This is Reckless (Checkmate Duet 3)

C: Fine! I will. :) Get some rest!

I take a shower, put on my red lipstick and smoky eyes, and dress in overly-scandalous clothes before I text Kayla to hang out tonight. We’ve become good friends since being in Viola’s wedding party together. We’re two single ladies who have no outside life, so it makes it easy to drop random things on her, plus she loves it as much as I do.

C: Get dressed woman, we’re having a girls night!

K: How much time do I have?

C: Thirty minutes?

K: Perfect. Come get me!

I can’t stay here and listen to them argue all night, so hanging with Kayla is a perfect escape. Mia needs to go and I have a feeling she’s staying. Them together again is already making me crazy, and I need to have fun and ignore it. Viola usually makes sure I don’t get into too much trouble, so no telling what kind of shenanigans I’ll get in without her.

CHAPTER FOUR

DREW

“I want her gone,” Mia demands as she plops on the couch with her arms crossed.

I stare at her confused. “Who?”

“Courtney. I don’t want you living with her anymore,” she explains, her voice firm.

I shake my head at her. “That’s not your decision to make.”

She stands, cocking her hip out. “As your girlfriend, it is.”

“Where is this coming from? Courtney isn’t the issue in our relationship, Mia.”

“She spews hate and jealousy, which obviously isn’t good for us. So, you can choose—me or her.”

“That’s not true. Courtney isn’t the reason we fight.”

“No? Well, we’re fighting right now and look who just happens to be here.” She waves her hand up in the air, and I follow it behind me. Courtney is standing by the table, digging in her purse. I can tell she heard everything by the somber look on her face. Her blonde hair curled and down, makeup that makes her look like a supermodel, and a tight little skirt and low-cut shirt. She’s almost eye to eye with me in those high heels. When she’s dressed like that, it’s hard to remember she’s one of the guys, which really doesn’t help my plea with Mia about it. Fucking fantastic.

“Mia,” I hiss, my jaw locked as I look back at her. I can’t believe Mia’s doing this right now.

“You’ll make your choice and you’ll make it right now.” Her voice is full of venom, and her eyes are narrowed and threatening.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

She grits her teeth together and speaks between them. “If you don’t, it’s over. So, let me know when you make up your mind, okay?” Mia’s shaking in anger as she grabs her purse from the couch.

I place my hand on her shoulder, turning her back around. “Please, don’t do this.”

“I don’t like you and her being around each other. And it needs to stop.” She tilts her head around me, and I turn to see what she’s looking at.

Courtney’s no longer there, but that doesn’t mean she can’t hear us.

“Perhaps if we had some privacy once in a fucking while, we could talk about this like adults.”

“Fine, if it’ll make you calm down, I’ll talk to her about it. Can we drop this for now, please?” I plead with my eyes, grabbing her hand in mine.

“Really?” She smiles, stepping closer.

I nod, eating my words. “Yes. I don’t want us to fight anymore.”

She nods in agreement, but then pulls away and throws her bag over her shoulder.

“Wait. Where are you going?” I ask, confused.

“I’m going home.” She walks toward the door. “When you make your decision, call me.”

I follow behind and grab her hand. “Stay with me.”

She shakes her head. “It’ll just lead to sex. And I have an appointment in the morning. This is for the best.” Mia stands on her tiptoes and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before she walks out the door and gets in her Mercedes then drives away.

Once she’s gone, I can’t contain the anger I feel. “Fuck!”

I hear rattling in the kitchen and glance in to see Courtney messing around in the fridge. Shit, I didn’t realize she was in here.

She slams it shut and jumps a little when she sees me in the doorway.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was just grabbing a few things before heading out.”

“It’s not your fault.”

The air between us is thick, and I know she’s probably thinking the worst. “Listen, Court—”

“You want me to move out,” she interrupts. The words sound worse aloud that I anticipated. I can’t imagine Courtney leaving. Nor do I want to.

“I really don’t,” I begin, hoping she can see how awful I feel about this. “Mia will get over it.”

“And if she doesn’t?” she asks, raising her brows. She knows Mia as well as I do it would seem.

I shrug because I don’t know the answer to that.