Page 19 of Empire of Ache & Ruin

“Are you sure?” Dad mirrors me, standing when I stand.

“Yes, Dad.” I kiss his cheek. “Have a good day at the office.”

“Good luck,” he calls after me.

As soon as the dining room door closes behind me, I bolt toward the grand staircase. If that necklace is not wrapped up in my sheets or the dress, I don’t know what I will do. I shove my bedroom door open and dart toward the bed. The timbers in the fireplace make the room unbearably stuffy. But I don’t stop to open the French doors.

When the bed produces no results, I move on to the dress lying neatly on the vanity chair. It has no pockets. But it has enough layers to catch a piece of jewelry. I plop myself on the floor and spend five minutes going through every inch of the fabric and come back empty. I check the closet next. But with every passing moment I realize it’s not in my room. I know it’s not, but I can’t stop searching in hopes that it will magically appear. I even go across the way to search Dad’s room. Though that makes no sense. I was the one who had the necklace last.

It’s gone. It’s really gone.

Omigod.

Tears brim my eyes, and this time, I can’t contain them. I fucked up. I fucked up big time. I lost my mother’s most precious jewelry, and with it, Dad’s only way to get the mob off his back. They threatened to kill him. I sob, muffling my cries with my hand. What am I supposed to do now? That diamond can be anywhere right now.

I stand in the middle of the hallway, retracing my steps. And in the end, I can only come up with one name. Archer. He was in my room last night. Though, why would he take it when he can simply pay money for it? It couldn’t be him, could it? My eyes flutter closed as images of his hand sliding over my sex flash in my mind. The same needy desire that consumed me when he was here in the flesh burns through me again.

“Stop,” I mumble to myself and head for Chuck’s room.

I’m angry at him for no reason. Or maybe I do have a reason. He brought Archer into our lives. I could’ve spent the rest of my life not seeing that man again. Now I have to endure his presence next week, and the possible embarrassment of having to ask if he saw me wearing the necklace when I came in the room and found him standing there.

I push Chuck’s door open and walk up to the bed. “Chuck.” I shove his shoulder.

“Water,” he mumbles.

“You missed breakfast with Dad.” I amble to his chest of drawers and pour water into a glass. “Sit up.” I wait until he slowly comes up and put the glass in his hand.

He chugs the whole thing, then lies down again. “I’m sure he’ll live.”

“Are you okay?” I sit on the edge of the mattress. “Last night?—”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He opens one eye, a charming smile pulling at his lips. “I didn’t mean to be rude to you. And in front of Archer, no less. He must think I’m an asshole.”

“Well, you can be.” I grin.

“True.” He grabs my hand. “Do you forgive me?”

“Yes.” I release a breath and shift my weight toward him. “Do you remember if I had Mom’s necklace before you came upstairs.”

“Everyone saw you wearing it. Don’t worry.” He pulls the sheets over his shoulder. “Archer couldn’t stop looking at it.”

“I didn’t notice.” Of course I noticed.

But I’m certain Archer wasn’t looking at the huge rock on my clavicle. He was looking at the woman who conned him out of ten thousand dollars.

He chuckles. “Sure you didn’t. You don’t have to pretend with me,” he mostly says to his pillow. “All the women like him. It’s one of his gifts. All the women he can possibly want. All at his disposal.”

“Really?”

I don’t doubt Chuck’s words. I have first-hand experience of what Archer can get from a woman. With his wealth and his good looks, I can see why women would be throwing themselves at him. In my defense, I didn’t throw myself at him. He came into my bedroom. The question is, if he went looking for me to get what he had paid for, why leave me hanging?

“Don’t take him from me,” Chuck mumbles.

“What?” I squint at him.

“I saw you two making eyes at each other. He’s my best friend, Paloma. He’s my only friend. If you make him fall in love with you, what am I going to be left with?”

“Are you still drunk?” I laugh and pat his head. “I can’t make him fall in love with me. That’s not a thing.”

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