Page 126 of The Twilight Theft

“This proves nothing,” said Enzo.

“There’s a thumb drive in with the photos.” Craig held up a manila envelope. “He probably printed the photos so someone would be curious about the drive they were stored with.”

“And where is the pretty Vanessa?” Enzo raised his chin at Craig, a threat clear in his tone. “Why isn’t she here yet?”

Liana sat next to me, dropping her small handbag onto the couch. “How’s your leg?”

“Are you seriously working with them?” I kept my voice down while the men talked.

She took a slow breath and looked at the ceiling. “Have you ever lost someone you loved?”

Everyone I’d loved.

“Someone…” Her gaze fell to my knee. “Someone important to me is very sick, and this is our last shot.”

“You have enough money to afford the best healthcare in the world.”

She sucked on her bottom lip. “If it was someone I could tell Giddy about.”

That made no sense. Who would she keep a secret from her— “You’re having an affair?”

She put her hand on mine. “Can you forgive me?”

“For what?” I barely knew her. Her infidelity didn’t matter to me.

“For using your team to cover my shame.” She squeezed my hand, tears building against her lower lids. “I helped Craig and Noah set Wyatt up. Kept my plans under wraps to ensure the most chaos possible. Manipulated my friends into donating items for the auction and the art display. Craig helped me, and I… I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

She masterminded all of this? Hurt and betrayed so many people? And what did I do? I wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“We organized everything to have the huma bird delivered so we could retrieve the phoenix’s beak. Coordinated the lights and the music so we could cover up—” She shuddered as tears fell down her cheeks. “If it doesn’t save him, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“Vanessa said you’re selling the whole thing.” Why would they do that when they had Liana’s money behind them? There must have been a prenuptial agreement at play.

“No.” Liana shook her head quickly, wiping her eyes with her free hand. “It’s going back to its owner. They can do some minor restoration, and no one will ever know.”

Enzo’s voice dropped as the men shifted into an argument, stealing my attention from Liana. “Small people can’t stand in our way.”

“The FBI and Interpol are notsmall people, Enzo.” Noah cupped the back of his neck. “If we keep the huma bird, they’ll be on our tails. If we sell it to those zealots, they’re as likely to sacrifice us for touching it as they are to pay us. Use your brain.”

The Fenix Group wasn’t as tight-knit as we’d thought they were. Noah and Enzo were the ones in command but obviously didn’t see eye-to-eye on everything.

Was there a way to use that?

Maybe. Maybe not.

But there was something nearby I could definitely use.

IfI made it out alive—they were confessing an awful lot in front of me.

“He’ll be all right.” I slid my other arm around Liana, under her arm, and bounced my shoulders like I was crying, too. “I understand. I lost everything in a car accident twelve years ago, and I’d give anything to fix it.”

Liana held on tight.

I eased my lower arm down her side. Checked the reflection in the windows across the room—the men were arguing, not paying any attention to the crying women.Perfect.

Her handbag was open at the top. I dipped a hand in and found my target, retracting it quickly. My sleeves were too tight to slip anything into them, but I lifted my shirt and tucked it into my waistband.

In the reflection, Drew glanced at me. He shifted his weight, moving mere inches, but concealing my actions from Enzo. Hewason my side.

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