This is Effortless (Checkmate Duet 4)

CHAPTER ONE

DREW

My blood is boiling and I need to control myself before I blow. I’ve never been this angry in my entire life. Mia is staring up at me with her wide, bright eyes, hoping to manipulate and control me yet again. It’s not going to happen this time. It’s not going to happen ever.

“You kidnapped my girlfriend. Have you lost your fucking mind?” I inch closer to her face, making sure she knows I’m not playing around. “And you what? Dyed your hair blonde to match hers?” I can barely stand looking at her as it is and now she’s changed her appearance to fool me.

“I didn’t touch her, Drew.” She stands up on her tippy-toes, making our faces even closer so they barely touch. I take a small step back. “I even used a keycard to get in,” she explains, reaching in her back pocket and waving the key in front of my face. “And people color their hair all the time. I decided it was time for a change,” she claims.

As soon as I realized Mia was the one on top of me, I pushed her off and found my clothes. I made her dress and almost kicked her out before I remembered I needed her for information.

“Fuck the technicalities.” Livid, I grab the keycard out of her hand and toss it behind me. “Tell me where she is. Now.”

“Drew, baby,” she coos in a fake sweet tone, wrapping her hand around my bicep. “I needed to get you away from her so I could talk to you about us for five seconds without her around.”

I jerk my arm and fling her hand off me. “There is no us, you psycho. You tell me where she is or I’ll have you arrested for kidnapping,” I threaten with full intention of following through if she doesn’t answer me.

“I promise you, Drew. I didn’t touch her.”

“But you know who did.” I grip her arm and yank her body against mine. “You’re playing games with the wrong person, Mia. I will haul your ass over my shoulder and personally deliver you to the LVPD. You want to play the easy way or the hard way?” I grit my teeth so hard, she jumps. “Either way, you’re going to tell me where the fuck my girlfriend is.”

Her body shivers and I watch as her throat moves. She’s never seen me like this before. Hell, I’ve never seen me like this before. At least not since before entering the academy.

“Fine,” she finally hisses. “I’ll tell you everything I know. After that, you let me go.”

I force out a laugh. “You’re really trying to negotiate at a time like this?”

“Unless your plan is to keep me here against my will, you won’t be the only one facing charges,” she fires back. This fucking bitch.

“You tell me what you know and then I’ll decide if I’ll let you go or not.”

“I had a friend help me. Once I took the key and got inside, he grabbed her and left. I don’t know where he took her.”

“Bullshit. Where is she?”

“I just told you everything I know!” She starts wiggling out of my grip, and I squeeze even tighter. “Drew, let me go!”

“Scream all you want, Mia. The faster the cops get here, the better for me anyway.”

“Fuck you, Drew Fisher!” she spits in my face. “I was the best thing that ever happened to you!”

I laugh, bobbing my head. “I can’t tell whether you’re just that full of yourself and delirious or if you truly have a mental health concern.” I loosen my grip and she eventually pulls herself away.

“The best thing to ever happen to me was when I finally saw you for what you are. I wasted years on you and you come back to fuck my life up even more. So, no, fuck you, Mia Montgomery. You better have a fancy lawyer on retainer, because I’m going to make sure you go behind bars for this little arrangement you planned. If one fucking hair on her head—one fucking thread of hair—on her is hurt, you will pay.”

“That sounds like a threat, Officer Fisher. You sure you don’t want to watch yourself and retract those words before that gets you in trouble?”

The smug bitch is smiling.

“I’m done playing charades. Security footage will tell me exactly where she is and whoever is letting you puppet master them won’t be able to protect you any more than themselves.” I take a step toward the door, ready to brush past her and get the hell out of here.

“Hold up.” She puts a hand up, stepping in front of me and blocking me from the door. “You sure that’s the smart thing to do? I mean, you basically just threatened me if I didn’t tell you answers to questions I don’t know. Then threatened me with lawsuits and jail time and God knows what else could be deciphered by the little temper tantrum you had.”