Page 23 of Vicious Addictions

“Well, since you’re not in the mood to read, how about a game?”

“I’ve never played chess,” I reply, walking over toward her.

“Ah, but I bet you’ve read a book about it.” She smirks.

She’s got me there.

“You really are an enigma, Jude Romano.” She hums in amusement as I pull out the chair for her to sit down.

“Is that what I am?” I chuckle since no one has ever used that word to describe me before.

“At least to me, you are. But enough chit-chat. Take a seat so I can teach you the basics.”

With nothing else to do on this dreary afternoon, I take her up on her offer.

Mina is patient as she explains the rules, guiding me through a few practice rounds until I get the hang of it. Once I feel comfortable enough, we start a real game. She chooses the white pieces, leaving me with the black ones.

Mina starts the game by using the queen’s pawn to claim the center.

I respond by mirroring her move with my own pawn, blocking hers.

“I know I said it before, but I really am sorry for going into your room like I did last weekend,” Mina says, eyes lowered on the board, calculating her next move.

Again, I get the feeling that apologizing for anything is out of her comfort zone, so I decide not to give her any more grief about her lapse in judgment.

“It’s fine, Mina. I don’t hold grudges.”

“Then you’re in the wrong line of work. I thought allmafiosiheld grudges like their lives depended on it.”

“Some do.” I watch her move her knight to attack my central pawn. “I don’t,” I add, moving my own knight to defend it.

“Interesting,” she muses, eyeing the board attentively before sliding one pawn to get her bishop ready. I follow her strategy and mimic her moves.

“What about you?” I ask, giving her time to think about her next move. “Do you hold grudges?”

“Let’s just say a Crane never forgets… or forgives,” she replies, letting a slow smile creep on her lips before aiming her bishop at the pawn, now ready to take the fall after my last move.

“Ouch. Remind me never to get on your father’s bad side.”

“Or mine.” Mina wiggles her brows playfully.

“Fair enough.”

A few moves later, I slide my bishop next to the knight, but from how Mina’s eyes light up, I can’t tell if it was a smart move—or if I just handed her the game.

“Huh. You managed to pin my knight to my king. You’re a quick learner.” She laughs, raising her finger to show she needs a minute before making her next move.

“You were a good teacher, Lady Crane.” I chuckle, happy that I didn’t fuck the game up with a bad move.

“Please.” She rolls her eyes. “Just Mina. ‘Lady Crane’ makes me think of my Aunt Pippa, and I’m having too much fun to let her invade my thoughts.”

“You two don’t get along?”

She tilts her head to the side, considering the question.

“We get along… when we don’t spend time together. If that makes sense.”

It does. I think of my father and how we’ve settled into an unspoken truce since I arrived in London. A silent understanding that I can do what I need without his interference.

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