58__Chess x Checkers

58__Chess x Checkers
Erin was deeply hesitant, stiff with shock at how suddenly he’d dumped such a huge request on her.

Chris studied her for a short moment and turned away. Just as he’d expected. She was very hesitant; it was time for the next step. Erin would be the person he’d use to control the loose cannon that was Braden Stone.
He sighed. “It’s a no. I understand.”

She opened her mouth and silently closed it again, rapidly trying to figure out how to tackle this.
Her phone buzzed in her hand and she glanced down. It was Braden.

“Where are you?”

He’d texted her.

“I just thought I’d try,” Chris said lifelessly, dragging all of Erin’s attention back to him. He sighed. “As if things aren’t bad enough, I have Braden to deal with.”

She frowned curiously. “Braden?”

He nodded. “He’s pissed about the whole thing. He’s coming after me.”

She shook her head. “He was probably just mad when he said that.”

“No!” He placed both hands on the table, leaning closer to look at her with desperation in his eyes. “I know Braden, he’ll do it! I told him I didn’t send my father and that I’d begged him to not go, but he wouldn’t believe me. He… he told my father that I was on Miguel’s boat, that alone has me ruined.”

“Does he know about your father’s…character?”

He laughed bitterly. “Of course. That’s why he told him.”

She looked surprised. “Oh…” That wasn’t nice.

“From that alone, I know he’s not making empty threats.”

“Threats? What threats?”

Chris paused for effect, biting his bottom lip. He had to do it right the first time.

“Our company…” he said quietly, injecting as much sadness into his voice as he could. “He’s gonna make us go bankrupt.”

“What?” She couldn’t hide her shock. “Why would he…? But… you guys are friends? Wait…” She shook her head. “I’m sure you misunderstood, Braden wouldn’t do that.”
He nodded tiredly. “He will. Stone Holdings owns a large chunk of shares in our company. Braden’s going to hand those shares over to someone who has the power to run us into the ground. And he’ll do it.”

“He won’t,” she said firmly. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.”

His gaze snapped to her face. “You will?! Erin, please do.”

“Clearly the whole thing was a misunderstanding, I won’t let Braden go that far over something this small.” She smiled encouragingly. “Don’t worry about it.”

Chris returned her smile, his green eyes sparkling behind his glasses. “God, Erin. What would I do without you?”

Braden was walking towards his car in the shadowy underground parking lot, his attention riveted to his phone.
Erin hadn’t replied to his message, so he decided to call.

“Hello?” she answered.

He slowed as he reached his car. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “You sound a bit pissed.”

She sighed. “We need to talk, Braden.”

He unlocked the car and pulled the door open, feeling uneasy. “Why? What’s going on?”

“Can you come over?”

Sighing, he got in the car and shut the door. He ran his tongue over the inside of his cheek, glancing at himself in the rear view. Was it just him or did his girlfriend sound like she’d be skinning his ass soon? “Where are you?”

Braden found Erin alone on the rooftop, a mimosa in front of her and the stars above her head.

He stood a distance away and simply looked at her. Even her thick, brown hair glimmered in the night, falling down her back in sexy waves.
A smile tugged at his mouth and he kept walking, preparing himself to get scolded for whatever he’d done wrong this time.

Erin blinked when a kiss landed on her cheek.

“Hey,” he murmured.

Turning her head, she met Braden’s gaze. “Hi.”

He kissed her cheek again and then straightened, placing his phone and keys on the table as he sat across her. One look at her grave expression had him pursing his lips. Wuh-oh.

“Braden—”

“Wait.” He held up a finger and smiled. “Can I get my drink first? It’s been a long day.”

Oh, God, what if she wanted to bring up the risks they were taking again? The thought shrivelled his lungs.
She sighed, glancing up as a waiter approached and placed Braden’s drink on the table.

They were alone again and looking at each other, her expression stormy and his, sunny.
“The reason—”

“Can I have my drink first?”

“Braden.” His grin widened and she pursed her lips. “I’m serious, we need to discuss something.”

“We will, after I have my drink, Erin. Give me time to prepare myself for whatever debate you’re about to start.”

“I’m not going to start a debate,” she muttered. “Drink.”

He sat back, leaving his glass untouched. A sigh parted his lips as he decided to delve in headfirst. “What do you want to discuss?”

She nodded. “Thank you. So… before you called, Chris was here.”

Braden stared at her. Slowly, every ounce of ease bled out of his body until he was sitting tensely in his chair, his face void of amusement. “Chris… was here?”

“Yeah.” Erin nodded easily. “We discussed the whole thing about his dad and he explained it to me.”

He scoffed. “Oh, did he now? And what did he say?”

“The same thing he told you. His father’s such a creep for going ahead with his own ideas without mine or Chris’s approval, but none of that is Chris's fault, Braden.”
Blue eyes narrowed at her and Erin suddenly felt chilly.

Swallowing, she sat back a little. “I… feel like you need to consider… the fact that Chris is also a victim here.”

A clenched jaw was added to the narrowed eyes but Braden was still silent, his fingers intertwined on his lap and his head tilted as he stared at her.
Erin gulped. Why was the weather suddenly getting colder?

“Are you telling me…” he muttered tightly. “That you called me here to discuss Chris Michaels? To defend Chris Michaels? That liar.”

She sighed. “I’m not defending him, I’m just telling you what he told me. You’re mad at what his dad did but Chris is the person you’re trying to punish and that’s not cool—”

“Are you serious right now?”

She pursed her lips. “Yes. I’m not the type to watch injustice—”

He scoffed. “Little Miss Justice League. Putting the world in order.”

He looked so angry saying that, Erin wasn’t sure what to do.
“Braden—”

“Erin.”

She blinked. He’d practically growled her name.

“Erin?!”

“Y-yes?!”

“When it comes to Chris, you let me handle it, okay? You don’t know him as well as I do, so leave it to me.”

She frowned. “Maybe if you promise you’ll leave him alone, I will.”

“You know what?! I was considering it! But after this shit he just pulled, he can forget it. I’m going to ruin him!”

“Braden!” She was appalled. “That man is your friend, why would you do this over a misunderstanding—”

“It’s not a misunderstanding, he’s playing you like a fucking guitar!”

“You need to learn that not everything needs for you to ruin people’s entire lives by controlling their money!”

He clenched his teeth so tight, his jaw muscles bunched up. “Erin. I’m gonna need you to stay out of this—”

“No. You don’t even realize how desperate your own friend is! You threatened him with bankruptcy? That’s low, Braden, even for you.”

He scoffed harshly, reaching up only to lower his hands in jerky gestures of frustration. “Erin, he sent his father there!! I’m giving him what he deserves!!”

“You’re acting based on anger,” she said. “Again.”

Shutting his eyes tight, he pressed a fist to his forehead, gathering patience. “Erin. Please!”

“No, Braden. I’ve seen, first-hand, how icy and aloof Chris can be and yet he was desperate enough to ask me for help.”

“Because he knows you’ll fall for his bullshit!”

“He begged me! That wasn’t bullshit. The man was desperate enough, he asked me to be his fake fiancé for a month. Just to escape his father.”

Her words struck him.
Silently, Braden stared at her, the blood slowly draining out of his face.

“He…” His jaw tightened. “He asked you to do what?!”

“To… pretend I’ll marry him. Just for a month, to buy him time with his dad.”

Erin swallowed nervously, watching Braden closely. He was silent but so stiff and tense, it seemed like he was boiling up inside.

“One thing has to go,” she said. “Apparently, engagement with me will help cover up the lost company shares, or keeping the company shares safe will help cover his failure to marry me. He says his dad’s gonna get pissed if he loses both. Asked me to help him with one of them.”

Her throat seemed to keep getting parched, so she took a sip from her glass, quickly lowering it. Braden was still silent but one glance told Erin that there was giant wave of curses just tightly held back on his tongue.

The rage was blatant, blood rushing back in to tinge his face an angry red, highlighting the bulging vein on his forehead.
Oh, he was pissed.

She released a breath, gathering courage.
“Relax, I won’t… I won’t do it. I refuse to lie. Unless you decide to go ahead with bankrupting them, then I’ll have no choice but to step in and help the poor guy. So, leave him alone, Braden. Please.”

He was still silent when Erin stood, walking awkwardly backward. “I’m gonna… leave.”

She walked off and he sat there, trying to control his temper like pulling on the reigns of a wild horse. Oh, God, he wanted to wreak havoc.

The only exterior hint was the fury in his eyes, otherwise he looked calm. But inside, he was a raging mess.

Braden’s phone rang and, with one dark stare at the screen, he answered and put the device to his ear.

“Chris…” he rasped furiously. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.”

There was hoarse laughter on the other end, Chris’s throat raw from all the fake crying. He sighed. “What can I say, Braden? For all your power, you have a very gullible weakness.” He smirked. “Checkmate, motherfucker.”