A Slave to Broken Hearts (A Slave to Love Sequel)

Chapter 15: Check Mate

My cellphone ringing cut through the quiet and I groaned, desperately wanting to go back to sleep. But the nagging feeling that maybe it was work calling to ask me to come in to help had me rolling over to grab it.

"Hello?" I asked, eyes still closed as I collapsed back among my pillows. 

"Kiana! I need your help."

"Katie?" I asked, feeling more awake at her urgent tone. "What's wrong?"

"I'm trying to find an apartment and I absolutely have no idea what I'm doing. I need a second opinion," she said, sounding flustered. "There's just so many and it's hard to choose and I'm starting to freak out."

I relaxed again, taking a deep breath as I pinched the bridge of my nose. Katie, like me, had found a job and was itching to get her own place. She wanted to move out now before school started, so she could get a routine down and everything set up before she had to deal with orientation and homework. "Sure, Katie. I'd be happy too."

"Great! Do you think you think we can meet up this week and maybe go visit some listings?" 

"Sure. Maybe we can ask Jill and Leah to come with since they've been through the whole apartment hunt thing? Their experience might help," I said, a yawn overtaking me as I stretched out, reluctant to accept that my exhaustion was quickly evaporating. That minor panic that something bad had happened to Katie had woken me up enough that there was no way I could possibly sleep more now.

"Great idea! It'll be a girl's day. I'll text them now and we'll pick a day. Thanks, Kiana," she said, sounding more like her bubbly self again.

"No problem. Let me know what they say."

"I will, bye!" she said then hung up.

"Ugh," I groaned, tossing my phone somewhere across my bed. I was so tired but the abrupt wake up call had me up and restless. I tried to squash the jealousy of yet another one of my friend's embracing adulthood and stepping out, but couldn't help it. Life was good yes, and I loved living here with Blade, but there was definitely a certain appeal to finding a small place that was all mine, that I had picked out and suited me. 

I'd just have to live vicariously through Katie that's all. Maybe it would be good practice for if Blade and I ever decided to move somewhere else. 

As if I'd summoned him just by thinking about him, there came a knock on my door. 

"Come in," I called, and he poked his head in. 

"Bit early for you to be up," he remarked.

"Katie called," I explained. "Besides, I don't always sleep in late."

"No, but I figured after last night maybe you wouldn't have gotten much sleep," he said, flashing me a grin as he came over to join me.

"Actually, I slept pretty well," I said, turning my head to look at the ceiling.

"Really? That's surprising."

"Is it?" I asked, playing dumb. 

"I figured you would still be mad about last night," he said, lowering himself so he was lying next to me, supporting his weight on his elbow as he leaned over me, blocking my view.

"Why would I be mad? I still got what I wanted."

His mouth fell open. "You didn't!"

"Oh I did," I said, victorious. "Check mate."

"Unbelievable," he muttered, flopping onto his back. "It's no fun when you mess with the game."

I laughed. "Too bad. You'll just have to rise to the challenge next time. What else were you expecting me to do? Crawl into your room in the middle of the night begging you sleep with me? Pfft."