Page 24 of Electric Wounds
Dylan grunts in response, but no one else moves or responds.
Enzo walks over to the cupboards, loudly opening and closing the doors until he reaches the one above the fridge. “Ahh,” he exclaims as he shuffles things around, making a fuck ton of noise. He moves to the table carrying a chess set.
"Lily," he calls, a challenge laced in his voice. "Fancy a game of chess?"
Lily glances up from her book, her eyes narrowing. "Sure, why not?"
She joins him at the table, and I can already see Enzo’s gears turning. He’s always trying to push buttons, always testing people. This isn’t just about chess. He’s got something else in mind.
Lily sits down across from him, her blue eyes sharp and focused. She ties up her blonde hair into a high ponytail and I find myself transfixed by the long line of her neck. Enzo leans back, smirking, his tattoos peeking out from beneath his shirt as he watches her prep for the game. Dylan scoots closer to me, leaning his elbows on his knees, ready to watch the match, while Jax remains off to the side, brooding and silent.
"You ready to lose?" Enzo taunts, setting up the pieces.
"We’ll see," Lily replies, her voice cool and confident.
“Let’s make it interesting,” Enzo proposes.
“How?” Lily asks, suspicion apparent in her tone. It hasn’t taken her long to realize Dylan and Enzo are the two shit stirrers in the band.
“Oh, don’t sound so concerned,” he teases, rising from the table and grabbing two beers from the fridge. He returns, placing one on the table for each of them. “A drink every time you lose a piece.”
“Like a whole beer?” She asks.
“Nah.” Enzo waves his hand in the air, like he’s brushing the question away. “Like a sip.”
“Okay, you’re on.”
The game starts, and it doesn’t take long for us to realize Lily isn’t messing around. She moves her pieces with precision, and soon enough, she takes the first piece from Enzo. His smirk falters.
"Nice move," I say, watching Enzo down half his drink in response.
"Beginner’s luck," Enzo grumbles, though his jaw tightens like he is about to start taking this game a hell of a lot more seriously. He’s a competitive fuck.
The game heats up, and with every lost piece, the stakes rise. Lily loses three pieces but takes four more. Enzo loses another and it’s clear his beer is empty. Dylan hands him another drink with a grin. "You’re slipping, man."
"You wish," Enzo mutters, focusing harder on the board.
Lily loses a pawn, and she takes a drink, her cheeks flushing slightly. I watch her profile as she swallows. A thought pops into my head, and I voice it, angling my body for a better view of her face. "How about we make this more interesting? Strip chess."
Lily’s shoulders stiffen and Enzo’s grin widens. "Now you’re talking,” he exclaims.
I watch as Lily rolls her shoulders back, forcing them to relax. "Fine. But don’t complain when you’re the one sitting naked."
My mouth slackens in shock. I expected her to immediately turn me down, but she never seems to do what I expect her to. “One piece of clothing per game piece?” I ask.
Lily nods. “Yeah, but if I’m doing this, you ALL have to strip when Enzo loses a piece.”
“I’m in,” Dylan quickly interjects. “But we get to help Enzo.”
Lily laughs but agrees. “Okay, if it takes all four of you to win against me, who am I to judge?”
Enzo grumbles, but allows us to all crowd around him, even Jax joins in. We huddle together as we discuss next moves. Every twitch Lily makes draws my attention, so I’m barely any help.We attempt to turn the game using a mix of strategy and teasing. It doesn’t work. Enzo loses another piece, groaning as he pulls off his shirt to reveal the swirling tattoos on his chest and arms. The rest of us follow suit, taking off our shirts.
"Take that, Enzo," Lily laughs, sounding slightly breathless. I grin as I watch her eyes flit between us, taking in all the naked skin on show. I flex my chest lightly, enjoying her watch my pecs as they jump and tighten.
Her distraction allows us to capture a piece two moves later. Lily grumbles and sighs, then removes her socks. Of course, she would start with her socks. We huddle closer together, trying to plan our next move.
Lily captures another piece before we do. Enzo stands up and removes his pants, revealing his briefs. The rest of us follow suit and I hear Lily’s breath catch. I smirk as she takes a sip of her beer, finding it empty. I walk to the fridge and grab her another, leaning close as I place it on the table. “You seem like you need this,” I whisper in her ear.
