The Billionaire’s Pawn

STRIKER

“What the fuck, London?” I just cursed right into her face. Just great. How did I become this person in front of her? I didn’t know. I felt like I’d reached the point where I had lost all my patience with humanity. “We’ve talked about secrecy many times. Look what happened?” I was even more pissed when she didn’t even look at me. “Do you even hear me? Are you even listening to me?”

“I did. I do. Will you stop cursing me and lower your voice?”

“Not until you understand what I am saying until you learn. We just had our life back, and I thought we were already over this. When are you gonna trust me? When will you open up to me and just fucking tell me if something is bothering you or someone is stalking you? You know the difference, right?”

“For the love of God. What in the hell do you not understand in the part I was going to tell you tonight?”

“Yeah, when it’s too late. Did you really date that guy?”

“Oh, my God!” She shook her head as she propped a hand on her hip. “Not you too. I thought you’d never judged me. I thought you were the last person to do that. I guess I really have terrible taste in men. And that includes you. And you know what? You’re a jerk, too.”

“From now on-”

“Oh, no, no, no.” She waved her finger. “We’re not doing that. We’re not going there. You won’t ever control my life. My father has been doing this for years. One father is enough. I want a husband. If you can’t be that man, get out of my way.” She pushed me to get away.

I managed to get a hold of her wrist before she could go to the door. “We’re not done talking, Vanderford. And we’re not going-”

She twisted her wrist around my grip to get lost and pointed a finger into my face. Her eyes filled with so much anger and still brewing, but so did I. “Don’t ever give me an ultimatum, Striker. I swear to God, you won’t like what’s gonna come out of my mouth. Yes, I made mistakes. I know myself. I know that I’ve made so many mistakes in my life. I’m not perfect. But you wouldn’t dare tell me what to do in that tone. I hate it. You might be my husband, but you and I are equal in this marriage. If you cross that line, you will do it repeatedly, and I won’t let that happen.”

“What do you want me to do, huh? Just let it go?” I breathed through my nose as her frightened voice played over my head. “Listening to you so terrified-”

“Then you have no idea of being in that position. I’d been there twice. Do you think I wanted to be bait? Do you think I enjoy being scared alone while someone threatens my life?” She began to cry.

I watched her eyes fill with tears, but she tried hard not to let those tears fall. She was the strongest woman I’d ever met. She survived once, and she did it again. The way she handled Terzo and stood for what she believed was the right thing to do made me love her more.

“I failed you again, Vanderford.” I swallowed the guilt down my throat.

“All I could think of was you when I saw Terzo waiting for me outside my car. All I could think of was you.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “When Magnus pressed a gun on my side, and he forced me to get in the car, I fished out my phone because I wanted to call you. At least before I died, I could tell you how I felt about you.” She wiped her tears away, and I just stood there and watched her cry-the fucking stupid me.

I wiped my face. “I’ve never been terrified in my life, even facing and crossing enemy lines. I watched soldiers die, wounded. I saw my mates as the life faded on their faces, but that was not my breaking moment. When you called, you were with Terzo. All I could think of was how terrified you were. You must have felt what happened years ago flashback before your eyes.”

“No.” She shook her head. “It didn’t happen. I was thinking of you and that you would come. I hung onto that, and you didn’t fail me. You never failed me, ever. So, stop reminiscing about what you didn’t do. Besides, I was the one who begged to drive myself to Neke- oh, no, Neke.”

“Linden called her. She’s fine, but she was worried about you.”

“I never thought Magnus would do that.”

“People do stupid things, Vanderford. I could have killed Terzo, and I would have made the worse enemy my whole life, but you were there to stop me from making the biggest mistake of my life.”

“You’re not a killer, Cade.”

“I would have killed him for you.”

She looked shocked by my words. “I won’t let you do that, not for me. I can’t watch you suffer from taking someone’s life. And you’re not the man who takes life easily. You’re the kind of man who is loyal, thoughtful, selfless, and will do everything for his family. That’s what made me love you so much, Striker Cade.”

“What did you say?” My jaw dropped, but I knew I’d asked her that. I heard my own voice. “You love me. Really? You mean that?”

“Yes, I love you. I can’t believe we have to go through tough shit to tell you I love you.” That was all she had to say. I closed our gap, cupped her face, and smashed my mouth to hers. She gasped into my lips, her hands gripping my arms, pushing me away. “You haven’t apologized, dickhead.”

Wow. Way to ruin our moment. I pinched the bridge of my nose and knelt before her.

“What are you doing?” Her brows met together as she looked down at me.

“For God’s sake, woman, just let me talk.”

“You’re awfully grumpy for someone who just kissed me after cursing-”

“Marry me.” Then I realized something. Fuck. I didn’t have a ring. Honestly, this was not a part of the plan, but yeah, I could be spontaneous.

“We’re married, Striker.”

“Will you stop calling me that?”

“Isn’t your name Striker? Unless you changed before you walked into that filthy warehouse.” She was mocking me, making fun of me while I was on one knee.

“Do you need help, son?” I felt the door slowly swinging open. Then my father nudged me on my shoulder. “This would suffice.”

I looked over my shoulder to see him offering me his wedding ring. I took it. “Thank you, Papa.”

“We already planned to get married again. What we’ve been through for the last few months showed us how strong we are together. We could go through trials because we knew we had each other’s back, and I don’t wanna live without you.”

“Just apologize, Striker. You talk too much.”

I chuckled. “I’m so sorry for everything I put-”

“That would suffice. So, you were saying?”

“Vanderford, will you marry me again?”

“Sure. Why not?” As if she was bored, she sighed and offered her hand, not her finger.

I put the ring on her palm before I rose and hugged her so tight. “I love you so much, Vanderford.”

“I know, dickhead.”

“Don’t say something like that.” I slapped her ass. “And I already apologized.”

When I looked down at her, she smiled- a smile of love and hope. “I will marry you a thousand times again to prove I’m for you.”

I leaned down and angled my lips to kiss her. Our lips just touched, and applause behind us broke us apart.

When I turned around, everyone was there.

“Dad, what are you doing here?” London broke away from me as she walked to her father.

“That’s the most unromantic proposal I’ve ever seen,” Linus reacted, but he looked happy as he kissed his daughter’s cheek. “How are you, son?”

“Just survived another heart attack.”

Dad gestured to me.

I nodded. “Let’s go down.”

Once we settled in the family room, London sat together with her dad, and they looked like they had set aside their issues.

Apparently, Dad called Linus about what happened earlier that was why he came.

Linden gave me a drink. “Congrats once again, brother.”

“And you’re still single,” I sang it out.

“Who would save your ugly ass if I settle down?”

I chuckled. “Thank you.”

“We don’t do that.”

Dad cleared his throat. “I’d like to propose a toast for this unbeatable family and our son’s upcoming wedding.” I smiled as he mentionedour.

I raised my glass, looked at my beautiful wife with her wine, and drank my whiskey.

I turned to Moses. “You’ve been silent. What’s up?”

“Your dad just told me something I am considering, but I’m not sure if I deserve it.”

“You can’t be more cryptic than that. I mean, I just went to hell and back. Come on, Papa. Just spill it.”

“He told me he didn’t mind adding Braddson to your name.”

“Oh.” I blinked. “I haven’t asked you. I’m not sure how you would feel about it.”

“I would be pleased and proud.” He hugged me tight.

I hugged him, too, and patted his back. “Thank you, Papa. I’m also not sure if I deserve your name. I mean-”

“You are my heir. My only son. I will be the happiest father if you carry my name, Striker.”

“Just so you know, I don’t need your money.”

“I do.” Linden sat across us.

“You still owe me fifty, Linden,” Moses caught his attention.

“For someone who has billions of fifty bucks, you can’t let it go, can you, sir?”

“It’s about honoring a word, Linden. And without the fifty, it won’t make a billion.”

“You’re right. I’m buying a gelato for desserts.”

“Vanderford?”

“Yeah?” Her gaze found mine.

“How do you feel adding Braddson to your name?”

“Wow. Are you serious?”

“Yeah.” I shrugged.

“That’s too long, but It has a nice ring to it. But I’m not responsible for teaching our children how to write their names, right? And I want three names plus Vanderford, Braddson-Cade. It’s your duty, sweetheart.”

Everyone seemed to stop moving.

“What?” She looked confused as she looked at our family one by one. She then realized it had something about what she said, making me smile. “Are you kidding me? Oh, no. I’m not pregnant. Hold your horses, guys. I still wanna wear a beautiful wedding gown with a flat tummy.”

They all sighed in disappointment, except us.

“That’s a lot of pressure.”

***

“Why am I summoned through text, sweetheart?”

I patted my desk. “Come here.”

“Wew. The anticipation is killing me.” She did as I asked, sitting on my desk, legs crossed.

I pulled out a folder from my drawer. “I will only sign if my share will proceed to the orphan homes of my choosing.”

“Done.” She flipped the folder open. I watched her eyes light up as she picked the bag design that I did myself. Then she went to another print, the sneakers. “Oh, my God.”

“You can call it Cade.”

“Cade sneakers. Marguerite bag. They already sound bestsellers.”