Checkmate

by Lindsey Powell

  “Every single fucking second of the day,” he replies, no hesitation.

  I let a soft smile grace my lips at his answer. This is the side of Joey that turns me on like no other. Raw, powerful, determined. Nothing is sexier.

  “This could be fun,” I say, and he lets out a low chuckle.

  “I have no doubt that you will have me doing shit that I never ever dreamt I would do,” he replies as he lowers himself down so he’s sitting on the edge of the bed, facing me.

  “Well, it wouldn’t be very entertaining if I didn’t.”

  “I look forward to the challenge,” he says, and then he leans in for a kiss. A soft, toe-curling, panty-melting kiss.

  He rests his forehead against mine, and I swear, it is the most heart-warming moment. I don’t have them often anymore, but fuck, I could get used to feeling like this around Joey. It’s not hard to slip back into old ways and old feelings. I just have to make sure that I don’t get lost in the process.

  “What happened, Joey?” I ask. “How come I ended up in your bed?”

  He lets out a sigh. “Donovan came to me after he got away from those fucking goons. He said that Bobby had you.”

  “And you came to find me?”

  “Nothing in the fucking world would have stopped me, Paige,” he says, his eyes boring into mine as he moves his head back slightly. “I know you can handle your own shit, but I have never been as fucking scared as I was in that moment.”

  “Scared?” I whisper, his truth shocking me.

  “Yes, Paige, scared. I lost you once before, and I don’t plan on losing you ever again.”

  Oh my God.

  All of those girly feelings bubble up within me, like they used to, and I do nothing to stop them.

  “But we’ve only just…” My voice fades off as I try to find the words I want to speak.

  “Only just what? Only just made up? Only just started figuring our shit out?” Joey finishes for me and I nod my head in response.

  “Who cares how long we’ve been figuring it out?” he continues. “Who says that there is a time limit on what we fucking do? It’s not like we’ve only just met, Paige. We’ve known each other for years. We’ve argued, we’ve ignored one another, we’ve been cut-throat, but none of that fucking matters. All that matters is that we are here, together, and I’ll fight any bastard that tries to come between us.

  “I was an idiot all those years ago, and I’m not about to make the same mistakes again. I know my truth, Paige, but the question here is, do you know yours?”

  His words, his questions, it’s all so much.

  I’ve spent years hiding the old me beneath layers of Paige Roderick, and he’s made his way through them all, without even trying, because he was always there. Beneath the surface. Holding my heart. Consuming my soul.

  It’s always been Joey.

  I’ve been fooling myself for years.

  I either give up the fight and give myself to him fully, or I walk away.

  Walk away. It’s no longer an option.

  I’m about to bring a part of Paige Daniels back.

  She’s not weak, she’s just a girl in love with a badass man.

  She’s a girl who never got her chance the first time around.

  And she’s a girl I will no longer be ashamed of.

  I may have moulded myself into a queen of the underworld, but beneath it all, I’m still the woman that wants to be loved by the guy of her dreams.

  I don’t have to give up the new me, and I don’t have to give up the old.

  I can be both.

  They’re the same person.

  They’re both me.

  A girl in love with a boy. A woman in love with a man.

  Paige Daniels and Paige Roderick. Same person, same heart, and totally in love with the man in front of her.

  Joey Valentine.

  My kryptonite.

  He looks at me with all that hope in his eyes, and it soothes me, makes me wonder why the hell I kept fighting for so long.

  Second chances aren’t always given, but we deserve ours.

  My mouth opens, and I speak the words that I never thought I would again.

  “I love you, big guy. I never stopped.”

  Chapter Thirty Six

  Joey

  “I love you, big guy. I never stopped.”

  Those words.

  Fuck.

  I’ve been waiting to hear them for so damn long.

  Music to my ears.

  Warmth to my cold-blooded heart.

  Fire in my veins.

  My queen.

  My love.

  My whole fucking heart.

  Paige Daniels, the one that got away, the one that came back, and the one that I am going to worship every goddamn day.

  She’s my ride or die.

  A smile breaks across my face and I cup her face in my hands.

  “I fucking love you too, Paige. Always have, and I’ll never, ever stop,” I tell her, meaning every single word more than I ever have before.

  “You going all mushy on me, Joey?” she teases.

  “Fuck yes.” And then I connect my lips with her, tasting her, devouring her, claiming her all over again. And it feels oh-so-fucking good.

  This is where I’m meant to be.

  This is where we should have been all along.

  Together. Unbreakable. King and queen. Side by side. Equals in everything.

  And I am so ready to show the whole damn underworld that we are the motherfucking force that will rule together.

  Chapter Thirty Seven

  Paige

  It’s been a few days since the ordeal with Bobby, and I’m feeling better physically. The marks have turned into bruises, and the pain is subsiding with each day that passes.

  I haven’t returned to my house yet as Joey has been adamant about holing me up in his bedroom and waiting until I was able to move about more freely. I would love to say that he has been fucking me senseless, but he has refrained, didn’t want to make the pain I was experiencing any worse. He’s got the restraint of a motherfucking celibate in a whore house.

  I told him all about Tony’s shady antics, had to stop him going over there and putting a bullet in the bastard’s head. Also had to stop him from kicking Donovan’s ass. Those boys are mine to deal with how I see fit, and that’s what I’m doing now, making my way to the front door of my home, ready to confront the bastards that played me and left me behind.

  I have my head held high, ready to get back to business, and I have Joey behind me.

  You see, what the others don’t know yet is that we are joining forces.

  Putting our gangs together.

  Becoming the ultimate fucking leaders.

  Joey and I told his boys this morning, and I’m telling mine now. Well, I’m informing the snakes to make them run scared, and then I’m telling the rest of my boys that they can join us for the ride.

  As I walk through the front door, there stands Bray, guarding it like he always does. I’m pretty sure he’s still a good boy that does as he’s told.

  “Bray,” I greet him, and he nods his head at me.

  “How are you doing, boss?” he asks.

  “I’m good. Where’s Donovan?”

  “Down in the basement keeping Meghan company.”

  “Is he now? Been down there a lot, has he?” I enquire.

  “Everyday.”

  At one time this interested me, but now, now I couldn’t give a shit. He’s going to be out on his ass in the next few minutes and then he can find someone else to go and betray.

  “Tony down there too?”

  “Yes, boss,” Bray tells me.

  “How’s Miles doing?”

  “Nearly all better. The doctor checks in twice a day, but he’ll be ready to do the running again in a few days.”

  “Excellent,” I reply.

  “And where’s Rome?”

  “Out back, keeping watch.”

  “Trevor and Grace still here?
”

  “Yes, boss. They won’t leave until you give them the go ahead.”

  Seems my boy Bray knows it all, and he’s quickly looking like he might just be my next right hand man.

  “Thanks, Bray. You keep guard. Joey and I will be in the basement if you need either of us.”

  “Sure thing,” he says, and I start to walk to the basement, Joey following me. I’ll fill Bray in on what’s happening later. Right now, I’m focussed on Donovan and Tony, and getting them the fuck out of here.

  Joey doesn’t say a word as he follows me into the basement. He’s been prepped on how this is going to play out.

  “Gentleman,” I say as I finish descending the stairs and walk towards Donovan and Tony, who are stood at the end of the room, Meghan sat to the side, eating a bowl of something. She stops what she is doing, as do the boys, and all of their eyes go wide at my unannounced arrival.

  “Paige,” Donovan says before his eyes slide to Joey who is stood right behind me, almost touching me, his chest to my back.

  “Hey, boss,” Tony says nervously. “Where have you been?”

  His fucking pathetic attempt to act clueless has me scoffing.

  “Why don’t you take a seat, boys,” I say as Joey goes to the side of the room and brings two chairs either side of me before resuming his God-like stance.

  I can’t wait to get beneath him later. It’s been a fucking struggle being around him, sleeping in his bed and him not giving it up.

  “Come on, boys, don’t keep me waiting,” I say as I cross my arms and tap my foot, waiting for them to take a seat. Meghan has dropped her spoon, her food forgotten as she watches on. I’ll deal with her a little later. She’s not off of my shit list.

  “That’s right,” I say condescendingly as they take their seats.

  Joey stands behind them, and I stand in front, facing them, working up to tearing them a new asshole.

  “So, how’s things been running whilst I’ve been away?” I ask, waiting to see who will answer me first. It would usually be Donovan, but I’m betting Tony is so fucking nervous right now that he will be the first to speak up.

  “It’s been good, boss. All running smoothly,” Tony says. Bingo. Fucking fool. Even Donovan’s face pulls into a frown.

  “Is that so?”

  “Sure,” he replies, shrugging his shoulders.

  “Well, I gotta say, I’m a little shocked,” I start, dragging it out, making them wait.

  “About what, boss?” Tony asks, pretending to be the clueless prick.

  “You know, I’ve always run a tight ship, expected the best results, always paid handsomely.”

  “We know that, boss,” Tony says, and his ass-kissing is starting to really irritate me.

  “I always looked after my boys, would go to war for them. But, the last few days have shown me that my rules have been disrespected more than once.

  “Loyalty between each other. It’s the fucking core of our relationships, and a dirty, slimy, snake is skulking among us.”

  Out of the corner of my eye I see Tony gulp, whilst Donovan’s eyes remain locked on mine.

  “You know what I do to snakes that slither about and think that they have been undetected?” I ask, even though they both know exactly how I deal with those types of assholes.

  “Whose ass we gotta go and kick?” Tony asks me. The fucking nerve of him. He’s still trying to cover his God damn tracks? Total idiot. I see Joey’s nostrils flare, but his time will come. I have my fun first, Joey gets his second.

  Don’t worry, big guy, this asshole is all yours in a few minutes. My gift to you, baby.

  I let out a short laugh before walking over to Tony and leaning down, so I’m eye level with the fucker. I want to see every bit of goddamn uncertainty in his eyes as I tell him what his fate is going to be.

  “I don’t think you can kick your own ass, Tony.”

  His mouth opens and shuts several times, but he has no words. He knows his time is up.

  “You sealed your fucking fate the moment that you gave intel to Bobby Morgan.”

  I hear Donovan gasp and Tony gulp.

  “You gave him what he needed to know to come after me, after all of us. You betrayed me, and that never goes unpunished.”

  “I’m sorry, boss––”

  “You don’t get to call me that anymore. I’m not your boss, and I never will be again.”

  He wisely shuts his mouth, waiting for the next part.

  “You fed me to the wolves, Tony, and now I’m going to do the same to you.”

  His eyes widen, and I stand tall, ready to deliver my final blow.

  “You wanna finish this off, big guy?” I say to Joey and the look on Tony and Donovan’s face is fucking priceless. Joey smirks and walks round to stand beside me, his arm going around my waist, leaving no room for mistake on what is happening here.

  “Not only did you fuck with Paige, but you fucked with me by going against her. Bad fucking move,” Joey starts and the venom in his voice has me wanting to rip his clothes off of him.

  “No one, and I mean no one, goes against my queen and gets away with it.”

  Fuck me.

  His queen.

  Badass Joey Valentine showing them what I mean to him. Damn. He’s gonna get the blow job of a lifetime later on. I’ll make sure to blow his mind like he’s blowing mine right now.

  “Joey… Please… I didn’t––”

  “Don’t fucking beg like a dog,” Joey says, cutting Tony off. “I have no interest in your pathetic excuses. All I’m interested in is feeding you to those wolves, and taking a few shots myself,” Joey says, and I know that he will enjoy giving this fucker hell.

  “My boys are out the front, ready and waiting, so move your ass and don’t make me tell you again,” he says to Tony, and Tony is instantly on his feet.

  “I’ll see you later, baby,” he says before planting a kiss on my lips and rocking my world a little bit more.

  He breaks away and follows Tony, pushing him to hurry the fuck up. I told him I wanted to speak to Donovan on my own. I know Meghan is here with us, but I’m not worried about her witnessing this. I just didn’t want Joey in here to see how much hurt Donovan has caused me, because if he did, then he would probably bury the bastard before I had the chance to finish what I need to say.

  I look to Donovan and he looks sad. He knows he’s next in the firing line, but he doesn’t know what path his life is going to take just yet. I’m the one that gets to decide that, and I know what I have to do.

  “We’ve been in this together for a long time, Donovan, so I would appreciate not being lied to right now,” I start. “I get why you wanted to escape, to run, to save yourself, but to leave me behind? After everything we have been through?” I can’t help but show how much his betrayal has affected me.

  “I’m sorry, Paige, you will never know how sorry, but I knew I couldn’t take them on alone. I knew we needed help, and that’s why I went to Joey.”

  “We never had Joey before all of this, Don. We only ever had us. What happened? What changed?” I ask, needing to know.

  “Christ, Paige. I will never forgive myself for leaving, ever. I already know that things are broken between us, I see it in your eyes, I feel it in here,” he says, putting his hand over his heart. “I just knew that I wasn’t what you needed any longer. You needed Joey, and I went to get him.”

  “Bobby could have fucking killed me, Don.”

  “He wouldn’t have killed you. You were always too smart for the men in this world. I knew you would be okay, I knew you could handle yourself. It’s what we had always trained for, to make sure we survived in the deadliest situation.”

  “You had no idea that I would come out of this alive,” I argue. No one could have known that. I mean, I’m flattered that he had so much faith in me, but it could have gone down differently, and I wouldn’t be standing here today if it had.

  “Paige, you know you’re a strong fucking woman. You know that you can
deal with anything. I never doubted you, not even for a second. I went to get Joey because I knew that you would want him there over everybody else. I saw it between you both from the off. I knew that things were going to change, but fuck, I didn’t realise they were going to change so quickly,” he says.

  “I wanted to believe that it was just me seeing things that weren’t there, me reading too much into it, but I wasn’t. And I know that I will never match up to Joey Valentine.”

  What the fuck is he saying right now?

  My confusion must be evident on my face because he answers without me even asking a question.

  “I’m in love with you, Paige. Have been since the first moment I laid eyes on you,” he says, and knock me over with a feather, I was not expecting that. All this time, and I never knew, never even had an inkling. Before all of this went down, I thought he had the hots for Meghan with the way he was eye-balling her when she was brought in here. Jesus.

  “I know that my place in your world no longer exists, but just know that if he ever, ever fucking hurts you, I will come and kick his sorry ass all over the damn place,” Donovan says and in the midst of all this truth, I fucking laugh. Highly inappropriate for the topic, but the idea of him kicking Joey’s ass tickles me.

  Donovan allows himself a smile. “I’m sorry it ended like this, Paige.” He sounds just as sad as his eyes look and I can’t help but soften a little. We’ve been through so much together. This moment is final. It’s how we say goodbye, and it’s where I forgive Donovan for his faux pas and move on. He doesn’t deserve to die today. He knows he fucked up, and that’s enough.

  “Me too, Don.”

  “Good luck to the underworld, they’re going to need it with you two running the show,” he says, and there is no malice in his words. He means them, and I agree. They’re all going to need the best of luck to deal with the force coming their way.

  I smile, he smiles, and then he’s gone, walking away and out of my life for good. No hugs, no peck on the cheek, that’s not how we do things around here. Joey wanted to slit Donovan’s throat for leaving me with Bobby, I had to demand that he left Donovan to me, and I’m glad that I did because Donovan isn’t a bad guy, he just made a shitty decision that cost him his job, and ultimately, our bond.