Page 79 of Ravaged
“You can lock this door once I leave,” she said, then she left.
I unclasped the necklace. A hot wave of energy rushed through me. I should have asked her how my necklace was supposed to open the box. How had I worn it around my neck for years, and had no idea that it was a key? My shoulders sagged, tears welling up in my eyes again. Ethan rubbed my back, then took the harp from my hand, and pulled the bottom of the charm until it popped open, showing the grooves for a key.
“How did you know?” I asked. He stared at me. I sighed, then put the harp’s arm into the lock, and opened it. Inside was another container. I pulled it out. Square in shape, gold and turquoise, it looked garish, but it reminded me of something Dad had gotten me a long time ago. Like an old jewelry box for a child. I pulled on the lid, but it stayed put. I pulled again, but nothing moved.
I forced a laugh. “You get all this way, and then…” But I couldn’t finish the sentence. I was too exhausted to speak.
“Is there a lock anywhere?” Ethan asked. He put a hand on my shoulder. “Flip it over.”
On the bottom, a deep inlet was grooved, but it didn’t look like a traditional keyhole. It had an odd shape in the middle with a lot of lines, like ribbing or something. I lifted a brow.
“I’m too tired for this,” I said. Ethan motioned at the harp necklace again and I shook my head. “It’s not a normal lock.”
He took the harp and closed it, then placed it inside of the grooves. Somehow, it fit perfectly. I looked at Ethan.
“Seriously, how did you know?”
“Just open it,” he said. I turned the harp. The lock clicked. I flipped over the box and opened the top.
A diamond, bigger than Ethan’s fist, was inside of it. A pale shade of pink. The gem sent sparkles around the room, making it seem like we were in a fairy tale.
“I must be dreaming,” I said.
“No,” he said, his own voice incredulous. “That’s definitely the Pink Diamond,” he whispered. “He left it in a bank?”
“What do we do with it?” I asked. I didn’t want to keep a diamond that the Midnight Miles Corporationandthe Adlers were after, a pretty rock that would likely get us both killed if we were caught with it.
“Sell it,” Ethan said. “There’s a dumb ass in a pawn shop around here somewhere. They’ll be willing to shelf it.”
“Won’t they get killed for it?”
Ethan shrugged. “Not our problem, is it?”
“Shouldn’t we return it?” I said. “Didn’t you say my dad stole it from Midnight Miles?”
“Your dad died to give you this,” Ethan said. He grabbed my shoulders. “He wantedyouto have it. He stole it, foryou. Maybe he was trying to make up for all of the things he did to you.” Ethan shrugged. “I don’t know. But if we return that diamond to Midnight Miles?” He shook his head. “It’s over. We’ll be dead.”
I sighed. Okay. We had to get rid of it, then. And move on.
“Let’s get you to sleep,” Ethan said, putting an arm around me. “We can deal with it tomorrow. After you get some rest.”
“No,” I said. I locked the box again and tucked it under my arm. At least it didn’t look like I was carrying a million-dollar diamond. It looked like I was carrying quarter machine jewelry, if those even existed anymore. “Let’s get rid of it now.”
We found a pawn shop off of Boulder Highway, which led us to a black market dealer, who gave us a couple hundred thousand for it. It wasn’t a fair trade—the diamond could have fetched a million easily, but as we were tryingnotto bring attention to ourselves, we weren’t picky. It was mid-afternoon by then, but the two of us, having spent the last thirty-six hours wide awake, eating vending machine snacks and fast food, were ready for sleep.
We found a discreet, but decent hotel on the outskirts of the city, where it was no longer technically Las Vegas, but Henderson, a nearby family town that was largely swallowed up by the same tourism. The important part was that the hotel accepted cash.
I closed the curtains and collapsed on the bed, not bothering to kick off my shoes or take off my pants. I was about to fall asleep when I felt my shoes and clothes being eased from my body, Ethan’s coarse hands on my legs.
“When we wake up, I’ll jump your bones,” I mumbled. “But right now, I need—”
“Sleep,” Ethan said, finishing my sentence. “We can dothatwhen you’re ready.” He chuckled. “I’m about to pass out myself.”
Once I was naked, he scooped me up and put me inside of the clean covers, sliding a down pillow under my head. He climbed in beside me, naked too, and kissed my forehead.
“Where to, next?” I asked, my voice sleepy.
“We can figure that out in the morning,” he said. “Your call.”
“You mean it?”
“I do,” he said. “I love you, Tea.”
My heart swelled. Even when I thought I was too exhausted to feel anything, hearing him say those words meant everything to me. Filled me with warmth. With light.
“I love you, Ethan.” Then sleep devoured me in one large gulp, and neither of us stirred until the next morning.
