We waited until the middle of the night to start our escapade. I’d tried to carry on as normal, but my stomach churned with anxiety and I found myself staring off into space, imagining the worst multiple times.

I had managed to call the lawyer and confirm my inheritance and bank account details with him. My father, in his infinite wisdom, had foreseen the issues my mum would cause and had set up safeguards to prevent her from getting her hands on his cash. It’d be in my bank by morning, but no amount of money could make me feel confident about my upcoming crime spree.

“This isn’t like you, sweetheart,” Brick said, stroking my face tenderly. “Where is my strong girl, who was ready to tear the world apart to go find my brother?”

I couldn’t explain it. My life in Newtopia was different. I had always been in well over my head, but at least I had abilities. I couldn’t flirt my way out of trouble this time.

“You need to calm down,” Bruiser said. “Have a nap. You’ll be up late; you need to be at your best.”

“I really don’t think I can sleep right now, Bruiser,” I shook my head.

“Let me hold you, then. You can do some breathing exercises and relax, even if you can’t sleep.”

I agreed and let him lead me away, but when the door opened and I saw my room, my brain felt like it imploded.

“What the hell?” I screeched.

All of James’ ornaments had been removed from the shelf and in their place, they had arranged my collection of sex toys.

“What did they do now?” James asked, approaching, but I shouldered him so he couldn’t see in the door.

“Who redecorated?” I demanded, my face beet red.

Jackal slunk down behind the couch looking guilty, while Bastion scratched the back of his head and laughed, and Nightfall gave me an apologetic look.

“We thought considering James has moved out of your room, his things should be removed as well.”

“What?” James asked, now trying to push past me into the room, but Bruiser shoved him roughly away.

“Relax, your things are in a box. Only one of them broke.”

“And who… who put the new décor up?”

“You didn’t have many things, but that was what we found in a box under your bed with your name on it. We thought they looked like kind of odd ornaments, but they were yours, weren’t they?”

“Wait…” James said, putting the pieces together. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

I glared at him, and he burst into laughter.

“I’m sorry,” Jackal said miserably. “I was trying to make you happy.”

“What are they talking about?” Brick asked in confusion. Of course, he hadn’t seen them yet. He’d been out all morning with me.

“They’re not ornaments,” James asked, now cackling at my expense. “They’re tools.”

I kicked him roughly in the shin. Bruiser rubbed my shoulder comfortingly, as I saw dawning comprehension fall on Bastion and Nightfall’s faces.

“These are things you bought because he wasn’t satisfying you?” Bastion asked, jerking his thumb at James, who immediately stopped laughing.

“Can you show us how they work?” Nightfall asked, his insatiable curiosity getting the better of him.

“No!” I snapped. “At least… not right now.”

“I still don’t get what’s going on,” Brick said. “What are they?”

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply for a few seconds, calming my mortification.

There wasn’t really anything to be embarrassed about, and Jackal was looking like a kicked puppy.

I sighed, shoved the door fully open, and ushered them in. They crowded into the bedroom, making it feel painfully small. Brick and Nightfall pushed to the front, and Bruiser had to sit on my bed to make room for them.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“These are… interesting.” Brick picked up one of the phallic shaped objects. “It’s green.”

“I… hadn’t made that connection before,” I laughed. It was a similar shade to Brick’s regular orcish skin.

Nightfall picked up another and pushed the button on the base, almost dropping it when it started vibrating.

“If you had all these, what did you need James for in the first place?” Bastion asked bluntly. “I don’t understand why you kept him around.”

James glowered at him, but Bastion pushed through, his eyes on me rather than the X-rated objects displayed in neat rows next to me.

“I… I didn’t just want him for sex, you know,” I said quietly. James’ eyes snapped to me, and I could tell he was holding his breath, waiting to see what I would say next. “We weren’t a good couple, but… he was good company. We’d known each other a long time and I… I really don’t like being alone.”

“Is that really all it was for you?” James asked, sounding crushed. “I was better company than no-one at all?”

“It’s not nothing, James. You were better company than… than anyone in my messed-up family, and yes… than being on my own. I was really scared to move out on my own and having you with me did make things easier. Maybe I haven’t given you enough credit, because I get so damn mad at you sometimes, but you were actually a really good friend, even if you weren’t a great boyfriend.”

“I… thanks,” James mumbled. “You were a good friend, too.”

“Why do you have so many of these, though?” Bastion asked.

“I… uh… bought a new one whenever James’ got a new game or started binge watching a new anime.”

“What?” James looked mortified.

“Well, you were gone a lot. You sunk like a hundred and twenty hours into the Dungeon Fantasy game that first week it came out. That’s when I bought that one,” I said, gesturing to the one Brick was holding. “And the one Nightfall’s got? I bought that two days after you started re-watching Bleach. Those series are too damn long, and I knew I wasn’t going to see you for ages, so I got myself something to make me not feel so crappy about being on my own for a few weeks while you were up watching TV.”

“I didn’t think you minded me watching shows or playing games. You never said it bothered you,” James said, stunned.

“It didn’t. Not like that…” I pulled my knees up in front of me. “James… you’re allowed to have interests that didn’t include me. The whole cat-girl thing never really bothered me that much either, except for the fact you spent so much money on all that stuff when you needed to borrow money off me to pay the bills… but the loneliness… that’s my issue I have to work through, not yours.”

James seemed to have nothing to say to that, so I reached over and pushed him out the door.

“Shows over, out you go,” I said. “Now Jackal, can you please find the box these were in? I’m not having them collecting dust on the shelf.”

Jackal retrieved the box and hurriedly started shoving them back in.

“I’m sorry, Emma,” Jackal said again. “I thought I was doing the right thing. My ideas seem to be causing you more trouble than good.”

“It’s okay,” I said, snapping the lid back on the box and shoving it back under my bed. “I know you didn’t mean any harm.”

I ushered Brick, Bastion, and Nightfall out of my room before lying down between Bruiser and Jackal. It had been too long since I’d been with Bruiser, but with things how they were, I didn’t really want to let Jackal out of my sight. I felt an overwhelming need to protect him.

“You’re not mad at me, are you?” Jackal asked, his nose brushing mine as we lay on the pillows.

“No, honey. I’m scared for you,” I told him honestly. “I just want to look after you. We’ll do what we can to make sure you’re safe here, but James was actually right. It might be safer for you in Newtopia.”

“Emma… Back home, I’ll have my mermaid shout again,” he said, concern contorting his features. “We can’t be like this anymore. It won’t be safe.”

I stroked his cheek with my thumb. “We’ll think of something.”

“Could you take it away?” Jackal asked. “I wouldn’t mind being like a regular human if it meant I could be with you.”

“Don’t give up your abilities lightly, Jackal,” Bruiser warned him. “They make you who you are. It would be better to level up and learn to control them.”

“He’s right, you know,” I said softly. “If we removed part of what makes you a mermaid, there’s no telling at the moment if it would remove your whole top half. We still don’t know Jenny well enough yet, to start getting her to change things like that. You saw what happened with Dave after he changed his base statistics – he was a maniac.”

Jackal nodded, still looking dejected.

“Jackal, honey… Back when we were on our rescue mission, you had really good control of your voice. You found weak points, you growled and rattled a dungeon door open without hurting anyone… I truly believe you can get control of it.”

“That was only because you were there telling me what to do. You make everything easy. I am a weapon, but I need you to wield me, or I just destroy everything I touch.”

“That’s not true,” I said, and kissed him firmly on the lips before looking into his eyes. “You are more than just a weapon. You are you. And I love you.”

“You’re not alone, Jackal,” Bruiser added. “We’re in this together, for better or worse.”

I looked at Bruiser in surprise. Not at the sentiment – I knew his loyalty to his party ran strong – but his words had sounded like a wedding vow. It struck me just how committed they all were, not only to me, but to each other. Even Bastion and Nightfall, who had been friction-fraught frenemies when I’d met them, had found their peace with each other.

“What is it, Emma? What’s on your mind?”

I sat up, looking at both of them, and was overwhelmed with gratitude for what I had. Not just Bruiser and Jackal, but five men who I loved and trusted completely. Two million dollars coming into my account tonight. I could buy a house, quit my job, and set up our future in both worlds.

It was hanging by a thread, but when wasn’t it? I’d seen so much progression over the last couple of weeks and I hadn’t even noticed it because there were no achievement notifications or experience logs.

But compared to my life before I’d entered Newtopia at all, things were so much better. I felt like I’d just gone up ten consecutive levels.

“I just realized how much I have,” I said, placing a hand on Bruiser’s chest. “And I’m going to write us our happily ever after one way or another.”

My anxiety fell away, and I set an alarm on my phone for crime-time before snuggling back down and falling into a peaceful sleep.