“Our meetings are becoming frequent.” I drop my weight on the sofa in Jonathan’s main office. “Twice in two days. That’s almost a record.”
He unbuttons his jacket and sits opposite me. A chessboard rests on the coffee table between us as a witness to our upcoming war.
Jonathan’s office is so big, the huge glass windows nearly show the entirety of London. His leather sofas and desk are pitch black.
I thought he’d have a triumphant look all over his face after the stunt he pulled at Elsa’s house this morning, but he appears calculative.
Which means he’s not done.
That head of his is concocting another plan, and this time, it’ll be more brutal.
Jonathan in a nutshell; if he doesn’t win, he destroys everything to get what he wants.
And he wants Elsa wiped out.
Or more like he wants her family’s name erased from existence.
“You’re keeping her with you.” He grabs the white king piece and twirls it between his fingers.
“It’s no surprise that you’ve been watching me.” I lean my elbows on my knees. “But have you also been watching Elsa all this time?”
He narrows one of his eyes. “She’s being watched?”
Elsa always mentioned that she felt eyes on her. I confirmed it earlier when I found her about to faint. A black Mercedes followed us almost all the way to the Meet Up. They only disappeared when I changed lanes.
I was sure it was Jonathan’s control freak side, but if it wasn’t him, then who the fuck has been watching her?
“You did what you wanted. Now, back off.”
He laughs, the sound is loud and humourless. “Who do you think you are to tell me to back off, Aiden? I’m the reason for your existence.”
I knew he would say that.
I grab the black king between my fingers. “Then it’ll be you against me, Jonathan.”
A smirk tilts his lips. “I always win.”
“Not this time, King.”
I don’t care if I come out of this battle dead, but I won’t let Jonathan have Elsa.
It was stupid, really.
Jonathan and I started on the same side. He was out to destroy everything that remained of the Steel name, which happens to be Elsa.
Jonathan wanted to weaken and break her emotionally so she becomes useless when she takes her position at the head of her father’s company.
With a weak head, Jonathan can pressure her and take over Steel’s empire.
Which is, in his mind, the greatest form of revenge.
Ethan took Alicia, and he’ll take Elsa and the company.
I realised all of this too late.
Jonathan already set the game in motion ten years ago.
He never told me about her. He never stopped to tell me she’s alive somewhere.
Instead, he kept her guardians close by offering them huge work opportunities with King Enterprises and used the chance to keep an eye on her.
Then, at the right moment, he made one of his employees recommend Royal Elite School to Elsa’s Aunt, knowing exactly how much she wanted a great education for her niece.
That day I saw her again, I came home to find Jonathan smiling with triumph. He was happy that his battle had started.
He didn’t ask for my permission when he brought her over. He didn’t even prepare me.
But Jonathan is all about the surprise factor.
The opponent is easier to handle when he’s taken off guard.
He likes to use that tactic a lot. In chess. In work. In life. Everywhere, basically.
Since the day Elsa walked into RES, Jonathan and I have been playing on the same side of the board.
Until I touched her.
Tasted her.
Became fucking lost in her.
The moment I decided that Elsa is mine and no one else’s, she stopped being a pawn on Jonathan’s board.
Yes, she was a pawn in mine. Yes, she didn’t have a choice to be dropped on my side of the chessboard.
But what she wouldn’t understand is that being my pawn is much fucking better than being Jonathan’s.
I don’t want to hurt her — not in that sense.
But Jonathan?
Jonathan would set her on fire and watch as she turned to ashes.
Elsa is lucky.
She’s damn lucky that she got under my skin and became an inseparable part of my being.
If I didn’t know better, I would even suspect that she had me hooked on her to save herself.
“You have one more chance to change your mind.” Jonathan raises an eyebrow. “Seize it.”
He doesn’t offer second chances, so the fact that he’s going out of his way says a lot.
Not that it matters anymore.
I already chose my side.
And it’s not his.
I slam my king at the head of the board. “The game starts with two kings, Jonathan.”
He hits my queen with his king. “But it ends with only one.”
I stand up, but not before straightening my queen. He won’t be bringing her down.
Not on my watch.
My phone dings with a text.
Knight: Nash ran his mouth about the kidnapping to Elsa. She asked me to take her to her shrink. I’m in the waiting room.
My grip tightens around the phone.
Fucking Nash.
I’m going to fuck him up.
I pull up Queens’ number and type.
Aiden: Nash fucked Johansson from the track team.
The reply is immediate.
Queens: What the fuck?
Aiden: I thought you should know.
I smile on my way to the door. That will teach him to stop fucking around with me.
If he wants a war, then a war is what he’ll get.
“She’s Steel, Aiden. Destruction is in their blood,” Jonathan calls after me.
I stop, but don’t turn around. “And ours.”
“Do you think she’ll still love you after she remembers your monstrous past?”
My left eye twitches, but I wait for it to subside as I spin around to face him. “Alicia loved you even after knowing you’re a monster.”
His face falls as he drops his own queen. The sound of the chess piece hitting the board echoes in the silent office. “We both know how that ended up for her.”
