Page 62 of The Twilight Theft

I did as instructed. “Testing.”

“Loud and clear.”

No one else responded, as expected, at the early hour. I checked my watch. “Zaria should be here in fifteen minutes and Wyatt in a half hour.”

“If he shows.” Craig dipped his head, raising an eyebrow as he did. “I hear he’s plenty pissed with you taking the spotlight off him.”

I waved the comment off.

“Emmett was right. Wyatt would be more convincing with Jayce than with Rav.” He glanced at the video display, tapping the spot where Jayce admired the golden bird. “But you two? Holding hands on your way in? Even more convincing than Wyatt would have been with her.”

“We’re professionals.” It was a pathetic excuse. Wyatt, for all his bluster and volume, had a decade more experience than I did. I’d seen him smooth-talk politicians, starlets, and dozens of lawyers over my two years with Bishop. He’d watch Jayce, absorb everything I’d written in the documentation I’d prepared on her, and learn how to treat her and get the response he wanted.

That targeting package had provided him with all the ammunition he needed to swoop in and steal her—

Not steal, Drew. She’s not yours. She’d been very clear about that.

“Are your contingency plans in place?”

“Gideon and I already refined the speech.” Craig chuckled to himself, turning to the screen again. “He’ll ramp up production and release the chips a month early if someone sneaks off with the prototype. Plus, he’ll match all donations to the charities tonight.”

“With that spin, he may be hoping the thieves get away with it. That would be one hell of a PR campaign.”

“Which wouldn’t dent his pocket.”

I joined him in watching the video feed.

Jayce snuck another bite of food from a server and wandered over to the scarab. She chuckled to herself—likely talking to her team—and took the snack in two bites.

Craig hummed. “Unapologetic.”

“What’s that?”

“The thief. Every time I’ve seen her, no matter who she’s interacting with, she’s always herself. Quite unlike…” He moved closer, pointing at another figure, this one a woman in a draped gown stalking toward the bar in the main restaurant. “I see Vanessa’s here.”

Shit.

“Don’t tell me you got her invited, Craig?”

He leaned back in his chair. “If things go south, we need our contingency plan. Her”—he made air quotes—“editorial site will help spread the word about poor Gideon and how unfortunate the theft was for him.”

Great. Now I had to focus with Jayce on my arm, keep Wyatt away from her, and keep Vanessa away from me.

Chapter 25

Jayce

ThelongerDrewwasgone, the sharper my senses grew. Kitten heels weren’t so bad once you got used to them. The dress wasn’t too uncomfortable, and it moved well enough.

But my hand already missed his. His arm around me had been one thing—ants skittering over my skin and all—but holding his hand? That had been strangely comfortable.

I’dneverheld hands with a man before. Not like that, with our fingers around each other’s. Rav and Emmett a few times, but that was work.

Somehow, it didn’t feel like work with Drew.

Wrong.

It was so very wrong.

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