Page 25 of Stalked By the Gamer

"Tell me you want this," I demand, raw hunger etched into every word.

"More than anything," she pants, her eyes dark pools of pure heat.

"Good." My voice is a dark promise as I lift her onto the couch, our gaming session forgotten, replaced by a more primal game—one where we both come out winners.

CHAPTEREIGHT

Nova

Sunlight seeps through the blinds,painting stripes across Blaze's unconscious form. His chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm, a silent testimony to his deep slumber. I lie there for a moment, watching him—the tattoos that trail over his skin telling stories I've heard in fragments. My hand reaches out, not to trace those inked paths, but to grab my phone from the nightstand.

Fingers clumsy with sleep, I don't realize at first that it's Blaze's phone I've snagged. It's heavier, colder than mine. The screen lights up with a message notification, and without thinking, I swipe, expecting to dismiss some harmless alert.

"Authorized access granted," the device chirps.

The home screen is unfamiliar—a clutter of apps and icons I've never seen on my own phone. There it is—an app icon displaying a little radar-like image, pulsing. Curiosity pricks at me, sharper than the morning light. I tap the icon, and the screen loads to reveal a map.

And there—centered, highlighted—is a blinking dot labeled 'Nova.'

"Fuck," I curse under my breath, as realization dawns like an unwanted storm. "He's tracking me?"

It feels like a punch to the gut, air whooshing out, leaving behind a vacuum of disbelief and rising panic. My heart hammers against my ribcage, its rhythm erratic, echoing the chaotic thoughts tumbling through my mind.

"Nova?" Blaze stirs, his voice groggy, laced with sleep. "What's wrong?"

"Blaze..." The word fumbles out, tangled in betrayal and confusion. "This app...it's tracking me?"

"Wait, let me explain—" he starts, sitting up, the sheets pooling around his waist, his tattoos shifting with the movement.

"Explain? Explain how you have my every move logged like some...stalker?" The accusation tastes bitter on my tongue.

"Nova, please, listen—" He reaches out, trying to bridge the physical gap between us, his expression etched with desperation.

"Listen?" My laugh is sharp, jagged. I pull away, wrapping the bedsheet tighter around myself like a protective cocoon. "I'm not sure there's anything you could say."

"Beautiful, I was just looking out for you," he pleads, his dark eyes searching mine. "The world's a dangerous place."

"Looking out for me?" The words feel hollow, mocking even my own ears. I'm a social media influencer—I know danger, I preach caution. But this? This is something else, a violation dressed up as concern.

"Nova, I—" Blaze starts again, but I cut him off.

"Save it." My voice is cold, distant. I stand up, letting the sheet fall away, unashamed of my nakedness, unashamed of the strength I muster. Tears prick my eyes, hot and potent.

"Nova, don't go," he says, his tone raw, stripped of the charm and wit he usually exudes.

But I'm already moving, grabbing my clothes scattered across the floor, slipping into them as if they could shield me from the reality we're entangled in. Each piece feels like armor, a barrier against his invasive obsession.

"Please," he whispers, a plea wrapped in regret.

But I ignore. I can't speak past the lump in my throat, can't see past the tears that blur my vision.

I leave him there, amidst the rumpled bedclothes, his tattoos a tapestry of mistakes and misjudgments. As I close the door behind me, I realize that despite everything, a part of me yearns to understand, to find the man beneath the ink and misguided protectiveness. But for now, distance is the only answer I can fathom.

As I walk away, my mind races, thoughts fragmented and sharp as glass. I'm alone—truly alone.

* * *

The air is thick with the scent of last night's rain and the stench of betrayal. I stand inside my beach cottage, my heart a drumbeat in my chest, erratic and desperate to escape the cage of my ribs. My breath comes out in short bursts, as I struggle to keep my feelings under control.

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