Harley King has logged off flashes on the screen before he can send another message.

  Chapter Thirty

  Nate

  As the weeks pass by, my apartment feels colder, my life empty without Harley in it. Sitting in front of the computer, I stare at our wedding picture on my desk. That was a good day. We were happy. Everything was perfect. I felt like the luckiest man in the world with Harley by my side.

  She was always the best part of my life. The years we spent apart were some of my darkest days. Since Harley left, I can’t stop myself from checking the company logs to see when she’s online. I look at least a dozen times every day, like a ritual I can’t break. Seeing her name on my screen brings me some comfort. Any chance I have of getting her back will go out the window if I don’t follow the rules. This is all I have to feel connected to Harley—a green circle next to her name when she’s on our company server.

  I flip between screens to the final piece of code I wrote for A King’s Quest. Harley doesn’t know I named the game. But the title won’t matter if I can’t get the last board to work. Every time I compile and run the program, it returns an error.

  Annoyed, I call Stefan. I especially hate asking my younger brother for help when I’m the one who taught him how to code, but I need a fresh pair of eyes. Plus, he’s always been there to lend a hand when I get stuck. He wants me to finish this game almost as much as Harley.

  “Hey, bro,” Stefan says on the second ring. “You still working at home?”

  “Yeah. I’m stuck on the final board. I keep getting a logic error. Something is off with… I’m not even sure what… I need you to take a look.”

  “Move a copy over to the shared server.”

  I duplicate the file and move a copy to the server I use to share projects with my team.

  “I have to make the deadline.”

  Stefan sighs into the receiver. “We’ll get it to work. Don’t worry. The game will be ready to demo at 10X.”

  “I need a fully functional beta.”

  “Harley said a demo. You only need the first storyboard to work.”

  “I don’t want to do the bare minimum.”

  I hear his fingers are flying across his keyboard. “Got it.” He goes silent for a minute and then says, “Hmmm…”

  “What is it?”

  “Did you try debugging?”

  “Yes. I’ve gone through it like twenty times.”

  “What’s supposed to happen after the knight retrieves the sword from the lake?”

  “The sword taps him on each shoulder, and then, the current king’s crown will lower onto his head, making him the new King of Aslan.”

  Stefan chuckles. “How did you miss this?” His fingers pound the keys as he fixes my mistake. “Dude, you’ve been looking at this for way too long. When was the last time you slept?”

  I lean back in my chair, considering his question. “Yesterday morning. I don’t know… I lost track of time after—”

  “After Harley left,” he finishes.

  I run a hand through my messy hair and sigh. “I have to get her back, Stef.”

  “I’ve never seen you this focused,” he says. “You wrote an entire game in a little over a month. If you could work like this all the time, we wouldn’t have had to take money from Titan.”

  “Things will change when I get Harley back. We won’t need Titan anymore.”

  “No, I don’t think we will. A King’s Quest might even surpass Ashborn in pre-orders.”

  “It’s not even for sale yet.”

  “Don’t get mad but… I let a few of the guys on my team play the first few boards.”

  “And?”

  “They said A King’s Quest is the best game we’ve produced in years.”

  “They have Harley to thank. She’s the one who pointed out the resemblance to Arthurian legend. I didn’t even realize what I’d written until she helped me develop the ideas.”

  “You guys make a good team.”

  “Yeah, we do. Titan’s money will run out by the end of the year. We need a big win, or we won’t have a company to run.”

  “I fixed the error,” Stefan says, and my heart pounds like a jackhammer. “Easy fix. I can’t believe you missed this.”

  “I’m going to make the deadline,” I say, relieved.

  “Hey, bro,” Stefan says.

  “What?”

  “It’s time to get your wife back.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Harley

  I’m in the middle of typing an email when my computer monitor goes batshit crazy. Even the flat-screen television on the wall across from my desk is blinking like it’s possessed. Either my office is haunted or someone just hacked me. I hit a few keys, hoping to stop the bright lights that are flashing on my computer. I enter another series of commands and nothing. Nate would know what to do. He could stop this intrusion.

  Panicked, I slide my chair out from the desk and grab my phone. Before I can call our in-house tech support, a video game flashes on my screen and television at the same time. What the hell? I’m getting serious The Matrix vibes right now. Did Nate’s artificial intelligence go haywire, and the robots are about to take over? We always joked about AI taking over the world sometime in the distant future. The future is now, I can practically hear Nate say in my head.

  With my fingers hovering over the phone pad, I stare in awe as the game loads. A brightly colored fantasy world—the world I helped Nate create—appears before me. That bastard hacked me. Well, I’ll be damned.

  Sir Percy, the first player knight in our game raises his arm above his head and lightning strikes the blade. The River of Nightmares ripples behind Sir Percy, the water rising above King Meliorn’s castle. After a short introduction, A King’s Quest pops up on the screen. Nate named his game. Finally. After all of these years, he finished his secret project. And I love the name he chose. It fits this game perfectly.

  I smile like an idiot, still in shock that Nate hacked my computer to show me the game. If he were here, I bet he would make some inappropriate sex joke about his hard drive. I laugh at the thought. When I challenged Nate to complete the game, I knew he would do it for me. For us. This game could save our company and determine both of our futures.

  I let out a sigh of relief and sink back into my chair. The storyboard we wrote together gives the player a nice introduction to the Knights of Aslan. It tells the story of how King Meliorn lost his magic and how only a worthy knight can heal the king and retrieve the sword from the River of Nightmares. Nate crushed it. Like the knights in his game, he saved the day.

  I reach for my cell phone, about to dial Nate when an idea hits me. He’s expecting me to call him. Maybe I should surprise him, like he did me. Instead of Nate, I call Willow.

  “Hey, girlie,” she says on the third ring. “I was just about to call you. I’m thinking sushi for dinner. I would kill for a spring roll right about now.”

  “I won’t be here for dinner,” I say, retrieving my handbag from my desk drawer. “Actually, I need a ride to the airport. And I could use some help packing.”

  She screams, forcing me to hold the phone away from my ear. “He did it!”

  “Yeah. And he had a funny way of showing it to me.”

  “Oh?” A hint of curiosity clouds her tone. “Do tell…”

  “I’m leaving the office now. Meet me at home. I’ll tell you everything.”

  “So, I guess this means I can rent out your room.” She pauses. “I hope you don’t mind, but Nico Chase needs a place to crash for a while, so I can help him get on his feet.”

  I gasp. “Nico Chase, the movie star?”

  “Yeah,” she says with a chuckle. “I landed him as a client. It’s a long story. Anyway, I’ll tell you everything on our way to the airport.” She sniffs into the receiver. “For the record, I’m going to miss the shit out of you. But I’m also really happy for you and Nate.”

  “Thanks, Will,” I say with a smile. “I’m going to miss the shit out of you, too.”

  * * *

  Eight hours ago, I was sitting in my office, minding my own business. And now, I’m sticking my keycard into the elevator slot. The car shoots up toward the penthouse, where I expect to find Nate waiting for me. He doesn’t know I’m coming. Nate always tells me that I’m so predictable. Well, this is one of the least predictable things I have ever done.

  When the elevator doors open, Nate’s standing in the foyer, dressed in an expensive black suit. The sight of him takes my breath away. He looks like a Wall Street mogul, not a tech genius. Every stitch of fabric is molded perfectly to his muscular frame and a wicked smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as he approaches me.

  “I was expecting a phone call,” he says as he wraps his arms around me. He hugs me so tight I can barely breathe. “But this… this is so much better.”

  I’m pretty sure Nate sniffs my hair, as if my scent is something he’s missed so much he needs to memorize it all over again. Leaning my head on his chest, I drink him in, and his spicy cologne fills my nostrils. Seven weeks is a long time to spend apart from my husband. It still sounds weird when I say husband. Maybe I’ll never get used to being Mrs. Nathan King, but I damn sure can try.

  “You nailed it, Nate.” I throw my arms around his neck. “I knew you could do it. A King’s Quest is even better than what I expected. You have outdone yourself this time.”

  “Really? You think so?”

  I nod. “I’ve always believed in you.”

  He hugs me tighter. “I’ve missed you so much. It was hell without my Queen by my side.”

  I run my hand up his chest and smile. “Well, I’m back.”

  “For good?”

  “This is my home now.”

  “Our home,” he corrects.

  I smile up at him. “Our home.”

  After a while, Nate releases me from his death grip. He drops to one knee in front of me and takes my hand in his, pressing a light kiss to my skin. His mouth grazes over the giant rock on my hand, and I shiver from his touch as a trail of heat rushes up my arm.

  “You’re still wearing it,” he says with relief in his voice.

  “I never took the ring off.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I was still your wife. Did you keep your wedding band on while we were apart?”

  He bobs his head, and a strand of dark hair falls in front of his gorgeous green eyes.

  “I’ve loved you for almost as long as I’ve known you, Harley. You were my first friend, first crush, my first love and only love. I know we did everything backward, and I plan to fix that. I want to give you the wedding of your dreams, a real one this time.”

  “We had a real wedding.”

  He sighs. “But the wedding was fake.”

  I shake my head. “Not for me.”

  He stands, a smile plastered on his face, and then he pulls me into his strong arms and kisses me.

  “I was thinking we could form our own Avengers,” Nate says once our lips separate. “I could see us having a Little Iron Man and a badass girl like Black Widow. We could call her Tash. Yeah, I like that. Tony and Tash.” Short for Natasha Romanoff.

  I laugh at his ridiculousness. “You mean The Justice League,” I challenge since I’m named after a DC Comics character. “I prefer Batman over Iron Man and Catwoman any day to Black Widow. And you know my daughter will have claws.”

  He laughs in my ear. “We can agree to disagree,” Nate jokes. “As long as I get to put my babies in your belly, we can form whatever superhero alliance you want.”

  I smile so hard my cheeks hurt. “Have I told you I love you lately?”

  “No, but you can show me.”

  He carries me over to the living room couch with my legs wrapped around his waist. I brush my fingers down his arm and tiny bumps dot along his skin. Seven weeks felt like an eternity in Nate Time. I counted down every second that passed, hoping he would be my white knight, that he would save the day.

  Nate threads his fingers through my hair, giving me a piercing look that sizzles my skin. Once our lips meet, I’m lost to him. Consumed by his love, his warmth, everything he has to offer me. I moan when Nate sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, closing my eyes as I kiss him back. My skin burns everywhere his hands touch, his fingers like a flame that ignites my skin. In Nate’s arms, nothing matters, I can lower my guard and let myself go.

  I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard. We sink into each other, our mouths melded together, our bodies fused as one. We kiss each other as if we’re attempting to steal the other’s breath, as if we need each other to survive. Weeks apart from Nate were absolute torture. After enduring our separation, I know for certain I never want to go through that kind of pain again.

  I missed his lingering touches. The way he kisses my neck when he thinks I’m sleeping. And I especially missed waking up to him whispering how much he loves me in my ear. Mornings were hell without him. So were my nights.

  Without breaking the kiss, Nate pushes my skirt up my thighs and slides my panties to the side while I unbutton his pants. Seconds later, I slide down on his cock, and a scream rips from my lips as he fills me completely. Nate leans back, his eyes fixed on me as he digs his fingers into my hips.

  I cup his strong shoulders with my hands and rock my hips to match his thrusts. “Nate,” I cry out, riding him even harder, chasing the high we’re both craving.

  He groans, his cock pounding into me, his body shaking along with mine. “Fuck, you feel good, baby.”

  I smile at his words and kiss him harder than the last time, each kiss bringing me closer to the finish line. And then, like a flood breaking through a dam, the sheer intensity of my orgasm hits me. A sudden wave of heat rolls over my skin, and I let go. Nate is close behind me, his grunts and groans so damn sexy as he comes inside me.

  I collapse on top of him, out of breath, still coming down from my high.

  Nate leans his sweaty forehead against mine. “I love you, Harley.” He says the words between staggered breaths. “You’re my best friend, the love of my life, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  “I want that, too,” I whisper, and then, he kisses me.

  Epilogue

  Nate

  One year later…

  The event center is packed with hundreds of people walking between booths at the 10X Games Convention. After we shared the beta version last year with our advance team, fans were desperate to play A King’s Quest.

  So far, the reviews have surpassed those of our recent games. After Stefan’s disastrous launch of Ashborn, my father finally acknowledged me for my hard work instead of criticizing me. He now sees how much of myself I give to the company.

  If Harley hadn’t pushed me, A King’s Quest would still be nameless code sitting on my computer. She inspired me, showed me the purpose of my quest. She’s the biggest challenge I ever faced, the toughest opponent I’ve ever had, and winning her over was worth every second.

  Queen Takes King has several booths, one for each of our game worlds. Some of our universes are vast, with twenty years of games in each of them, the world expanding with each release. Harley stands at my side, dressed as Elira, the elf princess who grants the knights their power to heal King Meliorn. The character bears a strong resemblance to Harley. She raises her hand, smiling for the fans as the sleeve of the royal blue Victorian gown slides down to her elbow.

  My wife is gorgeous, donning a silver princess crown atop her head, though she looks more like a queen than a princess. Since we’re a team, I’m dressed as Sir Percy, one of the knights from A King’s Quest. The armor weighs a ton, but after seeing the devious look on Harley’s face, the few hours of suffering is worth it.

  Excited fans approach us, waving to Harley, who gives them her best pageant wave and smile. A few people point at Harley, their faces illuminated by smiles. Princess Elira is one of the main attractions, the character everyone loves most. She grants the knights their powers along their journey, much like how Harley gave me the push I needed to finish the game.

  “Are you ready?” Harley wraps her fingers around my arm and gives it a good squeeze. “We’re on in five.”

  “I was born ready.”

  She shakes her head, an evil smile stretching across her lips. “My husband is such a cocky bastard.”

  “You know it turns you on, wifey.”

  I dip my head down to give her a quick kiss, and of course, someone walking by whistles. Another person tells us to get a room. Harley chuckles and then leads me by the hand toward the platform.

  Stefan is sitting next to Parker, the two of them glancing down at the computer screen. Jess is standing behind them, gripping the back of Parker’s chair. My brother and our friends have been a huge help with A King’s Quest. I hit a few snags with the game after I showed it to Harley, and with Stefan and our team working alongside us, we have created what will become a massive franchise someday.

  Harley and Jess are almost finished with the graphic novels and are already envisioning what the merchandise will look like. Even Callie is having fun with writing about the magic of our fictional world.

  I give a quick speech to announce the game. Stefan handles the display on the main screen, clicking buttons on his MacBook Pro until the presentation fills every screen around us. People crowd around our booth, their eyes wide with excitement.

  I lean into Harley, slipping my fingers between hers, and whisper, “Keep your eye on the right corner of the screen.”

  She narrows her eyes at me. “What did you do?”

  I wiggle my eyebrows. “You’ll see.”

  Harley watches intently as the story plays out. Sir Percy raises the sword above his head. Lightning strikes the blade and then hits the ground, rocking the water behind him. She doesn’t see it at first. But after another bolt of lightning hits the metal, her eyes widen. Where the lightning cracks the ground, it says King loves Queen. I doubt many people will ever notice it. None of our beta testers caught it. It’s for Harley’s eyes. She wanted to see her name in the credits of the game, but I wanted to do her one better—our love forever immortalized.