Page 42 of Chess

Chapter Nineteen

Chess

Fucking March.

If there was an award for impeccable timing, he would win, hands down. Chess scowled as he tucked his hard cock back into his trousers and adjusted himself as well as possible. There was no hiding the massive tent, but it wasn’t as if March couldn’t tell what he’d interrupted. The sweet scent of Ever’s arousal filled the room from where she’d been rubbing herself up and down his cock. March had just apologized for interrupting a moment before, but he was a dirty liar.

Ever tensed. “What happened?”

“It will be easier to show you,” the male said.

Ever nodded once and glanced over her shoulder at Chess. “Wait here.”

Chess clenched his jaw. If there was a problem, he could help solve it, but she was the queen here. There would be things she had to deal with on her own that were none of his business and, as curious as he was, he had to accept that.

“Sure,” he said with a sly grin. “We can finish what we started when you come back.”

March clenched his jaw as he put an arm around Ever and ushered her out the door, murmuring that they needed to hurry. The door shut with a hard thud, leaving Chess alone. His lust was no longer an issue, but the image of Ever almost sinking to her knees lingered in his mind. He pushed the sensual budding image away—it was more important to deal with royal business, especially if Rav was on his way.

Oh shit.

What if itwasRav? Was Chess just supposed to sit around like a fool and wait for the bastard to storm the castle? He paced the room, his fingers flexing at his sides. Wait for Ever to be captured? Then find him lazing about in the bedroom as if there wasn’t a care in the world?

“Maybe I should alert Mouse,” he mused to himself. She loathed him the least and could pass the information along to the others. But what if it wasn’t Rav? He didn’t want to create a panic over nothing. Then Ever would be exasperated with him and her friends would trust him even less, if that were possible. There was only one solution…

Chess cracked the door open and slipped from the room. Fading footsteps came from the right so he sprinted in that direction, pausing at each corner to listen. His own steps were silent as he prowled closer and closer in the darker halls. They hadn’t gotten as far as he expected which was odd. If March had something important to show Ever, they wouldn’t have been taking their sweet time strolling through the palace.

Neither of them had spoken, but—finally—their steps increased with some unspoken urgency as they reached the first floor. Was there something he wasn’t seeing?

“Out here,” March said.

Chess pressed himself against the wall and peeked down the adjoining hallway. March opened the large glass door to a square courtyard. Ever stepped over the threshold, followed by March, who conveniently left the door open.Imbecile.

Sneaking closer, Chess made out the details of the courtyard. An oval water fountain sat at the center—either not turned on or no longer working—and silver ivy climbed the walls to a terrace that ran around the second floor. Numerous flower pots were scattered across the brightly-colored mosaic floor, some broken, others turned over, spilling soil. Purple and ivory flowers still rested in larger pots, their leaves draping over the edges.

“What am I supposed to be seeing?” Ever asked, searching the courtyard.

March led her to the far side of the courtyard, drawing her closer. “Shh. I heard something.”

Ever whirled around, scanning the terrace, but what March must’ve heard was Chess—though he hadn’t moved then. Sighing, Chess stepped into the courtyard and shrugged, arms stretched outward. “Extra security,” he purred with a smirk. Turning his gaze to the terrace, he did a quick sweep for danger, just in case.

Ever released a breath, shoulders relaxing. “I told you to wait in the room.”

“And I decided not to listen,” Chess cooed, sauntering up to the fountain and scooping out a handful of dead leaves, scattering them to the ground. “What’s so wrong that couldn’t wait until later?” He kept his voice light, curious, but a cloying sense of wrongness descended upon him. It wasn’t the disrepair of the floral arrangements that had March’s panties in a twist, so what was it? He rounded the fountain, trailing his fingers around the stone edge while scanning the space. Above them, the moon was bright, casting long shadows across the ground.

“Chess.” Ever cocked her head.

“What?” he asked innocently. A shadow moved and his eyes snapped up. Was it the ivy moving? But there was no wind… “I think we should get back inside.” Then, so as not to let March or any potential intruder know he was onto them, he added in a more serious tone, “And finish what we were doing before.”

Ever’s brow furrowed, ignoring Chess’s innuendo per usual. “March, what’s so important? Quit dallying around here.”

The shadow slid along the wall, elongated limbs reaching out, creeping forward. It wasn’t the ivy—ivy didn’t bloody well have arms. Orswordsfor that matter. “Ever, now!” he snapped.

She blinked at Chess in surprise. March still held her elbow from when he’d guided her farther into the courtyard, tugging her closer. She scowled up at March, then her gaze flicked back to Chess and she opened her mouth to speak.

Before a single word could pass her lips, six figures dressed in all black leapt from behind the columns of the terrace. Swords rested in their hands and black fabric covered their heads so only the skin of their faces showed. Chess bolted toward Ever as they fell toward the courtyard in unison.

Horror painted her face when the intruders surrounded him, blocking him from reaching her. It was the only clue Chess had that he was completely fucked before a blade drove into his lower back. He stumbled forward and Ever struggled to pull herself free of March.

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