Everything Carol Roth had never known.
Of course, it turned out old Henry was much older than his lover, and already married. But Zane didn’t want to ruin the fairy tale for his mom.
Now, the Phillips-Morley necklace had turned up, and was being offered at auction. And Zane was going to get it for his mom. It was her birthday in a few months.
“Hey, is your fancy, new safe ready yet?” Zane asked Mav.
His friend nodded. “You’re getting one of the first ones. I can have my team install it this week.”
“Perfect.” Mav’s new Riv3000 was the latest in high-tech safes and said to be unbreakable. “I’ll keep the necklace in it until my mom’s birthday.”
Someone called out Liam’s name. With a sigh, their friend forced a smile. “Can’t dodge this one. Simpson’s an investor in my Brooklyn project. I’ll be back.”
“Need a refill?” Zane asked Mav.
“Sure.”
Zane headed for the bar. He’d almost reached it when a manicured hand snagged his arm.
“Zane.”
He looked down at the woman and barely swallowed his groan. “Allegra. You look lovely this evening.”
She did. Allegra Montgomery’s shimmery, silver dress hugged her slender figure, and her cloud of mahogany brown hair accented her beautiful face. As the only daughter of a wealthy New York family—her father was from the Montgomery family and her mother was a former Miss America—Allegra was well-bred and well-educated but also, as he’d discovered, spoiled and liked getting her way.
Her dark eyes bored into him. “I’m sorry things ended badly for us the other month. I was…” Her voice lowered, and she stroked his forearm. “I miss you. I was hoping we could catch up again.”
Zane arched a brow. They’d dated for a few weeks, shared a few dinners, and some decent sex. But Allegra liked being the center of attention, complained that he worked too much, and had constantly hounded him to take her on vacation. Preferably on a private jet to Tahiti or the Maldives.
When she’d asked him if it would be too much for him to give her a credit card of her own, for monthly expenses, Zane had exited stage left.
“I don’t think so, Allegra. We aren’t…compatible.”
Her full lips turned into a pout. “I thought we were very compatible.”
He cleared his throat. “I heard you moved on. With Chip Huffington.”
Allegra waved a hand. “Oh, that’s nothing serious.”
And Chip was only a millionaire. Allegra would see that as a step down. In fact, Zane felt like every time she looked at him, he could almost see little dollar signs in her eyes.
He dredged up a smile. “I wish you all the best, Allegra. Good evening.” He sidestepped her and made a beeline for the bar.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked.
Wine wasn’t going to cut it. It would probably be frowned on to ask for an entire bottle of Scotch. “Two glasses of Scotch, please. On the rocks. Do you have Macallan?”
“No, sorry, sir. Will Glenfiddich do?”
“Sure.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice said over the loudspeaker. The lights lowered. “I hope you’re ready to spend big for a wonderful cause.”
Carrying the drinks, Zane hurried back to Mav and Liam. He handed Mav a glass.
“Let’s do this,” Mav grumbled. “And next time, I’ll make a generous online donation so I don’t have to come to the party.”
“Drinks at my place after I get the necklace,” Zane said. “I have a very good bottle of Macallan.”
Mav stilled. “How good?”
“Macallan 25. Single malt.”
“I’m there,” Liam said.
Mav lifted his chin.
Ahead, Zane watched the evening’s host lift a black cloth off a pedestal. He stared at the necklace, the sapphire glittering under the lights.
There it was.
The sapphire was a deep, rich blue. Just like all the photos his mother had shown him.
“Get that damn necklace, Roth, and let’s get out of here,” Mav said.
Zane nodded. He’d get the necklace for the one woman in his life who rarely asked for anything, then escape the rest of the bloodsuckers and hang with his friends.
I’ll Write You a Check
Monroe
“Lady, you sure you want to get out here?” the cabbie drawled.
My belly turned circles, then curled up in the fetal position. Hell, no.
We were down by the warehouses by the water in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Night was settling over the city and this was not a good place to be. There were no people around, or at least, not nice ones, and there were lots of shadows. Really dark ones.
I shoved money at the man.
“No, but I don’t have a choice.” I climbed out and then gripped the strap of my backpack.
What the hell have you got yourself mixed up in now, Mag?
Fear and anger for my brother warred in my chest.
I was going to find him, get him safe, then smack him around the ears.
I walked along the row of creepy warehouses, looking for Warehouse Seven.
That’s what they’d told me. The eerie, robot voice. My boots echoed on the dirty concrete. I smelled the water, and the scent of something rotting.
Mouth dry, I approached the warehouse. A man stepped out of the shadows. He was big, bulky, and wore a dark suit. He had that blank look that said he’d punch you in the face and not feel bad about it.
He eyed me for a second, then opened the metal door in the side of the warehouse and jerked his head.
A man of no words.
Curbing my nerves, I stepped inside the warehouse. It was dark and appropriately creepy. I lifted my chin and refused to show the fear crawling through my insides.
Ahead, a single bright light sat on a card table, back-lighting the silhouettes of several men in suits.
As I approached, they shifted, and I saw a slimmer figure tied to a chair.
Mag. He was illuminated by a bright light.
“Maguire.” My stomach plummeted.
My brother’s wild, panicked eyes met mine. He had a gag tied around his mouth. He looked tired and stressed, his normally thick, dark hair lank.
Oh, God. The taste of bile surged into my mouth.
I took two steps toward him, but a goon’s arm shot out and stopped me.
My hands balled into fists. I sensed more people shifting in the shadows around me. I made myself take a few deep breaths. Keep it together, Monroe.
There was a man in the shadows right behind Maguire.
“Ms. O’Connor, I’m glad you came.”
The voice had an accent. Russian. Damn you, Mag. Whatever this was, it was really, really bad.
I lifted my chin and swallowed. “I just want my brother.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“You untie him. We go. He won’t bother you again. That’s simple enough.”
I saw a flash of white teeth in the darkness. “He owes me money.”
My nails bit into my palms. I reached for my backpack. “I’ll write you a check.”
I had some savings, for my business, but I had to get Maguire out of this mess.
The shadowed man laughed, and I froze. A shiver had goosebumps breaking out on the back of my neck.