Page 2 of Wickedly Played (Checkmate #1)

Chapter One

MAX

From the start of my existence on this planet, I knew what my life was going to be like.

I knew who I was supposed to become, and I knew who I was meant to be.

It was written in the stars. I didn’t have the opportunity to pick or choose to be a doctor, lawyer, or even a law-abiding citizen. The decision was made for me.

Which is why I’m walking into my brother’s new security firm six months after I have been honorably discharged from the SEALs.

Adam’s new career avenue is fitting for what he was destined to become.

Our father hated how soft Adam used to be and told him he would be better off just doing the administrative work.

Adam never had the balls to handle the hard shit like I did.

He couldn’t point a gun at someone’s head, shoot, and then go home without it ruining his night. I could go home, eat my dinner with blood on my shoes, and not lose sleep.

Even though I’m here, this is the last place I fucking want to be. Adam is going to give me some bull shit job that I will have to do, and I’m pissed about it.

I was called on a job last night and spent the previous twenty-four hours tracking, trapping, and then torturing Mauricio.

He had been the unfortunate soul to get caught on camera selling drugs to the Mexicans.

I like it when they make it hard on me, allowing me to use my favorite tools to extract information from them.

After the fifth tooth was pulled out and the seventh stab wound to his chest was delivered, he sang like the little bitch we all knew he was.

“Max, take a seat,” Adam points to the chairs in front of him.

“What’s up?” I ask once I’m seated. “I feel like I’m being called down to the principal’s office,” I snipe.

He pulls out a file for me to look at. I don’t bother to grab it yet, because I’m waiting for the details. “You’re in a mood today,” he mutters.

I shrug. “I’ve been getting about an hour or two of sleep a night. I’m doing the best I can.”

“You look like shit, too.” He snarls at me. “What time did you get done last night?”

“Maurico needed to be taught a lesson,” I say, getting comfortable in my seat. “Plus, the cleaners took their sweet ass time to come to the warehouse to pick him up. I planned on being done in time, but it didn’t work out my way.”

Adam scoffs. “The cleaners have been a nuisance lately. Quite frankly, I don’t know why Franky hasn’t hired new fucking ones.”

I click my tongue in response. “Well, that is above my pay grade to question what Franky is going to do.”

After the death of my father seven years ago, Franky has taken over as the Don of the Family.

Franky doesn’t bother me too much and lets me do what I want since I’m more of the enforcer.

I keep to myself and then complete the tasks that need to be done.

I don’t need to be involved in the extra bull shit. I want to do my job and then get paid.

“Want to do another security detail?”

Shrugging again, I nod. “I guess I could. What’s up this time?”

Adam opens the file for me to look at. He points at several photos, letters, and the fact sheet. The pictures show a beautiful woman with long blonde hair, pouty-dick-sucking lips, and full lips, a body clearly created to drive a man nuts. Each photo has her scantily clad in lacey scraps of fabric.

“Is this girl a hooker?” Looking at the photos, there is something eerily familiar about her.

He chuckles. “Not really. Serena does a lot of cam girl, parties, dances, and performances.”

I’m reading more of the information because I’m now intrigued. That’s when a couple of letters fell out of the pile. Each of the letters is handwritten with a slight rightward slant.

Serena,

Why don’t you see me? Why must I see you with the other men and women? They are just using you. If you don’t stop seeing others, I will take matters into my own hands. Don’t tempt me. You belong to me.

Your True Love

The next one has a bloody handprint. I can see several photos of more of the same from earlier attached to this letter.

Serena,

I’m getting impatient. Why haven’t you written back to me yet?

Why can’t you admit that you love me and only me?

We’ve been together for a long time. I still have the taste of your pussy on my lips.

I love grabbing your used underwear to use for later.

They fit beautifully around my cock as I jack off in them.

Leave The Checkmate Club. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if that means I’m the last person you are with.

Your Secret Admirer

“What else is this girl doing?” I ask with my brows furrowed.

I’ve heard of people getting attached to celebrities out of nowhere and interpreting everything the celebrity does as a sign of their love for the stalker.

I wonder if this woman knows the person who is writing to her.

What if her stalker is one of her people? It seems like it might be.

Adam pulls out a couple more things for me to look at before honestly answering my question. “Serena is a professional Dominatrix.”

I bark out a laugh. “Like she has people paying her to allow them to lick her boots?”

My brother nods. “Essentially, yes. I did some research after meeting with her agent earlier. Serena is the highest-paid Domme in the country.”

I can’t stop my continued laughter. “This is stupid. You mean to tell me that people pay this woman to beat them? And now there’s someone who is too attached? Give me a fucking break.”

My family is judgmental and wouldn’t understand my lifestyle if I were to have told them. The truth is, only Dean, my best friend, knows what I’m into. I would never tell Adam that I found this hot and have been living my life as a Dominant for the last five years.

There is no way I will tell Adam that I’ve been in the lifestyle, too. I don’t need the kind of judgment he will give me for something that has nothing to do with him.

Adam points to something more on the table. “Before you start saying shit, you might want to read this one. It was delivered to her house at night… Only Serena was home at the time.”

“That’s their first problem. She’s being stalked, and they are leaving her alone… She needs better security details,” I mutter, picking up the following note.

Serena,

I saw you sleeping. You looked so peaceful while curled in a ball on your side.

I fought the urge to pull back your sheets and spoon you from behind.

I know how much you love me. I know how much you want me.

Your little moans you made while you’re sleeping…

I bet you’re imagining me making you come with my tongue.

I can’t wait to be tied up in your ropes. I love being at your mercy.

Say the word, and I will take you from everyone else. I’m getting impatient. You have one week before I come to get you.

Your Truest Love

“What the fuck? The stalker was in her house?” Whoever she has as a bodyguard needs to be fired. “This guy is fucking nuts.”

He nods. “That’s why we’ve been called in. Her agent had heard about your credentials, requested you, and paid you up front for your services until he’s found.”

I deride. “Paid me up front? For how long?” I don’t need the money.

I’ve lived below my means throughout my adulthood, saving most of my salary.

Plus, with the extra money from the security details, I have enough to last a long time.

Plus, I have made a shit ton of money from working with the Family.

“Her agent paid you twenty-five large for a month.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“I’m not.” Adam hands me a check with that amount listed.

“Jesus.”

Before continuing, Adam gets up to get himself a coffee. “Serena and her agent are on their way here now to talk to you.”

“So, you just assumed I would take it?” Of course, I’m going to take it. This will be an easy job, with easy money, and Serena isn’t bad looking. “Adam, what the fuck?”

“Before you get all holier than thou, please understand what this will do for my business. If we’ve nailed this deal… We’ll be much better off than what’s-their-bitches down the street.”

Adam faces stiff competition from Jones Security, which has stolen a couple of my brother’s clients over the past two years.

Miguel Jones is a swarmy motherfucker who undercuts his staff by accepting lower-than-average payouts for his team.

Miguel has approached me several times, trying to get me to jump over to him. I’m not interested.

I’ve asked Adam if he wanted me to take out the competition for good, and he kept denying he wanted things to get bloody. Truthfully, it wouldn’t have been bloody. I was just going to be a car bomb in his old Mercedes; he thinks he’s hot shit for driving. Miguel would have been none the wiser.

It wouldn’t have hurt me at all.

Adam’s clientele has expanded to include other Families in Detroit, such as the McGuires.

I’ve hated that family for a long fucking time.

Lorcan has been the number one asshole on my list to kill when I’m given the opportunity.

Franky has made it clear he’s not ready to have him thrown in a cement mixer just yet.

I get first dibs in killing the rat mother fucker, though.

I still do the jobs for him. His money still spends.

Plus, he doesn’t know that I know he’s responsible for killing our father.

I’ve done some work for the McGuires in the past. They have always paid well enough to make it worth my time. However, it would make sense for Adam to want to get into bed with them. He has always been looking for the easy way to get ahead.

“This is just business?” I ask with my eyebrow raised.

I’m looking through the photos of Serena in the file.

In one of the pictures, she’s wearing a black dress with a neckline around her throat.

It should have made her look sophisticated, but instead, it makes her exude sexiness.

In another photo, she has a woman tied in ropes, hanging from the rafters.

Serena’s mouth is between the woman’s legs, which are wrapped around her head.

The suspended woman’s head is thrown back in pleasure.

“This is the craziest mission you’ve tasked me with,” I chuckle.

“Mr. Fitzpatrick, your next appointment is here,” Adam’s secretary, Bridgett, says behind the door.

Adam straightens his suit and looks at what I’m wearing. “You didn’t tell me there was a dress code for this meeting,” I chide. I’m wearing chinos and a polo shirt, as it's uncharacteristically warm for Michigan.

Just when he’s about to give me some shit, the door opens with a man entering first. He looks stressed out with bags under his eyes, wearing a wrinkled suit, and pulling on a dainty hand to come behind him.

Serena.

Serena exudes sex appeal. Her hair is pulled into a high ponytail, her makeup is minimal, and she’s wearing a casual outfit. With just a pair of black jeans and a high-necked top, I get why people are attracted to her.

“I’m Serena Jermaine,” she introduces herself. Her voice is dripping with honey, and I see her looking around this office with wonderment. “Quite frankly, I don’t know why I’m here. My agent is going to make this arrangement without my approval.”

“Please take a seat,” Adam points to the chair next to me. Once she’s seated, I can smell her sultry perfume. “I’m Adam Fitzpatrick, and this is my brother, Max. Your agent found my firm and let us know some of what’s been going on.”

Her agent gestures at his neck like he’s telling Adam to stop talking. Adam doesn’t say anything about it, but I’m not one to beat around the bush.

“What’s that about?” If the girl is in danger, shouldn’t she be made aware of the threat? This is fucking stupid.

“What aren’t you telling me, Jim?” Serena demands. She’s sitting straight up with her head held high. “Tell me right now.”

Jim starts stuttering. “Uh, Ser, there’s been some shit going down.”

“Obviously,” she claps back.

“Your stalker is back. We need the extra security while Robert and David are on leave.”

This pretty girl is being stalked after flashing her tits and pussy all over the internet, and she’s alone? “Why are two of her details on leave at the same time?” I snap.

“Yeah… They got shot a couple of weeks ago.”

I look at Adam with an incredulous look. “You’ve got me fucked up,” I mutter.

Serena rolls her eyes. “Which one of you is going to step in? We need to discuss some shit first.”

“That would be me,” I retort. She looks me up and down and then smiles when she sees I’m not backing down. “What do we need to talk about?”

“First, we need to talk about the sleeping arrangements.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumble.

“Jim, I’m going for a walk with Max. We’ll be back in half an hour,” Serena informs him, stands, and then looks at me with a pointed stare. “Let’s go.”

“Look here, little girl,” I begin as I stand to walk her out. “You might have these people begging for you to boss them around, lick your boots, and all that fun shit, but I’m not that guy. You need security? I got you. I’ll follow the basic rules, but I’m not your slave.”

She assesses me from where she’s standing. “Mmm, I underestimated you.” She says the words casually, but they are dripping with venom.