17. Astor
SEVENTEEN
ASTOR
I’m disappointed with myself more than anyone else as I stand on the dock looking for him. Of course he’s not here. I hate myself for expecting him to be. I gave him what he wanted last night and now he’ll vanish.
My mistake for letting him in, even the fraction of an inch.
Lesson learned. I will adjust.
I still think he’ll help if I ask, so I’ll keep the option in my back pocket. But I don’t have time to dwell on it. I need to figure out the clues for Legacy. I stared at it for hours last night until I noticed feint lines printed on the page. They were so light they are barely visible.
I folded the piece of art along the crease lines on the page, it made a paper crane. So it wasn’t about the art at all? I researched origami and cranes. I found a book called The Secret To Folding 1000 Cranes, but I can’t figure out how that would be a clue.
I spend the whole time I’m on the water thinking about the crane and how it could be a clue. I go over it with each stroke. Nothing is adding up. Cranes symbolize good fortune and longevity. They are the bird of happiness. But how would any of that lead me to the next clue?
I haul my scull out of the water when I’m finished and return it to its place. Still no sign of Rurik, which tells me all I need to know.
I stand in the budding sunlight, pulling the crane from my jacket pocket to look at it again. Maybe I’ll see it with new eyes.
I turn it over in my hands, trying to see how they would. What would a group of future crime lords think about a crane? I need to put myself in their shoes.
A flicker of light hits the paper and reflects differently than the rest.
“What the fuck?” I bring it closer to my face, rubbing my thumb over the spot. It’s varnished or a coating of some kind…
I flip the crane towards the sun, inspecting it closely. There are spots all over it. Little bits of something. I need better lighting.
I force myself to walk back to my bodyguard’s car normally, not letting them see how impatient I am. Once back in my room, I dig for the flashlight I know I brought. It takes me forever to find and doesn’t work.
Fuck.
Think.
What would work?
I need a damn black light. But where am I going to get a fucking black light on a Saturday morning? A quick online search tells me a hardware store. It’s a weird ask, but my bodyguards take me.
I open the package as soon as I pay, shoving it into my backpack before directing them to take me to the library. I need some damn privacy.
Once in the library, I reserve an empty study room. Inside, I close and lock the door before tearing into the package. This better fucking work. I set the crane on the table and flip off the light.
Holding my breath, I turn on the black light and fumble my way back to the table, kicking it in the process. Pretty sure that’s a broken fucking toe. If only I remembered the flashlight on my phone.
Whatever. I need to see if I’m right.
I shine the black light on the crane and the coating lights up.
Bingo.
I get out a notebook and pen and get to deciphering.
Only it’s just a bunch of random shit. Nothing makes sense.
I flop down into the chair, groaning.
What the fuck am I missing?
I turn it over and over, but there is no start or end, and half of the marks go in and out of the folds so I can’t even fully see them…I’m a fucking idiot.
I unfold the crane, and right there, nice and neat over the picture, is a series of numbers I’m pretty sure is some sort of book cipher. These are page numbers and word numbers. They have to be.
But it still leaves me at a dead end. I don’t know which book they go with.
I walk out of the study room to get my legs moving and roam the library. Maybe something will make my brain connect the dots. It’s got to be a book in here. I can’t imagine Legacy would make us hunt down a weird book online.
So that only leaves three and a half million books, give or take a few.
Great.
I sit down at a computer and log in, going back to my search of cranes in literature. But not much comes up.
I refold the crane and realize it changes the artwork enough to resemble something from above.
I stand over the crane, trying to make out the image.
Finally, I get my phone out, snap a picture directly from above, and throw it into a reverse image search.
It’s Orizuru o tsukuru shōjo, and it happens to be on loan to Exitier right now.
A chill runs down my spine.
This is it. I look up the museum hours.
12-5
I check my watch. Eight. Fuck. I can’t wait four hours. Not when I’m on the trail. I search the painting to get more background info and find a MET article about cranes. Good background information.
In the very same article, Secret To Folding 1000 Cranes is mentioned. It can’t be a coincidence. Quickly, I look up the book to see if the library has it.
They do, and it’s in stock. I grab the call number and practically sprint to the section. I scan the numbers on the sides of the shelves, finally finding the right one. I turn down the aisle and run directly into Rurik.
“Ash!” The smile on his face enrages me. “I haven’t even been here long—”
“Save it, please.” I try to step around him, but he blocks my path.
“You weren’t anywhere on your routine. I had to get creative. I knew you’d be here.”
“My routine—” I cut myself off. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t help that you’re predictable.”
“Have you followed me?” All the places I’d run into him. “Were you stalking me?”
“I mean, I wouldn’t call it past tense.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. Could this be why Viv thinks there is something going on? How many people have seen him following me? My blood boils, but I can’t deal with this right now.
“You were looking for me?”
“Of course I was. You weren’t in your room.”
“I’m busy.” I need to see if I’m right about the book, but it clicks. He was looking for me. The book has to be here. He knew I’d come here if I figured it out. “Can you get out of my way?”
“I can sense you’re angry.”
“I’m not angry. I’m indifferent. Now will you move?” I make sure my tone drips with condescension to get my point across.
“No, thanks.”
I swallow the frustrated scream crawling up my throat. “Get the fuck out of my way.”
He leans in. “Make me.”
I snap my hand out and close my fingers around his throat. “I’m not messing around, Rurik.”
“Do you know I’m instantly hard the second you say my name? You shouldn’t have done that. Now I want to fuck you in the library again.”
Is he fucking kidding right now?
“I’m busy. I need to get through this.” I tighten my grip on his neck and force him back into the bookshelf.
“And I need you to talk to me.” He barely manages with the restriction of my hand.
“No.”
“Why not?” He cannot be serious?
“You made your priorities perfectly clear.” Why the fuck am I so upset? I don’t want him to know not showing up hurt me, but the words are already out.
“What did I make clear?” He’s playing innocent.
“You know. I don’t have time for this. My priorities are the puzzle.”
“There were extenuating circumstances, baby!” He’s running out of breath. Good. He doesn’t need another opportunity to weasel his way into my brain.
“Tell someone who cares. Now get out of my way before I get my bodyguards to move you.” I wouldn’t, but he doesn’t have to know that.
“At least let me explain.”
“Do whatever you want as long as you get out of the way.”
He steps to the side, and I release his throat, immediately scanning the shelf for the right number. I check the scrap of paper I wrote it down on to make sure I’m looking in the right place.
“My mother called an emergency meeting, and I had to get on a plane to Manhattan last night.”
I roll my eyes. “A crime lord emergency? Seems fake.” It actually doesn’t. They probably happen all the time. I can only imagine the types of things that go wrong in that type of work, but I swore to myself I wouldn’t give him an inch.
“I can understand why you wouldn’t believe it. But I swear you can ask my brother. I’ll call him right now.” He pulls out his phone and holds it out.
“I’m busy, and he’d probably just lie for you.”
“Then look at my family group chat.” He hits a few buttons and turns his phone back around.
“Can you shut the fuck up so I can focus?” I drop down to the shelf and slide my fingers across the numbers, only to get to an empty space. My stomach falls.
It’s gone.
Did someone get to it before me?
“Fuck.” I stand and shove him.
He takes a step back, but I don’t let up. I get in his face, needing to take my rage out on something, and he’s the prime choice.
“Why won’t you leave me the fuck alone?”
Shove.
“You only turn up at the most inconvenient times.”
Shove.
“And you.”
Shove.
“Never.”
Shove.
“Fucking.”
Shove.
“Stop.”
Shove. But this time he doesn’t move, and I slam into him.
He slips an arm around my lower back. “Are you done with your tantrum?”
“Let me go.” I push his chest, but he wraps his other arm around me, drawing me closer.
“Mmm. I love when you fight me.”
“I am not playing, Rurik.” My hand is back around his throat while my other fists in his shirt.
“And yet you keep saying my name, knowing it makes me hard.” He grips my ass, pressing into me. “And now I’m thinking about what we did here last night and how much better round two will be with you on your knees.”
“I’m not sucking your fucking dick. I need to track down another copy of the book.” Which I know he knows.
He presses his face into my neck, and I cannot help the sound that comes out of me. Why does my body have such a visceral reaction to him? It’s a fucking crime he feels this good.
“I want to devour you whole.”
“Rurik,” I say through my teeth.
“Baby.” He nips and sucks, groaning. “You make me so fucking horny.”
I finally decide to fight fire with fire and grab a fistful of his hair and drag his face to mine, slamming my lips to his.
His body ignites and he moans into my mouth.
My molecules scream to keep letting me touch him, but I know this is just a fucking game to him, and I finally have his guard down.
I throw him off me and storm out of the aisle. He staggers back, stunned, but I don’t stay for the aftermath.
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I leave.
I know he’s following, but I won’t let him corner me.
“You might not want to leave, Ash.”
“I’m not falling for this again.”
“I have the book.”
Of course he does.
Arsehole.