Page 55 of Release You

“You keep a getaway bag?”

“I’m a thief, Henry.” She paused to look at me with her eyes full of meaning. “Today was a good example of what a normal day looks like for me.” She placed her hand on mine. “I have to be ready for whatever comes at me. And I’m a hundred percent sure that’s exactly what Tessa’s been doing all these years.”

“If she’s so innocent, why did she leave the restaurant with Jonathan? The bartender saw them.” I wanted to believe Mom was innocent. It hurt less to think my dad’s brother was to blame.

Nikki frowned, staring at the coffee table as if the answers were written on it. “I remember this necklace.” She picked up a sapphire pendant on a platinum chain and let it hang from her fingers. It turned several times, catching the light with every turn. “Tessa used to comb my hair while I played with her jewelry.” She laughed. “Even when I was supposed to be cleaning her room. She didn’t care.”

I swallowed tears, ducking my gaze. Nikki believed in Mom. In her mind, there was no doubt Mom was yet another one of Jonathan’s victims. I wanted to believe that too.

“Here. Put it on. It matches your eyes.” I took the necklace from her.

Grinning, she faced away from me and put her hair up. I clasped the chain and kissed the nape of her neck before she let her hair fall back in place.

“It’s lighter than I remember.” She wrapped her fingers around the stone.

“You had smaller hands then.”

“True.” She met my gaze.

A loud knock on the door made her flinch. Her pupils got big, eyes on full alert. Yeah, Nikki was a thief. And I was no longer a poor construction worker. Would that change the way she felt about me? I rubbed the side of my face. I was an asshole for even thinking that.

“Relax. That’s probably the pizza guy.” I got up and peeked through the curtain. “It’s Dom and two other people.”

She dropped the folder on the table and padded toward me to peek out the window. “Holy shit. That’s Derek and Valentina. Why are they here?”

“Who are they?”

“Derek’s the one who gave me the money to buy this place.” She looked frazzled as her gaze darted between the papers on the table and her clothes.

“Half of it,” I said out of habit.

“Right.” She winked. “I hope they’re not here to get their money back.” She rushed back to the coffee table, dumped everything back into her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. “Keep them busy. I need to change.”

“Wait. He’s one of your marks?”

“Yeah, but we’re friends now.” She raced up the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

I stood there watching her tiny shorts and her shapely ass until she disappeared into her bedroom. Great. Now we were playing hosts to an old mark. I donned my T-shirt and buttoned my jeans before I opened the door.

“Are you guys decent? Took you long enough,” Dom said. “Can we come in?”

“Sure.” I let the door swing wide open.

Derek and Valentina walked into the hotel lobby. Valentina’s gaze darted from the eclectic living area Nikki had set up in the middle of the lobby to the bar on the opposite end, and finally landed on the grand staircase.

“I love it. It’s so pretty.” Valentina smiled at Derek.

She stood tall with big brown eyes and dark hair that fell in thick curls down her back. She was beautiful with a calm energy about her. By the look on Derek’s face and the possessivearm he kept around her waist, I could only assume they were together.

“Thanks,” I said. “I have plans to renovate it and hopefully open it up again.”

“We’re looking for investors, if you’re interested.” Nikki descended the stairs in yet another one of her bombshell numbers, black this time.

The sapphire necklace sparkled over the smooth skin on her chest. Blonde waves cascaded around her shoulders as she kept her hot blue eyes trained on me, inviting me to play along. Jesus, not another con. I shook my head once. No way in hell was I going to let Nikki take more money from this asshole.

“Darling.” She kissed Valentina’s cheek, Derek’s, and finally Dom’s.

I could watch her all day. Something about this side of Nikki excited me. It also scared the shit out of me.

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