Page 13 of Baron in Check
But Greg understood. Their eyes spoke even when their mouths didn’t. When people grew up so close to each other, a few years of distance as adults apparently didn’t matter as much as he’d feared.
Hermy smiled and the room lit up with a warmth Greg hadn’t felt since that night he’d given her the key.
She beamed. “I captured your king.”
You captured my heart and won me entirely.
CHAPTER 7
Seeing Greg again was better than she’d imagined. Unexpectedly natural. It had always been easy to be with him. They were two pieces that belonged together.
It would be unnecessary to say hello, so she skipped it. His chessboard was set up in a mating position for white and she was ready to start where they’d left off all those years ago. But was he ready, too?
“Black was such a wastrel in this game,” she said as Greg came in.
Now he was staring her down, she second-guessed her courage in seeking him out. It had gone missing altogether.
“What’s his name?” Greg gestured to the dog.
“Gambit.” Heat rose to Hermy’s cheeks.
“Like the first time you mated me?” He still did that lop-sided smile that woke the butterfly in her stomach.
“I brought a guest, I hope that’s alright.”
“I wasn’t expecting any company,” Greg said, his eyes hungry and feral.
“So you wasted the position in the beginning and gave away your weakness on f7.” Hermy pointed at the chessboard as she took a seat.
“What makes you think I played black?”
“You’re the Black Night.”
“So you’ve heard?”
“My solicitor told me that Chanteroy was rather pleased to beat you.”
Greg bristled. “He didn’t.”
He definitely hadn’t changed.
“He did on time. A victory by default is one nonetheless.” Hermy poked at Greg’s chess pride, his weak spot.
“I’ll sort it out and get a rematch.” He grimaced. “Actually, I won’t. It’s not right to play for a woman.”
“You won’t?” Hermy waved in a gesture of defeat and slapped her thighs. “Alright then, that’s my doom.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s how the papers set it up. I’m the prize.” She leaned back in defeat.
“This has gone on for far too long. You’re not a prize in a series of chess games.”
“I agree. Except on paper, my freedom is tied to the games.” Hermy plopped onto the chair and leaned back. Everything was the same; even the furniture had remained in the same spots as in their childhood. Looking at Greg made her stomach churn and something lower twitch. She couldn’t stay near him; it was too dangerous. His magnetic pull was stronger than she’d remembered, dangerous and inevitable.
She was young then, uncontrollably in love. If she gave in now, she’d just be uncontrollably loose.
“So here’s what we’re going to do: You release my fortune to me, and I’ll run away with it. If Chanteroy cannot find me, he cannot marry me. I’ll be free, and you can stop worrying about timely correspondence and chess moves.”
