Ivan hate waiting.”

  “They're the ones who brought him on board. Maybe we should have had a screening process.”

  Elias raised his eyebrows. “Are you saying you want to vote Roger out?”

  “I mean, it's something to think about.”

  “That would be considered mutiny in some circles.”

  “To hell with those circles.”

  Elias laughed. “All right, it's something to think about. You're right—we should feel comfortable in our own troupe. Should we head out?”

  “Yeah, let's do that.”

  “No farewells?”

  “No farewells.”

  Elias nodded with understanding. “Very well.”

  ***

  Elias unlocked his apartment door, pressing his shoulder against it to get it open.

  Charlie chuckled lightly. “Having trouble?”

  “Nah, it's good. This thing likes to stick.”

  “I could take a look at it sometime if you want.”

  Elias smiled. “I would like that.”

  “Do you have any tools?”

  “I must insist that you relax while I make coffee. You don't always have to be a handyman.”

  “Well, I tried.”

  Elias laughed as he walked past the piles of laundry on the floor, the tattered couch, and the shelves piled high with books. Elven figurines sat on nearly every surface as well as comic book characters still wrapped in their original packaging. While rounding the corner to the kitchen, he bumped into the table adorned with several tabletop playbooks.

  One of them fell to the ground, smacking the tile. He sighed as he bent to lift it, simultaneously bumping heads with Charlie.

  Charlie laughed as he rubbed his forehead. “Whoops. That just goes to show how clumsy of a character I am in the group.”

  “Aw, but you sing the best songs!”

  “I do my best.”

  Elias grinned. “And that's all we ever ask of you.”

  “Maybe not Roger.”

  He hummed as he plopped the book back on the table and resumed his walk to the kitchen. He prepared the coffee maker, filling the washable filter with a heaping serving of dark Colombian roast. As the machine bubbled to life, he returned to the living room to find Charlie tentatively floating between the couch and the coffee table.

  “You can sit,” he said with a chuckle. “The couch won't bite.”

  “It's just...How old is this thing?” Charlie patted the cushion. “It looks like it's from the seventies.”

  “My parents gave it to me as a moving gift.”

  “Was it new when they gave it to you?”

  “I mean, it's seen better days.”

  Charlie laughed. “I'll say.”

  “I promise I've cleaned it recently. Have a seat, buddy. Take a load off.”

  Charlie relaxed obediently into the couch. Although he appeared to be uncomfortable initially, he perked up as the smell of coffee wafted into the living room.

  Elias smiled. “Still take yours black?”

  “Always.”

  He nodded and retreated to the kitchen where he poured coffee into two mugs. After adding cream and sugar to his, he brought Charlie a mug and then sat down, sitting within inches of Charlie.

  He slurped his drink and sighed. “So, is there any end in sight?”

  “With the divorce?”

  He nodded.

  Charlie released a shaky sigh. “I mean, it'll be over soon. My lawyer says we have to divide our share of personal property.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Well, we owned televisions, furniture, and appliances together. We have to agree how to divide those.”

  “Can't you just cut your losses and move on?”

  Charlie shrugged. “Then, that leaves Scotty.”

  “I still can't believe he's fighting over that dog. Scotty preferred you whenever I saw you two together.”

  “Scotty can't speak, so he can't say who he wants to be with, you know?”

  Elias scoffed. “I bet he would say you. You're the one who bought the food, walked him, and took him to the vet. Stanley just liked to show him off.”

  “That's not fair to say.”

  “He's your ex. What isn't fair to say? He was awful to you, Charlie.”

  Charlie chuckled. “I think you're biased.”

  “That is something I won't deny.”

  “It's almost like you have a crush on me or something.”

  Elias gulped quietly as he raised his mug to his lips. His features were pensive as he took a sip, silently assessing the energy between them.

  Well, I have—for years, he reflected. But I would never have gotten in the way of your relationship. Even now, it feels shaky to add details to our friendship. I don't want to hurt you.

  Elias set his mug on the table. “I'm just being honest, Charlie.”

  “Honestly, I find it charming. Most people have defended Stanley throughout our relationship. They would say things like, 'Oh, he didn't mean it. He's not being rude. He's just being honest.' But I have a limit when it comes to those things. You were never shy about agreeing with me.”

  “I know rudeness when I hear it. He would say awful things to you.”

  “They weren't that terrible.”

  Elias frowned. “Charlie, stop minimizing it. He belittled you and your job. You weren't enough for him, no matter how many hours you worked.”

  “He just wanted us to succeed.”

  “You're defending him now.”

  Charlie sighed with defeat. “I'm just trying to see all perspectives here. I'm keeping my gaze wide.”

  “You were just saying you liked me siding with you.”

  “I did. I do. I'm sorry. I just...” He faded as he ran a hand through his short black hair. His hazel-brown eyes sparkled with flecks of yellow, making him appear supernatural in the low light of the apartment. “You're right.”

  “I'm sorry. I feel like I'm being hard on you.”

  Charlie shook his head. “You're not. You're being real. And I appreciate that right now. I don't know why I was defending Stanley just now.”

  “I think you just want it to be amiable. Am I right to think that?”

  “Yeah, I wish it could be amiable. We don't have to fight about fighting or what property goes where. I just want it to be over. I'm tired of arguing.”

  Elias nodded with empathy. “I'm tired for you. I've seen you walking this road for too long.”

  “I wish I could get a break. I want a release. I want to be able to forget about everything going on outside of these walls.”

  “I wish I could release you, too.”

  Elias bit his lower lip. He lowered his head, closing his eyes in the same instant to keep from witnessing Charlie's reaction.

  Why did I say that? I shouldn't have been so forward. Charlie and I would never happen. That's just not something that could possibly--

  “Do you mean that?”

  Elias looked up. “What?”

  The space between them on the couch had closed, inspiring his breath to hitch. He watched as Charlie leaned close, lips parted ever so slightly while preparing for impact. He caved in, closing the gap between them. As the kiss transported him away from reality, he ran his fingers through Charlie'
s short hair. He took his time exploring Charlie's hair, dragging his fingers down to the nape of Charlie's neck and then to Charlie's shoulders.

  He shuddered as he sighed. When he pulled away, Charlie pulled him back, signaling a hunger that had been silent for far too long. He fell into a rhythm, using his lips to return the signal, to let Charlie know that he, too, had been quietly longing for affection.

  He hummed, smacking his lips as he pulled away. “Can't...”

  “No, we can.”

  “It's too soon.”

  Charlie frowned as he pressed his forehead to Elias's, lips twitching as he gripped Elias's hips. “You're right.”

  “I don't want you to hurt.”

  “But you're helping.”

  Elias chuckled and licked his lips. “Charlie...”

  “Maybe we can do it again.”

  “Maybe we should wait.”

  Charlie withdrew, nodding. “You might be right.”

  “I don't want you to get drawn into me and then have to go back to Stanley, you know?”

  “I wouldn't go back to Stanley.”

  “No, that's not what I meant. I was just...” He sighed as he faded, dropping his gaze to Charlie's lips. They were tempting him all over again. He shook away the effect and met Charlie's gaze. “I meant that I didn't want you to feel guilty.”

  “I don't feel guilty. We haven't been together in almost a year.”

  “I guess that's fair.”

  Charlie grinned. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Helping.”

  Elias chuckled lightly. “I do my best.”

  “So...coffee?”

  “Yes, coffee. Don't let yours get cold.”

  Charlie lifted his mug to his lips. He didn't put any more space between him and Elias. He simply sat with eyes wide as he peered around the room.

  Elias grinned. “You act like you haven't seen my place.”

  “Well, not in a while.”

  “You could come over again if you want.”

  Charlie smiled. “I would like that.”

  “It could help, you know, keep your head up about everything.”

  “You're good to me, Elias. You should know that.”

  Elias took Charlie's hand. “I'm always going to be here for you, Charlie. Always...”

  Chapter Three

  Charlie

  Always.

  Charlie licked his lips as he recalled the previous evening with Elias. He stood calmly at the front desk of Raven's Hide, shuffling through a series of game cards. Each card bore the title of the tabletop game, Mourning Glory, etched in embossed gold lettering. He ran his fingers over it.

  Elias would love this game, he reflected while slowly running his fingers along the edge of the card. These are pristine creations. The artwork is incredible, and the rules are basic enough for anyone to play. Elias loves those kinds of games.

  He set the cards down and picked up a clipboard, flipping through a few sheets to find a seating chart. He glanced up at their seating area and then back down at the sheet, lifting a pen from his pocket protector to make a few notes.

  “Charlie boy!”

  He glanced up and smiled. “Hey, Ivan. How's it going?”

  “Fine. Just fine. I was wondering if you had the cost sheet ready to review for Marcus.”

  “I think I emailed him a copy last night,” Charlie recalled vaguely. “But I could be wrong. I have a copy here. How is our manager doing today?”

  “You know Marcus—he's ranting about that new MMO that's been making his head spin.”

  Charlie laughed. “You mean Herold's Gaze? I told him not to pick it up before we got this Mourning Glory event handled.”

  “He can't help it. That's what makes him a great manager. He learns about all the new games before anyone else picks 'em up.”

  “I wish he would take a break.”

  “I wish you would take a break. How long have you been standing there?”

  Charlie glanced at the clock. “I clocked in two hours ago. Give me a break about it, would you?”

  Ivan cackled. “All right, I'll give you a pass this time. But if you don't sit down in fifteen minutes, I'll have to tell Marcus.”

  “He's always going on about resting.”

  “Hey, that's lucky for us. Most retail places won't even let you breathe without approval.”

  Charlie nodded knowingly, his eyes widening in recollection. “Ugh, yeah. Don't make me relive that experience.”

  Ivan laughed. “Are you excited for the event?”

  “I'm always excited for our events! It brings us business. And it gives the kids a place to go so they can nerd out. I love that about this place.”

  “If it weren't for Marcus, us nerds would be meeting in back alleys.”

  “And dark places.”

  “And dim bars.”

  Charlie guffawed. “Man, you're ridiculous. How's everything going with Theo? Have you asked her out yet?”

  “Oh, well, I...” Ivan chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, it's always in poor taste to ask someone out in the middle of the campaign.”

  “I don't see anything wrong with it.”

  “You know how Roger is. He's got all those silly rules.”

  Charlie shrugged. “It's none of his business. You should go for the girl. You've been ogling her during every campaign night we've had since we started.”

  “It started well before that.”

  “See what I mean? You're torturing yourself. And she clearly digs you. Why else would she seek your company?”

  Ivan shrugged. “Hey, I'm not the kind of guy to assume that attention from a woman is purely romantic.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “She's a good lady. She's a great player, too. I respect her and I don't want anything getting in the way of our battles. Besides, I have no idea if she's really interested. I don't know how to tell.”

  Charlie hummed thoughtfully. “You could go for a side story romance in the game to help give you an idea. Other than that, you just have to ask her outright.”

  “Ugh, you mean communicate? No, thanks.”

  “A ranger who hates communicating? What a concept.”

  Ivan cackled. “Hey, give me that sheet before Marcus comes running out here ranting again. I don't want him chasing off customers.”

  Charlie glanced around. “It's only three people. They'll probably join him in the debate.”

  “Come on, Charlie boy.”

  “All right, all right! Don't lose your head, Bracken.”

  Charlie handed over the requested sheet and tapped the clipboard. As Ivan waved gratefully, he wandered away to the back of the store. Once he had disappeared, Charlie let out a great sigh and placed the clipboard down, favoring his hands to his hips.

  He frowned slightly as he stared at the clipboard.

  I was hoping this event would provide a proper distraction from everything happening in the background, he reflected. But it's not doing enough. Kissing Elias? That did the trick. I wonder if he--

  His phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the customers wandering down the RPG book aisle. As he studied their movements and facial expressions, he withdrew his phone from his pocket. He tore his eyes away from the customers to glance at the screen, noticing the caller was his lawyer.

  He sighed wearily and answered the call. “Hey, Chet.”

  “Hey, Charlie. Are you doing all right today?”

  “As good as I'll ever be. What do you have for me today?”

  “Well, as long as you're not terribly busy...” Chet faded while the sound of shuffling papers erupted in the background. “We do need to go over this asset list between you and Stanley.”

  “Again?”

  “Some new items surfaced. He has a few stocks and some other various items that weren't listed in the original document.”

  Charlie released a great sigh. “How much crap could he have accumulated over the last couple of ye
ars?”

  “Well, apparently, he was keeping some of these things under wraps just in case a divorce did occur.”

  “I don't care about his crap. I care about my crap. I just want to grab my things and go.”

  “I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than that. If you surrender participation in this process, he could contest just about everything you're trying to keep for yourself. That could create some serious issues down the road.”

  Charlie pinched the bridge of his nose as his upper back muscles twitched with annoyance. “All right, can you email me a copy of the list? I'd like to go over it before the next meeting.”

  “I know this is rough, but it's better than getting caught with empty hands, you know? I've seen some clients walk away with none of their belongings. I'd rather that not happen to you.”

  “Well, thank you for being concerned. You're awfully nice for a lawyer.”

  Chet chuckled lightly. “We're not all tight-lipped and greedy. I got into this because I wanted to help people make this process as smooth as possible.”

  “So, is that all you called for?”

  “There's also the matter of Scotty, the pit bull you two own.”

  “I was hoping to get Scotty to myself.”

  “Unfortunately, Stanley said the same thing.”

  Charlie grimaced. “He doesn't even like Scotty. Did he ever mention that?”

  “Of course, he didn't. But it's kind of like having kids. I mean, it's not the exact same as having kids. I'm used to actually dealing with split custody cases. Dealing with a dog is a new one!”

  Chet broke into a laugh while Charlie glared off into the distance, the worry lines deepening in his forehead. His right cheek twitched, and he rubbed it to get it to stop.

  He sighed. “I get it. Dogs can be a lot like kids. I guess this is just...part of the whole process.”

  “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed.”

  “No, it's fine. I'm just annoyed with everything.”

  “I absolutely understand. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you get your things and don't get screwed over. So, if you can supply any documentation that you have predominantly taken care of Scotty, then you can probably earn full custody of him without any contestation.”

  Charlie huffed. “That would be ideal.”

  “All right, so, get together any vet visit payments, store receipts, and other various items that could be paid for by you. It would be best to have them paid with a debit or credit card, that way it can be tracked if it gets investigated.”