Page 54 of Poison Vows

He’s been playing this game of chess for a long time and he’s just about sick of it.

He wants the game to end at this point, but he knows one thing that the older man is also aware of but pretends not to notice just to fool him.

This final stage is the most crucial.

Everything had been leading up to this.

Will they be able to gain the largest success of their lives or will they be swallowed up?

Of the starting lineup, most pieces have been taken out the game.

The ones that have remained are stubborn, obstinate, and completely unaware that they are in the fight of their lives.

Between the two men in the room, one is playing for the total eradication of the pieces and the other is playing for another unrighteous reason.

He’s not trying to save the pieces, but rather, he intends to use them for his own benefit.

“All we have to do now sit back and watch what happens.”

“Just sit back? Do you take me for a fool?” the older man seethes. “I already know there’s some sort of relationship between that girl and your undefeated rival!”

The younger man scoffs, anger coursing through his veins, but he doesn’t let it show.

In this high-stakes game, it’s crucial for him to keep his composure or else he’ll lose everything.

He’s already lost a lot that he can never recover, no matter what he does, and this right here, is the only chance for him to maybe recover what’s possible while praying to God that the pieces he’s moving will forgive him.

After all, he already knows that he’s bound to hell.

“Undefeated rival?” he repeats, his words laced with venom. “Is that what you think?”

“That’s what I fucking see, don’t try to play me.”

“How dare I?” The younger man grips the upholstering of the armchair and stares unwavering at the older man. “I’m only responding to your misgivings.”

“Misgivings?”

“If you haven’t been paying attention, let me remind you of what I’ve done in recent years as per our agreement,” he says in a clipped tone. “I ensured the Kings, I maintained the Montreals. I brought the McLaren family into the fucking fold. And now, the Eastons will be in my pocket as well.”

The young man’s gaze is sharp, cold, and all-knowing.

“For this game, just sit back and watch.”

CHAPTER 9

Ivy

The sky isovercast with dark, rumbling clouds that threaten a storm by the time I arrive at the senator’s mansion.

Ty didn’t even blink when I told him that’s where I wanted to go. For some reason, I thought his boss would restrict my freedom.

I wanted to ask what had changed, but I decided not to bother. I have a wild vulture to catch and destroy.

With as much confidence as I can muster, I open the front doors, not bothering with knocking like a timid little girl.

All manner of decorum was lost the moment Beverly had me locked up last night.

“Look what the rabid dog dragged in,” a nasally mocking voice speaks as soon as I enter the foyer. “You even got new clothes. Where did you steal them from?”

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