Release You

16. The Box with Two Keys

CHAPTER 16

The Box with Two Keys

Henry

Sitting on her heels on the bed, Nikki ran a finger across her lips. The tip of her tongue lingered over her teeth. Her hot blue gaze pierced through my heart, and my cock reacted.

“I fold.” I adjusted the sheets over my waist.

“What? No.” She sounded like a five-year-old who just dropped her ice cream. “I didn’t do anything this time. I didn’t even look at my cards.”

“It’s all over your face, your eyes. You’re practically about to pee your pants you’re so excited. What do you have? A pair?” I reached for her cards and threw them on the pile. “Three of a kind? Again?”

“I’m really good at this game.” She flashed me a smile.

“You really aren’t.”

“What did I do wrong? I chose an emotion, like you said.” She grabbed the cards and shuffled them.

Man, she picked up on that part quick. Nikki truly had a knack for all things illicit .

“Sex is not an emotion.” I chuckled. “You can’t use your Nikki Swift act to win at poker.”

“Well, now I’m out of chips. Give me some of yours.” She reached over. I caught her wrist, and she pouted. “You’re hoarding your chips. No matter what I do, you won’t give them up. Give it.” Her nipples pushed through the thin fabric of her pajama top.

“Five chips for your top.” I pulled at her strap.

“How about five chips for the underwear you ruined last night?” Yanking her arm, she broke loose from my grip and grabbed a handful of chips from my pile.

“I guess I was wrong. You can use your Nikki Swift act to win at poker. You stole all my winnings.”

“What did you think would happen if you got in bed with a thief?” She winked.

“Lucky for me, there isn’t much you can steal from me.” I lay back on the pillow and exhaled.

“I would never steal from you.” Her smile faded.

“Oh yeah?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Well, you know, other than the one time I already stole from you.”

I chuckled. Nikki was here. I had to stop questioning why. A blush rose to her cheeks as her gaze roamed from my lips down to my cock and up again. My blood pumped hot when she looked at me like that. With a sigh, she pushed the chips and cards out of the way and pulled the sheet off me. Heat blasted from my navel up into my chest.

“There’s only one thing I want to steal from you.” She sighed.

“You’ve already stolen my heart.” My hand went up to her breast. I kneaded the firm mound, tugging at her nipple. The dark red circle made my mouth water. “What’s left?”

“I want all of you.” She straddled my legs .

“You have that too, but if you leave again—” I paused as I watched her slip my erection past her lips. “Damn.” I glanced up at the ceiling and saw stars.

I let her work me up and tease that sensitive spot below my shaft. When her hair tickled my side, I reached for the wayward lock to put it behind her ear and almost came. The sight of her face, my cock in her mouth, her tongue licking me, was more than I could handle.

She let go with a quiet pop. After being in the warmth of her mouth, my cock felt cold, though the rest of my body was on fire as she rolled a condom on. She straddled my hips and watched as I entered her. Even if she hadn’t returned to Paradise Creek for me, right here, right now, she was here for me. I sat up and took off her top, pushing her breasts together so I could kiss both nipples. I could spend the rest of my life like this with Nikki, playing poker in bed and having sex. With her by my side, the pain of all those years didn’t exist. It was as if I never lost my family. As if I never lost her.

I ran a hand up to her neck and buried my fingers in her hair while she worked magic with her hips. Our tongues collided, and I got lost in her again. Just like that summer at the manor, we were the only ones in the garden, the world.

“Henry.” She tightened around me, as she’d done last night. She was ready to come.

“I’m right here, baby. Not going anywhere.” I gripped her waist and flipped her on her back, thrusting into her with all the desire I felt for her.

Sex with Nikki was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. She dug her nails into my thigh, meeting my hips, offering everything she had. And there it was again. I spiraled down with her with my cock rock hard. An explosion just below my navel surged down to my toes—all ecstasy with a slight stroke of pain .

“Oh fuck.” I kissed her temple.

She called for me again as her lips trembled against my shoulder. I’d never seen anyone as beautiful as Nikki, and she was mine.

“We should do this all day,” she said out of breath.

“I agree.”

And then my phone rang. If that was Russ, he was fired.

“You should get that.” She moaned against my chest.

Reaching over to the nightstand, with Nikki kissing my shoulder and rubbing her hands all over me, I grabbed the phone. Yeah, I could get used to this.

“What is it?” She scooted out from under me.

I showed her the screen. A message from Mr. Paredes, the bank manager.

Mr. Paredes: Got your message. How does noon sound?

Earlier today, Nikki had shown me the medicine bottle she took from Mom’s bathroom. Inside, we’d found a key that we both agreed had to be a key to a security box. We had no way of knowing if the key was for a box at the local bank, but it was worth a shot.

“Looks like we have an appointment at the bank,” I said.

“God, I hope Tessa used the local bank. Phoenix is a really big haystack.” She jumped out of bed, completely naked, and strutted to the bathroom. “Give me thirty minutes.” She closed the door and then immediately came back out. “I’m going to use my bathroom. Who uses store-brand shampoo?”

“I’m poor, remember?” I got out of bed, met her at the door, and kissed her. “How long before you fully understand I have nothing to offer you?”

“It’s just shampoo, Henry.” She pushed me out of the way and snuck out of the room.

I leaned on the wall. How long before Nikki realized it wasn’t just shampoo? After her parents died, she and Lisa had had to make do with almost nothing, but she’d left that girl behind a long time ago. I couldn’t drag her down with me, back to that place she’d fought so hard to get out of. The hollow feeling in my chest hit me again. After last night and the better part of this morning, there was no way in hell I could let her go.

I considered joining Nikki in her shower, but in the end, I trudged to the bathroom to get cleaned up with my store-brand shampoo. We couldn’t miss our bank appointment.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed and ready to go. On my way out, I spotted the tuxedo I’d worn last night lying on top of the dresser. My dad’s tuxedo fit tight around the chest, but it got the job done. With everything that happened after the party, I’d completely forgotten about Mom’s envelope. I fished it from Dad’s jacket and opened it. My stomach sank, as the blood left my face and hands. Another note from Mom, addressed to me:

Henry,

Your uncle only had a copy of your dad’s will from before you were born. This is the will your dad signed and intended to be used. I kept it safe for you after your uncle sent you away.

Love you always, Mom

This version of Dad’s will was what I had expected. I was his sole beneficiary, and it was dated shortly after I was born. The will my uncle had was dated years before Dad and Mom were married. Jonathan had claimed Dad had simply forgotten to update it and fed the town some sob story of how he would never leave Mom and me on the street to fend for ourselves. The asshole paid for my schooling, only because my college fund wasn’t part of the family fortune, and Mom was the owner.

Heart pounding in my throat, I sat on the edge of the bed. All of this was still mine. Was that why Jonathan had kept me away from Mom all this time? Because he was afraid she would tell me the truth? I had to tread carefully. When he found out I was looking for Mom, he’d sent someone to rough me up. What would he do if he found out I knew the truth and that I had a way to get my fortune back? Kill me like he did Dad?

My skin crawled at the thought of everything my uncle had done out of greed. I jerked to my feet, stuffed the will back into the inside pocket of the jacket, and hung it in the closet. I already had proof that Jonathan had stolen from me. No doubt Mom had left something in that security box that proved he had also killed his own brother.

When I reached the grand staircase, I stopped in my tracks. The Great Wall was gone. I couldn’t help but smile at Nikki’s antics. She was the thief who wore all her emotions on her sleeve. I sat at the bar in the lobby and waited for her, though it had already been the half hour she’d said it’d take her to get ready. I reached over the bar, grabbed a beer from the cooler, and froze. Nikki’s perfume infused the room, and my entire body stood at attention.

I turned to face her. We should’ve stayed in bed. My mouth went dry at the sight of her in that skin-tight white dress and all that hair draped over defined shoulders. She grinned at me and shook her head, as if she could read my thoughts. I glanced at my watch. I’d been waiting for her for almost an hour. Jesus, she was worth the wait.

“You look incredible.” I met her at the bottom of the stairs.

“I love going to the bank.” She laced her arms around my neck.

“No.” I gripped her wrists and brought them to my chest. “Please. No more Nikki Swift stunts. This isn’t a con. Mr. Paredes was a friend of Dad’s. We’re doing this my way.” I let go of her hands and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Your way takes too long.” She pouted .

“You didn’t seem to mind last night.” I reached for her waist and pulled her to me.

“I walked right into that one, didn’t I?” She looked upward.

“You kind of did.” I chuckled.

“Fine. But don’t you think for a second that this isn’t a con. We’re going to the bank with a stolen key to open a box that isn’t ours.” She headed for the door. “This is a con.”

I followed her out of the hotel with my eyes trained on her ass. I was going to a bank with a stolen key and an incredibly beautiful woman with a knack for thievery. Yeah, this was my first con .

“What’s with the huge purse? We’re not robbing the bank either.” I opened the car door for her.

“It matches the dress.” She flashed me an innocent smile.

Shaking my head, I shut the door and walked around to the driver side.

“So, what’s the plan?” Nikki asked when I peeled off the curb. “I’m thinking something simple. Security is minimal, if not nonexistent.”

“Well, I was thinking we could talk to Mr. Paredes and ask him, very nicely, if we could please have access to my mom’s security box.” I drove the two miles up main street then pulled into the bank’s parking lot. When she didn’t respond, I turned off the engine and shifted my body to look at her. “Are we in agreement here?”

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “Can we go now?” She climbed out of the truck and headed for the front door.

“Henry,” Bill, the security guard, greeted us as soon as we walked in. “Here to see Mr. Paredes again?”

“Yes. He’s expecting me.” I patted him on the shoulder.

“Go on in.” He grinned, tipping his head to Nikki.

To the untrained eye, she was all hair and tight dress. But I could tell she’d already pegged him for an easy target. I shook my head, rubbing the stubble on my face. Life with Nikki would never be boring. Overnight, she had dissolved my fear of spending the rest of my days alone.

She took my arm, smiling. “Your way is so civilized. I like it. We even have an appointment.”

“Henry. Ms. Swift.” Mr. Paredes met us in the lobby and ushered us into his office.

With his eyes on Nikki, he gestured for us to sit. I took the seat he offered while Nikki snaked her hand around the crook of his elbow.

“Your office is incredible. Look at that view. I can see our hotel from here.” Nikki couldn’t take no for an answer. What the hell was she up to?

“I’m so sorry.” She leaned on his chest for support. “You gentlemen have business, and here I am, babbling away, taking up your time.”

Mr. Paredes’s ears turned red. “Not at all. You know, I’m here so much, sometimes I forget to just take in the view.”

I sat back in my chair. Jesus, he was pathetic. How could he not see that it was all an act? I didn’t have time for Nikki’s games.

“Were you able to find out if I’m on the authorized list for Mom’s security box?” Great. I forgot to say “please.”

“Henry. I hate to keep giving you bad news. But you’re not.” He sat in his chair while Nikki roamed the office.

When she made her way back to the desk, she shuffled a few papers out of the way to get to a framed picture of his family. She smiled at it fondly, and Mr. Paredes stood a little taller.

“Darling, Henry. I told you it was unsavory to put Mr. Paredes in such an awkward position.” She turned to him. “Thank you so much for your time. Your view truly is spectacular. ”

Mr. Paredes mumbled a few more apologies as Nikki escorted me out and closed the door behind her. She dragged me down the corridor to the left of the tellers and pulled me into the women’s bathroom.

“What the fuck, Nikki?” I whisper shouted.

“That was a dead end. First Rule of Con—know when to cut your losses. Move on quickly.”

“There are rules to thieving?” I placed both hands on my hips.

“Yeah. Second Rule of Con—improvise to save the con.” She flashed me a sexy grin, dangling a key in front of me. “The security box requires two keys. Your mom’s key and Mr. Paredes’s key. Now we have both. All we have to do is go in the back where they keep the boxes.” She shrugged. “Simple.”

“The back? You mean the vault. No. We’re not doing that.” I crossed my arms.

She did the same, standing tall and looking so fucking sexy. “You know, you look very hot when you do that. Bulging arms, scowling look.” She licked her lips and snaked her arms around my waist.

I cupped her face. As usual, my cock reacted to her touch. I wanted to go home. I wanted her out of that dress. “I’m serious, Nikki. If we get caught and my uncle gets wind of it, he’ll have the two of us killed. You know I’m not exaggerating.”

Jonathan was capable of horrible things. Stealing from an eleven-year-old wasn’t the worst thing he’d ever done. I knew that now.

“And he won’t. Mr. Paredes said no, and we accepted his answer graciously. Like the dumb-ass kids your uncle thinks we are.”

“I have Mom’s key. And I’m saying no.”

“I’m gonna give you a minute, darling.” She grinned, fingers tapping on her hip bone, one eyebrow raised.

I hadn’t noticed she was up to something. She was getting better at bluffing. Or maybe I was just another poor sap in her hands, like everyone else. I checked the back pocket of my jeans. My wallet was gone, and so was Mom’s key.

“You have both keys.” I slow-blinked.

“I’m going in. You coming?” She reached for the bathroom door.