Page 5 of Steal a King (Five Kings 2)

Lucas

Now she’s here I’m not sure this was such a good idea. The woman looks fucking terrified and who can blame her? Ryder’s plan is not sitting well with me, but this is our only hope. She’s our only hope and so as his men shove her into the room, I’m the fucking idiot that’s left to pick up the pieces.

Ryder says in his usual husky voice, “Sorry about this, darlin’, I’ll leave it to Lucas to fill you in on the reason you’re here.”

He turns to me and says darkly, “I’ll be in touch.”

As I watch him walk away, I feel the frustration tearing me up inside. Great, he gets to go, leaving me wallowing in a shit bath. He reaches the girl and whispers something in her ear and she bites her lip and blushes, shuffling on her feet, looking as if she is about to hurl herself through the floor to ceiling windows.

As the elevator door closes, I swear my last nerve follows him and I say tersely, “You should sit down.”

I wave to the seat by the huge fireplace and pour her a glass of brandy because she is going to need the whole bottle by the time I’ve finished with her.

She stands rooted to the spot and says nervously, “I think there’s been a mistake.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I don’t think I’m the one you’re looking for.”

“I think otherwise, now sit.”

My voice is curt and angry and to her credit she doesn’t move a muscle and if anything takes a step backward toward the elevator.

“If you think you can escape, think again. That elevator runs on my command.”

I wave the phone in the air and say bluntly, “The quickest way out of here is when I say so and I’ll only agree when you tell me what I need to know, so take a seat, listen to what I have to say and give me what I need and then I’ll arrange a ride home for you personally.”

I hold out the glass and she eyes it suspiciously. “Relax, there’s nothing in it but the alcohol needed to settle your nerves. Now, I haven’t got all day and it’s in your best interests to hear me out so we can get on with our day.”

She nods and moves slowly toward me but waves the glass away with a terse, “I’m good thanks.”

I place it on the table beside her. “You may change your mind about that.”

“I won’t.”

She sits straight backed in her chair and looks as if she may snap at any moment.

“So, why am I here?”

Taking the seat on the other side of the fireplace, I open my hand and the look on her face when she sees the gold coin tells me we’ve hit the jackpot. She recognizes it.

“What can you tell me about this?”

She shifts a little on her seat and I watch her lower lip tremble and find it strangely fascinating to watch. Come to think of it, I’m having a hard time shifting my eyes from her because from the moment she stepped into the room, something shifted inside me. There is something enticing about this woman. Her hair is long and held back in a ponytail and her eyes are the deepest green. Her lips, that she appears to like the taste of, are plump and red and her figure would be the ruin of any man. She must be around 5ft 8 in flats and her long legs taper to a slim waist that disappears under a short denim skirt. Just dragging my eyes to that face is difficult enough because the tight t-shirt she’s wearing certainly leaves nothing to the imagination.

Once again, she bites her lip and says nervously, “What do you want to know?”

“What can you tell me about it?”

“Not much.”

Leaning forward, she says softly, “May I?” She reaches for the coin and as she takes it, my fingers brush against hers and she pulls them back quickly and says, “Is there a problem with it, it’s just that, well, I don’t do refunds?”

I can tell she’s agitated, scared even, and I say roughly, “So, you made it.”

“Yes.” I see the concern in her eyes. There’s something bothering her, and she says quickly, “I can offer you a credit against future purchases, but I’m afraid I no longer have the money.”

She is trying so hard to keep control but I see the tears in her eyes and so I lean back and say harshly, “Who asked you to make this?”

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