Page 23 of Broken Deal

“When do we start?” I ask.

“I’ll let you know.”

A smirk tugs the corners of my lips. “This will be an interesting dynamic.”

“Tell me about it.”

This will be far from ordinary. Yet it doesn’t stop my body from buzzing with excitement.

Your play, Blue.

After I dropped her off, I texted Matteo to meet me at Vortex. He’s loyal to a fault, so he didn’t even bat an eye and was already there when I walked through the doors. Fridays tend to be very busy, especially on the fourth floor where the casino is located. The main floor, however, tends to be slower since everyone is upstairs gambling their money away.

The entrance of Vortex has a simple, classic style. Leather seats and tables are scattered throughout the room, offering a sense of comfort and exclusivity. In one corner, a bar gleams with an array of top-shelf alcohol, because nothing screamsentitlementmore than only keeping the best of the best. Some tables feature chess sets, providing anintellectual pastime for guests, while other small, round tables are perfect for intimate conversations. The décor exudes an old, classical charm with deep-brown hues and grand chandeliers casting a warm glow. It’s not the typical style I would go for, but that’s the beauty of this place. The style has remained the same since it was founded back in the late 1800s.

Matteo sits at the back of the room, where the plush leather seats and chess table are, our usual spot for when we prefer a game or two over conversation. He’s currently typing away on his phone with a furrowed brow, deep in concentration. The man is truly a workaholic.Carter’s Corporation, his cyber security company, is practically his baby. While people often judge him, I don’t. He had to fight for his opportunities every second of every day and made a lot of sacrifices—some I know he regrets—to be here.

“Everything okay?” I ask, sitting in my usual seat.

He sighs, locking his phone and throwing it on the table next to him. “Yeah. I had to fire one of my analysts. He was working with the competition, completely breaking his NCA. You know, just my typical Friday.”

I gape at him. “That was bold.”

“Tell me about it.”

He typically has the sunniest personality, a golden retriever by nature. But when it comes to his job, he’s as ruthless as they come. You don’t fuck with Matteo Carter if you cherish your life. He’s been my best friend for years and even I can accept the guy can be terrifying sometimes.

“So, why’d you call me here?” he asks.

I straighten in my chair, looking down at the set of chess that’s in front of me. I push forward the pawn from the left corner two steps. “Felt like playing chess.”

He smirks knowingly, moving the pawn that’s in front of his king. “Okay, let’s play then.”

I narrow my eyes as I move my pawn to match his. He then quickly moves his queen diagonally to the edge of the board. I frown, trying to see what his play is, and opt to move my pawn to challenge his queen.

With a smug grin, he moves his queen straight ahead to capture my pawn. “Checkmate.”

I stare at the board. Once the puzzle clicks, I look back at him in disbelief. “I hate playing this game with you.”

He laughs, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs. “Chess isn’t always kind,” he remarks casually. “Can we talk about the real reason we’re here now?”

Letting out a huge sigh, I lean back in the chair, the comforting embrace of the leather grounding me.

Matteo is almost like a brother to me. I confide in him for everything. He likes to fuck with me sometimes, but he doesn’t judge. But I’m in so far over my head, I know he’s going to call me out on my shit.

I chew the inside of my cheek. “I toldVogue EliteI would do the article they’ve been wanting to do for years now.”

He offers a bemused smile. “Vogue Elite, as in where Sophia Evans works?”

My jaw ticks, and I simply nod.

“And let me guess, she’s the one writing it?” he asks.

I nod again.

He lifts one eyebrow, tilting his head. “Walk me through what you were thinking when you said yes to this.”

Where to even begin? I want to be near her and get to know her. I love to banter with her, because it’s entertaining, and she also doesn’t back down, making it even more fun. I haven’t been able to get her out of my head, even though she has made clear where we stand. And let’s not even begin to talk about what happened today. That’s a can of worms I refuse to open at this moment.

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