APHROXIS: GAME OF DESIRE

[Raven's POV]

I needed to fantasize having sex with my Ex to enjoy sex with my husband.

You wouldn't blame me. I couldn't force myself to enjoy it when he didn’t care — when I couldn’t orgasm — and I was just lying there, letting him keep humping and moaning like I was some sex doll.

We were used to it, and honestly, it was part of the deal.

This marriage deal.

Leo and I had been married for a year now. He proposed the day after I kissed him. Not because we were madly in love, but because we needed each other — literally.

Leo and I go way back, as two of the most popular gamers in the industry. Even though we both had partners, everyone secretly shipped us together. I had a bad breakup. Leo had financial issues and needed to climb the social ladder. We sucked it up and gave the people what they wanted:

The perfect gaming couple.

“You don’t really have to fuck me if you don’t enjoy it, Leo,” I sighed as he kept humping and humping in and out of my coochie.

He didn’t stop. Still riding me breathlessly.

“No, I won’t stop. We have to make this work — this marriage, the sex — everything has to work out.”

I sighed as my body moved up and down with his motion.

I was sick of this.

“Then make it worthwhile. I’m not feeling this.”

He finally stopped, then hopped off, holding his cock in his hand.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“Giving you space to masturbate using his memories or whatever. I need my space too.”

My mouth fell open. “So you knew…”

“Who wouldn’t? You think I don’t hear you moan his name when I’m fucking you? And those wet dreams — moaning and touching yourself to his name? I’m sick of this too. But it has to work.”

“Wow.” My voice escaped me. “You’re really something, Leo. Why are you so obsessed with making us work? We don’t have to stay married. I’m sick of this life too. I need a real cock — no offense.”

He walked back toward me.

“Are you really asking that question, Raven, we’re top gamers — and one of the reasons we stay ahead of everyone else, aside from our skills, is our status. As a couple. I’m not going to lose that just because we don’t satisfy each other.”

“Point of correction — I ride you damn well. The problem is you, Leo. You have no feelings whatsoever toward me, which is really heartbreaking to watch.”

He rolled his eyes and picked up his clothes from the floor.

“Why don’t we just have side partners? It would work better that way—” I added.

“No!” he snapped, almost yelling in my ear. “That’s even worse. What if the media catches on? It would be the end of our careers.”

I rolled my eyes, sitting up in bed.

“Does nothing else matter except the championship, the status — everything? I wish I could go back to being just an ordinary gamer with no media watching me. I wish I had started anonymously. This whole thing makes me sick.”

Leo didn’t listen. He just went straight into the shower, turning it on — typical him.

“Yeah, right. Why do I ever expect a listening ear from someone like you? You have no emotions,” I sighed, getting up. “I’m joining you.”

“You’re free,” he shouted back.

*****

“Bread and toast or spaghetti?” Leo asked the minute I got dressed and came out to meet him in the kitchen.

“Either is fine,” I sighed.

At least I was grateful for one thing — even though he didn’t admire me as a woman, he was still nice enough to treat me well. That alone was comforting.

Sometimes I wondered if I had lost my sense of attractiveness altogether. Even though I was still obsessed with Zade, I did find Leo hot. It could’ve worked if he made me feel wanted in bed.

“Here you go,” he said, dropping a plate of toast in front of me.

“Thank you,” I muttered, taking a bite — then the doorbell rang.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I asked.

He shook his head and kept eating.

I stood to check. It was a delivery man — not just any delivery man — the special kind from our gaming company.

“Hi. What a pleasant surprise…”

“It’s indeed pleasant, and you’ll love this delivery. Is Leo in?”

“Yes… why?”

“Nothing,” he answered abruptly. “Just take this box and sign here.”

“Okay…” I muttered, doing as told. “Thank you.”

He was gone in an instant.

“Who was that?” Leo asked, still unbothered.

I ignored him and opened the box, wrapped in silky red fabric. The box itself was red too.

Leo came running.

“Are you sure it’s not a bomb? Why is it all red?”

“Then I’d be glad to escape this hellhole of a marriage either way.”

He took the box from me, barking, “Stay back,” as he carefully unwrapped it, I rolled my eyes.

Inside, there was a card. a black card.

“What does it say?”

Leo shushed me with a raised finger, so I moved beside him to peek.

The content was written in red ink:

“Hello dear gamers. Congratulations. This is a special invite to join the real action gaming program we’ve been building for years. It has officially launched, and we’d like to invite you as one of our players. Details below;

1. Participants are required to be couples.

2. They are to stay in one house for the entire show, which lasts three months.

3. This is a sensual game. Meaning everything about it will be explicit—

“Hell no,” I blurted out. “I’m not in.”

Leo sighed. “Raven, you can’t make me miss out on this. This is it. If we don’t participate, we’ll be two steps forward, ten steps behind our competitors!”

“I never cared about that. I love crazy, but this? This is the height of it.”

Leo pinched the bridge of his nose, pacing while gripping the card tightly.

“Why did I ever choose you?” he muttered. “Look, Raven, you have no choice. Besides, this might revive our dead marriage. And have you seen the prize money? One hundred freaking million dollars!”

“What?” I snatched the card. “You’ve got to be bluffing.”

He wasn’t.

There it was, printed boldly:

PRIZE: $10,000,000 for the winning couple.

Only one pair could win.

Leo smirked and snatched the card back.

“Now are you in or not?”

My mouth watered.