“I didn’t need you to convince me to help,” I told them both mildly.
“I believe in incentives.” Ilya picked up another piece of pineapple. “Quite an enticement…?”
“Not really. Do you know how many rubies I’ve looked at since we found out about the Anjou set? I don’t even like them. Plus, there’s no guarantee they’ll be in that collection.”
“Agreed, but it’s likely. My mother’s jewels came from the same source as Sofia’s, after all. My grandfather passed down the position of Krestniy Otets to my uncle?—”
“I didn’t know that.”
Taube tsked. “Imagine that. You not knowing something.”
She smirked at my glower, but Ilya continued, “—and ancient royal families obsessed my grandfather when he wasn’t plotting to bring down the USSR. What kind of piece are you looking for? A necklace? Ring?”
“Necklace.”
“Now, how the fuck did you know that?” I snarled at Taube.
“I have a death wish. Duh.”
“You’d better be an ally, Taube, or I’ll?—”
“You’ll what? Put me out of my misery? Ha! Please. Do.” She sniffed before taking a sip of coffee. “We’re all friends here, Stan.”
“Until we’re not,” Ilya inserted. “How did you know that?”
Disapproval?
Even stranger, Taube blushed at Ilya’s demand.
“I overheard them talking last night.” She jerked her thumb at me. “Can I help it that my ears are sensitive and their voices carry? You both orgasm really loudly, by the way.”
“A ruby necklace…” Ilya carried on like Taube hadn’t brought up my sex life. “Mother had several. Mostly gaudy, some older than others. Once she’s free from my half-brother’s dominion, I’ll be sure to send you whatever she has in her personal vault.”
“I’d appreciate that.” I kept my tone formal but not altogether hopeful.
By this point, I knew we’d come across the Anjou rubies—it wasdistinu.
The sound of heels clicking in the hallway gave away another’s presence. When Sofia popped up, her eyes brightened at the sight of us.
“My three favorite saviors.”
Taube crowed, “That’s me. JesusT.Christ.”
Sofia slipped into a seat at the head of the table. “You blaspheme better than anyone I know, Cin.”
“The clue’s in the name.”
Gradually, Dmitri appeared too, leaving only Kitty in bed. Conversation remained remarkably light among us, but I was under no illusion.
The real puppeteer behind this whole meeting still waited to speak with me.
When, eventually, Sofia, Dmitri and Taube drifted away as I expected, Sofia departing with a warning that she wanted tosay goodbye to me before I left so not to shoot off, Ilya and I remained behind.
“My cousin’s generosity is notorious in my family. She was often beaten for it.”
Calmly, I sipped my Americano. “A man who beats his child is no man at all.”
“On this we agree. But a life debt is a curious thing. Gems are no true repayment.”
