Page 31 of Gilded Touches

She considers our words before nodding. “I understand.” She grows quiet for a minute and then says the one thing that has my heart on the fucking floor. “I miss my dad. Stella and I haven’t gone a day without missing him so much it hurts. It’s…it’s been hard. Let me just say that. And then losing mom. She got so sickso fast. And now my sister is sick.” She drops her head back and closes her eyes.

Tears wet her lashes. I want to reach out to her, but I get the sense she’ll break down if I pull her to me.

She takes a couple of breaths before saying, “As harsh as it may sound, I’m glad you were not there. Now that I’ve had each of you. Touched you, kissed you and made love to you, I think I want to take this beyond one night. I know I do. I just don’t know how to let people in when it hurts to lose them.”

I’m in love.

I shut the water off and step to her, taking her chin between my fingers. “For that to happen, we are going to need those diamonds back, Luna.”

The red on her cheeks deepens. “I figured as much.”

“And then we want to hear about your sister.”

That’s Jasper.

“The buyers are here and these are not patient men.” I hear the worry in Shayne’s voice. He’s trying to hide it from Luna, but I know my brother.

Shayne takes Luna’s hand and helps her from the shower. I grab a towel for me and pass one to her. Jasper takes it and helps her dry off.

“I took the diamonds because I had to. The Belladonnas will give me fifty grand and a place in their guild of thieves. I need the money I get from them to pay for my sister's chemo.”

We all stare at her in silence. She looks like a weight has lifted from her shoulders; one that she’s been carrying alone for a long time.

Jasper stands. “You’ll have the money come morning. The Belladonnas are trouble everywhere they go. I take it a woman named Ivy was on the other end of the COMM you had in your ear?”

Jasper raises Luna’s foot, drying it. He moves to the other, and she obeys his quiet command to lift. “We’re not here to tell you what to do or not do, but getting involved with them is a bad idea.”

“I know. But when you face big bills and few choices, you do what you have to do for family.”

Shayne brushes her hair out with a large comb he finds in a drawer. Everything is brand new and fresh for the member’s use. I grab another comb and set to work on the other side. The faster we finish, the faster we get the diamonds.

“After we get this done, we’ll talk about bills, your sister and why you didn’t come to us when shit started going sideways for you. You didn’t have to steal from us.”

“I didn’t know who my mark was until I was three feet in front of you. But okay. Let’s find something for me to wear and I’ll take you to them.”

I love watching steel resolve solidify in her gray gaze. She’s going to need it for what comes next.

Twelve

Luna

“It’s right here.”

The club has grown quiet with all the key bearers gone home or retired to a room. Neon lights bathe the gleaming floor in greens and yellow, but I can see my way into the hallway.

All three of my lovers trail close behind me, their gazes on every move I make. Out of mistrust or desire? I wish I knew. It’s not like I’m going to run. Where would I go? Back to Ivy’s? These three spoke as if they knew the crazy thief queen. It would only be a matter of time before they showed up outside Ivy’s penthouse a few blocks from here and demanded she hand me and these diamonds over. I don’t know what made me tell them everything, but it felt good. I no longer feel like I have no options.

I roll up the cuff of my borrowed shirt and reach behind the piece of furniture I tucked the diamonds behind. I pull out the loot. I hold them out to Jasper but he pushes them toward me.

“Hold them for me. I need both my hands.” He pulls weapons out of two shoulder holsters, checks the rounds in the clips before replacing the guns in their places.

Come to find out, they had every intention of spending the night in our Society room and stowed their weapons to comply with Society rules. They didn’t know who they would spend the evening with when they booked the room, but had hopes they would find someone. Voss was quick to let me know they hoped it was me after they saw me walking into the elevator bound for the Society.

I’ve been floating on those words ever since.

Jasper ushers us toward an elevator and Shayne punches the button SB. Sub-basement. I don’t know why, but the hairs on the back of my neck just stood on end. I’m covered in nothing but Jasper’s borrowed shirt since he could grab a fresh one from his apartment a few floors below, no panties and my stilettos are feeling a little tight on my swollen toes. I have a lot of reasons as to why I might be uncomfortable, but the knots in my gut make me think it’s not because of what I’m wearing nor my shoes.

“How well do you know the buyers?”

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