Page 13 of The Crimson Lily

Yet another chuckle from him. “I thought I’d leave some room for your input.” There it is, that dashing smile again.

The curious and adventurous child in me awakens. I’m actually getting excited at the idea of coming up with a recon plan, like I’m going to be part of a spy movie.

I click my tongue before divulging my elaborate plan. “All right! Any ideas who could have access to that information?”

He purses his lips to think. “Hmm, we should look for people who seem close to him.”

“I have an idea!” I immediately exclaim. “I’ll start with Mr. Zhang. You take the ladies who came in with him.”

“Gladly,” he says with a low voice and a smirk, like he is eager to talk to those pretty flowers.

I roll my eyes—how typical. Prince Charming here is going for the beautiful ladies with his triumphant allure. His eyes shimmer with a greedy spark as he paces away from me and toward them. Man, he is handsome. I sigh, dazzled, and a little sad to see him go.

After the quick introduction speech from a middle-aged man with fluffy white hair on the ballroom’s stage, thanking everyone for coming here and encouraging all of us to have a good time and enjoy the art, I go for a well-deserved glass of champagne.

Actually, it’s my third flute by now. At the back of the ballroom are stands of flowing wine and champagne and amuse-bouches to die for.

Long spoons complemented with salmon over a nest of tzatziki.

Little toasts with avocado or broccoli cream.

Caviar—as if the champagne is not enough!

Upside-down shrimps dipped in sweet and sour sauce.

I stop at the figs and walnuts over thin slices of brie and watermelon sashimi.

There are sushi of all colors and shapes, miniature salmon wraps, caprese bites, and—the best for last—a wide assortment of tiny muffins and brownies.

I am munching on five different things at the same time when I meet eyes with Maksim, who’s been talking with one of William’s associates for a while now, a woman who appeared a little later and latched on to William’s arm.

A woman with very long brown hair, slim—slimmer than me—who wears a tight blue dress without sleeves.

Her legs are infinite, and she stands on a pair of silver cutout heels.

She is standing real close to Maksim. He whispers something in her ear, then I hear her loud laugh, even over the music coming from the other room.

What an annoying laugh! I can’t believe how Maksim can stand that brainless woman!

I don’t like the feeling this scene gives me.

Is it…?jealousy? How is that even possible?

He’s been talking with the same woman for about twenty minutes, which borderline infuriates me.

I feel silly, stupid, and I gulp the last piece of my brownie like my life depends on it.

When I turn around, I see my target, Mr. Zhang, talking to William in the distance.

The only thought that crosses my mind is that I need to get him away from de Loit so I can talk to him without the risk of blowing my cover.

I’m talking like a proper spy now. I wait a few minutes, but these two really seem to be having the longest conversation of all time.

I’m about to return to the table of amuse-bouches when I accidentally bump into a man.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize, then I look up at him.

Quite a handsome man, if I may say so. He has blond hair combed to the side, light-blue eyes that look like they’re made of glass, and his smooth stubble decorates his square jaw.

At first, his eyes aren’t particularly amused, but when he sees me, and my delicately open cleavage, he gives me a warm smile and invites me to shake his hand. I comply and return his smile.

“May I ask your name?” he inquires, with an accent I can’t quite define. It’s definitely not French.

“L…?Ana…?Kovalyo…?va.” I’m glad to be so quick on my feet. I almost gave him my name! Close call.

He lowers his head closer to mine to give me a bow. “Kovalyova…?Are you Russian?”

I nod, thinking that’d be more believable than me directly saying yes and giggling because I told a lie.

“Nice to meet you, Ana,” he says as he gives a small kiss to my hand he’s still holding. “I’m Victor Brugge. I work for DIVA, the Antwerp Home of Diamonds.”

I want to yell my sarcastic Congratulations ! but I refrain from doing so. “Oh, Belgium! What brings you here, Victor?” I say with a smile that could make anyone believe I’m interested in everything this man has to tell.

He takes a step closer to me so he won’t have to talk loudly among the crowd. “I’m here for my friend, William. He’s right there—” He points at the red-haired man whom I absolutely despise by now.

I give him three ample nods like I’m eager to hear more.

So, I let him tell me everything about his friendship with William, their time working together in some art gallery, their holiday together in Rome, and he goes on and on.

I don’t even have to ask him a thing. I just have to smile, nod, and express how surprised I am at everything he says.

There is no doubt, Victor is definitely a talker. And he really won’t stop talking.

While he’s telling me another one of his stories, I spot Maksim in the distance, still talking to the same lady in blue. Only this time, he’s checking on me every two to three minutes. He has a certain look on his face, one that I can’t really place.

“…?and then there’s that dagger of glass he keeps talking about!” Victor exclaims, which instantly catches my attention.

He sees how my eyes have changed, but I’m quickly able to sound like a dumb groupie again.

“The Kinzhal Strastey,” he begins. “William assures that it’s the find of the century!”

“Have you seen it?” I ask, determined to finally get something out of this chatterbox.

“Sadly, no. He talks about it, but he won’t show it,” Victor confesses.

He remains silent for a moment. I think he’s processing some sort of shame that William doesn’t trust him enough to show him his prized dagger.

I want to ask him more, but I know I won’t get much else out of him, so I smile at him and bid him a good evening.

He doesn’t want to let me go, but hey, he doesn’t really have a choice.

All right, Liliana, this is your last glass of champagne. I thank whoever hands me my final flute for the night, then I spin on my heels and search for my husband among the crowd. Strange…?The lady in blue is alone. How long ago has he left her? Where is Maksim? Where is my handsome and dashing?—

“You shouldn’t be drinking when you’re on a mission, zaya ,” he comments, right next to me.

I twitch my nose at him and repeat his words like a little child, then I laugh at myself for sounding like a child. “You’re drinking too!”

He chuckles. “A simple sleight of hand, Liliana.”

Wow. I’m on the verge of diving deeper than the state of tipsiness, and Mr. Business Class here is completely sober.

Shit. I feel foolish. I veer my hazy eyes back to the crowd and rejoice when I see Mr. Zhang is finally alone.

However, he has a line of at least eight puppets waiting to talk to him.

I really wonder who he is, especially for having so many attendees waiting to get a chance to speak with the man.

“That is Yi Zhang. He’s an art dealer from Beijing.”

Maksim has definitely read my thoughts.

“We actually think your boss has partnered with him to sell the dagger.”

“What did you get out of the girl in blue?” I spontaneously ask. I don’t know what’s come over me, but now I want to know everything about his conversation with that annoying lady.

“Not much,” he replies. “Only that she’s heard about the dagger but has never seen it.” He pauses for a second, then straightens his posture and signs for me to follow him. “Let’s go stand in the Zhang line.”

He takes my hand, which he pulls toward him, leading me closer to him.

I have no clue what’s going to happen next.

I find myself squeezed between him and another man behind me, in a sea of people who have begun to dance to the rhythm of amplified music.

Maksim now has both his hands wrapped around me, joined at the arch of my back.

I have to stand still for a minute to let another group of people pass.

I look up to him as he pulls me even closer, pressing me against his chest.

Fuck. I’m falling for him , I think for a split second, like nothing else matters.

And there, in the middle of an intoxicated crowd, I find myself with my arms around his neck and my lips on his.

I only let go when I realize he isn’t kissing me back.

I freeze into place. He has no expression on his face.

I blink a few times, hoping I haven’t done what I just did.

What the hell? I clear my throat, stand up straight, release myself from him, and hasten toward Mr. Zhang.

I don’t look back, and I really don’t want to.

I feel so stupid. I beat myself up in my thoughts as I reach the line of now nine people. What the hell have I just done?

I can officially declare that I, Liliana Springfield, am drunk.

I’ve never been drunk in my second life.

I’m standing in the line, my arms crossed before my chest, staring into the abyss, biting my lip furiously. Stupid, stupid, stupid Liliana! How could you be so stupid? What the hell were you thinking, kissing him like that? What the hell has gotten into you?

I remain there for at least ten minutes, silent, looking away. I know he’s standing beside me, but I am most certainly not going to look at him. Not ever again.

Not until I feel his lips down my neck, going in for a nibble.

I bounce on my feet, surprised, then veer to him with furious eyes.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He’s chuckling again! I can’t believe it. He pulls a Maksim on me, not answering my question.

As we make it to Mr. Zhang, he leans in closer to me.

“Convince Zhang to walk with me,” he instructs.