Page 26 of Rise of the King (Checkmate 5)

Soph’s eyes narrow to slits at my implied confession. Any normal, functioning, not-a-dumb-shit woman would take this moment to reload their gun and get me the fuck out.

Of course, she doesn’t let me down. “Get out!” She smacks my arms and shoves me toward her front door. “Get out of my apartment, Jay! Get out, and never come back. If you do, I’ll shoot you. I swear I will.” She swings her front door open until it slams against the wall and the heat rushes out. “We’re not friends. We’re not family. We’re not even pen pals. If you see me in the hall, pretend I have a contagious disease.” She smacks my arm again when I clutch at the doorframe like a child. “Go back and sell your fake fridges. Take your troubles – because Iknowyou have them – and get them the hell away from me.”

“Soph! It’s freezing out here!” The cold bites into my skin and reminds me my jacket is on the floor inside. “Sophia! I’m not playing.”

Her dark brown eyes twinkle with a mixture of fear and anger. Perhaps a little dare and lust thrown in for good measure. “I’m not playing either, Jay. I don’t have time for you, so go away and don’t come back.”

She doesn’t care if her neighbor dies from the cold overnight. She doesn’t even care that I’m just looking for someone to spend my time with – we don’t have to fuck. We could eat and watch TV.

But without another word, she callously slams the door in my face so the breeze from the swing adds insult to injury and sends chills racing along my spine.

“Sophia Solomon!” I wrap my arms around my chest. “It’s cold, woman, and this is neither wise nor peaceful of you! Get out here now.”

“I never said I was peaceful, Jay. You said it!” She thumps the door, perhaps kicks it, and makes me laugh despite the freezing cold. “Go get under your electric blanket and leave me the hell alone!”

“But I’m lonely,” I whine. “We don’t have to fuck today, Soph. Let’s just hang out, and then tomorrow, I’ll make you regret the non-fucking of today.”

Instead of a verbal answer, I hear the distinguished click-click of her reloading her gun. Point taken. Turning on my heels, I jog to the stairs and laugh because I’m cold, I’m horny, my life is probably in danger, but I’ve never in the history of ever been threatened by a ballerina before.

When I can finally go home to my brother, when he’s safe, and Jay can live again, I’m going to sit my ass on his couch, eat my gummies in lieu of having a beer, and I’ll recount the time a ballerina nearly killed me.

And because he probably won’t be inclined to believe me, maybe I’ll bring her along. Sit her on my lap. Hold her down until she stops fighting the attraction Iknowshe feels. Then Kane can turn away while Soph and I fuck.

Because, I swear to God, if I don’t let off steam soon, I might explode.

* * *

“Sophiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaa.”Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.An hour after leaving the fifth floor, I toss my tennis ball at the ceiling and snicker like a child. “Oh, Sophiiiiaaaaaa. I’m cold, and the only way I can stay warm is to play tennis against my ceiling…” I let the silence hang for a beat. “Or fuck.”

Her silence is louder than anything she could shout. In my mind, I imagine her in a massive tutu, sitting on the floor with her legs folded, and her chin in her hands.

I know she wasn’t in a tutu before, but my imagination has always been wild, and now I want to imagine her in a tutu while she pouts.

“Oh, Sophiiiiiiiaaaaaa. Want a joke? Lemme tell you a joke.”Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.I catch the ball with a smile, toss it again, and imagine it hitting exactly where she sits. “What kind of a train is a ballerina?”

Of course, she doesn’t answer. She’s too proud for her own good.

“A tutu train!” I crack myself up, do ab crunches when I curl up and laugh, then choke when the ball smacks me in the head. “I swear, you’re no fun when you’re grumpy, Soph. Alright, one more joke. You ready?”

Silence.

Possible plans for my murder.

What would happen if she pointed her pistol at the floor and shot a round off?

“Okay, so what did the ballet dancer say when she lost her shoe?”

“Fuck off?”

Aww, she’s right there, and she’s playing with me. Even if she thinks she’s not, even if she thinks she’s winning this round oflet’s be stubborn, she’s right there and spending time with me.

“Not the right answer, babe. Sorry. Want another guess? You can have three before you lose.”

“She said she wants her annoying neighbor to walk off a bridge and die?”

“Oh, so close!”Thunk. Thunk.“So, so, so close. But wrong. Last chance. Wanna make a wager? If you get it right, you get to choose what we eat for dinner tonight. But if you’re wrong, I get to choose.”

“No.” Her voice is heavy, deep, and muted. “Because that means we eat together no matter what.”

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