Page 8 of Steal My Heart

Reaching the kitchen, my contact pretends not to notice me as I slip out the back. My heel lands in that questionable puddle.

Eww.

That wasn’t rainwater.

Chapter Two

Angelo

“Mr. Calvani!” My lawyer’s chest heaves as he reaches me.

“This better be good, Mr. Bennett.” I scan the room in search of my mystery woman, but I don’t see her.

She thinks she has me at a disadvantage? I can’t wait to prove her wrong.

“The woman you were with, uh, I don’t know how to say this...”

“Spit it out,” I snap impatiently as we exit the ballroom. Glancing down the hallway, left and right, there’s no sign of her.

“She robbed me.”

“I’m sorry?” I sputter.

“Chatted me up at the bar and stole my ring.” He taps his empty index finger. “Right off my finger. You might want to check your belongings.”

I pat myself down, realizing she’s stolen my watch. Pissed or impressed, I’m not sure which one.

“Here’s the kicker: she stole the envelope out of my back pocket. I’m about to walk into that meeting with nothing,” he whispers.

Pissed it is.

I call Maks. “Did a woman just leave?”

“Sure. Lots of women just left.”

“Suspect’s early twenties. Approximately five feet, seven inches with heels. Golden brown hair pinned up. Black strapless dress?—”

“Amazing tits,” Bennett interjects, and I consider killing him and stringing his useless corpse from the ballroom chandelier.

“I haven’t seen any women matching that description, boss,” Maks says.

“Meet me out front,” I command, ending the call. Turning to Bennett, I tell him, “Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll have the cash. Delay the meeting.”

“I’ll try my best.”

I grab him by his grubby neck, lifting him to his tiptoes. “Your negligence cost me $50,000, Mr. Bennett, so I’m going to need more than your best from hereon out.”

“Understood, Mr. Calvani.” He wheezes.

I release my hold with a shove, storming out of the building. Maks pulls up to the curb and hops out, opening my door for me, and I slide in. Waiting until he’s behind the wheel, I tell him, “A pickpocket stole the new mayor’s ‘welcome gift’ from Bennett. Take me to my office atThe Boardroom. I need to raid the safe.”

“The tits comment makes more sense now. Bennett, the fucking idiot.” Maks pulls out into traffic, making our way out of the French Quarter, and I don’t tell him about my own idiocy.

And yes, her breasts were amazing.

We get caught behind a car at a red light, and I tap my foot impatiently.

Maks looks into the rearview, his eyes going wide. “Get down!”