Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Novalee
As soon as we step into the Lane Building, the pulse of energy is a physical vibration in the room. It’s the kind that comes from fancy décor, powerful people mingling, and more champagne than a New Year’s Eve party. The opulence of the place is unmistakable, especially with the backdrop of priceless artifacts housed within the museum section of the building.
And, of course, Levi is extra enough to have a full brass band playing somewhere off to the side, softly performing “Moonlight Serenade” by Glenn Miller as we enter.
He’s already in full social butterfly mode, greeting people left and right. The moment he spots me, his eyes go wide, and a grin spreads across his face. “There she is,” he exclaims as he rushes over, abandoning the people he was standing with. “Look at you! Absolutely stunning. Like, I knew you’d look good, but damn, you’re blowing everyone out of the water tonight.”
He’s dressed just as glittery as me, his white suit sparkling all over, not to mention the high heels he’s wearing that make him taller than Koen. Still, the way he and Koen look when standing together, two sides of the same coin, reminds me of what I’m missing, and grief slices my heart, but I only let it nick me.
Not tonight.
I need to focus.
“Right back at you, Levi.” I give him a half-smile. “Happy birthday, by the way.” Then, I catch sight of the gigantic cake next to him. “Oh my God.”
There, written in perfect pink frosting, it reads, Happy Birthday, Levi and Ken .
I glance at Koen, and he meets my gaze, a resigned kind of amusement in his eyes. “Ken, huh?” I tease, crossing my arms, feeling a genuine smile form. “Fits you. You’ve definitely got the hair for it.”
Koen shakes his head, but I catch the hint of a smile. It makes me think back to him picking me up and the ride here. My fingers drift to the beautiful bracelet he gave me, and I tug at it gently.
Surprisingly, he’s a nice guy in a hot package.
Dangerous.
And I should probably stay as far as possible from him.
Hopefully, after tonight, when I don’t mess this up, I’ll be on my way to Italy, and none of this will matter anymore.
“So, who’s the mark?” I ask, glancing between the twins. They exchange a look, a grin spreading across Levi’s face.
“Well, the main target is Nicholas Harrington, you—” Levi starts, but Koen cuts him off.
“I already told her about him. He’s here, arrived with us. He saw her with me.”
“Ah, fuck.” Levi groans.
“What? Why shouldn’t he know we know each other?” I ask, confused.
“It’s not… ideal,” Koen says, a frown tugging at his lips.
“Why?” I press .
“He hates us as much as we hate him,” Levi explains, rolling his eyes.
“I can work with that.” I glance between them again. “Anything else I should know?”
“He’s a narcissistic prick. You have to fawn over him a little, tell him how amazing he is, and he will fall at your feet when he sees how beautiful you are. He likes to have trophy girlfriends, and you’re the most beautiful of them all.”
“I’m not a fucking trophy girlfriend,” I snap.
“That’s not what he said,” Koen appeases gently. “And you’re right. You’re not.”
“You really aren’t, I’m sorry.” Levi looks at me with puppy dog eyes, and I start to feel bad for snapping at him.
“Don’t worry, she’s not mad at you. She lashes out when she’s nervous or doesn’t feel safe, and she’s more than on edge right now,” Koen explains, and I glare at him for reading me. “What? Tell me I’m wrong.” I can’t, not without him seeing the lie anyway, so I stay silent, and he grins. “Thought so.”
“Okay,” I start, getting back on topic. “And who’s the guy I’m going to have to steal the card from?”
“Richard Belmont,” Koen replies.
I laugh. Richard Belmont . The submissive hotel mogul I Dommed into giving me his number three days ago.
Of course.
“Do you know if he’s here alone or with his wife?” I ask.
Koen shakes his head. “I saw him wandering around alone. Guess he left his wife at home. At least he didn’t bring his kids like last time. He almost forgot them when he left.”
Levi snorts. “Yeah, he’s only a father because pulling out is hard when you already came putting it in.”
“Oh my God.” I snort. “That’s an image I didn’t need, thank you very much.” Chuckling, I pull out my phone and quickly type a message to Captain Bossy while Levi and Koen continue making fun of Belmont.
You could have told me you needed the card from Richard Belmont. I could have already gotten it for you last time.
The reply comes almost immediately.
That would have been too early.
You’ve got a purse with you?
I roll my eyes and snap a quick picture of it, sending it his way.
Are you my stylist now?
No, but that dress didn’t look like you could hide a card for an evening.
You looked very closely at that picture, it seems.
Someone is full of themselves.
Well, if nobody else fills me tonight…
There’s a pause, and then the reply makes me snort.
I don’t even know how to answer that.
Speechless?
It happens.
Any nerves?
I hesitate, my fingers hovering over the screen.
Fuck it.
Yes.
That was honest.
I’ll be honest now too.
I saw what you can do.
You’ve got this.
Warmth spreads through my chest, and I can’t help but smile. Someone joins our little group, but I barely look up, too absorbed in my conversation.
Thank you. I’ll report when it’s done.
Don’t fuck this up.
“God, they really did you dirty with that, Ken .” A very familiar voice chuckles.
My head snaps up, and my heart skips a beat. Hottie is standing right there, laughing at the cake as if it’s the funniest thing he’s ever seen.
The fuck?
I haven’t heard from him since we got tested, but now he’s… here ?
“Sylus, let me introduce you to—” Levi starts, but Hottie turns, his eyes meeting mine, and his expression shifts from amusement to shock.
Beautiful fucking name for a beautiful fucking asshole.
“Sparkle?” he asks as he pushes some of the dark strands from his forehead, highlighting his gray eyes, wide with disbelief. He’s dressed in his usual dark jeans and a black cropped shirt.
Koen frowns, his gaze bouncing between the two of us. “You guys know each other? ”
“Oh, we do.” Hottie’s shock morphs into a grin, his eyes still on me. “She’s my—”
I cut him off, stopping him from saying anything more. “It was a long time ago.”
Hottie smirks. “ A long time ago?” He leans in and cups my cheek, his voice low and teasing. “Baby, my cock still smells like you.”
Levi chokes on a laugh, but it’s Koen I look at, and yeah. He’s a little pissed.
Glancing back at Hottie, I give him a flat look. “You should probably wash yourself then.” I turn on my heel and start walking away, then toss back over my shoulder, “I’m off to do what you brought me here to do.”
I don’t get more than a few steps in before Hottie’s hand wraps around my arm, pulling me to a stop, and I turn to glare up at him.
The party continues around us. Laughter, the clinking of glasses, the low thrum of the music, but at this moment, it’s only the two of us in a strange little bubble.
“Don’t be mad at me, baby,” he pleads. “I didn’t know.”
“Really?” I ask skeptically. “You expect me to believe that?”
“Really.” His eyes soften as he steps closer, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. “I had no idea the girl they were talking about was you. You look stunning tonight, by the way.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, trying to ignore how my chest warms at his words. “I have a job to do.”
“Wait…” he tugs a little more firmly, not enough to hurt, just enough to keep me there, tethered to him for a moment longer, “… please.”
I sigh, tilting my head, trying my best to stay unaffected. “What do you want, Sylus ?”
He pauses, his gaze dipping to my lips before meeting my eyes again. “God, my name never sounded better than from your lips.” His voice cracks slightly, betraying his usual swagger. His smirk is still there, but there’s a softness now, almost nervousness as if he’s worried about what I’ll do next.
“Why are you here?”
“It’s my brothers’ birthday.” He shrugs, letting go of me reluctantly, his fingers brushing my arm one last time. The loss of his touch leaves a void I refuse to acknowledge.
“They’re your brothers?”
“Two of them, yes.”
“The Lane brothers don’t have any more brothers,” I argue with a shake of my head.
I know that. The media knows that.
He shrugs. “Blood doesn’t make a family.”
Thick, uncomfortable silence and stillness blooms between us then. Just as I try to shake it off, the music swells around us, a saxophone solo cutting through the air, and it only seems to amplify my emotions, all the loneliness I’ve felt over the last few days bubbling up inside me, spilling over before I can stop it.
“You didn’t text me,” I blurt out, the accusation sharp, my hurt unmistakable.
“Missed me?” His nerves recede, and he grins, but I only glare at him, my lips pressing into a thin line. That makes his grin fade, and he tilts his head, his eyes searching mine. “You said you wanted time for yourself. And I tried to respect that. Fuck, Sparkle, it killed me. I missed you like crazy too.”
Damn him.
Damn him for being so annoyingly sweet.
“I didn’t miss you. I don’t care. It’s fine,” I lie, ready to move on from this. “I have things to do.”
“Baby,” he whispers, stepping closer. “I’m sorry . ”
I hate that he can make me soften so easily, and I especially hate that he’s looking at me as if he sees everything I want to hide.
Ugh.
“You don’t have to be sorry. This is casual, remember?”
“Yeah, casual for you.” He reaches out and strokes the back of my hand. “Casual for me didn’t work.” His smile turns softer. “I’m obsessed with you. How could I not be? Look at you. You’re stunning and funny and apparently fucking capable too. You’re Koen’s thief?” He laughs, but it turns into a kind of groan as he says, “That’s so damn hot.”
Fuck, this is becoming more complicated by the second.
Too intertwined, too real.
“Whatever. See you around.” I’m intent to turn and leave, but he takes my head in both his hands and presses his forehead to mine, stopping me.
“Give me half a chance, Sparkle, and I’ll suffocate you with my love,” he whispers, his eyes boring into mine. “I thought leaving you be for a few days was a good idea. People can take me in small doses, like hot sauce or rollercoasters. I’m a lot, and sooner or later, I’m too much for most people. I guess I was hoping to delay the inevitable by holding back just a little, but I promise I’ll never do that to you again. You can have me whole, unfiltered, every second of every minute of every hour. Until you kick me out because you’ve had enough.”
Shivers skitter down my spine as longing, annoyance, desire, and something close to fear barrage me. I’m too on edge, the tension from seeing him again, the nerves of what I’m about to do, and the fact that I can’t even have a damn drink to calm myself. It’s too fucking much.
I need someone on my side for this .
And I still think of him as the closest thing I have to a friend right now .
“Watch out. I’ll make a grown man pinky promise me.”
He grins, reaching out to hook his pinky onto mine, pulling our hands up between us. Then he presses a gentle kiss to our joined fingers. “I pinky promise that I’ll be there as long as you’ll let me. I’m your person.”
There’s so much in his gaze that it makes my heart twist in a way I don’t want to admit, so I deflect in the only way I know how. “When I’m done here, I’ll need something to take the edge off.”
He tilts his head, a hopeful glimmer in his eyes. “What are you saying, Sparkle?”
“ I’m saying… ” I reach up to let my fingernail glide over the slither of skin above the waistband of his jeans, “… when I’m done here, I’m going to celebrate and drink with Levi. Then I’m going home, and I’m going to sleep. And when I wake up, I want to have either your dick deep inside me or your cum running out of me.”
His eyes widen, and I see the way they darken, his pupils dilating, but still, he asks, “Are you sure? Maybe you’ll be drinking too much or—”
“I give you my sober consent right now to fuck me while I’m drunk and or asleep tonight.”
“Holy fucking shit.” His breath catches, and I swear I can practically see how hard my promise has made him.
I bite my lip to hide the smile that forms as I watch his reaction. “For now, I need to do my job. And I can’t flirt my way into Nicholas’s pants if you hang on my ass all night.”
He nods and even bounces lightly on the balls of his feet like an eager puppy wanting to please.
I flash him one last smile and turn away, slipping into the crowd. The band starts a new piece, the brass instruments humming softly in the background, mingling with laughter and conversation as I make my way along the exhibits, my gaze drifting over the artifacts. But even as I search for Nicholas, I feel the bubbly giddiness of having Hottie back.
Sylus.
God, I’m so fucked.
Soon enough, I spot Nicholas across the room, surrounded by a group of beautiful women, each seemingly vying for his attention, but I get it.
When I look at his face, I want to sit on something, too, and it’s not a chair.
Taking a glass of champagne from a passing server, I almost automatically bring it to my lips, then remember Koen’s coercion. Lowering the glass with a sigh, I listen to the bubbles fizz as I watch Harrington.
His posture is rigid, shoulders squared in an attempt to look confident, but there is a tension in his jawline, the way his eyes dart around, never settling on any one person for too long.
Oh, Levi. You’re way fucking off.
Nicholas is not a narcissist.
His polite smile is practiced, smooth but empty, like he’s playing a part.
He’d make an incredible stripper.
I’m so focused on watching his every move that I almost jump when an older woman spills the contents of her purse out across the floor next to Nicholas and his hangers-on. Lipstick, tissues, and a few coins scatter across the patterned tile. Everything freezes, the people around her staring, rigid as statues.
Except for Nicholas.
He doesn’t hesitate, his expression soft as he kneels without a second thought. There’s no flourish, no need for attention as he helps her gather her things—a simple act of kindness.
The older woman smiles gratefully, and Nicholas looks up at her, meeting her gaze directly as he smiles back. This smile is different.
Gone is the carefully constructed mask he’s worn for everyone else thus far. This smile is genuine and almost shy. And in that moment, I forget why I’m even watching him. I just do. I’m compelled by that quick glimpse into who he really is, but eventually, the mask comes back up, and the bored facade returns as he stands and rejoins the conversation with the women around him.
Fuck.
What Levi wants me to do would never work with him. I’d be another one of the women now trying to get his attention. He wouldn’t bite the way I’d need him to.
He has to be the one who notices me .
I mull over how the hell I could make this happen as I continue scanning the room, searching for my other mark, Richard Belmont. He’s deep in conversation with none other than Nicholas’s mother, Veronica Harrington.
I’ve heard her name and seen her picture countless times, but I never knew she had a son. It only reinforces my theory that Nicholas is more reserved and maybe prefers to stay out of the limelight.
Belmont is too deep in conversation for me to make a move now. I need him alone, away from Veronica and prying eyes. So I decide to leave them be for now and move closer to Nicholas instead, positioning myself close enough to be in his line of sight but not so close that I seem obvious. I stop next to a display case featuring an old magician’s top hat, pretending to be engrossed in the artifact as I keep Nicholas in my peripheral vision.
I feel eyes on me, and when I glance over my shoulder, Nicholas is watching me. I hold his gaze for a few seconds before looking away, letting a hint of a shy smile play on my lips as I shift my attention back to the display. I move slowly to the next exhibit, letting my presence linger. I casually glance in his direction to find that he’s still looking, his gaze curious.
Gotcha.
Turning away from him, I make my way through the room again when Veronica walks past me and approaches Nicholas, who doesn’t look pleased.
With her now otherwise occupied, I turn my attention to my other mark. He’s alone at the bar now, and I watch as he reaches into his pocket for his wallet. It’s then I notice the unmistakable hotel card from the Belmont Plaza on top of his other cards.
The bartender waves him off, and he slides the wallet back into his jacket as I approach the bar, positioning myself close to him. Belmont turns, his eyes meeting mine, and there’s a flicker of recognition. His brows raise, and he breathes out, “You?”
“Me,” I reply, letting a slow smile spread across my face as I set down my still-full glass of champagne.
“You didn’t call.” His gaze travels over me as if making sure I’m real.
I tilt my head, arching a brow. “I’ll call you when I want to call you,” I say quietly but firmly, dripping with authority. He visibly swallows, his eyes darkening as his submissive nature creeps back in.
“Right,” he mutters, almost to himself.
I let my fingers brush over his arm, trailing down slowly until they reach his wrist, then slipping lower into the pocket of his jacket. He freezes, his gaze never leaving mine, entranced as I draw closer.
“What are you drinking tonight, Richard?” I purr, my eyes still locked on his, while my other hand moves, locating his wallet .
“Whiskey,” he breathes out, his gaze dipping to my lips, and it’s obvious he’s struggling to keep his composure.
“Good… choice.” I smile, letting my thumb brush along his jawline as I pull the wallet out, keeping it hidden between our bodies. He’s too focused on the way I’m touching him to notice.
Sliding the wallet open, I slip the hotel card out with ease and place the wallet back where it belongs. All the while, I’m watching his reaction, the way his pupils are blown wide, his breathing uneven, while I’m still stroking his jaw. He shivers, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows hard.
When I’m palming the card, I lean in, my lips brushing against the shell of his ear. “What if I want to be the one being chased?” I whisper, knowing that my words just made me undesirable to him. I lean back, giving him a polite smile. “Have a nice evening, Richard.”
He blinks, the fire in his eyes dimming, confusion flickering across his features.
Good.
Without waiting for a response, I turn and walk away, leaving him standing there, bewildered. I slip into one of the exhibition rooms, a smaller one to the side, empty of people. The quiet is a relief, and I finally exhale while I take out my phone, snap a picture of the card, and send it to Captain Bossy.
Is that what you were after?
Told you you’ve got it.
Who do you want me to plant it on?
You’ve already wrapped Harrington around your finger?
I’m on it.
Tell me when you’re sure you’ve hooked him.
Then you’ll get the next mark.
I slip the card and my phone into my purse, taking a deep breath.
You heard him, Nova. Just get it over with.
I push down the nerves twisting in my stomach and turn to leave the exhibition room, only to almost collide with Belmont. He’s standing right in the exit, blocking my path.
Fuck. Did he already realize where his card went?
“What are you doing, Richard?” I force a smile despite my heart pounding so hard it feels like it’s trying to escape my chest.
“You want to be chased, sweetheart?” He smirks, a dark glint in his eyes. “That can be arranged.”
Oh, come on.
Of all the people, the first man I misread had to be him ?
He steps closer, forcing me back into the exhibition room until my back is nearly against the wall. He leans in, his breath hot against my ear as his voice drops.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about you. About all the things I could do for you. Now you’ve got me thinking about all the things you can do for me with that pretty little mouth of yours. Bet it would feel so damn good,” he murmurs, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.
I can barely breathe, nausea rising in my throat, but I keep my face composed. I can’t afford to make a scene or punch him right now because I don’t want to fail and let them and myself down.
I need this fresh start.
Belmont’s hand grips my wrist, his fingers digging into my skin as his other hand starts to wander dangerously low toward the slit in my dress.
“You know, a girl like you shouldn’t tease. Someone might take you up on it, and then you’d have to make good on all those promises.”
I need to get out of here.
With a quick twist, I wrench my wrist free and sidestep him, my heart pounding in my ears. Every nerve in my body is screaming at me to run, so I make a dash for the exit, but my stiletto catches on the hem of my dress, making me stumble as I reach it. I almost fall face-first, but a strong hand catches me, pulling me upright.
I look up straight into Nicholas Harrington’s forest-green eyes.
“Quite an entrance.” He chuckles, but then his eyes search my face, and his smile fades. “Everything okay?” He glances behind me, assessing the situation, his grip gentle as I regain my composure. “Hey,” he says softly when I don’t answer, his gaze finding mine again. “You all right?”
I take a deep, steadying breath, but then his scent invades me. Fuck, he smells good like citrus and bergamot.
Despite his unexpected pleasantness, my throat still feels tight, and I have to force myself to swallow before I can answer. “Yes. Thank you.” It comes out shaky as I glance back toward the exhibition room where Belmont lingers, a dark scowl twisting his face.
Nicholas doesn’t let go of me, his smile unwavering but with a steely edge in his eyes. “How about we take a few steps over here?” he offers .
“Okay.”
As we walk, I catch sight of Koen. He’s only a few feet away, his gaze locked on me, fury evident in his eyes, and he’s panting. My stomach sinks, the fear I had pushed down clawing its way back up.
Is he mad at me for nearly botching this?
Nicholas follows my gaze to Koen, then looks back at me, his brow furrowing. “You sure you don’t need a getaway car?”
God, he’s cute.
If I want Nicholas hooked, I can’t fall into his arms. Literally . This situation has probably triggered his helper complex, but even in my scattered state, I pick up on his wariness as if he doesn’t entirely buy what I haven’t even tried selling yet.
Forcing a smile, I grab onto whatever control I can. “No, thank you.” I straighten, and give him a polite smile, taking a step away so he has to let me go. “Thanks for the assist, though.”
I quickly turn away, locking eyes with Levi as I stride past Koen without another glance. Levi, who’s still by the cake with Sylus, glances between Nicholas and me and hisses under his breath as I come to stand beside him.
“What the hell are you doing here instead of over there?” His eyes blaze with irritation. “I said throw yourself at him. Not as literally as you just did, but hey, if it works.”
My fists clench, and irritation battles with exhaustion inside me. “He’s not who you think he is, he—”
Levi cuts me off. “I know who he is,” he snaps. “He’s a dumb as fuck, self-centered himbo who thinks the world belongs to him, and his muscles make him better than everyone else.”
I bite back my response, and my teeth grind together with the effort. It’s as if I’m on a tightrope, and one wrong move could send me plummeting. Levi’s frustration only adds weight to the already impossible balancing act.
“Chill, man,” Sylus interjects, leaning casually against the table. “You chose her to do it, so let her do it her way.”
I glance at Sylus, a flicker of gratitude softening the edges of my frustration just enough for my hands to unclench.
“Fine.” Levi glares at Sylus, then back at me. “This has to work out, you hear me? When this all blows up in our faces, we could end up in jail or worse. All of us. For years . And I’m too fucking pretty for jail.”
Sylus chuckles, but I can see the real fear in Levi’s eyes. He isn’t exaggerating this time, and that sends a cold shiver down my spine. The stakes are higher than I realized, and if I fail, it’s not only me who pays the price.
And that feels way too familiar.
Koen’s face is dark as he comes to stand beside us. He leans in close, his voice a sharp hiss in my ear. “How can you be so stupid? ”
My hands fist again, and my anger flares as I meet his glare with one of my own. “Stupid?”
Koen’s jaw clenches. “Whatever you said to Belmont, you made him go feral for you. I thought I’d have to get in there and pull him off you.”
“That’s why you ran off like a fucking sprinter?” Sylus asks, his brows furrowed. “I would have gone, dickhead.”
Koen came for me?
Because he was scared for me?
Or because he wants to make sure I’m going to be successful?
I square my shoulders. “I got him off me, thank you very much.”
“He touched you?” Sylus and Koen demand in unison, their eyes narrowing .
Rubbing my wrist, which is still throbbing, I shudder, thinking of how I deal with assholes like him every night at the club.
I’ll be okay.
“Relax. It’s all part of the plan.” I wave them both off, trying to inject confidence into my words. It so wasn’t part of the plan. “I have the card, okay? And Nicholas talked to me. It’s going well.”
Koen’s eyes bore into mine, clearly skeptical. “So Belmont was all according to plan?”
I nod. “Sure.” I ignore the cold sweat that breaks out along my spine.
Belmont could fuck shit up for me if he doesn’t leave me alone.
Koen groans, his eyes darkening as he murmurs, “ Lying , Little Thief.”
“Anyway,” I snap, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “You said I needed Nicholas hooked, that he has to want to see me again, right?”
That part already irked me when he said it in the car.
Why did they mention me seeing him again if it’s only for tonight?
Levi and Koen exchange a glance, and I can almost see the unspoken conversation between them. Koen’s expression softens the slightest bit, but there’s still tension in his jaw. “We need him to trust you.”
“And he won’t trust me in one night,” I point out, my eyes searching his. “No matter how I play it.”
Levi sighs, rubbing a hand over his mouth. “Probably not.”
Anger turns to a heavy weight in my chest. “This won’t be over after tonight, will it?”
They’ve been stringing me along, and I fucking knew it.
Koen exhales, his gaze dropping for a second before meeting mine. “It won’t.”
“Who’s the liar here, then?” I ask, giving him a hard look, even as my heart pangs.
Part of me wants to walk away, to leave them to deal with their mess. They lied, and I hate that I let myself trust them even a little. Levi lifts a shoulder nervously, catching my attention, and it reminds me of his earlier fear.
That was real. That wasn’t a lie.
I can’t be the reason why any of them—Levi, Koen, Sylus, or even Captain Bossy—wind up in real trouble. Maybe it’s stupid, maybe I’m already a little attached, but I can’t let this fail.
Koen steps closer, looking almost apologetic but not quite managing it. “Listen—”
“No.” The word cracks as I cut him off, emotion tightening my throat. “You all are fucking liars. And you know what? I don’t care. I committed to this, and when tonight is over, I’m giving you hell. For now, I’m doing what you brought me here to do.”
The words burn as they leave my mouth, but I refuse to let them see how much I’m affected by the deceit. I turn to Sylus, setting my expression as close to blank as I can, trying to mask the rawness. “I know I said you can’t hang around me tonight, but I’ll need your help for the next part.”
A grin spreads slowly across his lips. “Anything you need, baby.”