When My Boyfriend Turned Me into a Game for His Friends

I studied my gym's schedule carefully before heading to my usual Tuesday afternoon session. According to the information I'd gathered from the group chat, Marcus Chen—one of Hayes's closest friends and an active participant in the bet—always worked out between 2 and 4 PM on Tuesdays.

"He'll be there," I texted Nikolai as I changed into my workout clothes.

"Already on my way," came his immediate reply.

I'd been training for a triathlon before discovering Hayes's betrayal, and I'd kept up my routine since then. Today, though, I had a different goal in mind.

I was on the bench press when Nikolai walked in, his presence commanding immediate attention. Several women glanced his way, whispering behind their hands. I pretended not to notice him, focusing instead on my form as I lifted the weights.

"Your technique is all wrong," a deep voice said from behind me.

I turned to find Nikolai standing there, his expression concerned but his eyes gleaming with something else entirely.

"I've been doing this for years," I replied, loud enough for nearby members to hear.

"Doesn't mean you're doing it right." He stepped closer, his cologne—that now-familiar scent of sandalwood and pine—enveloping me. "May I?"

I nodded, and he stepped behind me, his hands finding my waist. "Your core isn't engaged," he murmured, his lips close to my ear. "Let me show you."

His hands guided my movements, lingering longer than necessary as he adjusted my position. I felt the heat rising to my cheeks—partly from the workout, partly from his touch.

"That's better," he said, his voice low and intimate. "Much better."

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Marcus watching from the free weights section, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. His phone was already in his hand, fingers flying across the screen.

"Is that—?" I started to ask.

"Don't worry about him," Nikolai said, his hand still resting on my hip. "He's exactly where we want him."

---

The charity gala glittered with wealth and privilege. Hayes had insisted I wear a particular dress—"something that shows you're with me," he'd said, though his eyes had barely registered my presence all evening.

He'd been at the bar with his friends for the past hour, leaving me to make small talk with acquaintances. I felt like an accessory rather than a partner.

"Aurora Davis," a voice called from behind me. "What a surprise."

I turned to find Nikolai in a perfectly tailored tuxedo, looking like he belonged on a magazine cover.

"Nikolai," I said, feeling Hayes's eyes on us from across the room. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"As a major donor, I couldn't miss it." He extended his hand. "Would you honor me with a dance?"

Before I could respond, he'd already led me to the dance floor. The orchestra began playing a tango, and Nikolai pulled me close.

"Your boyfriend seems distracted tonight," he murmured as we moved together.

"He's been busy," I replied, matching his steps perfectly.

Nikolai's hand pressed against the small of my back, guiding me through a spin that brought me back against his chest. "Not too busy to notice us," he said, his breath warm against my ear.

I glanced toward the bar and caught Hayes's gaze. His face was tight with anger, while Macie whispered something in his ear, her hand possessively gripping his arm.

"They're watching," I said, a thrill running through me.

"Let them," Nikolai replied, pulling me into another spin. "This is just the beginning."

---

The night air was cool against my skin as Nikolai and I left the gala. My heart raced with adrenaline and something more dangerous.

"Come home with me," I said impulsively.

His eyes darkened. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been more certain."

My apartment felt different with Nikolai in it—smaller somehow, yet infinitely more intimate. The pretense of our arrangement seemed to fall away as soon as the door closed behind us.

"This isn't part of the plan," he said, his voice rough with desire.

"Maybe the plan changed," I replied, stepping closer to him.

When his lips found mine, it wasn't like anything I'd experienced with Hayes. There was reverence in his touch, as if I were something precious rather than a conquest.

Hours later, wrapped in my sheets with Nikolai's arms around me, I finally understood the difference. Hayes had always made love to my body while ignoring my soul. Nikolai had worshipped both.

"This changes everything," I whispered against his chest.

"Does it?" he asked, his fingers tracing patterns on my bare shoulder.

I thought about Hayes, about the bet, about my carefully constructed revenge plan. None of it seemed to matter anymore.

"Yes," I said finally. "This is no longer just a game."