Mallory Greenleaf walked away from the chess world years ago, vowing never to return after it fractured her family. Now her life is about keeping things together: working a thankless job, caring for her mom and sisters and avoiding anything that might stir up the past. But when she reluctantly enters a charity tournament, she doesnt just winshe beats the Nolan Sawyer, world chess champion and brooding bad boy of the international scene.

Nolan is famously brilliant, infamously unapproachable, and utterly intrigued by the girl who just outplayed him. When he starts showing up with offers for rematchesand a little flirtationMallorys carefully guarded world begins to crack. Is this just another strategic move on his part, or is there something more behind those stormy eyes?

As Mallory climbs the competitive ranks, old wounds resurface, the pressure mounts, and the line between rivalry and romance blurs. Because in this game, its not just about who makes the next moveits about who dares to fall first.