"Then why are you in here?"
Fire races through my veins. I hate this. "Just doing some shopping."
"You shouldn't be in here if she's not for sale."
Nicolette gives him a smile. "My time with him is up tomorrow. Meet me back here, and we can make a deal. Sound good?”
I clench my fists and remind myself I can’t change this. She’s playing a part.
Or is she?
Is she serious? Or is she just trying to get him placated so we can move to the next phase of the plan?
Motherfucker.
I want my brother back. I want justice. I want to end my arrangement with Nicolette so we can move on into a relationship and remove any pretense of togetherness.
I want this over.
“I’ll take you up on that,” the man says to her. He reaches out to touch her.
Fury surges through me and I know right then I’m not only going to hit him, I’m going to fucking kill him. Nicolette flies in front of me and leans in, kissing the man’s cheek.
“Bye for now!” she says, before she pirouettes away in the direction of the talisman.
I grab her hand and walk with her.
“Breathe,” she whispers. “In and out. In and out. You ready?”
“What the fuck was that?”
“Ready.”
We’ve gotten this far. We can’t back down now.
The weight of the dupe is in my pocket. I swallow hard and move with purpose.
We will get this shit done.
I don’t care who the Lyon family is. I don’t care what this talisman is worth. I don’t care about anything but getting what I came here for.
I take the small velvet bag out of my pocket. I grab Nicolette’s hand and slip the bag into it.
It feels as if someone pushed fast-forward on life, because it all happens so quickly.
I release her. I hate that she walks away from me, that she’s walking straight into danger and I can’t be right next to her. If anyone comes between us?—
I turn to the fire alarm.
Nicolette stands in a throng of people. She pushes herself closer and closer until she’s within a few feet of Lyon. He strokes the talisman with one hand and the head of another woman. She’s right there. If she reached out, she could grab it.
I pull the fire alarm.
Nothing happens.
Fuck.
I look back at the alarm in front of me. Is it broken? Rigged?
