I half stood, leaning over the coffee table, and punched him in the arm. Leo was literally the only person in the world who would get away with speaking to me like that. “I’m showing her what a man with experience can do in bed.”
Leo didn’t know that, so far, I’d barely touched her. He’d want to know why, and I couldn’t give him an answer for that.
Leo grimaced. “Isn’t it weird getting Harvey’s leftovers, especially now he’s...you know.”
My brother couldn’t even say the word ‘dead’.
“According to her, Harvey never fucked her. Apparently, they were saving themselves to be married.”
Leo burst out laughing. “She must be fucking with you. Since when did Harvey ever save himself? He’s shagged everything from Lands’ End to John O’Groats.”
I shrugged. “That’s what I thought, too, but she insists it’s true, and from the look on her face when I suggested that the only reason he never screwed her was because he was too busy with other women, I believe her. Plus, she doesn’t exactly seem...experienced.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Not experienced? You don’t think she’s still a virgin?”
“Yeah, I’d say she is.”
“Fucking hell, mate. If her first time is with you, you’re going to traumatise her. Have you told her you’re a total fucking perv?”
He grinned at me, and while I knew he was only teasing, I thought there was probably some truth in that.
“She’ll find out soon enough.” My thoughts flitted to her naked in the bath. I shook myself free of the thought and turned my mind to business. “Anyway, I’m here to talk about the pick-up last night. We need to figure out who screwed us over.”
“It could be anyone. How many different hands did the money pass through?”
“Too many. But the real questions are, who knew about the money, and who had the opportunity? I think we need to take a trip to Estonia and have a chat with the men at the other end of the supply chain.”
Leo shook his head. “It wouldn’t be them. They’d have to have a death wish to pull off a stunt like that. They’d know we’d go straight back to them, and anyway, what would be the benefit in them keeping their own forged money when they can just make more of it?”
Leo had a point. The forged money was only worth something if you had suitable businesses you could clean it through. Why steal back what they had already sold when they could simply print more?
“Okay,” I said, slowly, “so it’s most likely not them, but it could be someone they’re working with. They must have used transport to get the money onto the ship. I want to know who that was.”
“Agreed. We can book a plane today and go over there.”
“I’ve asked Sly to come, too.” I picked up my drink and took a sip, the booze burning a fiery path down my throat. “I figured the more the merrier.”
I set the cut-crystal glass containing the amber liquid down on the coffee table in front of me. Our father might not have done anything about Harvey’s murder, but I wasn’t going to just sit back and allow people to rip us off as well.
He nodded in agreement. “Good idea. What are you going to do with your new fiancée, though? How’s she going to react to you leaving for a few days?”
I should be happy to be free of her, shouldn’t I? Yet, somehow, it also felt like time wasted.
“How about we bring the girls with us? They can shop and do their own thing while we deal with business.”
Leo pursed his lips and shrugged. “Guess that’s all right with me.” He leaned back slightly and shouted, “Jodie, baby. You fancy taking a trip?”
No response came, but then footsteps tapped down the hallway, and Jodie entered the room. I could understand why my little brother was so smitten. Jodie was petite but curvy, with long blonde hair and a chest that looked like it should have cost a fortune down at Harley Street, but, according to Leo, was all natural. Anyone who judged her by her appearance would be entirely wrong. Jodie Squires had a degree in biochemistry and was now studying for her master’s.
Leo’s girlfriend-soon-to-be-wife gave me a cautious smile. “Hi, Tam.”
I slung my arm across the back of the sofa. “All right, Jodie.”
She gave me a tight smile and then stepped in behind Leo to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his cheek.
I’d never thought Leo would be the kind to settle down. He was only twenty-five, and in my eyes far too young for it. I hadn’t made any effort to disguise my feelings on the matter, and I knew Jodie didn’t appreciate that. Leo had been a player since he was a teenager, and somehow, the moment Jodie had walked into his life, a switch had been flicked and he suddenly had no interest in any other woman.
“What was that about a trip?”