The Little Dove #2 ✔️

48. All Choked Up

CHAPTER 48: All Choked Up

Marvin wasn't overwhelmed with the idea of Edmund boarding our jet, but with Lorraine by his side, it subsided him as Edmund takes a seat in front of my own chess board, giving me a small smile as he looks at the board before looking at me. I take a slow seat in front of him, playing the white chess pieces as he moves his first red pawn, I choose a different tactic than I had with Sampson, a different pawn, he leans in, eyebrows furrowed in concentration, I lean back.

"You would have lost if we put a timer on this." I tell him, taking a sip of my drink.

He moves a piece, winning one of my pawn members, I slide my bishop closer to his knight, "Strategic thinking doesn't come so easily to all, especially with whom I am playing against, lemon." He says to me, taking out my bishop next, who in itself was one of my pawns as my next move was to remove his knight, he gives me a raised eyebrow, moving his next piece.

"You could always pull your head out of the clouds and grow a few brain cells." Marvin says from behind his laptop, Edmund ignores him, waiting for me to move my next piece. I do so, in pure boredom.

I give Edmund a studying look, he looks up at me, "What's on your mind, Lemon?" He whispers. His voice cuts straight to the chase, but his eyes take their time in studying my features without trying to see if a crack has entered, or if I'm mad at him. Right now, it felt strangely familiar, just being this close, considering how I feel for the man in front of me, and what we had already had to face.

I sigh, "We need a plan for how we're going to infiltrate the Cordial Matrix, merely using your fist won't cut it this time. Mason is essentially another pawn in this game, Jewel is also a pawn because we're not sure that Claude isn't using her to satisfy personal needs. Forthright played his game already, he's merely an observer now with a legal authority to use a weapon. The cordial Matrix is both associated with the Myers family, the Creed's family, the brotherhood and the Academy. We need to find their motives, then we can guess the attributes of their King." I explain aloud.

Marvin rubs his forehead, "Do you want me to look into Sampson's team? Maybe find who they were in contact with?" He offers, pressing a kiss to Lorraine's temple as she studies me.

Edmund gives me an indecipherable look, "I spoke to my accountant, the money that was contributed to the Matrix was located under a special fund, a fund that can only be hacked because I cannot find his password, no matter how many computers and offices of his I look into." He says to me.

I tilt my head, "Awe, honey, you need my expertise, sweetheart?" I say, having a little fun of my own. I smile at him as he tilts his own head in interest, mirthful silver eyes lightening under those lashes.

He grins at me, moving one of his knights, "Buttercup, I'm just getting started." He murmurs, pursing his lips and blows me a special kiss, all before I kick him under the table with my heel, he grunts, shutting Marvin up from hissing at him in annoyance.

"What? Is 'buttercup' that bad of a nickname?" He asks me, leaning up, he faked his pain as he captures my ankle in his hand and slowly removes my heel, I give him an incredulous look when he begins kneading his fingers between my toes.

He gives me a serious look, "You don't think I don't know what wearing heels does to your feet, Lemon?" He says to me, whispering so Marvin and Lorraine, who mingle amongst themselves.

I give Edmund a raised eyebrow, "My heels are not the problem and no, 'Buttercup' is not the right nickname for me." I tell him, in all honestly.

He smiles to himself, "Grown accustomed to 'Lemon', have you?"

I scoff, "Stop being smug and tell me what you've got in terms of a plan, Edmund?" I suggest, capturing another pawn of his, he sighs, looking at me instead of the game.