Page 93 of Sacrifice the Knight (Checkmate 6)

He chuckles and makes another shot. “Yeah, but I was still bigger at three than you are at thirteen.”

“Fourteen.”

“Uh-huh. I come from a single mom family too, so I’m willing to bend the rules a little and help you become proficient, but if you squeal to anyone about this and risk my business or my life, I’ll rip your fingernails up with bamboo sticks.Capiche?”

“Um…capiche, I guess. So, about my proposition…”

Still aiming, he lifts his chin ever so slightly to indicate he’s listening. “Talk to me. I’m a business man; I’m open to discussion. Especially if I’m the winner in the end.”

“Well…” My heart slings around inside my chest. I shouldn’t be this nervous. “So, I made this offer to someone else not so long ago, but he fucked it up.”

“I’m getting sloppy seconds offers?” He lifts a brow. “Get the fuck out. Not interested.”

“No, hear me out!” I stop shouting when the guy in the other lane quiets and stops shooting shit. “My mom is single, and I think maybe she’s lonely. She needs a man in her life she can depend on.”

Spence slams his gun to the counter in front of us and turns his massive frame until he pins me with a glare. “Finish it.”

“Well.” I swallow. “She’s nice, and pretty. You said you think she’s hot, and while that gives me the heebie-jeebies, it’s a good sign, I guess. You’ve got your shit under control; Zeke won’t ever hurt her if you’re around, and I promise to make it so she trusts me to be home alone.”

“Why would you be home alone?”

“When she’s out on a date.”

“Who’s she dating?”

“You! Aren’t you listening?”

“Kid…” His chest bounces with muted laughter. “You’re pimping your mom out? What kinda sick motherfucker are you?”

“Not pimping,” I snap. “I’m trying to make her safe and happy. Whatever that means, however that happens, she’s gotta be both: safe and happy. So if you were to ask her out on a date, I could behave myself long enough for her to eat. If she’s still smiling when you get home, you level up and get to take her out a second time. I had someone else picked, and I swear, I liked that fucker. Like, I actually really liked him for her, and I know they hooked up, because I saw his white ass in her bed. But he ghosted and broke her heart. Now he’s on my shit list because my mom cries when she thinks I don’t hear her.”

“Your mom cries?” Spence’s eyes darken. “Because of a man?”

“She’d never admit it.” I stand taller. “She works; she watches me; she sleeps. That’s it. But for the last year, she smiles more when she works, and she blushes when that prick teases her. I watched him for as long as he watched her; I decided he was worthy, gave him the green light to ask her out, but he ghosted, and my mom doesn’t smile anymore.”

Spence’s eyes widen with realization. “Shit, kid. Are you learning to shoot because you wanna settle your beef with that dude?”

I snort. “No. He didn’t hurt her like that. But if he can walk away and act like he didn’t know her, then he doesn’t deserve her. She’s too perfect for half-assed attempts, so he’s out. Now I’m looking at you.”

“Maybe I don’t wanna date. Maybe I like… ya know, kinky-type stuff in bed. You still okay pimping her out to me?”

“Dude! No. Don’t say that shit!”

“Well!” He throws his hands up. “You made me say it. You have no clue who I am or what kinda chick I like. You don’t know what I do to those chicks behind closed doors, but now you force me to tell you I like to whip them, but you’re still offering your mom up like she’s a meatball sub. You’re buying a car without test driving it, and that’s straight up stupid. If your dad wasn’t such a dumb prick, he’d have taught you that.”

“Forget it.” I turn away and study my mutilated target paper. “Forget I said anything. You ruined it anyway when you said kinky. I can’t get on board with that.”

“Maybe the other dude ghosted for a good reason. Or maybe he’s got the flu and doesn’t have the strength to get out of bed. Maybe he’s hoping Katrina would bring him soup, but now he thinkssheghostedhim. Ever think of that?”

“He’s not sick.” Anger slides through my blood and turns my ears hot. “I’ve seen him around. He thinks he’s sneaky, but I’ve seen him around working and shit. He’s not sick; he just doesn’t give a fuck about my mom. And if I’m pimping her out, the man we get better giveallhis fucks for her. If she ain’t his world, then she ain’t his at all.”

Spence turns back to his gun and sets up for a new shot, but his shoulders shake with laughter. “I can’t believe you thought I was a good option. You wanna call me Daddy?”

“No. Shut up.”

“Do you wantherto call me Daddy?”

“Dude!”

A shadow falls over the space behind us and draws me around.

Eric stands at the entrance to my booth with a white face and tired eyes. He studies me. I swear, he looks haunted. “I’m sorry I ghosted.”

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