Page 11 of The San Marco Heist

And her protests of “I’m sorry, but you can’t—” which were cut off by a squeal, were even worse.

The game was legal as far as I knew. No money went to the house, no obvious drugs, and the eye candy watching hadn’t offered themselves to anyone. For all intents and purposes, it was nothing more than a game between friends. So it wasn’t law enforcement.

Two of the guys who’d been plastered to the walls reached under their jackets, but not fast enough.

Three armed men in clown masks barged in, handguns drawn. The latex masks covered their entire heads, each sprouting different colored hair—red, green, and blue.

“This is not a robbery,” growled the one with the red hair to the men easing their hands from where their pistols were no doubt concealed. “We’ll be in and out before you miss five minutes of your lives.”

Green hair continued, as he and blue hair trained their sights on Emmett and me. “You two are coming with us.”

We hadn’t seen each other since last fall. Both received invites to a private game in New York when we happened to be close enough to make it. Less than twenty-four hours after we were both at the Maguire party. No way it was a coincidence.

“Mind if we finish out this hand?” I said, ordering my body and voice to remain calm, despite the gun inching closer to my face. “I’ve got a big bet riding on it.”

Green hair stomped around the table and jabbed the gun against the side of my head.Thanks for showing me you’re the one with the temper. “Our boss wants to talk to you.”

“Anyone interesting?”Shut up, Malcolm. This isn’t your dad you’re talking back to.

Emmett’s hands raised and he bowed his head. “I’m pretty sure you don’t want to do this.”

Red’s gun swept across the room, ensuring no one moved. If there were cameras on the table, it was capturing them. Would they have a panic button? Would the hostess have alerted someone on her tablet?

More importantly, if anyone came in response to a distress call, would it result in rescue or bloodshed?

Probably the latter.

I lifted my hands and leaned away from the gun, but Greenie followed the movement. “I’m coming. You with me, Emmett?”

“May as well.” He shot me the wink he always did when we were about to get in trouble. “My sister only warned me against getting arrested. Anything else is fair game.”

Greenie moved fast, smashing the butt of his gun into the side of Emmett’s head, knocking him to the floor.

“Jesus fucking—” Emmett’s hand flew up to his head and when it came away, there was blood on his fingertips. He blinked slowly, as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“This is not a joke!” shouted the clown, cocking his arm for another. “Move your ass! Now!”

“Okay, okay.” I eased from my seat and helped Emmett up, steadying him when he closed his eyes and swayed.

The other two continued watching the room, guns swiping back and forth, ensuring no one got any smart ideas.

I should have stayed in Boston.

Chapter 5

Scarlett

Laughterfilledmykitchen.Kelley wiped her eyes, taking deep breaths before finishing the story about her husband’s barbecue mishap the night before. “And he just shrugged at me. Eyebrows singed, the fire extinguisher stuff covering the deck, and all the man does is shrug!”

I pulled the baked brie out of the oven, the scent of warmed maple syrup overwhelming my senses. Add in the blueberries surrounding it and some seedy crackers on the dining room table connected to the kitchen, and my mouth was watering. “Good thing you’re here tonight, then.”

“That calls for the Sortilege!” Jenn hopped out of her chair and grabbed the bottle of maple whiskey to pour us all a couple of fingers. The flush on her cheeks from the first glass of wine practically glowed against her pale skin and dirty-blond hair.

“Water for me,” said the very pregnant Kelley as she pushed her springy black coils back from her face. “With ice. Little man’s like a portable oven.”

“I’ll take hers.” Heather held out her glass, already halfway to too much.

Jenn poured, and I placed the brie at the end of the table with the other snack bowls.

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