The Billionaire’s Pawn

LONDON

I couldn’t remember I had this feeling. I got to say. I had never had this fun in a long time.

When you were a daughter of a man like Linus Vanderford, you wouldn’t experience childhood like normal girls. I always wanted to get my hands dirty, have a bruise on my knee, get home soaked with rain, and not be sent and picked up by nannies or driven home by a driver, or stalked around by a bodyguard, or have friends that only mattered to them were themselves, and if they had time, they focused on their dress, on their phones and social media.

I was grateful I had Neke. I was able to experience true friendship with her.

I got off the bike as we arrived at the place Striker was talking about. The cliff was breathtaking. I felt like I was brought back to the time of Poldark in Kynance Cove with the pristine turquoise sea and the fresh and salty smell of the breeze.

“This is beautiful,” I said as Striker came to me. I took a lot of snaps and planned to upload them later.

“One of the best views in Burkhese.”

“How did you find this place anyway?”

“I brought my girlfriend here,” he said without hesitation.

“On the other thought, I changed my mind.” I went back to pick up the bike. “I wanna go home, shower, and read a book.”

All of a sudden, Striker barked out laughing. His voice echoed throughout the place. “And here I thought you don’t get jealous.”

“And you find my reaction funny? Asshole.” I scowled at him.

He was still smiling, making fun of me. “I was kidding. I just wanna see your reaction. Princess Carlott loves to come here often. That’s how I found this place.”

Reed brought our basket here since the car couldn’t come up close. “You two, have fun. I’ll go by the seashore and pick up some seashells.” He walked away laughing.

“Thanks, man.”

He spread the blanket on the grass and took off his shoes. “Come here, baby.” He then put down the flowers he had bought for me, the red wine, different kinds of cheese, Italian sandwiches, fresh grapes, and pastries. He quickly uncorked the wine, poured it into a glass, and then offered it to me.

I was still annoyed, but I took the glass from him. I had to sit beside him. Otherwise, I would miss the most spectacular view.

“You’ve been moody lately. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I took a sip of the wine. It had a good balance of sweetness and bitterness with a hint of vanilla, but it was flavorful.

“Try this.” He put a slice of sandwich on the paper plate and gave it to me. I was hungry since I had not eaten anything since last night and didn’t touch my cinnamon roll.

“Did I really ruin our honeymoon?” There was a hint of dismay in his voice. He poured a glass of wine for himself and grabbed a slice of the sandwich. He took a bite of it, and I knew it was delicious.

“Slight.”

“Do I still have a chance to fix it?”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“This is delicious.” I ignored his question. Instead, I checked the sandwich.

“I will make it like that for you when we get home. You didn’t answer my question.”

“Maybe I chose not to.”

He sighed. “I don’t like it when you don’t tell me my mistake, and we can’t leave our issue unsolved, Vanderford.”

“I know what you’re gonna say that I haven’t anticipated.”

“I apologize for not telling you last night. I was exhausted. We both were, and I didn’t wanna talk to you about it when we were drained.”

“You already apologized.”

“I will still do it again until we’re okay, Vanderford. I couldn’t afford to see you mad at me for long.”

“Fine. Give me my cinnamon roll.”

There was a surprised look on his face, but he put the roll on my plate. “Are we good?”

“We can make it work since our parents played matchmaking for us. I’m afraid my father is planning on something.”

“Did you find out what it is?”

“I’m not good at spying, Cade. I don’t know.”

“I know, baby.” He leaned close, stroking my cheek with his thumb, and then he kissed me, and my world stood still. He kissed me in a romantic place with a romantic setting, and there was only us. I felt like I was brought to a romance novel.

Before my toes went curling and butterflies fluttered in my stomach, I kissed him back. I wanted this, and we both wanted to be here, for each other, spending our honeymoon.

He sighed against my lips, kissed me again, sweet and passionate, and planted a kiss on my forehead. “I will do everything to make it up to you.”

We stared into each other’s eyes briefly, our lips a thread apart, until a small smile broke out from me. He sighed again. I couldn’t exactly figure out if he was disappointed or relieved.

Before he could ease back, I cupped his head and pulled him closer to me. I kissed him this time passionately, licked the seam of his lips, and he granted me as he parted for me. He moaned into my mouth and lifted me onto his lap so that I could straddle him.

We kissed as an apology. We kissed as if we were meant for each other. We kissed because we were so good together.

When our lips lost contact, he held me on his lap, breaking into a laugh. Then he whispered, “I want you right now, but we can’t do it here.”

“Maybe I wanna punish you first and let you wait until I wanna sleep with you. Maybe in two or three nights.”

He kissed me quickly. “If I could wait for two years to have you, what two or three nights of waiting for as long as we’re okay.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “I’m scared to be alone anymore. Don’t leave me, Cade.”

“I would never leave or abandon you, baby.” He returned the hug.

“How can you be so sure you’re into this relationship?”

“Because I am still here, am I? And I am committed to you. Nothing’s going to change how I feel about you. I married you because I wanted to be with you. It has nothing to do with their deal, money, or how they set us up. It’s my own decision.”

We stayed on the cliff for a while. We watched the birds and the ocean as we shared our meal in serenity.

I was the kind of person who was easy to please. I’d like yachting, but I would still choose where I was right now, simple and romantic with the man I loved.

He fed me grapes and cheese, and I still haven’t eaten my roll. Before he could do that again, I picked it up and took a huge bite, making him smile.

“What? It’s unladylike?” I asked with my mouth full.

“For an unladylike, you’re by far the hottest woman talking with a mouth full of food.”

“I’ll show you how I want to talk with my mouth full of something else.” He picked up quickly what I just said. I licked my lips, his gaze dropped, and his eyes instantly darkened.

“The anticipation is killing me.”

We finally decided to go home when the sun started to prick my skin and get hotter, and I didn’t apply sunscreen.

We rode a bike together back to the cottage while Reed returned Teoni’s bike.

“It was fun.”

“Not the honeymoon you expect, but I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He helped me out of the bike.

“Just you and me together? That’s the dream honeymoon I ever wanted.”

I went to shower alone while he was with Reed in the living. After I dried my hair, I went to join them.

“You didn’t wait for me?” he asked as he came to my side.

I blushed as I remembered what I had said earlier. “The bathroom is made for a single person. And you should shower, sweetheart.” I wrinkled my nose.

Reed went to the kitchen, still laughing.

He kissed me on the neck and ran his tongue to my jaw. “You might wanna shower again.”

I playfully hit his thigh. “Just go.”

“If you say so, Vanderford, I keep the door unlocked.” He got up and climbed upstairs.

I scrolled through the photos I had taken earlier. They were beautiful. I checked my Instagram. I still forgot to unfollow Magnus. His posts still appeared every time I opened the Ig.

“Wow.” I snorted. I didn’t even know it was his birthday today. “Thank God it was not the same day as my wedding day or my husband’s birthday.”

He posted a picture at the party surrounded by many girls I hadn’t met before. I swiped left. He looked like he was drunk, but he seemed to have fun. Then he had a picture with another woman clinging to him.

“Who are you?” I couldn’t find the tags.

I checked out the video he uploaded. “Happy birthday to me! The best birthday in my twenty-six years!” The shot was too focused on his face. “Thanks for the party, Ivy. You’re the best.” He kissed the woman on the cheek.

“So, Ivy, huh?” While Magnus was still talking, I took a closer look at the video. Ivy looked different, though-there was something off about her. She was different than most women at the party.

Ivy kissed him on the cheek. “It’s your birthday, Magnus. Happy birthday, birthday boy.”

A gasp escaped my lips, and I swallowed hard. No. No. No. There was no way. “If you want a party, just give me a call.” That woman was transgender, and his voice was still the same.

The more I looked at her and listened to her voice, the more I felt like I was thrown into the freezing water. I shivered. I could feel the goosebumps erupt all over me. My fingers started shaking as I tried to replay the video over and over.

“This is not real.” My chin began trembling as if every horrible memory was coming back to me all at once.

“If your dad doesn’t pay the amount I asked, I will send him your fingers one by one.”

“No. No. No. This is not happening.” I covered my mouth with my hand as I shook my head. “Cade?” My voice squeaked. “Cade?” I called him louder, but he didn’t seem to hear me.

The video stopped with Ivy’s face. I threw the phone away, but I still saw his face.

“Striker!”