Page 17 of The Diamond Thief

“She might give me more if she comes to me with them,” he says.

“That’s not the honor of the Den.”

Antony huffs. That’s more of the reaction I expect from him. “You are asking for honor among thieves,” he says.

“You drilled it into us.”

“All right, ten million for me and ten million to the girl. She did best you.”

My nostrils flare. I’ll make the girl fear me so hard that she will never claim her damn ten million. “If she wants it.”

Antony grunts. “I suppose that will remain to be seen.”

“So what have you got?”

“I remember a girl with a tiara fixation,” Antony says. “She went by Marissa. Long blond hair. On the skinny side. Beautiful. Young. She would’ve been about twenty-two at the time, making her something like twenty-four now.”

“This girl had dark hair,” I say. “Tanned olive skin.”

“Who’s to say with salons and tanning beds,” Antony says. “But this girl was whip smart. Way more talented than the jobs that she was attempting to pull.”

“I don’t see how it could be her. I asked for a dark-haired girl less than an hour before she got there. No one could pull a job like this with so little notice.”

“You could have done it,” Antony says. “And I believe you’ve met your match.”

I picture Jade naked on my balcony, her hair blowing wild as I fucked her. She was a match all right. God, I hate her.

“Jacob,” Antony says. “Think like a thief. If this girl is into tiaras, she’ll find where they are. She found yours and planned a job. She’ll find others. Follow the crowns, and you’ll find the girl.”

“She has swords that she can retire on.”

“But no buyers. She’ll be looking for help. Or she might lie low.”

“She better.”

“I’ll let you know if Marissa speaks to any other members of the Den.”

“Great.”

“And Jacob, keep quiet about this. We’ll keep the situation as limited as possible. I won’t have your little problem bringing down the reputation of the Den.”

“Are you telling me not to come to the Den?”

“No, just to avoid calling attention to yourself and your mistake.”

“Fine,” I say and end the call.

My very reputation is now being called into question. This will not stand.

Regardless of whether this girl is Marissa or Jade or the devil herself, I will hunt her down and she will pay.