Page 35 of Queen’s Gambit

“No buts. You tell me, and I’ll make sure he never touches you again.”

At that moment, he didn’t look like my Eddie. I’d seen that same darkness in my father and in the guards who took lives as easily as drinking a glass of water. It scared me a little to see it in Eddie’s stormy eyes.

“Okay, I’ll tell you,” I said and prayed that day would never come. His face relaxed, and his eyes softened until my Eddie was back.

“Come on, this will all blow over,” Marcus said, and I hoped he was right.

Paul gave me a small, reassuring smile on our way out, but what had started as one of the most amazing days of my life had ended with a sour taste in my mouth. One that would last a very long time.

Edmundo

The fall afternoon was sunny and warm, but the occasional cool breeze reminded us that snow was only a month off.

Jogging out onto the pitch, I’d never felt more alive. Not only was I getting to play the game I loved, but Ana was in the stands cheering. Our first few games had been off-property and during the day, so she couldn’t come to watch, but this one was here at Wayward. The school always went all out to make the home games feel special. The marching band played, and their formations got the fans cheering.

For someone who had never been to a sporting event, Ana showed amazing team spirit. I’d taken her into town and purchased what seemed like a million packages of navy and gold streamers, along with other stuff that I couldn’t even name. She made pompoms and handed them out to anyone interested. Now, the Wayward bleachers were a sea of shimmering colors.

I spotted Ana right away, standing in the front row. Her smile almost made me trip over my feet. Fuck she was beautiful.

“Hey, lover boy, did you hear anything I said,” Marcus asked.

“Unfortunately, I did, but I’m trying really hard to ignore you.”

“Funny. You sure you can keep your head in the game long enough to be captain?”

I grabbed his arm, jerking him to a stop before we got any closer to the bench or the rest of the guys.

“I’ve had just about enough of you coming at me about my relationship with Ana. One minute you’re understanding and can’t say enough good about Ana and the next you’re a dick. I’m done. So, two things are going to happen. The first is that you’re going to tell me what the hell your problem is, and second…if you make fun of us again, I’ll knock your teeth down your throat.”

“That. That is my problem.”

He looked over his shoulder, but everyone was still warming up and not paying us any attention.

“Ever since you got serious about her, you’ve changed. Everything is about her.”

Letting go of his arm, I laughed and shook my head.

“Are you fucking jealous?”

“Not like that. I don’t want to marry your stupid ass. But Yulianna is included in all our plans. She’s always there, and when she isn’t, you worry about what she will think. You plan every move of your day around her and her schedule. Every meal is with her and you’re never in your room. We never hang out like we used to. And now every deal with your father is a big secret. What the fuck? I know you want to marry her, but you’ve gone over the edge.”

“You don’t understand,” I said.

“You’re right, I don’t. So tell me.”

I looked down, not wanting to say the words out loud that plagued me.

“Marcus…there is a good chance that her father will say no. I’ve increased my holdings and territory for my family, but in comparison to the Mikhailov wealth, I’m still a small fish. This year may be the only year I get with her, and that fucking terrifies me. So no, I won’t stop. Ana is not just a girl I’m having fun with, she’s my future and the woman I want to marry. Everything that I do is to make sure that these few months we have together isn’t the only time we have. I don’t expect you to understand it, but you will respect my decisions, or we can no longer be friends.”

“Whoa, man. Take a massive pill. I never said I wouldn’t support you.” He crossed his arms. “I’m sorry I’ve been giving you a hard time. I didn’t know. You always act like it’s a done deal.”

“Well, it’s not.”

Fuck, I wanted to cut out my tongue for saying that out loud. All I wanted was positive vibes in the air, and I never wanted Ana to worry. Vadin was impressed at the last meeting with my father, and that meant we were one step closer to asking the question and making a deal. But nothing was final until we walked down the aisle. That was the sad truth of it, and what I’d learned about Vadin didn’t ease my mind. He was ruthless, violent, and vindictive as fuck. One mistake…just one….

“So…stupid question, but why don’t you just knock her up?”

“How about I knock you the fuck out instead,” I growled, getting in my best friend’s face.