Page 61 of Gamble with Me
There weren't many people in the rink. I had enough space to try not to break my face.
It was like riding a bike. My legs knew the moves, and my body remembered the posture. After a few moments, I was speeding around, the wind ruffling my hair, and a broad smile crossed my face.
"See, I told you." Chester grinned when I stopped beside them, and Zara whistled. "You can't forget something you were born for."
I laughed, taking Zara's hands and circling the rink with her. She was great, moving with grace and ease. We raced, and Chester measured our time until we almost fell on our backs from exhaustion. It was an amazing experience to stand on skates after all those years.
"C'mon, I'll carry you, sweetheart," Chester said and picked Zara because she couldn't stand on her legs. I packed our things and followed him to our car. She fell asleep before he placed her in the back seat.
"Thank you," I declared sincerely when he closed the door, stopping him with my hand on his forearm. "It was a great afternoon."
"I enjoyed it, too," he replied, watching me closely. His eyes held an intense glint of affection, which I hadn't witnessed for months. "We can always be like this, Valeria, if you just stop fighting me."
I pressed my lips into a thin line, ceasing a vexing comment from escaping. I didn't want to ruin this day by argument. We both deserved a break.
"Maybe," I whispered, not sure what else to say. It was a lovely time, but it couldn't erase the fact he hit me, threatened me, and forced me to return against my will.
"Of course, if there isn't someone else ready to take my place," Chester stated, closing the distance between us. He looked down at me. His nose was barely two inches from mine. "Someone who leaves you flowers in our daughter's room."
"That’s absurd, and you know it," I said, glancing directly into his eyes.
It wasn't hard to lie to him. It was the easiest thing to do, and it didn't bother me at all. My conscience screamed at me when I lied to my stalker but stayed quiet while I spoke bullshit into my husband's face. How twisted my thinking had become.
Chester didn't comment on my words. He opened the car door for me, and I got inside, exhaling deeply.
It was exhausting to play a good wife when all I wanted to do was to strangle him, but the biggest reason for this charade peacefully slept in the back. For her, I would endure a hundred empty marriages.
-29-
Zyon
Iwatched Valeria from a safe distance throughout her day with Chester and her daughter. I couldn't make myself leave her. My gut was telling me that something was in the air, something was wrong. Whether it was my paranoia or obsession with her, it didn't change the fact that I was right.
First, George showed up beside Valeria out of nowhere, and she clearly didn't look happy at his sudden appearance. And second, Chester had a brief, intense meeting with Giovanni Valentino in the middle of the fun fair. Mr. Kellerman had to have messed things up colossally if he had experienced such a visit during his family day.
The curiosity was eating me alive. I fought with myself to keep away from them while they talked. They couldn't see me around, or they would've instantly known I had suspicions about their activities. No one would be able to explain to them I was there by accident, watching the woman of my dreams playing at being a fucking family with a man I fantasized about challenging to a deadly kickbox match.
I dreamed about smashing his head with my bare hands, breaking every bone in his fragile body for touching her. Valeria was the reason for an unceasing tide of murderous thoughts and ideas that I craved to practice on her husband.
I knew that day was close. I just had to be patient and play my part in the perfect plan I created to restore my reputation. It was crucial to execute every single thing with surgicalprecision. My enemies didn't know I had discovered their scams, and I was about to use this advantage to the maximum.
However, ignoring Valeria's dismay and shock after the conversation with George was hard. My fingers tickled with the need to message her and ask what they talked about, but I quickly decided on a different approach. Once, I had tolerated his inappropriate behavior. It wouldn't happen again.
I called Malin and Dorian with the promise of fun, and they immediately agreed. George crossed the line by harassing her. Even when I didn't know the topic of their dialogue, it was evident she didn't enjoy it. No one would disturb my girl. I was past the line of acting tolerant. My enemies woke up the beast, and everyone would bear the consequences.
"What a nice afternoon, don't you think, George?" I pointed out loudly when he walked past me, chewing a hot dog. His little eyes widened in shock, but he swiftly masked it with a friendly expression. He threw the unfinished food into a trash bin and wiped his hands, observing me as I approached him leisurely.
"Are you watching your stunning redhead?" George winked at me, not realizing he just signed his death sentence.
I worked hard to keep whatever was happening between Valeria and me hidden. I wouldn't risk his big mouth destroying everything. It was too soon for the world to discover us. Not to mention, I dreaded the moment she would find out I was the man under the skull mask. In every scenario I imagined, she was pissed like hell. In most of them, she left me. The thought kept me up all night when I wasn't with her. It was my biggest fear.
"I'm watching Chester Kellerman with Giovanni Valentino plotting against me," I replied casually, watching as George's face paled. The realization kicked me unexpectedly hard. It wasn't a coincidence he was around, too.
Shit!
"What about you, George?" I asked, my eyes narrowing at the edges. "What are you doing at the same place as my enemies?"
"Your enemies?" he echoed, chuckling nervously. It was a beautiful, bright, sunny day, and we were surrounded by people. He surely thought I wouldn't attack him between stalls with chocolate and coffee.
