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The Billionaire's Pawn 34
LONDON What had gotten into me? Striker was right. Last week I wanted to give my father what he wanted so that I could have my payback. Right now, I just watched the man I loved walk away from me, and I didn’t even stop him. He didn’t even finish his food. I felt terrible. Yes, I loved him. It wasn’t hard to fall in love with the right man. He was great, kind, thoughtful, loyal, and selfless. He always thought about my needs above everything else. “God, what should I do? I need a sign.” I looked up. I didn’t pray much but believed the big guy was up there. I searched for Striker everywhere in the house until I remembered his favorite place. “I thought I found you here.” He had whiskey in his hand. He took a sip and didn’t even look in my direction. This was all my fault. My father dragged him into this arrangement, and Striker didn’t think twice about helping me. Me being an ungrateful bitch just hurt his feelings. I sat beside him, placing a hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry.”
The Billionaire's Pawn 35
STRIKER “So, this is where everything happens?” Watching from the top behind the glass wall was fascinating how an aircraft was machinery assembled. “Yes.” There was pride in Moses’ voice. Considering what he had done to the Hover to be at the top of the business industry, I expected that reaction. “Do you ever feel guilty that your fighter jets will be used to slaughter people?” I got his attention. He looked at me. “Son, you’re once a soldier. Tell me why you did what you did. It’s to protect your country. The same as the pilots who fly these jets. They have the same mission, not just to end life, but to monitor, be in the line of defense, and protect those down there. I do what I think is in the best interest of the people. If there are no bad guys, then no guns and jets like this one.” I thought I wasn’t thinking of questioning him. “You’re right.” The door swung open. A man around his age walked in. “Mr. Braddson, it’s nice to see you on your feet again.” “I’m good as new.
The Billionaire's Pawn 36
LONDON “So, what do you say?” Striker asked his dad. I decided to join him and get away from work for a while. If I was being honest, I needed a long break. I couldn’t focus. There was a lot going on in my mind. “I wanna know your opinion.” This must be hard for Tate. He loved Striker so much like his own blood. And I could see it right now. He was scared. “Dad, I won’t go if you don’t wanna come with us.” “What does your heart say?” “That’s what my heart said.” His answer was fast. “You are my dad. Although you put me up on this, I would not cross the line. You will always be the first person I ask for advice when it comes to him.” Tate got up from the chair and walked toward the window. He didn’t look at his son again. “Did you two have fun?” “I don’t know.” “What do you mean by you don’t know?” Still, he was not facing Striker. “I’m not sure, Dad. I mean, I haven’t killed him. So I guess we are civil.” He sighed deeply. “We’re going then.” “Really? Are you sure?” Strike
The Billionaire's Pawn 37
STRIKER “What the f—?” I stared at them one by one when the cake arrived. I was surprised that I even forgot my own birthday. I mean, I knew it was my birthday month, but I usually celebrated it with my friends at the bar and a cake with Dad. “I thought you could celebrate it with us today and tomorrow with your Dad,” Moses said. I was even more surprised when my friends came to join us. Sax, Kye, Reed, Reef, Cenric, Beck, and Mykel were around. The only person missing was Rome. He was far. I understood why he couldn’t make it. “Wow. Guys, I don’t know what to say.” I sighed in contentment, and I thought I had gotten teary-eyed. Emory placed the cake on the table and lit the candle, and they started singing for me. “Happy birthday, dear Striker. Happy birthday to you.” They ended with applause. “Make a wish, son,” Dad said. I drew a deep breath and made a wish internally. I wish eternal happiness, love, and good health to those I care about. Then I blew out the candle. “Ha
The Billionaire's Pawn 38
LONDON I loved the white gown. It was a minimalist, simple, but elegant off-shoulder wedding gown. Striker hadn’t seen what I would wear. It was a surprise. I faced the mirror, looked at myself, and turned to see if I had made the right choice. “You look beautiful, dear.” I smiled and launched to Tate. “Thank you.” He hugged me, but not tightly so I wouldn’t crumple his suit and my gown. “Don’t ruin your makeup. The ceremony hasn’t started yet.” When we arrived yesterday, I instantly loved the place. It was beautiful this season, and Beck’s wife, Maeve, and his twin sister, Becka, were amazing people. “Sorry. I’m feeling a little bit overwhelmed.” I breathed deeply. “I don’t know if I will be a good wife to your son, Tate. What if—” “No, no, no, London. Don’t go there. You’re perfect for Striker. You’ll be a good wife and, hopefully, a mom to my grandchildren, okay?” “Maybe I can see Striker before we get married? I wanna see him, please?” I begged when I felt too uneasy. He
The Billionaire's Pawn 39
STRIKER I almost had a major heart attack. Maybe that was the feeling of dying when you couldn’t breathe, your heart was crushing, and you started seeing blackness. The humiliation didn’t occur to me at that time. All I could think of was, why was she breaking my heart? Why at this moment when we were about to be husband and wife? Right now, I watched her dance with Dad after I had our first dance earlier as husband and wife. I respected her decision of not inviting her father, but I still wished Linus was here as he witnessed how happy her daughter was with me. He was the reason why I had my wife right now, so I still owed him. Looking at London dancing with Dad was beautiful and heartwarming. And I still pinched myself that that woman was my wife. “Are you okay?” Linden joined me. “Yeah. Why?” “Well, considering what happened earlier, I thought you needed to sit down.” I chuckled. “When are you going to get married, Linden? I mean, how many weddings of your friends you’v
The Billionaire's Pawn 40
STRIKER I hugged and bid everyone goodbye before getting into our getaway car. My dad came and hugged me tight as he began getting all emotional. “Have fun.” “We’ll be back soon, Dad.” “Don’t rush it. I want you two to enjoy your honeymoon.” “We will.” “You’re gonna be okay, right?” “Of course.” He swallowed hard as if he wanted to tell me something. He should be happy for me, but right now, he looked shattered. “Dad, I’m going for a honeymoon, not to the war.” “I know, Striker.” “But I’m not going until you tell me what’s wrong.” “I’m fine.” He wasn’t convincing. “I swear, and you know me. I’m canceling our honeymoon. I’m not going anywhere until I get the truth from you about what’s going on. And you never keep a secret from me.” “We’ll talk when you get back. Your wife is waiting.” He was about to turn around, but I was not letting it go. Something was bothering him, and I’d never seen him this devastated. “No, Dad. Tell me what’s troubling you.” “You’re gonna hate m
The Billionaire's Pawn 41
LONDON Something’s wrong. The moment we climbed up Moses’ new private jet, I knew something wasn’t right. I could feel it. I could smell it in the air. It took a few minutes for Striker to talk to his dad, and they seemed in an intense and emotional conversation. When he came to me, he seemed to have carried the entire world over his shoulder. “Is everything okay?” I asked him as he joined me. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?” He held my hand and kissed it. “It’s our honeymoon.” “And may I remind you, Cade, that I am your wife, and I ought to know everything, I mean everything, especially when he seems troubled. Otherwise, how can I be a good wife if I can’t help him?” “Point taken, but Dad just got emotional as if I’m joining to fight against Russian-Ukraine conflicts .” Something he wasn’t telling me, or maybe he wasn’t ready. I could work on that. “So where are we going?” I looked around. The jet was new. The interior was classy, elegant, and customized, way better than Dad’s. I
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The Billionaire's Pawn Epilogue
STRIKER One year later It had been a spectacular year for London and me. Two hundred fifty people who were very dear to our family attended our wedding in front of the spring, followed by the reception in the golf field of my father’s estate. That was an extraordinary day for me, London, and our family. Rome, Prince Thayer, and the princesses were even there for us. And then we spent a few days on my father’s property in Verona, then Switzerland. Our honeymoon ended in Guardion before we headed home. One thing we hadn’t accomplished yet was to have a child. We were patient, though. And we were not giving up. “Maybe we should stop trying.” I ran my finger against her arm as I peppered kisses on her shoulder. “What do you mean?” She was still giving me her back. “We’re pressuring ourselves to get pregnant. It’s stressing you.” “So, you mean to say it’s my fault—” “No, baby. That’s not what I mean. Let’s leave it be. If we can get pregnant, then that’s amazing. If not, it’s fin
The Billionaire's Pawn 82
LONDON “Congratulations.” Neke hugged me tight. After successfully launching our limited products, our expansion in Asia was already taking place. Our sales skyrocketed—our products were in demand. We expanded to other e-commerce retailers all over the globe. I finally bought a fifteen percent share of the company. And I’d been busy as hell, not that I was complaining because life was good. Striker and I were great, even if we only had a dinner date once a month. We supported each other. We were a team. That was what made our marriage work despite our busy lives, and we still ended up cuddling at night. Tonight, the fashion show was a massive success, making all my sleepless nights, shoulder aches, and missed dinner dates worthwhile. It was midnight, and we were at the party to celebrate our success at the Night Stalker Club. “Why is it everyone is congratulating me?” It wasn’t me. It’s the team.” I went to the DJ and grabbed the mic. He shut the music off. “Excuse me! Everyon
The Billionaire's Pawn 81
STRIKER “You look stunning tonight, my wife.” I strolled my gaze at her from head to toe. She picked the black glittery floor-length gown and put on a set of diamond jewelry to complete the look. Her makeup wasn’t overdone, just the way I liked it. The hairstylist just enhanced the natural wave of her hair. “You’ve said that three times already.” She smiled at me, the kind when she was amused. “You’re not bad yourself, husband. And I have something for you.” “You don’t have to give me anything.” “I want to, sweetheart.” She picked up something from the drawer and pulled out the box. “It just took me a while to find it.” “What’s this?” I knew it was a watch box. When I opened it, it looked vintage. “A vintage watch.” “Close to antique. I know you can afford to buy the most expensive watch in the world, but this one is different. Special.” I carefully picked it up. “Everything is always special if it comes from you, Vanderford.” “Check out the bottom.” I did as she told me. The
The Billionaire's Pawn 80
LONDON“Hey, guys. It’s been a while since I last posted a short clip. As the 3rd Anniversary of LH is around the corner, I want to celebrate it by sharing these achievements and successes with all of you and those less fortunate. My husband, Cade, and I had been working on these special designs that are very close to my heart. Well, actually.” I chuckled. “My husband primarily did all the hard work since he designed them. Even before we met, he’d been active in charities, helping less fortunate kids, and he never bragged about it. Before he showed me the designs, he only asked for one thing, that all his share in the sales would proceed to his chosen charities.” I picked the sample of the bag and sneakers. “These are limited items. We called Cade Sneakers and Marguerite Bag. With your purchase, you’re already supporting. Thank you, and enjoy your day.”I watched the video I posted twelve hours ago, which had already reached half a million views.For the past weeks, life had been grea
The Billionaire's Pawn 79
STRIKER “What the fuck, London?” I just cursed right into her face. Just great. How did I become this person in front of her? I didn’t know. I felt like I’d reached the point where I had lost all my patience with humanity. “We’ve talked about secrecy many times. Look what happened?” I was even more pissed when she didn’t even look at me. “Do you even hear me? Are you even listening to me?” “I did. I do. Will you stop cursing me and lower your voice?” “Not until you understand what I am saying until you learn. We just had our life back, and I thought we were already over this. When are you gonna trust me? When will you open up to me and just fucking tell me if something is bothering you or someone is stalking you? You know the difference, right?” “For the love of God. What in the hell do you not understand in the part I was going to tell you tonight?” “Yeah, when it’s too late. Did you really date that guy?” “Oh, my God!” She shook her head as she propped a hand on her hip. “Not
The Billionaire's Pawn 78
LONDON Terzo had no remorse. If I wasn’t there, he could have tortured Magnus to death. I flinched as he threw water at Magnus’ face to wake him up. Magnus jolted, and the chair he was tied to shook. “What the fuck?” He swallowed and found himself tied to a chair. His eyes widened as he looked at Terzo, and his face fell on me. “Did you actually kiss her with that mouth?” Terzo seemed breezy as if he’d interrogated people a thousand times. “Who’s this guy, London?” He became more frightened to see Terzo was calmer. “You should have left her alone, dude. I mean, who does that? Kidnapping your ex for money?” He chuckled. I couldn’t believe he found torturing someone fun. “Let me go, asshole.” He wiggled as he tried to let himself loose, his eyes pinning at the man beside me. Terzo tsked. “Wrong answer, dude.” When he pulled the gun behind him, it began to rattle me. “Don’t. I told you I’m not gonna be involved in this.” “Very well.” I let go a breath when he put the gun on his
The Billionaire's Pawn 77
STRIKER “I’m with Terzo. He wants you to come to this address.” “What? Baby, what do you mean you’re with Terzo.” My heart nearly stopped hearing she was with Terzo. Why in the fucking hell was Terzo doing with my wife? “Just come to the address. I’m sending the location to you now.” “Baby? Vanderford?” She hung up, and I stared at the phone screen, frightened. “You okay?” Linden nudged me. He was calling my name, but his voice felt like a buzz. I drew a deep breath and got up. “Let’s go.” “Where?” He followed me even if I hadn’t answered his question. “Son of a fucking bitch.” My blood boiled. My rage made me shake. “Man, what’s going on?” He held me in my arm. “You look like you are about to murder someone. If we will commit a crime at least, let’s be prepared. Breathe, man. Tell me what happened?” “Are you both leaving?” Dad came. “Yes, Dad. I’ll see you later.” I inwardly groaned. “I thought we would have dinner together.” “I’m sorry. Something came up.” I couldn’
The Billionaire's Pawn 76
LONDON I just stopped by to buy coffee for Neke and me. When I got out, someone was waiting for me in my car. My first thought was to pretend I didn’t see him or find an exit so he wouldn’t notice me. But it was too late. Damn it. “Signora London.” He looked cute. He smirked—that smirked, though. Terzo was an overconfident son of a bitch. I could have set him up with Neke if I didn’t know what he did for a living. But my question was, how did he find me? “What do you want, Terzo?” I did my best to act like I wasn’t scared of him, hoping it would last until he was gone. “Is that how you treat a friend?” He didn’t move, still leaning on my car. “A friend? Since when?” I stopped a few feet away from him. “Since days ago. Did you forget that you’re under my protection now?” “How can I? How did you find me?” “Where’s Reed?” He knew I was alone. Great. Creepy. “You’re not supposed to be going out alone, Mrs. Cade. Where’s your husband?” Reed went to see his family, but Terzo didn
The Billionaire's Pawn 75
STRIKER “Hey, Dad.” “I miss you, son.” He hugged me tight as if I hadn’t seen him in years. “I miss you, too.” I sat next to him in the backyard of Moses’ estate. “I don’t know you and Moses play golf together.” My father was with Linden, and Emory joined him since Dad came to sit with me. “I know you called him Papa. He was about to cry when he told me, hearing you call him Papa for the first time.” “You both are softies. I just don’t want to hurt your feelings.” “I pushed you to give him a chance. That would be my biggest mistake and regret if I didn’t do that. He seems to have done his best to be your good father.” “Aside from taking me to Sicily?” I chuckled and patted his knee. “I didn’t meet the bad guys, except Giosue when London insisted, but it was after the agreement.” “I hope London found the peace she’d been looking for.” “It was Papa’s plan all along.” “And I can breathe freely, but you still met Siciliano.” “Yes. His son is a dick.” I snorted. “He won’t touc
