Page 9 of The Eagle's Vault

Bullshit.

But what did I do about it? Nothing more than cross my fingers that we’d go out between his scheduled meetings. Sure, being on my own in a foreign country was a risk, but I’d seen the doctor a month ago and everything was fine. No need to worry, he’d told me. Still, my overprotective big brother insisted I keep to the books unless he was with me.

“To Declan and Leigh!” Edoardo’s toast pulled my attention to the fantastic meal we’d just finished. He lifted his glass high from the head of the table, his face illuminated in the flickering candlelight. “To their meticulous craftsmanship and two fast repairs.”

We all sat around Edoardo’s huge wooden dining table, the centerpiece of another room in the villa. A dozen candles dotted the table, while the giant stone hearth opposite me lay quiet. The scents of rosemary and garlic hung in the air from the third course, despite the panna cotta with cherries having just been served for dessert.

I forced a smile, my wineglass strangely warm against my fingertips. I glanced down at the scarlet liquid. Not my first choice. I preferred the crisp, tart notes of a chilled white. But Edoardo offered this local variety generically calledred, so when in Rome… I held back a chuckle.When in Rome, Leigh.

Across the table, Declan raised a footed goblet, filled with a craft beer from north of the city, which Edoardo brought in specially for him. A glimmer of pride flashed behind Declan’s deep-set hazel eyes. Despite his cocky exterior, it was clear he was proud of the work he did.

Edoardo continued. “And to Jayce, for unveiling the security breach.”

“And to Declan, again, for the unforgettable stink bomb incident.” Jayce took a forkful of her panna cotta, covering her mouth to hide the laughter.

The pride faded from Declan’s eyes, and they landed on mine. This was not a man who enjoyed losing. “How long until the dye comes out of my shirt?”

I swallowed hard, pushing the bitter red wine down my throat. “Soak it in oxygen bleach for an hour or so. That should do it.”

Isaac nudged me, his mouth tight. Another man who didn’t like losing, he was probably irritated he hadn’t received a toast. “Where’d you come up with that idea? One of your history books?”

When I was little, my mother told me stories about ancient vaults with intricate locks that required a special touch to break into. She regaled me with tales of dye bombs and secret compartments filled with precious items. Mysteries and keys that had to be searched for and assembled from pieces. Dad always said that was part of what made him fall in love with her.

I shrugged, heat climbing up my cheeks. “I thought about it when I got a pair of jeans that rubbed off on my T-shirt.”

“You’re revenge for a dirty shirt.” Jayce swatted Declan’s shoulder.

Declan’s clenched jaw eased, slowly, until he was laughing with her. “I’m never living this down, am I?”

“Not as long as I’m around,” she said.

I chuckled, my insides twisting. I missed that camaraderie—once the norm in our family. After my mother died, my father and brothers rallied, trying to fill in the gap she left. Things started downhill ten years ago. I was working part time while finishing my degree when he re-married, bringing my stepmother into the business. Dad was happier, but he was the only one.

Isaac fiddled with the stem of his wineglass. “How did you get into the locksmithing trade, Declan?”

Declan’s eyes cut to me for the barest second. “My father was a structural engineer. He taught me everything he knew about mechanics and security systems. I guess you could say it runs in my family, like yours.”

That wasn’t the whole truth. Something else lingered underneath Declan’s casual response. Had his father passed away? Were they not close anymore?

And what hid behind Declan and Jayce’s easygoing manners? Between the co-workers who opened safes with ridiculous technology and tracked down security flaws? High-priced security experts? Or were there darker secrets concealed behind his intelligent eyes?

My thoughts drifted to Finn and how all of my relationships had crumbled under his jealousy. I’d let him control and isolate me, gradually separating me from my friends over our two years together. By the end, I was nothing more than home-Leigh or work-Leigh.

I wasn’t even school-Leigh anymore, despite my dissertation being half-finished.

The man who didn’t want me in school anymore wasn’t the same man Isaac had introduced me to. Finn had hidden a lot at the start.That’s your past, Leigh. You’re stronger now.

No more men who hid things away.

Including me.

Edoardo cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair, the happiness vanishing from his eyes. “I must be honest. The break-in still sits heavily on my heart.”

“But they didn’t get anything precious,” said Declan. “And we’ll run through your security again before we leave.”

“I know.” Edoardo took a deep breath. “But if someone can break into my house, what about my business?”

His business had been a curiosity. He owned a prominent safe deposit box company in the city, yet still maintained at least two large safes inside his house. If his company was so good, why not keep his most precious belongings there?

---