Chapter 23 #2
Unable to stop myself, I closed the gap and licked my tongue along his bottom lip. “Promises, promises.”
His breath caught, and taking advantage of his distraction, I freed my hand and moved back to the other side of the couch, giggling lightly as he composed himself.
Moving my first pawn forward two spaces, the game started. Neither of us spoke as we watched the other make their move, and my mind raced, trying to plan a few steps ahead of where I thought he was going to move his pieces.
It wasn’t long until I claimed his first pawn. I grinned triumphantly as I swiped the piece from the board. “Ha, guess I’ll be asking first.”
“Slow and steady wins the race, Jailbait.”
“Yeah, Yeah, Milo. Okay, first question,” I paused, debating what I wanted to know first. Since he’d told me a little about his mom the night before, I’d had more questions. I figured that was as good as any place to start.
“I know what happened to your dad,” I started, recalling Rafe telling me previously that Miles had killed his father. “But what happened to your mom?”
His mouth pulled into a lop-sided smile. “Straight in with the deep shit, I see.”
“I warned you; no bullshit questions.”
He sighed and sat back against the couch. “My father kicked her out when I was seven. He caught her having an affair and booted her out. I haven’t seen her since.”
My heart cracked a little for the boy he’d once been. I was seven too when my mama was killed, so I knew how hard it was to lose a parent at that age. The difference, though, was that his mom had a choice to walk away from her child; mine didn’t.
“Have you ever thought about finding her?”
He leaned forward again. “No. The day she left, she never looked back. Never even considered taking me with her. I decided a long time ago that I didn’t need someone in my life who didn’t want me,” he said, doing his best to hide the anger in his voice.
“That was two questions, by the way. I’ll be keeping a free one in reserve. ”
He moved his piece, claiming my pawn like I knew he would, and I braced myself for his question. “Why haven’t you played the piano at home?”
My brows shot up. How did he know I hadn’t played? “Because it’s not mine to play. I was meaning to ask you if you would mind if I practised with it, but with the vanishing act you’re so good at, I haven’t had a chance.”
“It’s not mine. I don’t have the slightest idea how to play it.”
Warmth flooded my body, and I tried to tamper down my building excitement. “Then why-”
“I bought it for you, Jailbait. I wanted you to have something to keep you occupied at home, and I know you enjoy playing the piano,” he said casually, as if he hadn’t knocked the wind from my sails.
“How did you know?”
I racked my brains, trying to remember if I’d played the keyboard at Bar Forty-Four in the last few months, certain that was the only place he would have known that I could play.
“You know, for someone who set the rules, you’re not very good at sticking to them,” Miles joked. “You’re only allowed to ask questions when you claim a piece, remember?”
“Add another free one to your reserve. How did you know?”
He rolled his eyes. “I blackmailed Gus. Told him I’d tell his wife about his affair unless he told me what hobbies you had.”
“Gus was having an affair!” I exclaimed. My mind was beginning to melt with all the new information being thrown my way. Not to mention the way my heart was soaring at learning the length Miles had gone to to learn something about me.
Miles chuckled. “That’s all you’re getting until you win another piece.”
Frustration crawled through me. Why the hell did I think this was a good idea? I had more questions than ever.
I moved another pawn, Miles following suit. With anticipation thrumming in my veins, it became harder to plan ahead, and when I moved my knight to claim one of his pawns, I cursed myself when I realized I’d left my rook open to be claimed by his bishop.
Still, I won another question. “How did you know I haven’t played the piano at home?”
As predicted, he moved his bishop and took out my rook. “Because I have cameras installed around the house. Why does your dad not let you sing or play music at his house?”
I narrowed my gaze at him, not mad at learning about the cameras, I was used to that level of security around the house, but at him jumping straight into his question.
“It reminded Papa of Mama. She taught both Rafe and me to play, and taught me how to sing. After she died, Papa said he didn’t want the memory of her to haunt him when he walked the hallways of his house. ”
“So he silenced you,” Miles stated matter-of-factly.
I nodded my head as a sharp pain stabbed me in my chest. I missed my mama more than anything, but the ache intensified after Papa refused to let us keep her memory alive.
“But he kept your grounds in pristine condition in memory of her?”
Despite the solemn atmosphere, I grinned.
“That was one of your free questions. Yes, he spent most of his time locked away in his office, which was at the front of the house, so he didn’t have to look out into the gardens at the back.
If I’m honest, I always thought he claimed to keep the gardens maintained in her memory for show.
But I didn’t care if it meant keeping something of my mama alive. ”
He gave me a sad smile but didn’t say anything, and I found comfort in his silence.
There was nothing he could say that would make Mama’s absence in my life any easier, just like there was nothing I could say that would make his shitty childhood any better.
We both understood that sometimes, people were born into the wrong families.
We moved a few more pieces around the board before I claimed another one of his pawns. Mentally sifting through the list of questions I had, I opted to change the topic. “Do you really hate me calling you Milo?”
He inhaled a shaky breath. “Yeah.”
“Why?” I asked softly, knowing I was pushing my luck.
A muscle twitched in his jaw, and I suddenly regretted asking the question, but he surprised me once again when he answered. “Theo was the only person to call me that. In fact, other than him, no one else knew that we had nicknamed each other Ted and Milo.”
“And every time I called you Milo, it reminded you of Theo?” I said when he paused. He nodded his head once, and guilt slammed into my chest. All the time I was calling him that to annoy him, I was only adding to his pain. “I won’t…I won’t call you that anymore, Miles.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and for a second, a thick tension grew between us. Until a mischievous grin pulled on his lips and he broke the silence. “Yeah, well, don’t think I’m gonna stop calling you Jailbait.”
I couldn’t stop a giggle from slipping out. “I don’t mind so much.”
And I didn’t. I wasn’t sure when I’d grown used to it, but I’d gone from hating it to secretly liking that he called me that. It was like it was something just for us.
For the next half hour, the game progressed with the two of us equally matched. With every piece removed from the board, we fired questions at each other.
I learned the extent of the bullying he suffered at the hands of his father, and with each story he recalled, my heart broke a little more for him. He learned how much I hated being shipped away to school in Italy and how lonely I was.
He questioned me about my love of music. I told him my lifelong dream was to write and sing my own songs, but that it would never happen because Papa wouldn’t allow it. I asked him how he’d learned his computer skills, surprised to discover he’d taught himself.
Despite wanting to ask more questions about Theo, I steered away from them, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere, not after his reaction to my earlier question.
Surprising me, Miles moved his queen forward two spaces, not claiming one of my pawns like I thought he would. His move allowed me to swipe his unguarded knight.
“How many relationships have you had?” I asked tentatively, unsure whether the question was too personal.
“None.”
“None?” I replied, stunned.
“Nope. I don’t do relationships.”
Disappointment crashed into me like a sledgehammer. I’d been telling myself not to get my hopes up, that just because we’d slept together a couple of times, it didn’t mean he would fall madly in love with me and our marriage would actually turn into a happy one.
Clearly, I’d failed.
Miles must have sensed my reaction. He reached over and squeezed my knee. “I don’t do relationships. I don’t do one-night stands, and I’ve never fucked a woman unless it’s in front of an audience. Until recently, that is. Things change.”
“You…you’ve never-” I started, stuttering because I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly.
“No,” he interrupted, taking his hand away.
“You were the first woman I’ve ever fucked without an audience.
And you are the first woman I’ve ever fucked without a condom.
Like I said, things change. And I might not have done relationships in the past, but I’d say being married means we’re in a relationship, wouldn’t you? ”
I could only gape at him, a response caught in my throat as tingles spread through my body. “We’re only married because of the deal you and Papa made,” I whispered, failing to hide the hurt in my voice.
“Maybe that was true to begin with,” he replied quietly before moving one of his pieces on the board.
I didn’t see the move he’d made, and even though my attention was fixed on him, I didn’t hear the question he asked as my mind reeled with what he’d said. My heart raced, hope blooming in the pit of my stomach.
“Earth to Sofe,” he said, waving a hand in front of my face and grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Did you hear what I said?”
“Um…no, sorry.” I dropped my gaze to the board, finding I was now missing a bishop, a piece I hadn’t been concentrating on. “What did you say?”