Page 65 of Queen’s Gambit

Vadin stood. “Tomorrow at Yulianna’s ball, you’ll be announced as family, you have my word on that. She’s up in her room. I trust you still know the way.” I nodded as his cell began to ring. “I need to take this.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll show myself out.”

It took every ounce of self control I had not to run out of the fucking office like my ass was on fire while cheering. No deal I’d made, no milestone I’d reached, nothing compared to this feeling. I marched as fast as I could to Ana’s door. It had been over a year since I held her last. My hands tingled to touch her skin, and my heart ached to be near her.

I’d done it. I’d finally made our dream a reality and I couldn’t wait to tell her.

Yulianna

Standing by the window I clutched my phone and watched for any sign of Eddie leaving. He hadn’t said he was coming over, but I caught a glimpse of the car when it arrived. The world felt right again with him so close. But I didn’t dare leave this room. If I did, then there was a good chance that Father and I would end up in another heated argument about my future. We’d screamed at one another so many times that I’d lost count. It had been a solid six weeks without a single blowup between us, and my mother looked like she’d finally stopped walking on eggshells.

My knees shook while I waited to see him again, if only from afar. So badly, I wanted him to look up here, to smile at me, to rescue me from this place…my gilded prison.

There was a knock at the door, but I refused to leave my post. “Who is it?”

“Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly at your service.”

My head whipped in the direction of my door, and my heart ceased to beat at the Shakespeare quote from The Tempest.

We’d started reading and playing the parts while on our calls. Not only would he be the only one to ever quote Shakespeare to me, but I would know his voice anywhere.

I raced across the room, twisted the lock, and threw the door open. Like some bit of magic, there he was, and my limbs went numb. Neither of us moved for what seemed like an eternity.

“Ana,” Eddie said, his voice deep and breathy.

With just my name falling from his lips, the spell was broken. Leaping out the door and onto him, I wrapped my arms around his neck. He held on to me just as tightly, and I soaked in his touch, his smell, his very essence.

“Eddie, are you really here?”

My arms tightened as tears stung my eyes.

“I really am. Can I come in and talk to you?”

Even though I didn’t want to let go, I stepped back and dragged him into my room. The permanent guard stationed in the hallway put his hand on the door when I tried to close it.

“The door must remain open,” he said.

“I’m closing my door to have a private conversation. If you have a problem with it, then you can talk to my father, and he can tell me himself. Now, remove your hand,” I ordered.

“Ana, it’s okay. Your father has rules in place, and we’ll follow them. It’s not an issue,” Eddie said while I glared at the guard. “We’ll leave the door open, but can you move further down the hall as a compromise,” he asked.

The guard looked frustrated but walked away.

“My father has had one of those thugs outside my door ever since he dragged me back here. I can’t go anywhere without one of them hovering over me.” We walked over to the loveseat and sat down. “I’m just so sick of them.”

We faced one another, and I kept my hands on Eddie’s leg as he cupped my cheek.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, his voice raspy and full of the same longing that was coursing through my veins. “No matter how many mornings I wake up and look into your eyes, my heart won’t let me believe that I’m lucky enough to have you.”

“Eddie, you always leave me speechless when you talk like this.”

His lip tugged up, showing off his sexy dimple.

“Then you do understand how you make me feel. Artists from around the world should be banging down your door to paint your likeness.”

The blush was instant as he stared at me with such heat that it threatened to burn us both down. I leaned into his touch, hating that this was all we were allowed.

“How are you so perfect,” I asked, truly baffled. “You’ve always been like this, not like anyone else I’ve ever met, and….” My eyes filled with tears as the reality of the moment sunk in and made my chest ache. “God, it hurt so much to leave you. I can’t do it again, I can’t, Eddie.” I lowered my voice even more. “You have to get me out of here, please.”