“Maybe I will.” She winked. “You and I are going to have a grand adventure.”
“If we survive. Even though my enemies got their hands on the key, if they find out I’m alive, they might come after me.”
“Yay.” She clapped her hands. “I love a challenge. Don’t you?”
He eyed her and shook his head. “There is something seriously wrong with you.”
“I prefer to think of it as seriously right. Now, let’s discuss this supposed treasure. According to my briefing, the story claims it’s some kind of magical spell to turn a monster into a human. Sounds fascinating.”
He snorted. “And obviously not true. That kind of magic doesn’t exist.”
She arched a brow. “If you don’t believe, then why are you chasing after it?”
“For the same reason archeologists look for tombs and mummies.”
“Gold!”
He shook his head. “Wrong again. The true value will be in its history. The age of it. The fact it’s unique. I have buyers who will pay big bucks to get their hands on whatever it is just to claim they own it.”
“You’re just going to sell whatever we find to the highest bidder?”
“What else would I do with it?”
What else indeed… “What if I told you I knew someone who would pay you enough you could retire richly for life.”
“I’d say, how much?”
She quoted a ridiculous number that in the grand scheme of the Pride’s finances wasn’t all that much.
His eyes widened. “That would work if you’re not shitting me.”
“How about I give you a third now, as a measure of good faith. Then the rest when you help us find it.”
“What if we can’t or it’s gone?”
“You still keep that third.”
He thought about it for a moment. Then nodded. “Deal.”
“Awesome. I guess the next step is arranging a flight. Where to, partner?”
“Only once I see the money.”
He wouldn’t budge on that point. Meaning, she had to bring him a disposable phone with data access, which he could use to verify she’d indeed deposited the money into his account. Only then did he show her the encrypted images of the book stored in the cloud Melly still couldn’t access.
Nora scrolled through the images, unable to read the text but able to follow along looking at the pictures. It helped that he gave her an abbreviated version of the tale.
By the time they finished the story, which he’d had translated in pieces that he meshed together, she found herself pensive.
Also slightly shocked. It took her a moment to say, “The story in your book is slightly different than the one I heard about.”
“Because there are several versions in circulation.”
Which made her wonder which one was true, because, in Peter’s copy, instead of the questing monster being turned into a man, the tsarina became a beast.
Chapter Nine
“There are two versions of the story?” Nora blinked in surprise.
“Yeah.” Actually, more than two, according to his research.
“How is it you know about them? How did you even come across the book at all?”
“By accident.” At her inquiring gaze, Peter explained. “I learned about it because of a job.” He launched into the tale, because after all, why not?
It helped she listened raptly, and maybe it was time to remove some of the secrecy around it. After all, if he was going to die, someone should know the truth.
“I was actually playing it straight at the time. Working as a bartender at night, taking welding classes by day.” What he didn’t add was that life sucked. It consisted of work, study, sleep.
“Sounds like you were busy.”
“My sister kept telling me it would be worth the effort. Nagged about the fact I was well past the age I should have smartened up and settled down.” It should be noted, he didn’t have a problem living the criminal life. It was the cops and his sister that interfered with it.
“Ugh. You too? I swear since my sisters all got married and pregnant that’s all I hear. Christmas holidays. ‘When you gonna get engaged?’ New Year’s. ‘Single again?’” She grimaced.
“You don’t want a boyfriend?”
“Are you applying?”
“No.” Although he was attracted to her. Problem being, he had no idea if it was reciprocated. It would really be easier if girls got boners so boys could tell.
“Good because I like being single. I never want to settle down. Diapers and dishes. Staying home and being blah.” She expressed his sentiments exactly.
“Right? Like I know some people love the whole ‘let’s stay home and raise a family together’ shit, but personally, I’d rather run a fun con or smuggle in some crab.”
“You’ve smuggled shellfish?” She blinked at him.
“Once. Those bastards are creepy at night.” Not to mention, he would have sworn he’d seen faces in the waves when the boat docked with its illegal load. Feminine with flowing hair and beckoning smiles.
“I see the file I read on you only listed some of your talents.”
Wait, she’d read a file? “What else did it say?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Her gaze dropped to a spot below his buckle, and he might have shifted, more to hide his growing erection.
Damn but the woman affected him. Every fucking time she walked into a room, his hormones ran wild.
“I thought you wanted to know about the two books I found.”
“Please, tell me more.” She waved a hand, her graciousness giving him permission to speak.
“An old friend approached me at work and said he knew of someone looking for a man with my skills for a job.”
“And you said yes.”
“Yeah.” Despite knowing his sister would be pissed. “I couldn’t resist. Going after the book wasn’t just about the money.”
“But also the adventure.” She nodded. “I get it. Why do you think I love my job?”
“What exactly is your job?”
“Pretty much anything I want. Sometimes it’s espionage. Acquisition. A few on grand scales,” she boasted. “I’ve bodyguarded and kidnapped.”
“Wait, kidnapped?”
“Don’t worry. They deserved it.”
Which didn’t explain shit but did make him see her in a different light. “Ever killed someone?” he asked.
“Have you?” she countered.
“Only once. When I was doing time. It was shank or be shanked.”
“You got caught. That’s sloppy.”
“That’s my luck.”
“I’d say your luck is pretty good if you only got caught once.”
“It’s been close a few times.” Too close. More reason why he should retire, and yet he couldn’t leave the adrenaline behind. The beating he’d suffered was already fading in memory, meaning he’d probably act stupid again.
“So the book,” she said, drawing him back to the present. “You were hired to find it. Meaning someone knew it existed and what it contained.”