Page 87 of Prettiest Little Thief
“Maybe. But she didn’t mention it the last time we visited her.” Lucas wrapped an arm around me and tugged me closer.
The dishes clinked together as Alina came back into the room, setting the tray onto the coffee table. She poured herself a cup and took a seat on the adjacent couch.
“How did you manage to get the keepsake from Davit?” Alina sipped her drink, steam billowing from the mug. Her glasses were perched low on her nose.
I cleared my throat. “It wasn’t easy.” My gaze darted to Lucas, who had a wicked grin on his face. “Anyway, we wanted to make sure it was returned to your family.”
“Did you find what you were looking for?” she asked.
I frowned. “I’m… I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
Alina chuckled and set her cup down. “The jewels.”
Lucas tightened his hold on me. “You knew?”
The elderly woman took the keepsake from the side table, unlocking the relic and pulling out the letters, journal, and portrait. “Of course.” She sifted through the contents. “But what I didn’t mention was I already had them.”
“Mrs. Gregorian, we didn’t know about the jewels until we gave the chest to the person holding my sister-in-law hostage.” I shifted closer. “That’s what he was looking for. We could have died because we had no idea. He thought we took them for ourselves.”
Alina waved a hand. “No matter. You’re alive and well, aren’t you?”
A little twinge of anger sparked in my chest. “If you’ve had them all this time, then why did you want the two million dollars? You could have sold the jewels and been set for the rest of your life.”
She placed everything back into the box and closed the lid. “Why would I do that when the perfect opportunity presented itself? I’m sure I would have eventually sold some of the sapphires or rubies to stay afloat. But now I don’t have to.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lucas seethed.
“I have some of the things that belonged to my ancestral grandmother now. And millions to boot.” She glanced around her house. “Minus some of it.”
Lucas was ready to blow his lid. I gripped his thigh tightly, signaling him to relax. It’s not like we were going to hurt an old lady, whether she messed with us or not.
He was so used to being in charge. So used to being in control.
“And when you die? Alone,” Lucas said through clenched teeth.
Alina shrugged and picked her mug back up from the table. “I’ll probably be buried with all of it.”
Lucas opened his mouth to rip her to shreds verbally, but I shook my head, effectively making him rethink that choice.
“We should be going.” I pushed to my feet and pulled my angry husband up. “We have plans for dinner.”
Alina walked us to the door, Lucas storming out without saying another word. I hung back as he strode toward Evie and Fox.
“He loves you.” She gazed after my husband.
“I know.” I watched him as he slid into the car and slammed the door. “I love him too.”
“You’re a good match for him.” Alina grabbed my hand and pressed a small cold object into my palm. She turned and strode back into her house and closed the door.
What a weird woman.
I glanced down at what she’d placed into my hand. A sapphire gem sparkled in the fading sunlight, and surprise lit up within me.
She had given me one of her ancestor’s jewels. Maybe she felt bad for letting us go into Christian’s domain blindly. Lucas had almost died. And while the gift didn’t make up for the fact I was almost made a widow, it was a start.
I scooted into the backseat of the car next to my husband.
“We got played by an old woman,” Lucas said the moment I closed the car door.
