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“Where’s the next one being held?”

“What, interested in stolen goods?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

I laugh. “No, just curious who goes to these things. Maybe it would be fun. I could buy us a stolen Picasso to hang here in the female parlor.”

She slaps my shoulder. “You’re an ass.”

“I’m serious though. Maybe I could get in and you know, set some feelers.”

She frowns. “You?”

“Yeah, me.”

“You are not a spy.”

“No shit, Sherlock. But I could be.”

“Auggie, be serious.”

“Anna, I am serious.” I sit back and stare at her.

“South of France.”

“Thank you,” I say and kiss her cheek.

“Oh, and I promise to get you something good for your room.”

“Just remember, you are a girl now. Use your vagina wisely!” she calls out as I head back toward the stairs. I have a mission now, a distraction. I smile to myself.

Kathryn

Jackie and Dominic have officially ripped me a new one. Needless to say, I’m on their shit list. I can’t really blame them. If something happened to me, well, they would be fucked. I’ve apologized, but I know I won’t be sneaking away anytime soon. I’m pretty much going to be on lockdown for the foreseeable future.

I spend the next forty-eight hours working on my thesis paper. I hand the draft in before I finish packing to go to the Summer Palace.

“You ready?” Dominic asks from my doorway.

“Yep,” I reply as I zip up my suitcase.

Dominic eyes my three bags. I shrug. I don’t normally pack so much, but I have absolutely no idea what to wear at the Summer Palace. So, I did what any smart woman would do: I packed fancy, business, and casual…in separate bags, of course. I silently slide a smaller fourth bag over by the others, shoes…because…shoes.

Dominic groans. “You have problems.”

“Oh, come on. It’ll be like a vacation for you. I hear the Summer Palace is like Fort Knox since the explosion. So, you won’t have to worry about my safety, plus they have a bazillion security guards there.”

Dominic glares at me and he hefts two of the bags out of my room.

My phone pings with a text.

Terrance: Still down for hanging out this weekend?

Me: Sort of on lockdown.

Terrance: Shit. Jackie was probably pissed.

Me: Understatement of the century.

Terrance: I’m off to London for a few weeks, but I will give you a ring when I’m back this way.