box carefully. I don’t know how helpful Corbin is going to be, but bringing him as a backup was better than Langston. If Langston were here, these men would be shooting at us.
My father opens the box and pulls out a board before handing me a bag of my game pieces.
“Chess?” I ask dubiously.
“Chess will test your mental strength and strategy.”
I open the bag and find that I have the white pieces, while my father has black. I’ve never played chess before, so I’m not holding my breath at being very good.
“I beat you at chess, and Declan goes free?”
My father snickers. “No, you beat me at chess while completing tasks that test your physical and emotional strength, then Declan goes free. Every time one of us captures a piece, you must complete a task to continue the game.”
“And Corbin?”
“He can help you. You need to learn to rely on a man who can actually assist you, instead of a man who works for Enzo Black and could betray you at any moment.”
“Actually, Langston used to work for Kai Black, not Enzo. And he quit.”
“We all know Enzo is the real leader of that empire, not his wife.”
I laugh. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Prove me wrong. Prove that a woman is strong enough for a life like this.”
I don’t know exactly what my father does, but I can guess. He sells drugs, weapons, women—anything that can make him money. It’s a life I’ve always been running from, but it seems like my destiny.
“Who goes first?” I ask.
My father smiles. “White always goes first. Do I need to tell you the rules?”
“No, I’m a fast learner.” I know enough, and the rest I’ll learn. It’s not really about the game of chess anyway. It’s about the tests he’s about to make me endure. He wants me to win. He needs me to win. But he needs me to prove I’m strong enough first. When it comes down to it, if I succeed in his tasks, then he’ll forfeit the game to me.
I move one of my center pawns two steps forward.
“Good, I was afraid you had no idea how to play the game.” My father counters with one of his own pawns.
The only experience I have with chess is from watching a movie once. They played the opening sequence, and so I start by trying to mirror it and get a feel for how each piece moves.
I move my knight next.
So does my father.
I move another knight.
My father moves a bishop.
I move a bishop.
He moves another pawn.
I move another bishop.
We both castle.
We’ve developed our pieces—moved them into strategic places in the center of the board. It feels like a dance, moving our pieces together without attacking. In the movie I watched, the game cut away at this point, so I don’t know how to move next.
My eyes cut to Corbin out of the corner of my vision. He’s studying the board carefully. I don’t want to ask him for help so soon, but if he has any idea how to play the game, I’ll take any help I can get.
On the other hand, this isn’t about winning the chess game. It’s about being willing to complete any task, sacrifice anything, show him I’m strong enough to do what needs to be done to run his empire.
Now isn’t the time to ask Corbin for help.
I move my pawn clearly into a spot where it can be captured.
My father grins, taking my pawn.
One of his men walks over and hands him a folder. My father nods and opens the folder. He slides the contents across the table to me.
Corbin strains his head to read the papers as I pull them toward me.
Divorce papers.
“You know if I sign these, it doesn’t mean I’m divorced? Langston also has to sign, and a judge has to agree. This takes time.”
“I understand how filing for divorce usually works. In your case, let’s just say the divorce will be approved at an expedited speed.”
I run my thumb across the ring on my finger. It’s not giving Langston up exactly. Being divorced doesn’t mean that we’ve stopped loving each other. When this is all over, we could get remarried. This is an easy sacrifice to make.
“Hand me a pen,” I say firmly, showing no emotion. Signing some divorce papers means nothing to me.
My father slides me a fancy pen with engraving on the side. I turn the pen open and sign my name across the bottom