Page 73 of Torched

“So, now what?” I ask, keeping my voice low to make sure Cristina doesn’t wake up.

We waited for her to fall asleep, one of our guys keeping watch in front of her door to ensure we can talk freely. She’s been trying to stay close, wanting to play nice with everyone and save face, but eventually, she gave up and went to her room. Thank fuck, because after dinner, I was tempted to stab her with my fork.

“Well, there were two stories in the safe deposit box,” Callie explains. “One about a Russian girl finding a key, which I’m pretty sure refers to me and my inheritance. It was a young adult novel, and I’m sure I saw Junior reading it when he was younger. That’s not it.”

“Besides, you’re twenty-five now. Cristina will never be able to claim your inheritance now,” Jeremy adds. We’re all sitting around the firepit in the big yard, nursing a drink of our choice. Which means whiskey for them and wine for me. I still don’t feel like I can relax with Cristina around, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to dull my senses too much.

Callie nods. “The other one was about a ballerina. It was a picture book, and the drawings reminded me of one of the paintings at home.”

“New York home?” I ask.

“No, Granada,” she replies, referring to the home she lived in last before she and her mother moved to the States. “We had a painting of a ballerina hanging above the fireplace. I always loved it when I was a kid.”

“Do you think they are connected?” Liam’s voice slides into my ear, his breath warming my skin.

“I know they are connected,” Callie rebukes. “We went to the house.”

“You broke in?” I wouldn’t put it past her, but I doubt Kane will let Callie break and enter, knowing there is a chance she’ll have to run from the cops while being pregnant.

“No, smartass over here just rang the doorbell and told them she used to live there.” Kane chuckles with a proud look. We volley a few looks over and back, all a little surprised at Callie’s boldness.

“It worked, didn’t it?” she counters with a tiny glare. “They let me in, and luckily, they rented it completely furnished. The painting was still there. So, my billionaire husband over there…” She cocks her head with a smile.

“Paid two grand for an old stuffy painting.”

“Of course you did,” Liam mumbles with a smile, then coughs under his breath, “Pussy.”

“Don’t even start with me, brother.” Kane pins him down, giving me a side-eye, and Liam just laughs, planting a kiss on my cheek.

“But behind the painting was a letter,” Callie says with a knowing look.

“Let me guess. It was from Loranne Almos,” Jeremy cuts in.

“Yup.”

“So, Loranne is definitely still the one we need,” I add.

“Yeah, there is a good chance she knows more, but Cristina is right. She’s nothing more than a vegetable. I doubt her hired help will let us go around her house, so we need to do it when they are out. Preferably draw as little attention as possible, because these islanders are pretty protective of each other.”

“Do we even know what we’re looking for? I hardly believe she’ll have a diamond worth two million just sitting in her bookcase or something.” The woman might not be able to speak, but I’m pretty sure Frank wouldn’t have made it easy if this is a diamond that a lot of people would want to get their hands on.

“Gen is right,” Liam agrees.

“I know. That's why we need to search the entire place.” Callie looks at Kane, silently pleading, but he instantly shakes his head with a firm expression.

“No chance in hell, baby girl.”

“Come on! This is my family. I don’t want to sit this out,” she pouts.

“And you are my family! The both of you!” He huffs, quiet enough to not be heard in the main house. “You are not breaking and entering while carrying my child. Oreveragain, for that matter.”

“What do you meanever?You don’t get to tell me what to do!”

“Yeah”—Kane just tilts his head, unimpressed—“I do, baby.”

“You’re being ridiculous!”

“He’s right, Callie.” My words grant me an angry look from her, but I’m not going to take it back. I know she never backs out from an adventure, or challenge, but we can’t risk anything happening to her and the baby. I offer her a coy smile as a peace offering. “We need to be smart about this. Liam and I will go.”

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