Page 77 of The Diamond Thief

28

Jade

Ithink this boy knows me.

“How did you find me?” he asks.

I lean down, my elbows braced on the edge of the bench. Our faces are only an inch apart.

“I know everything about you,” I say. And I do.

I lower my voice to barely a whisper. “There are four cameras trained on us right now. I had no time to try to pull any video switcheroo or tap any lines. So what we do, when we do it, we will have to do quickly.”

“All right.”

I lift the blindfold away, and Jacob lifts his head. Our eyes meet.

“Nice turban,” he says.

I touch the enormous gold scarf. “I had to look rich and eccentric to get in here. You cost me more than that Scandinavian tiara I stole.”

“Fair trade,” he says. He seems so happy to see me. It’s an expression I don’t think I’ve ever seen on him.

“Did I catch you before anyone else…”

He gives me a huge grin. “You are my first.”

I hesitate a moment at that, but I don’t say anything. Not while the cameras are on us, the microphones straining to pick up our conversation. I’m glad I got here quickly. And I’m also glad to know the ins and outs of the Den. I can’t believe Antony put someone at Jacob’s level in here.

“I tried to pull a diva and insist that they not have security footage of this room, but they refused. That it was for my safety with a dangerous criminal like you.”

“I’m so dangerous.”

I smile. “You are to me.”

His eyes get quizzical, but I move on, walking back to the wardrobe to grab the silk robe hanging on a hook. I throw it over my shoulders and move behind him, flogger in hand.

“We have to look convincing,” I tell him. “Or maybe I’ll make it real.”

“Oh, will you?”

I adjust the bench to be flat and lie down over his back, letting the robe drape over us both. The feel of him against me is the first thing that has calmed me since I broke out of his bunker.

I think he feels it too, his forehead dropping to rest against the bench.

“Why did you come for me?” he asks.

I lean very close to his ear. “Because I want you.”

He goes very still. “I’m glad.”

I rest my head against his neck and let my arms fall, the silk robe covering my actions. I have to shift to reach the shackles at his wrists. They are solid and round. No keys. Just a seam where they fit together. Antony’s special. No matter. I can get them.

“The hall has four guards,” I say. “We’ll have to get past them.”

“I saw,” he says. His head turns, and he spots the oversized cowboy boots I removed earlier. “Nice.”

“You like them? I bought them with the money from my very first heist.” I pull a pin out of my hair. “Do you think I could free you with a bobby pin?” I hold it in front of his face.