«46» Checkmate

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Two days go by and I don't see Leroy again. 

And I can't shake the feeling that he's avoiding me, even though I keep reminding myself that Leroy is not that kind of man. 

After our kiss on the yacht, which was abruptly interrupted by the screaming children running towards us, we didn't get to talk because afterward we sat down with the others and celebrated William's birthday.

He did not come to bed that night.

All I saw at his uncle's house was Alexander pulling him aside with a serious expression. Since then I've only seen him at dinner, where he gives his attention to Danny, of course, because he spends every spare second with him, which I understand and think is wonderful, but maybe... 

Well, maybe a glance in my direction? Or a little smile... 

"Hey, Rina," I am suddenly pulled out of my thoughts. My gaze falls on Franca, who is being impatiently dragged away by Alexander's daughters. I keep my hands in the dough and smile at her in greeting. "Leroy's calling for you, he's in the attic - yes, my God, kids, it's okay, I'm coming! See you later, Rina." 

And with those words, she moves laughing on. Perplexed, I take my hands out of the dough and wash them before slowly walking up the stairs. When did Leroy arrive and what exactly is he doing in the attic?

Confusion as well as joy flood my body. I can finally see him and talk to him! Once upstairs, I walk down the long hallway to the open door, in direct view of Leroy. 

"You called for me?" 

I'm still standing behind the open door, unsure if I should go further into the room I haven't even seen before. I didn't realize that everything in the attic was so clean and beautiful.

The walls are in beautiful sandy colors, with a fireplace in the corner, a TV on the right, and two big sofas in the middle. An armchair is right next to it, where Leroy sits. 

In front of him is a board game, at which he stares intently. 

"Yes, I have. Come in," his voice rings out and I blink before slowly walking toward him.

Feeling tense because of his silence, I shift my weight from one leg to the other until he lifts his gaze and looks at me with clear eyes. I force myself to smile a little to lighten the situation. He doesn't return it but nods toward the sofa behind me.

"Sit down and play a game with me." 

I slowly lower my eyes to the board game and frown.

Chess. 

He wants me to play chess with him?

He apparently read the question from my eyes, because now he smiles a little, even though it is anything but a nice smile, but I stopped blaming him for that a long time ago.

I understood by now that he doesn't mean it in a bad way at all. He just can't really smile. 

"A game and a bet. Make your wish and I'll make mine. May the best one win." 

I would have preferred to claim that I can't play chess, but I can and I wanted to, even if it annoys me that he wants to bet.

Maybe it's quite harmless and it will be fun anyway. 

"All right," I murmur and sit down before returning his gaze as firmly as I can. My heart is beating up to my chest and I bite my lower lip as I say the next words. "If I win, then I get to go home." 

Stunned draws his face before he can stop it. I swallow, not even sure where those words came from so suddenly, but there they were said and Leroy didn't seem to like that wish at all, which I realize a few seconds later as he grits his teeth. 

"I thought that wish was no longer there when your last wish was that you wanted to be my wife," he counters quietly and raspily as he looks down at the board. I can almost feel the wall I have taken down brick by brick being rebuilt. 

Damn, I really shouldn't have said that...

But taking it back is also bullshit, while it's not even directly true! Well, I want to go back home, of course, but for some reason... 

God, I've got to stop thinking!

"That was wish number two," I say as casually as I can so that he might get the idea that I'm just teasing him, and shrug my shoulders slightly.

And it works, because a grin spreads across his lips as he lifts his eyes.

Inwardly, I sigh in relief. 

"Well, I can't possibly lose then, can I?"

I rub my hands together and nod at the board. 

"What if you win?" 

"Then I'll take you to my bed."

Perplexed, I blink and lift my head again. Since we're sleeping in the same bed by now, I know full well that he doesn't mean simply that, but something completely else.

Leroy leans back and raises his eyebrows expectantly. There is a spark of challenge in his eyes. 

"I'll grant you your second wish, chica." Now it's him who shrugs. I snort and can't stop goosebumps from flooding my body as I inwardly curse myself for not being averse to his wish. 

And actually, the right thing to do now would be to ask for the wishes to be changed, but I don't want to. The tension that our desires have now created feels good.

"May the best one win," I reply, accepting his words.

Leroy looks me in the eye for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitch upwards, but he says nothing before he leans forward and we begin the game.

I don't know how long we sit here moving our figures, hoping to checkmate each other, but eventually, I make very good progress.

Neither of us has moved our king yet, but from the looks of it, Leroy will soon have no chance.

It's strange, but the feeling that I could really win and just go home leaves an empty feeling inside me. 

But Leroy wouldn't be Leroy if he allowed himself to be beaten. 

He straightens up, much more focused than before, and minutes later there is no figure left around my king, forcing me to flee to the corner.

Stunned, I stare at the board game, unable to figure out how he saved himself. 

In general, the probability of a "checkmate" increases when the king is on the edge.

He has less escape possibilities there, but I still had to seek protection in the corner, because it is often decisive how many figures take part in the attack.

If the king is in a corner, it takes much longer for the attacker to mobilize the units and Leroy still has some figures on the board. 

There is no hope that I will win the game yet, and as soon as I think that, I hear Leroy's satisfied voice. 

"Checkmate, chica." 

"I want a rematch," I mutter angrily, crossing my arms in front of my chest. Leroy chuckles softly and rubs his face. 

"Not today, I'm afraid I don't have time and I have to leave right now." 

"Will you be back tonight? You've been gone all the time lately," I follow up, looking up at him as he stands up and stretches slightly. 

"Yeah, I think so. Let's see if it works out." 

"Where are you going, anyway?", I ask, even though I know I won't get an answer. 

"Let's call it working, okay?" 

That means killing someone.

I flinch at my thoughts, which Leroy doesn't miss, but he doesn't say anything about it. Knowing that these hands are about to kill someone scares the hell out of me. 

"Did you find the guy who shot me?" 

"Yes." 

That's all he has to tell me.

Swallowing, I nod and decide not to ask any more questions, because I'll only drive myself crazy. 

Leroy walks closer and stops in front of me. 

"Tomorrow is my uncle's party. We're going back home either a day or two after that." 

Home. It sounded strange. 

"Good," I whisper, letting him come closer until he breathes a kiss on the corner of my lips.

My body acknowledges this with goosebumps and instantly heat shoots up my cheeks as that damn desire floods through me again, but Leroy turns his back on me and nods for me to follow him down. 

I've been swearing too much lately, that's new.

☼ ❅

This night is different, I feel that as soon as Danny is in bed and I walk into Leroy's and my bedroom after wishing everyone else a good night. 

I can't put into words what exactly is different. It's just this indefinable feeling in my stomach, this tingling as I enter the bedroom and catch sight of Leroy just leaving the bathroom with only a white cloth towel wrapped around his waist, misty haze venturing out quietly and clinging to his legs; a sign that he took a very hot shower. 

And he only does that when he's covered in blood. 

Swallowing, I quickly dismiss the thought because the last thing I want to think about is what Leroy does all day and who he kills. 

I slowly close the door without taking my eyes off him, but Leroy doesn't look at me, even though he has noticed that I have entered.

The strange tingling in my stomach disappears as I realize he's not in a particularly good mood, but I try not to let that bother me and sit down on the bed before averting my gaze as he drops the towel and puts on his boxers.

Well, he could have done that in the bathroom... 

I ignore the blush that shoots into my cheeks and brush my socks off my feet before sliding back onto the bed until I'm leaning back against the pillow. 

"Did you have a good day?", I ask, trying to start a conversation. Now that we understand each other better, I might be able to dispel his bad mood, but when Leroy answers, that thought is quickly gone.

"Why were you outside earlier?" The words leave his lips harshly and cause me to pause, perplexed at first. His gaze catches me off guard as he turns and I begin to stutter.

"I was going to go for a little walk," I confess to him quietly.

What's the problem? For the past few days, he hasn't had a problem with me going out either. 

"Strange, I don't remember you asking for permission," he retorts wryly. I furrow my brow deeply and feel my stomach tighten as I hear the word 'permission'. 

"You weren't there and besides, I haven't asked you in the last few days either, I merely let you know because you were around me. How is that a problem now? I thought I was allowed out if I wanted to," I interject, holding my breath as he takes large strides toward me. 

"Why is that a problem? Because you can't just walk out when there are people running around out there who want you dead," his voice gets thunderous, almost making the ground tremble under my feet.

My heart skips a beat before I hastily rise and take a few steps back.

"I thought you said we were safe in Ohio," I whisper hoarsely, swallowing down the anger. 

"You're not safe anywhere in the world, you're only safe because you're with me. Do you understand that...- fuck!" 

I flinch slightly as he winces and only then do I see the blood on his waist.

Startled, I suck in a breath and my eyes widen as they discover the deep cut.

He had turned in a way that I couldn't see it immediately, but I now wonder how I missed it for just a moment, but most of all I wonder why he isn't seeing a doctor! God, from what I can see, he must have been attacked with a knife. 

"What the hell happened?" I immediately walk up to him and grab him by the arm to turn him so I can see the stab wound better. 

"Go to bed," he hisses instead and pulls away from me, but even though his words sting me, I persist and grab his arm again. 

"Let me help you," I demand, wanting to push him into the bathroom, but again he slaps my hand away. 

"I don't need your help, what I need is for you to get out of my sight!" 

"I'm not leaving until your wound is taken care of and now let me help you," I shout upset because I just can't understand his dismissive nature and his words are fucking hurtful. Why should I leave?

We became much closer in Ohio, we even kissed, why does he not want me near him at all now? 

I push him harder towards the bathroom and although he might break away again, he doesn't this time and even sits on the edge of the tub.

I hastily grab a clean rag and first hold it under a stream of cold water before dabbing the blood from his wound.  

Grazed. He was only grazed with a pointed object, not stabbed. Probably with a knife and although the wound is not as deep as I first thought, it still bleeds quite a lot. 

"What the hell are you always doing?", I whisper once the wound is cleaned and bandaged.

Leroy looks down at me from half-closed lids but says nothing. Something is going through his mind and the way he looks at me, it must have something to do with me, but I just don't know what it could be.

Something sparkles in his eyes as I slowly stand up to put things away. He suddenly grabs me by the waist, pulls me onto his thighs, and presses his lips hungrily against mine. 

At that moment I lose myself, I feel it very clearly. I let myself fall, sinking into his kiss and falling in love with the way his hands feel on my skin.

I know it's wrong. 

I know it's wrong and yet it feels fucking right. 

But when he gets up without letting go of me and we get to the bedroom, where he lays me back on the bed and leans over me, I flinch by reflex. 

Am I ready to go that far with him? 

Out of breath and eyes widening, I stare into his as he simply ignores my reluctance, rising slightly and grabbing me by the waist to merely fling me higher onto the bed in one movement. Then he leans down to me again, harder and rougher.

His lips find my neck, his hands move under my top. He is anything but slow and gentle, but I like it that way. 

I need it that way. 

And I let it happen.



☼ ❅

ONE OF MY FAVORITE TROPES... ATE THAT!!

If Damon approves it, we approve it.



They both need a sign of warning for hotness. Honestly come on... It is going to be hot as hell ;))


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