Chapter 29: Checkmate (Aria's POV)

I wrapped the towel around myself, realizing that I forgot my clothes on the bed. I huffed, pulling the robe on and quickly towel drying my hair. I finger-combed it and then threw my hair over my shoulders before opening the door while tightening the robe. When I walked out, he was sitting on the bed, typing away on his phone, looking a little tense. "Everything okay?" I asked while picking up my clothes. 

"It's just an interview email," he replied. 

"Oh." I turned around to go back into the bathroom but stopped when he called my name. 

"Would you like to go out for dinner? We can get something nice to eat." 

I shrugged, "You pick the place. We can leave at seven-thirty?" 

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll find a good restaurant here." 

I went back into the bathroom and got dressed in leggings and a tank. I plugged in the blow dryer and then blow-dried my hair a little. There was suddenly a loud knock on the door. I turned off the blow dryer and opened the bathroom door, seeing Alexander. 

"I've called your name like five times," he huffed. 

"I couldn't hear you." I held up the blow dryer. "Tell me. What happened?" 

"I made the reservation for eight. Do you have a dress?" he sighed. 

"Why do I need a dress for dinner?" 

"Would you prefer to go to a fancy restaurant in a t-shirt?" he deadpanned. 

"I don't think I packed a fancy dress. I'll check." And then I resumed blow-drying my hair. 

He left the bathroom and then minutes later, came back in. "I found one!" He held up a plain black slip dress that I had brought just in case we ended up going somewhere fancy. 

It seemed a little short now that I'm looking at it. I also don't remember putting this in my suitcase "Did you go through my suitcase?" I arched a brow at him. 

"You said you weren't sure so I looked for you. It was at the very bottom, don't worry, I didn't make a mess of your things," he said while walking over. He stood behind me and held the dress in front of me, his arms over my shoulders. "See. It looks fine." 

I looked in the mirror and looked at the way he was holding the dress up against me. I looked at him. "What are you doing?" 

"What am I doing?" I turned to look at him, regretting it when I realized how close we were. 

He cleared his throat, stepping back and folding up the dress, leaving it on the counter. "There," he nodded before leaving. 

I frowned in confusion, staring at the doorway. 

What was that? 

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We both stepped out of the elevator side by side and headed to the exit so we could get going to the restaurant. "Can we go somewhere else after?" I asked. 

"Where do you want to go?" he asked. 

"Somewhere I can drink," I mumbled. 

He stopped in his tracks and I stopped beside him. "No. No, no, no, no, no. You will not be drinking again. Even at dinner, I will keep a close eye on you," he said, almost scolding me. 

"But-" 

"No. No drinks for you." 

"That doesn't sound any fun." We both looked up, seeing Adrian make his way over. Oh right. I forgot some guests are here too until tomorrow morning. "Hello." He flashed me a smile before merely nodding at Alexander. "No drinks for the lovely lady? That sounds a little boring, doesn't it?" he asked, turning to me. 

"Very," I mumbled. "But I don't handle alcohol very well," I shrugged. 

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem if someone takes care of you, right?" He arched a brow at me. 

"I suppose," I shrugged, turning to Alexander. 

"Let me get you a few drinks. My treat," Adrian offered. 

I hesitated, not thinking it wouldn't be right for me to agree. 

"Aria!" Someone called me. I turned around, seeing Adrian's mother calling me. 

"Excuse me," I said, slipping away from the conversation. 

She asked me if we were going out to dinner and I said yes, thanked her once more for coming to the wedding, and then turned back around to go, excusing myself. 

As I was approaching them, I heard Adrian say, "It's just like a game of chess. And I'm winning. So check." 

They're talking about chess? That's... really boring what the hell? 

I stood beside Alex, linking my arm with his. "Ready to go? And I won't drink too much if that makes it easier for you. Happy?" 

He nodded at me with a small smile. 

"Excuse us," I said to Adrian and then started walking but went back when Alexander didn't move. 

"Right, what were you saying? It's like a game of chess and you're winning? Check, you said?" Alex nodded. I suddenly don't think it was chess they were talking about. "Checkmate," Alexander smirked before starting to walk, taking me with him. 

I frowned in confusion, glancing back at Adrian who didn't look too happy. "What were you two talking about? I don't think it was chess," I said, waiting while he asked for our car to be brought from the valet. 

"It very much was not chess," he sighed, opening the car door for me. 

I slipped in and when he got in the driver's seat, I asked him. "Then why did you say 'checkmate?'" I questioned. 

"Forget it, you won't understand." 

I looked at him quizzically, but I just shrugged it off. Adrian said 'check.' Alex said 'checkmate.' But they weren't talking about chess? That makes no sense to me. But whatever. 

He parked the car around ten minutes later and then came out to my side, getting the door for me. "Thanks," I said, walking beside him as we entered the restaurant. 

"I have a reservation under the name Alexander Phoenix, please," he said at the front. 

"Right this way, sir," the waitress smiled, leading us to a secluded table at the back. "Please settle in and a waiter will be here shortly to take your orders," she said before walking away. 

Alex pulled out for my chair for me and I took a seat, eyeing him suspiciously. "You're acting a lot like a gentleman tonight," I said, my eyes following him as he went to his own seat. 

"I am a gentleman," he shrugged. 

I gave him a blank look in response. "Will you tell me what you and Adrian were talking about and why it was being compared to chess?" 

"No." 

"And why not?" 

He sighed, "Because I'd rather talk about anything else. Anything but Adrian." 

I put my elbow on the table and rested my chin in my palm. "Why do you hate him so much? He seems quite nice," I frowned. 

"He seems nice because he acts that way. He really isn't." 

"Sounds like there's been conflict in the past." 

"There has," he nodded. "And it will drag on until he apologizes to me." 

"What did he do to you?" 

"I'll tell you another time. We should decide what we'll order," he said, gesturing to the menu in front of me. I flipped through, deciding on ordering some chicken and Alexander ordered a steak. 

"What can I get for you today?" the waiter asked. Alexander gave both of our orders. "And any drinks?" 

"Two glasses of Chateau, please," Alexander nodded with a small smile. 

"I'll bring your order shortly," the waiter said before walking away. 

"So, what now?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. 

He thought for a minute. "Will you tell me how you've been since you left the palace? I want to know everything." 

I was surprised, to say the least. I did not expect him to ask me that. "What do you want to know?" I chuckled awkwardly. "I've already told you everything. You know what my life was like." 

"I only know the bad parts of it. Tell me, how did you become a thief?" he asked, raising a single brow at me. 

I cleared my throat, remembering that day vividly. "I was fifteen when I actually got into stealing from people. Before that, I would just take things I found that I thought were important. That day, somebody dropped a lighter in front of me. And when I picked it up, I realized it was made out of pure silver. I had heard of Mr. Charles but never really knew him or been to his shop. There was another thief there when I found the lighter. And he asked me to give it to him and he said he would give me half the money for it. And I didn't listen because I was the person who found it. I told him that I should be getting all the money for it. I think the boy was seventeen? Eighteen? 

"And he told me he knew someone who could give me a lot of money for it. And then he took me to Mr. Charles' shop. The boy taught me how things were sold, the price was bargained and negotiated, how gold was weighed, how much gold, silver, diamonds, all of it was worth. And then he introduced me to Mr. Charles. And I got a lot of money for that lighter. I started stealing things like that from people. Easy steals. 

"Things that were falling out of a man's pocket or a woman's purse. And for the first few months, that boy would follow me everywhere. And one time, I nearly got caught. And he saved me and made sure I didn't. And then when I finally got a hang of things, he disappeared. And taking what he taught me, I became a thief."

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Chapter 29

next chapter: own

I think it's time to introduce an ex.

question is, who's ex?

aria's or alex's?

PS- i forgot to add the pics earlier so here they are now