“I’ll think about it, if that’s okay…”
“Really, it’s just a stone important to certain… individuals. Nothing more,” he insists, a spark of crazed determination flashing in his eyes.
A shiver creeps down my spine. But Niko is right next to me, and as if he can sense my tremble, he squeezes my hand encouragingly.
“Drop it, Isi. Let Tommy think about it first. It’s his stone.”
I nod, squeezing Niko’s hand back.
“Twenty-five million each. Fifty total. This gem means the world to me.”
Fifty fucking million dollars?My jaw drops to the floor for the second time in the last ten minutes. I can’t believe my ears. Holy shit, this guy is insane. Even Niko goes still at the sum his friend is offering. There is definitely something fishy going on here—this can’t only be an heirloom. I don’t doubt the fact that it carries some personal significance to Isidoro, I can see that in the way his demeanor has changed, but it’s not the sole reason he wants it so much.
“Wow. You really want it, don’t you? Why?” I challenge, tucking the gem safely back inside my pocket.
Isidoro bares his teeth at us like an animal, looking like he’s about to lunge at me and take the gem by force. Niko reacts immediately, swooshing in front of me and placing a hand protectively on my ribs.
“Isidoro,” he growls, every letter punctuated. “Get a grip, or things might get ugly.”
This halts Isidoro, who first looks confused, then seems to catch himself and what he was about to do. Clearing his throat, he pats away invisible dust from the luxurious fabric of his shirt, then crosses his hands behind his back and smiles. “My sincerest apologies, friends. This gem belonged to someone very dear to me before the Crew killed them and stole it. I wish to have it back, so they can rest peacefully.”
Okay. This sounds plausible. Explains his willingness to buy it from us for so much, too. Still… Something rubs me the wrong way. I can’t explain what it is, but it’s there, hanging in the air, living in the shadows at the corners of the room, nudging me in the gut to take a step back and reevaluate the facts.
“I understand. But please, give me some time to think it over. We almost died, on multiple occasions, because of this thing. I want to make sure it ends up in the right hands, you know?”
Because, and I hate to even think this considering Isidoro came running when Niko asked him for help, what if he takes the stone and kills us? What if this is a lot more than just an heirloom with sentimental value? What if it’s worth billions instead of the fifty million he’s offering us? Life has taught me to be suspicious by nature, especially when something sounds too good to be true. I mean, not only is he saying he’ll get us new IDs and fly us to Europe, but he’ll also give us a place to live and fifty million on top of that?
Yeah, that kind of stuff doesn’t just fall into the hands of people like me.
Which means…
Something doesn’t add up here.
14
Nikolas
Tommyisquietonthe way to our room, lost in thought. I don’t blame him. I’ve known Isidoro for a long time, and I’ve never witnessed him get so riled up. I understand that the stone is important to him, but still… He’s never before acted this way, no matter what kind of deep shit we were in.
“What are you thinking?” I ask as we enter our room and I close the door. I check it’s locked before I go over to the window and peek outside. Wild jungle sprawls before me, the only giveaway that it’s part of Isidoro’s property the neatly maintained ponds and stone paths.
Tommy plops on the fluffy couch opposite the window, sighing deeply and rubbing his temples. “Your friend is hiding something.”
His apologetic gaze finds me when I glance over my shoulder at him. I nod. “I think so, too.”
It pains me to admit it, but there is something that Isidoro isn’t telling us. And that is a problem. Our relationship is built upon mutual trust, and if we lose that, well, then nothing guarantees Tommy and I are safe here.
“I only saw cameras outside and at the entrance. Nothing inside,” my little spy says, fiddling with the couch’s soft cover.
He’s observant. A quick learner. He soaks up anything I show or mention like a dry sponge craving water.
I lift the snow globe that’s sitting in the left corner of the windowsill and inspect it. Inside it a gothic castle looms over a frozen lake where people are skating. “Isidoro likes his privacy and that of his guests.”
Humming, Tommy bobs his head enthusiastically. “We can use this to our advantage.” He hops up, then joins me at the window. “Let’s find out what he is hiding!”
Warm, soft fingers envelop mine, smaller and slenderer but instilling a sense of belonging within me. “You want to snoop around my friend’s house? Despite the kindness and hospitality he’s shown so far?”
My question causes a line between those cute eyebrows, but the determination across his pretty face doesn’t waver. “Yes. He… doesn’t seem like a bad dude. I like him. But I can’t shake the feeling that something is off.”You and me both.“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to suspect your friend or anything, I just… The last couple of days have been a lot what with us almost dying multiple times.”
