We’re in the midst of a game of Monopoly and rather aptly, Freya’s in jail. She leans over the coffee table and throws the dice, rolling yet another double. She grins and moves her little metal top hat out of jail.
“Apparently your knack for escaping prison translates to the game world too.”
She cuts her eyes to me, and I can’t decide whether I feel bad or whether I like seeing her fire. She brings out the worst in me but I’m starting to realize I don’t entirely hate that. Given how much she unnerves me it’s only fair I return the favor.
Freya gets over my little jab too soon for my liking, grinning and curling her fingers for money when River lands on her property.
None of us have ever beaten River at Monopoly. He’s got a brain made for strategy but Freya’s putting up a good fight. She’s trying to get Jude to form a coalition with her, pointing to each of her delicate fingers in turn as she checks off her reasons.
I’m not sure Jude’s even listening. He’s just watching her lips move as she speaks. Dusty pink against smooth cream skin.
Oz shoves a bowl of popcorn into my stomach. “You’re staring,” he mutters.
I give him the finger before stuffing a handful of popcorn into my mouth.
My game plan is to exclusively buy up properties that Freya wants so she can’t get full color sets. It’s petty but I’m chasing the small flush of satisfaction I get every time I take away something she wants. My mind runs away from me, imagining her spread out on my bed, tied to the headboard, and screaming bloody murder at me because I won’t let her come. I could edge her all night and it still wouldn’t be punishment enough. Not that she knows what she’s done.
The dice clatter against the board bringing me out of my head. River buys yet another hotel and in the next move Freya lands on it. She steadily counts out the money she owes, careful not to give him the satisfaction of reacting. Something happened between the two of them and for once I might not be the only one in the room Freya’s mad at.
It’s not until forty minutes later that she finally breaks. Oz, Jude, and I are all bankrupt, but Freya’s been hanging in there, the luck of a cat keeping her from landing on the deluge of properties River now owns. Her fortune runs out when she comes to a stop on River’s most expensive property.
River smirks. “Face it, darling, I win.” He goes to take off the houses from Freya’s last remaining spaces and she lunges across the coffee table.
“Don’t you dare,” she says but her threat loses its edge when Jude catches her around the stomach and pulls her back onto the sofa. Her t-shirt rides up and Jude’s fingers find her belly. She squeals, her legs kicking until Oz traps them across his lap, a grin chasing away the shadows from his eyes.
Freya’s laugh sends blood rushing to her cheeks and her fiery hair tangles around her face like a lioness’ mane.
My cock hardens beneath my jeans, and I curse it to high heaven. It would be easier to hate her if she weren’t so darn gorgeous. Her smile is infectious. Even River, the most stoic man I know, is hiding a grin behind his fingers as he takes a sip of Cognac.
He flicks one of Freya’s little green houses up in the air and catches it.
Jude’s still tickling Freya and she finally relents. “Fine, fine. You win. I surrender.”
The mood shifts at her words, the room electrified with sexual tension.
Freya falls quiet as three pairs of heated eyes zero in on her. Four if you count me.
Freya swallows.
Given his off-limits mandate, I expect River to be the one to put a stop to whatever the fuck this is but it’s Oz who clears his throat.
Jude blinks and lets go of Freya, subtly adjusting himself as she sits back up.
Freya brushes loose popcorn crumbs off her lap. “I, uh, should probably go get some sleep. This was fun though. Thank you.”
She stands up but hesitates before leaving. “I don’t remember the last time I hung out with people like this.” Her smile is sad. “Actually, I’m not sure I ever have.” She walks away before any of us can figure out how to respond.
Guilt twinges under my skin. I don’t like the reminder that though Freya may be a criminal, she’s a victim too.
We clear up in silence, each of us stewing in our own thoughts. I’m stacking the glasses in the dishwasher when Jude decides to share his with me.
“You need to apologize to her.”
The glass clatters against another as it slips from my fingers a little too soon.
“I get why you’re mad, I do. But you don’t understand what she’s been through.”
Something in his voice has me looking up from the dishwasher. “Whathasshe been through?”
