“Savannah, this is my friend Fabien. Fabien, my sister Savannah. Savannah, Fabien’s sending his team to check in on you.”
We walk quickly down the hall to get to the car I’ve ordered to be brought to us. We have ten minutes to get to security.
I push open the door and step outside into the darkening night. I hold her hand.
“Fabien, thank you,” Savannah says. “Last night, I was being followed by a guy and it scared me so I went to my friend’s house. He tried to take my purse, but I managed to get away. I called the police, and they couldn’t catch him, but I was nervous to go back to my place.”
“Of course you were,” Nicolette says passionately. “Oh you poor thing!”
I open the car door and retrieve the keys, then open her door for her.
She slides in the seat beside me, and I listen to her sister’s details. “I’m glad you’re alright,” I say to Savannah finally.
“Me, too,” Nicolette adds. “Listen, honey, we have a quick job to do and then I’ll call you when I get back, okay?”
“Sounds good. And thanks again.” Savannah clicks off and Nicolette puts the phone down. “I wish she was here. Okay, so let’s go over this again, shall we?” Nicolette asks.
“Yep.”
“We’re going in… disguised. I’ve got the tight-fitting purple thing with those boots that go up the wazoo. We’ve rented a private room so after we make our appearance in the community room, we head to the private rooms. The talisman’s in room number six.”
“Right. Milo’s set it up so that there is no security guard for a ten-minute block.”
“I’ll note the way the talisman’s secured, and you’ll slip the new one in place.”
“And we’ll leave before the next guard comes.”
“With the replicated talisman in place. So where’s the dupe?”
“It was arranged ahead of time and should be right there in the glove compartment. Open it, please.”
She leans over and opens the glove box.
“It’s supposed to be in here? How big is it?”
“It can fit in the palm of your hand.”
I glance over in a panic. Fuck.
There’s nothing there.
“Who was supposed to put it there?”
“One of Thayer’s people.” Cursing under my breath, I hit the button on the car speaker and dial him.
“Was just gonna call you,” he answers. “They didn’t get there in time.”
Right. Of course. We rearranged the time. We weren’t supposed to be leaving until tomorrow morning.
I’m slipping.
I curse under my breath. Somewhere out there, an exact replica of Napoleon’s talisman is in a velvet box.
I need it.
“Plan B?” Nicolette asks curiously. “You think?”
“Yes,” I say in a rushed whisper. “Plan B.”
“We take it and screw?”
No way in hell.
“Are you crazy? You think I’d put you at risk like that? We find Thayer’s assistant and get it now. Show up at The Underground later than planned and take it from there.”
Frowning, she looks at me curiously. “And... how will that change things, do you think?”
“The security detail will be on, for one. So we’ll have to find a way past them. Secondly, we may be more exposed. Not sure it would have made it to the room or if they’ve changed that plan.”
“Exposed… in what way?”
“I’m not sure.” I exhale. “I promise, I won’t let you get hurt.”
“Aw, shucks,” she says with a sidelong glance. “Was kinda hoping things would get a little kinky.”
I have to remind myself not to pull this car over and make things “a little kinky” right now. “You don’t have to worry about that. You have to be my slave, don’t you?”
Nodding, she runs her finger along the window button. She swallows audibly. “I do.”
The vision of her on her knees in front of me, submissive and ready to serve, makes me hard.
“Fabien?”
“Mmm?”
“Where’d you go just now? You were here and then you weren’t, it’s like you didn’t even hear me talking.”
I lower my voice as I grip her knee. “I was focused on what I’d do to you once I got you there.”
“You can’t be serious,” she whispers, pink cheeks and wide eyes betraying how aroused she is by the idea.
“Of course I'm serious. Do you think I would joke about something like that?" I'm going to enjoy every damn minute.
Having her alone. Her obedience and submission. I can do whatever I want to her…
She’ll find out what you did.
I clench my teeth and make myself focus on what I need to do, what has to happen next. I can’t allow myself to lose sight of what’s most important.
We have to get the talisman.
We have to get Lyam.
Nicolette will be mine.
I tell myself, if she knows why I made the choices I have… maybe she’d forgive me.
Or will she fulfill her end of the bargain, take her money, and leave? She isn’t here because she loves me. She’s here because I’ve bought her and will pay her two million dollars. If I handed her that money right now, she’d leave. She’d go back to her sister in the States and I’d never see her again.