Checkmate

by Lindsey Powell

  “Damn, lady, you gotta teach me how you handle all of these men,” Meghan says, looking at me like I’m a fucking enigma.

  I can’t help but laugh.

  It takes time, but maybe I’ll teach her a few tricks. All she has to do is convince me that she really did hate her brothers as much as I did, and I’m pretty sure I already know the answer to that, even if my gut intuition has been a little bit off lately.

  Chapter Thirty Eight

  Joey

  Is there any better sight than the woman you love bent over, her head bobbing up and down on your dick?

  Nope, there isn’t, and fuck if I am not about to explode in her mouth.

  I let out a deep growl as she twirls her tongue, slowly, deliciously, and fucking torturously.

  Woman of my dreams, taking what she wants.

  I’m a lucky bastard.

  She sucks harder, and I’m done, a loud roar erupting and my dick unloading in her mouth. Jesus fucking Christ.

  She lifts her head and winks at me before climbing up my body and straddling me. Oh yeah, fucking perfect.

  “Better, big guy?” she purrs whilst running her fingernails lightly up and down my chest.

  “You have no idea,” I say, feeling all kinds of relaxed.

  Her hands move to the bottom of her vest top, and she pulls it up slowly, until she is throwing it on the floor, along with her bra, revealing herself to me.

  She’s perfect. Perfect for me, perfect full fucking stop.

  My eyes roam over her body, but they stop on the bruises that cover her skin.

  I swear to God, I could dig Bobby’s body up and kill him all over again.

  Asshole.

  “Hey,” she says softly, taking my eyes back to hers. “They’re just bruises, they don’t hurt, and they won’t be there forever.”

  I trace my fingers over them. “I still don’t like seeing them. He hurt you, and that makes me feel fucking dangerous.” No one touches her. No one hurts her. No fucking one.

  “He’s gone, we’re here, and right now, I’m all yours,” she says and before she knows what is happening, I flip her on her back, caging her in, covering her with my body.

  “You’re always mine,” I growl, nuzzling her neck.

  “So protective,” she whispers.

  “Is that a problem?”

  “Not at all, Valentine,” she answers because succumbing to moans of approval of me nibbling her ear lobe. “You know that if any other woman puts her hands on you, I’m gonna take them out, make them suffer, show them who you belong to.”

  “Ditto, baby, fucking ditto.”

  “You’re gonna show women not to touch me?” she teases.

  “You know what I mean, smartass,” I reply before moving down and licking her nipple.

  She arches her back, pushing into me, and my fingers find their way to her pussy. Her already wet pussy.

  “No other man would get near you, Paige. You don’t want to know what would happen if they laid their hands on you,” I say, but the threat of my words doesn’t deter her playfulness.

  “Maybe I do wanna know.”

  “Well, if any fucker tries it, I’ll be sure to give you a front row seat,” I say before I swoop down and eat that pussy of hers that I love so much.

  I could die and go to heaven right now and I wouldn’t have a damn complaint.

  I’ve had a fantastic day. Kicked some ass, took out another asshole, had my queen suck my cock like it was the last thing she was ever going to do, buried my face in the woman of my dreams, and then I get to make love to her, over and over again.

  Yeah, it’s a fucking great time to be Joey Valentine.

  Chapter Thirty Nine

  Paige

  Forty-eight hours sure can change the course of your life.

  One minute you think you’re running the show, and then the next, you’re on your way to share it with someone else.

  Forty-eight hours ago, Joey and I decided our next steps.

  Forty-seven hours ago he was fucking me senseless, reminding me of the pleasure he brings to my mind and body.

  Thirty-eight hours ago, I told my remaining boys that my house was no longer my headquarters. They are going to be staying there, but my actual base will now be at Joey’s place or, should I say, ours. Joey didn’t want to waste another moment, and I couldn’t have agreed more. So, I moved in, and we are both running our operations from there.

  Thirty-seven hours ago, Miles went back to work, and Trevor and Grace went back to their place. They’re safe now that all of the Morgan boys are out of the picture.

  Thirty-six hours ago, I escorted all of my clothes and personal belongings to our place, to which Joey exclaimed that I had a lot of crap, I told him to bite me, he did, and then he screwed my brains out.

  Thirty hours ago, we got out of bed, I put my things in their new place, we ate some food, and then we decided to fuck some more. Couldn’t think of anything else I would rather have done.

  Twenty-six hours ago, I finally asked Meghan everything that I needed to. She complied, she seemed to answer honestly, she showed no emotions towards her brothers other than disgust, and she asked if she could become part of my world. I thought about it, chewed it over, spoke to Joey because we’re a fucking team, and we decided to give her shot, see what she was made of. We’ve got eyes on her at all times, just until we are satisfied that she can be truly trusted.

  Twenty-four hours ago, Joey asked me how I knew that he wanted out of the underworld. I told him that it was a lucky guess and I was calling his bluff, asked him if he still wanted out, to which he said that he would stand beside me in this crazy fucked-up world for as long as I wanted to remain a part of it. Wherever I go, he goes, and vice versa.

  Twelve hours ago, I went shopping. I needed something new to wear for tonight, for when I walk into Joey’s club, with my entourage behind me, ready to blow the lid off of our union.

  Two hours ago, I kicked Joey out of the house, made him go to the club ahead of me, didn’t want him to see what I had bought.

  One hour ago, I finished getting ready.

  Thirty minutes ago, I surveyed myself in the mirror one last time before being convinced that this look was going to blow Joey mind and have his dick harder than rock. I know that my man is a fan of all things leather on me, namely my leather clad ass. So, to honour that, I bought a skin tight leather skirt, falls just above the knees, has a little slit going up my leg. I paired that with a black, lace body con, shows some flesh but not too much. It’s long-sleeved and it will have Joey counting down the minutes until he can rip it off of me. Leather and lace; dude doesn’t stand a chance.

  I put on bright red lipstick, paired it with smoky eyes, and put on my killer stilettos, whilst leaving my long blond hair down and making it wild with curls. Mamma’s ready to go play.

  Ten minutes ago I pulled up outside of Club Valentine to see my boys and Meghan waiting for me. Grace isn’t here tonight because she’s heavily pregnant and a club is not the place for a lady who is about to pop. Trevor is here though, he showed up for the both of them.

  Seven minutes ago I made my way over to them, only for Meghan to screech about how insanely hot I look. Got to say, it cemented my decision on all things leather and lace.

  One minute ago, I walked through the doors of Club Valentine, flanked by my crew.

  And now I stand, at the edge of the dance floor, seeing that the whole underworld elite are already here, drinking their choice of liquor, their fake-ass mistresses on their knees, and their big words meaning fuck all when it really comes down to it.

  They’re all about to get a lesson in who they will answer to from now on. Makes me smile, and what makes that smile even wider is the man waiting on the other side of the dance floor for me. Joey fucking Valentine.

  He’s stood there in black suit trousers, black dress shoes, white shirt that has the top couple of buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair is a little messy, his stubble
making him look all kinds of rugged. Christ, it doesn’t get more divine than that.

  My heart is already fluttering from seeing him, his hands in his pockets, his eyes trained on me. They roam up and down my body, and they ignite, showing me the fire that he holds inside for me.

  I smirk.

  Oh yeah, this is exactly how my life was meant to play out.

  I may have had my heart broken by him long ago, but I know that he isn’t going to do it again.

  I’m his world, and he is now mine.

  As it always should have been.

  A second chance, and an even deadlier flame than before. A flame that will burn for all of eternity, and there isn’t anything that will put it out.

  The beat of the music throbs through the club, the bass vibrating all around.

  Joey starts to walk towards me, and people start to watch him as he comes for me.

  Bring it on, baby. I’m ready to show them what we’re all about.

  With each step he takes my sex tingles in anticipation of him touching me.

  What that man can do with his hands is nobody’s business but mine, and I smile at the thought.

  He stops in front of me and I place my hands on my hips.

  “You ready to throw down, baby?”

  He smirks, and I grin.

  He doesn’t answer but reaches for my hands and pulls me onto the dance floor.

  I can feel everyone’s eyes on us.

  Time stops.

  The music pounds, and he takes me in his arms and starts to move.

  “Let’s give them all the show that they didn’t know they needed,” he says in my ear.

  Yes, let’s show them.

  Paige Roderick and Joey Valentine.

  A woman and a man who eventually found their way back to each other.

  Chapter Forty

  Joey

  This woman.

  She fucking slays me.

  One look at her in that leather and lace get up and I couldn’t stay away any longer.

  I had to touch her, hold her, show them all that she is fucking mine.

  When you let something go and then it comes back to you, you don’t take that for granted.

  I’m Joey Valentine, and she is my kryptonite, and I’m going to enjoy every single fucking moment of her working her way beneath my skin.

  She will challenge me.

  She will champion me.

  She gave me her heart.

  She gave me her love.

  She gave me a second chance.

  We stand together. United.

  She’s it for me.

  And as we dance in front of all the assholes of the underworld, I know that she will one day dance in my arms as my wife, and I can’t fucking wait.

  The music dies down and she places her lips beside my ear.

  “Checkmate, big guy.”

  Best checkmate of my fucking life.

  The End.

  To keep up to date with book news, you can find Lindsey on social media:

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/lindseypowellperfect

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/Lindsey_perfect

  Instagram: www.instagram.com/lindseypowellperfect

  Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/lpow21

  You can also follow her at her amazon author page: www.amazon.com/author/lindseypowell

  And you can also check out Lindsey’s website where you can find all of her books, read her book review blog, and check out her Wattpad stories:

  https://lindseypowellauthor.wordpress.com

  About the Author

  Lindsey lives in South West, England, with her partner and two children. She works within a family run business, and she began her writing career in 2013. She finds the time to write in-between working and raising a family.

  Book series by Lindsey:

  The Perfect Series: Perfect Stranger, Perfect Memories, Perfect Disaster, Perfect Beginnings

  Part of Me Series: Part of Me, Part of You, Part of Us

  Other books written by Lindsey:

  Fixation (psychological thriller)

  Take Me (romantic suspense)

  Lindsey's love of reading inspired her to create her own book series. Her favourite book genre is romance, but her interests span over several genre's including mystery, suspense and crime.

  Author Acknowledgments

  First of all, I would like to say thank you for reading Paige and Joey’s story.

  For my tenth book, I wanted something extra special, and I got that with these characters. I love everything about them. Their fire, their passion, their determination, and how they never give up.

  Checkmate has probably been my favourite book to write so far. There is just something about their vibe and the whole story that consumed me from the moment that I started writing it, and I hope that you were as consumed by them as I was.

  I want to say a big thank you to my alpha reader, cover designer and friend, Melanie A. Smith. She has once again been fantastic, and I can’t believe that this is already the fifth book that she has designed the cover for. Melanie, you know I love you, so here’s to many, many, many more alpha reads and delicious book covers, and thank you for all of your support, it means the world to me.

  Of course, I couldn’t have done this without the backing of two of my favourite ladies and beta readers, Nikki and Ashlee. These two have listened to my doubts, listened to my ideas, and they are there for me daily, making me smile and reminding me that I can absolutely do this. I love both of you ladies, and I am so thankful for our friendship.

  To my ARC readers, thank you, thank you, thank you for signing up to read Checkmate. I hope you all enjoyed Paige and Joey’s deliciously sinful ride.

  I want to give a shout-out to the Badass Author Babes. You gals rock, thank you for making me laugh out loud in moments when I have needed it the most. Not only do you make me laugh, but you give the best advice and the support of our little crew is amazing.

  And before I go, I have to tell you that, Checkmate is a stand-alone… BUT, those ideas that keep popping up in my head means that I am not quite ready to let these characters go yet…

  I’ll leave that thought there, but if you have already read my books, then you’ll know that I am a massive fan of cliff-hangers, so it seems quite fitting to let you know that I am nowhere near done with these characters yet…

  Until next time,

  Much love,

  Lindsey.