Page 46 of The Diamond Thief

“Then be my cute little blond bird.”

“I’ll kill you for this,” she hisses.

“I’ll take my chances.”

I settle on a chair next to the cage. It’s been a long time since I had someone caught here.

“Where are we?” Jade asks. “Did we return to Manhattan? Or do you have these places all over the country?”

“We’re outside the city,” I say. I’ll give her that much.

“How long was I out?”

I wasn’t born yesterday. She’s trying to get an approximate radius from where we were to get a rough idea of where we are now. I shrug.

“I don’t know. Hours. Days. How do you feel? Hungry? Nobody taught you how to tell how long you’ve been in captivity?”

She frowns. I thought not.

“You have holes in your training. I must speak to Antony about it.”

“Antony knows a lot more than you think,” she says.

“You sure do glower a lot when you’re trapped,” I say. “So what should I do with you? I won’t let you out unless you talk.”

She runs her hands through her hair, seeming surprised when it ends well before she expected. She’s not comfortable in her new haircut yet.

She lies down on the floor of the cage. She just fits, toe to crown, on the inside.

Her blond hair spreads out across the black padding. My groin stirs. I do have her rather trapped. But I prefer my women willing.

However, should she like to practice her seductive wiles on me a second time, I would not complain. This is my most secure bunker. Every room, from the fake motel above, to this operations room, the bedroom, kitchen, and living areas, are impossible to breach.

Although I’d put more money on her than most.

“Will you talk now?” I ask.

“Will you let me out of this cage if I do?”

“I have already said I would. There are definitely more comfortable accommodations here.”

“My name is Jade Ferris. I go by Marissa Smith at the Den. I’m just third rank, two years out on my training, approved to be the third or lower on jobs.”

“That’s what the third rank means,” I say with derision. “And the swords?”

She shifts to her side and watches me. “I’m sort of enjoying watching you squirm. I can hang out here a whole lot longer. It’s already been a week since I took them. I’m guessing your buyers have moved on.”

My rage intensifies. “Woman. You will tell me where the swords are or you will never leave this cage.”

She peers up at me. “You’re not as handsome when you’re angry. I mean, I like it, but just not as handsome. You sort of match your blood-red living room.”

She’s toying with me. This is one place where she excels. I must maintain control.

“Have you figured out why Antony was following you?” she asks.

“Why?”

“He’s following me. Not you.”