Page 83 of Devil's Claim

He was drinking coffee from a large mug, the scent I’d once loved now becoming nauseating. Was he really just going to drop the bombshell and clam up?

“Talk to me, Kruz.”

“You wanted to know the truth. I gave it to you.”

I sucked back tears that I knew had nothing to do with Malcolm. Lightheaded, I closed my eyes briefly, struggling to find one good thing about the man who’d treated both me and my son so horribly. I should feel something. Right?

Grief?

Remorse?

Anger?

What I honestly felt was cold. “Tell me why. I’m obviously nothing more than a business arrangement. I don’t know why I thought differently since you used me to get into that party. So why?”

“Who are your parents, Christine? Why are you estranged from them?”

“My God. Are you trying to turn this around on me?”

“No, I’m looking for answers as to why the relationship went south and also why it is you know so much about the diamond exchange business.”

I’d never been a very good liar, although over the last few years, I’d gotten much better at it. “I already told you.” While I was able to look him straight in the eyes, I felt heat rising on my face.

Kruz studied me as he’d done a hundred times, only there was a marked difference that I couldn’t pinpoint. He slid his mug across the island on the other side, taking a deep breath. “Your father was arrested in June two thousand and eighteen for diamond smuggling. To be specific for conflict diamonds,rough-cut diamonds not regulated by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a requirement within the United States. But you already knew that. Didn’t you?”

As soon as I’d blurted out my limited knowledge on buying and selling precious jewels, my instinct had told me I was an idiot.

“However, the charges were dropped and for the life of me, I couldn’t find out why, although he obviously has friends in some very powerful places. Maybe law enforcement. Maybe the mafia. What was discovered was that one of his friends is Malcolm’s father. Their friendship goes way back to the early days when Skyler Worthington owned his first jewelry store and your father was a renowned gemologist.”

Sighing, I looked away, but at this point there was no reason to lie. “That’s true.”

“Something changed as they both became successful. Skyler went on to building a highly lucrative diamond exchange business utilizing dozens of contacts he’d made all throughout the world. Your father was right by his side overseeing acquisitions, both men becoming extremely wealthy.”

All I could do was nod. He had it all figured out.

“But as with so many powerful organizations, greed does come into play. I assure you I’m not making fun of what your father and his buddy tried to achieve. All you need to do is to look around you; I’m a product of the desire for more power and money myself. But sometimes, even the most powerful, ruthless men can make mistakes. With conflict diamonds, they realized they were missing a significant amount of money that was left on the table because of regulations so they bypassed them.”

“Why are you telling me what you obviously figured out I already know?” I asked.

“Because I want to know everything there is about you. It’s a requirement since we will be married.”

I resisted lashing out at him. I didn’t have the energy at this point. “Fine. Go on. I’m curious what you know.” At least I felt stronger, more resilient than I had the night before.

“This is the guessing part. I’m assuming someone, maybe an undisclosed and likely foreign entity offered Skyler and your father Thomas an even more lucrative, exclusive deal. Your father had an innate ability, a keen set of senses envied by other gemologists. He could determine if a rough-cut diamond was worth top dollar.”

I closed my eyes. “My father was brilliant at what he did. Unfortunately, he didn’t realize or didn’t admit that he was getting into bed with some disturbing individuals.”

“Yes, an operation that over time expanded into various countries including Morocco. They are dangerous and cutthroat, the leader, Jamal Fassi a loose cannon. Especially since he had close to a billion dollars of diamonds stolen from him.”

“It sounds like you know these people.” I found myself inching closer, a strange set of vibrations coursing through me.

“I do.” His eyes flashed. “The men who forced me to your apartment were soldiers for Fassi.”

“And the organization you work for stole the diamonds from him?”

“Yes, and no.” He laughed. “Call it a moment of weakness, but we turned them over the authorities.”

I wasn’t expecting that. A laugh bubbled to the surface. “You’re kidding me?”

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