Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
R hys sat at his laptop, researching the art collector Aleksandr Volkov.
He couldn’t find much information about the man, and Rhys didn’t like it. Everyone left a trail, and if you didn’t, you were hiding something on purpose. He tapped his pen against his notepad.
The guy had a big house in Sea Cliff, and a winery in Napa. If he was holding the painting for the Zakharov family, it was likely at his house.
He heard Haven muttering and glanced over. She was sitting cross-legged on his couch. She’d changed into yoga pants and a pink top. All of it hugged her body.
His cock twitched. Shit, the damn thing was trying to kill him. He liked sex a lot. It was fun and felt good. But what he and Haven had been doing was something else. It was intense, mind-blowing, well beyond just fun.
He watched her shift, her legs tucked up beneath her.
She was using his tablet, and earlier had called her dealer friend, Harry.
The man hadn’t heard anything else. He did know about Volkov, though.
Apparently, Harry preferred not to do business with the man.
Harry had confirmed that Volkov was a serious collector.
Knots began to form in Rhys’ gut. He really didn’t want Haven near the man.
She huffed out a breath. Her hair was still piled up on top of her head, but several strands had escaped, framing her face.
So damned beautiful. Rhys wanted to tumble her onto the couch and—
The doorbell rang.
Her head shot up, and he sensed her anxiety from across the room.
“I’ve got it.” He rose. Through the peephole, he saw his sister.
“Morning.” Gia breezed in on a cloud of her favorite perfume.
“It’s just ticked over afternoon,” Haven said, and Gia shrugged nonchalantly.
The women hugged.
“You’re okay?” Gia asked.
Haven nodded. “Yes.”
Gia’s gaze moved between Haven and Rhys, then back to Haven. “The stubble-burn and the massive hickey on your neck tells me that you’re really okay.”
Haven threw a cushion at Gia.
Grinning, Rhys sat back on the stool at the island.
“Shut up, G, or I’ll give you play-by-play detail of how good your brother is with his hands, his tongue, and his—”
Gia made gagging noises, then her face turned serious. “You’re really okay?”
“Yes. I don’t think Leo would really hurt me—”
Rhys growled. He didn’t have the same confidence in Becker. “You’re not getting near that fucker again. You see him, you run away.”
“So,” Gia said. “I know you’ll have to wait a bit for your insurance payout, but you need more than one party dress and some activewear. I’m here to take you shopping. We’re hitting the mall and replenishing your wardrobe.”
Rhys frowned. “Gia—”
“That means you’re on bodyguard duty, dear brother. And coming shopping.”
He groaned. He’d seen his sister shop.
But then he saw the way Haven’s face lit up. She did need things, and he figured this was a good distraction from everything going on.
Damn . Looked like he was going shopping.
An hour later, Rhys was trailing Gia and Haven through a department store. He was already carting several bags for them.
His phone rang, and he juggled purchases to pull it out of the pocket of his jeans. “Hi, Vander.”
“Hey. Where are you?”
“Mall, with Haven and Gia.”
His brother snorted.
“Laugh it up.” Rhys saw Haven hold up a shirt, then laugh at something Gia had said. “It’s not too bad. Haven needs more shit.”
“Still, I’ve seen Gia around clothes and shoes, so I’m glad it’s not me. Look, I’m still running down a lead, but I spoke to a few people, and there have been more rumors about an auction. Apparently, there are out-of-town buyers coming in.”
“Shit. We need to find the painting.”
“My gut says this Volkov’s the key.”
And it paid to trust Vander’s gut. “Yeah, the dealer friend of Haven’s confirmed he’s a big collector. Kind of guy who could pull off an auction of a stolen painting.”
“We’ll keep an eye on him. Well, have fun looking at shoes.”
Rhys laughed. “Lingerie’s up next, bro.”
“Lucky bastard.”
“You need a woman, Vander.”
Vander made a sharp noise. “I haven’t found one I wanted to keep.” He paused. “Is this the one for you?”
Rhys’ throat tightened and he swallowed. “She’s special.”
“She is. Sweet, smart, deserves some good. Treat her right, brother.”
“Yeah. Bye.” He glanced over at the women. “You guys done?”
Gia sniffed. “No.”
Haven met his gaze and smiled. He smiled back. Yeah, he’d kill to protect her. Die to keep her safe.
“Ugh, you guys making goofy eyes at each other.” Gia rolled her eyes.
Haven’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of her tote. “It’s Harry.”
“Put it on speaker,” Rhys said.
They moved to a quieter spot and huddled over the phone.
“Hey, Harry.”
“Hi, doll face. Listen, I’ve got some news for you and your badass.”
“He’s here with me. And Gia. You’re on speaker.”
“Hi, Gia,” Harry called out.
“Hi, Harry,” Gia replied. “You still fabulous?”
“Always. So, I quietly asked some friends about Alek Volkov.”
“And?” Rhys prompted.
“He’s having a party at his big, faux-Mediterranean mansion in Sea Cliff tonight. Black-tie.”
Haven gasped. “You think it’s the auction?”
“No,” Harry said. “It’s a little pre-auction thing. To gauge interest.”
Gia tapped a fingernail against her lips. “To see who’s willing to cough up to buy a stolen painting.”
“Now, I went one step further.” Harry paused dramatically.
“Harry,” Haven prompted.
“I got you an invite to the party!”
Rhys stiffened.
Haven grinned. “You’re amazing.”
“Baby doll, thing is, it’s just for you. No guest. And security will be tight.”
“No.” Rhys’ jaw clenched. He was not letting her go to this guy’s place alone.
She spun and pressed her hands to Rhys’ chest. “Rhys, I have to go. It’s our only strong lead to finding the painting.”
“Don’t care.”
“Rhys. Easton’s out millions of dollars.”
He cupped her cheek. “He has more. I care about keeping you safe.”
Her face softened and Gia made a sound.
Rhys glanced over and his sister waved a hand at them. “Don’t mind me. Small emotional moment.”
“Oh, me too.” Harry’s voice from the phone. “That one’s a keeper, Haven.”
“I have to do this,” Haven whispered.
“No,” Rhys bit out.
“I’ll wear a wire. You’ll be right outside.”
She didn’t understand that things could go to hell in an instant. He’d seen it happen on far too many missions. Seen people die.
She could die before he even got to her.
“Rhys, please.” Her blue eyes were pleading.
“It isn’t just about getting Easton’s money back.
It’s about preserving an amazing piece of art, a piece of history.
And it’s also about taking charge of my life.
Logically, I know I’m not to blame for the theft, but I still feel responsible.
I want to sort out this mess and recover the painting, so I can be free and clear of all of this. ”
Fuck . “You’ll wear a mic. No risks.”
Her smile was beaming. “I’ll go in, see what I can find, then get out.”
“This Volkov might know who she is,” Gia said quietly. “The art world isn’t a huge one, right?”
“If he confronts me, I won’t lie,” Haven said. “I’ll tell him that I want the painting back.”
Shit. Fuck . This was too dangerous, but Rhys couldn’t see any other way to find the painting. And if he said no, Haven might sneak out and go to Volkov’s anyway.
She touched his jaw, stroked. “I know you don’t want this.”
“That is an understatement.”
He dropped his forehead to hers. “What time is the party?”
“Eight o’clock,” Harry said.
She smiled. “Thank you for helping me do what I need to do.”
“We need to get prepped.” Rhys wanted the Norcross team outside the building. Maybe he could sneak someone inside.
“Haven, you need a fabulous dress for this,” Gia said. “Let’s get searching.”
* * *
Haven tried on another dress that Gia had picked. She was standing in a large, plush change room in Nordstrom.
The long, black, slinky dress was nice, but not the one.
“Here.” Gia stuck her head through the curtain, holding another dress.
“Hey, I’m naked here.” Haven was only in her panties.
“I’ve seen it all before. And I have boobs, too.”
With a snort of amusement, Haven took the dress and Gia disappeared again. This one was a gorgeous, deep-green silk. She pulled it on.
Ooh .
It was a long, liquid column, with tiny spaghetti straps that crisscrossed into a complicated design at the back. The color was beautiful. Gia had a good eye.
Her friend’s head reappeared and her eyes widened. “Stunning. I knew that color would look good on you.”
Haven had never done this before. Her mom had died when Haven was young, and she’d never had someone to giggle with over clothes. “Thanks, G.”
Gia blew her a kiss.
A second later, Rhys slid through the curtain into the change room.
“Hey, you shouldn’t be in here.” She met his gaze in the mirror.
His big body moved in behind her. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up, and those tattooed, muscled forearms made her want to weep with need.
His hot gaze ran over her slowly, setting off tingles through every part of her.
“Rhys,” she breathed.
He pushed right up behind her and dropped a kiss to her shoulder. She watched them in the mirror.
His hand touched her thigh, and slid her dress slowly upward. His lips moved to her neck, his tongue touching the mark he’d left there.
Oh, God.
Haven was on fire in an instant. His hand slid up under the dress, and a second later into her panties.
“I don’t want anyone to see you in this dress.” He found her clit and rolled it.
Haven writhed and bit her lip.
“They will,” he continued. “But no one will see you like this. No one will touch you like me.”
Her belly filled with liquid heat, her legs felt like jelly. Then he pulled his hand away and she made a small cry.
“Uh-uh. You’re teasing me in all these sexy dresses, so no orgasm for you.”
She ground her ass against the hardening bulge in his trousers. “Rhys.”