Page 25 of Keep Me (Rebel Hearts Heists 2)
Kronin nods. “??????? ???????! (Many thanks!) That’s it, it was a housewarming party and I gave my friend a small painting as a gift. Casper was there to sell his company to Anatoli but the deal fell through. Casper and I got talking and we signed two contracts: one for the art I’ll provide for his resorts and one for me to help him find buyers for his company. I might have found just the perfect buyer, he’ll be at the party. But the businessman in question is a very private person, so he accepted to meet with Casper only on my yacht.” Van Der Beck looks positively pissed off but nods as if everything were fine and dandy.
The tension at the table could be cut with the proverbial knife, so I try to defuse it by paying Kronin a compliment. It’s a remnant of my relationship with Pierce where I always tried to appease him and keep him calm and it seems to do the trick. “You’re a Jack of all trades, like we say in the US.” Kronin laughs, this time it’s a full belly laugh, his head thrown back.
“Yes, I have my fingers in many cakes, like you Americans say.”
“Pies, we say someone has a finger in many pies,” River offers and the Russian’s gaze hardens again.
“Same difference. By the way, my yacht is full of my art, I would love to show it to you, my muse.” I’m about to nod as I spot the barely there nod from Kaden, but I’m distracted by something incredibly odd.
Our food has just arrived and as our plates are placed in front of each of us, Kronin takes a box of red crayons from the inside pocket of his suit jacket and passes it to Lagi, his massive bodyguard. The massive man opens the box and begins to eat each crayon, I shit you not.
The whole table falls silent as we’re all transfixed by the odd spectacle, until Kronin explains, “Lagi is invaluable not only as a bodyguard but lately as an art materials supplier.”Huh? What the fuck does he mean?Confusion appears on everybody’s face until it turns into disgust when the Russian explains. “Lagi eats the box of crayons and that transfers to my painting materials. I call it ‘shit art’ it’s all the rage lately. People pay millions for it.”
We’re all too stunned to say anything except for River, who in his typical crazy fashion barks out a laugh. “Shit, dude! I wish I’d thought about it before. It’s fucking disgusting but oddly kind of genius!”
