“How soon do you need the ring?”
“I need to leave with it today since the wedding will be tomorrow, if I can get everything I need arranged in time.”
Brenda’s eyes widened. “Goodness. So, you will need both an engagement ring and wedding bands?”
“Yes.”
She started putting back some rings she pulled out and I frowned. “Well, since there is not time for adjustment, your selection will be limited.”
“What about that one?” I pointed to a glimmering diamond, but Brenda shook her head.
“Unfortunately, that one isn’t readily available. It would need to be made to order for her size, but I’ll bring you some more from the back.” She lifted her head. “Amy? Can you assist these clients while I run to the back?”
A brunette bounced up beside her with an enormous smile on her face. Her eyes looked like little money symbols in my mind as she assessed my clothes.
Brenda’s brow furrowed. “These gentlemen are shopping for the woman in their life, but I’m having a hard time finding a ring in a size eight readily available.”
“Remember that lady who didn’t like the—”
“Oh, my goodness, how could I have forgotten. Sir, we may have something perfect. If you could sit tight, I just have to run to the safe in the back and grab it.”
Brenda scrambled to be back, which was good because my patience was at its end. I had other places to be, and this whole process was taking too long.
She came back quickly and preened. “Here it is. The band itself has two different diamonds in it, totaling 1.94 carets. What do you think?”
I looked down and saw a most perfect diamond ring. It was like it had been made for my littlemalishka.I couldn’t wait to slide it onto her finger.
“It looks like a crown,” Roman’s hushed voice was full of awe.
“It’s perfect,” I mumbled, unable to take my eyes off the band for Sloane.
“Great! I’ll have Amy wrap it up for you.”
ALEXIE
Alexie
After we got the rings, we headed five minutes down to Fifth Avenue, although it was more like fifteen minutes because of all the traffic, which didn’t even include the time it took us to find parking. That in itself was an epic quest.
When we finally arrived at the bridal boutique, the manager came out to greet us. She looked surprised.
“Sir, do you have an appointment?”
“No, but my fiancé needs a dress, and my son tells me this is the best dress shop in all the East Coast.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but you’ll have to make—”
Before she could finish that thought, I had my Glock out in my hands. “I’m going to level with you. I didn’t want to do this, but my woman needs a dress, and I need it today. We will not rob you. Money is something I have plenty of, and I will pay you for your time. We will be in and out. As we walk, I’ll tell you about my bride-to-be.”
“O-okay,” she stammered with her hands in the air.
I stepped behind her and pressed my gun into her back. “Act natural.”
She took us into the back while I told her about Sloane and her pregnancy. Roman had her size already, and the manager showed us a row of dresses.
“I think she would benefit from choosing something from this A-line rack. I believe your son will find something there quickly.”
Roman was sifting through the dresses and vetoing them, but then to my surprise, the manager seemingly forgot she was a hostage and shifted into full-on sales mode, pointing out why Roman shouldn’t be passing over some of the dresses he did. She barely flinched when she bumped my gun as she explained why certain gowns would look good on Sloane’s body, which wasn’t fully rounded out with our child yet, but was heavier in certain places, like her breasts.