Page 7 of Wicked Games
“No one in your building knows me.”
“Wrong. I’m pretty sure I added you to the list of approved visitors when we arrived last night. I bet Robert called her.”
“The older gentleman working the concierge desk?” Trent asked in disbelief. “You think he’s on Celeste Jameson’s payroll?”
“Stranger things have happened.”
My bedroom door suddenly flew open and bounced against the wall. “Sorry,” Iris said from the doorway. She was shielding her eyes like she expected to find us in a compromising situation.
“Nothing happened,” I told Iris. “You can look.”
Iris smiled sheepishly. “I hate to sound like our mother, but I’m disappointed in you, Ry. You had a beautiful, compassionate man in your bed and didn’t—”
“Ris,” I said in a warning tone.
“You need to call Mother.” My sister’s worried expression sent a foreboding shiver down my spine. “There’s an emergency at the museum.”
Not again.Same story, different museum.
My heart was in my throat when I called her. “Mother, I did not… I would not—”
“I know you didn’t do anything wrong, Ryder,” Mother said, interrupting me. “Unfortunately, Daniel Perez isn’t convinced. You need to go to the federal building to speak with the FBI immediately. Let me know when you’re on the way, and I’ll make sure Richard meets you there.” Richard Kensington was our family attorney, and I was relieved to know he would be with me. “Do you want Dad and me to come too for moral support?” Her offer stunned me. This was the same woman who’d forgotten I turned another year older. She sounded like the woman I called after my first accident. I had missed her more than I realized.
“Just the lawyer is fine. I’ll shower and head to the federal building. I won’t be long. Do you know the names of the agents I should ask for?”
“I don’t, Son. I only met them briefly this morning and was too stunned to remember their names.”
“What was stolen?”
“I’m going to wait and let you find that out from the FBI so they can see your genuine reaction and know you couldn’t possibly be involved.” I appreciated her confidence more than I could express, but three museums and three heists with me as the common denominator spelled big trouble. “Are you sure you’ll be okay? I know things have been strained between us for some time, but I believe we can be better.”
“I’ll be okay, Mother. Sadly, I’m a pro at this by now. I want better for us too. I’ll call you afterward.” I disconnected the call and blew out a frustrated breath. “I can’t believe this has happened to me again.”
Iris walked over and hugged me tight. “It’s going to be okay, Ry.”
I wanted to believe her, but I knew better. “Thanks, Ris.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Trent asked from the bed. He looked sleep-tousled and gorgeous. Why the hell couldn’t I have fallen for him instead of a man who was determined to destroy my life one pound of flesh at a time?
“No. I need to shower and get going. You guys can stick around as long as you want. There’s plenty of food in the refrigerator.” I sounded like I was just going to the office for a routine meeting instead of an interrogation that was likely to last hours.
“Don’t worry about us, Ry,” Iris said.
“Iris, I’ll treat you to brunch before I head back home,” Trent told her. “Ryder, I want you to call me as soon as you can.”
“I will,” I assured him and offered some semblance of a smile before I disappeared into my bathroom to take a quick shower. My walk-in closet had an entrance from the bathroom and the bedroom, so I was fully dressed by the time I stepped back into my empty room.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror as I put on the emerald cuff links shaped like shamrocks given to me by my grandfather. “I could certainly use a little luck of the Irish today, Pops,” I said, noting the somber, black suit and muted navy tie I’d chosen to wear.
I had dressed for a funeral, but it was fitting since I was staring down the death of my career and every professional dream I’d ever had.
ISHOULD’VE CALLEDBANKS ASsoon as I came up empty at the museum. By not calling him, he had assumed my mission to recover the fanyi wine vessel was successful. I knew delaying the conversation would only make his reaction worse, but I needed time to think. I hadn’t alerted him that Carmen Santiago was on the scene either. It wasn’t the first time Old World Antiquities had gone head-to-head with Carmen, but it was the first time she’d beat me to the punch. How?
A nagging suspicion about the job had started forming in my brain the minute I realized Banks was keeping facts from me. He hadn’t wanted me to know Ryder worked at the museum, but I could easily shove my doubts aside in that regard. Banks wouldn’t want to risk me getting distracted by a “piece of ass” because, according to him, they were a dime a dozen. Not knowing Carmen was on the case though? To my knowledge, it was a new development. At face value, it could be explained away by Dev’s freakish accident landing him in the hospital. He’d required surgery to pin his bones together, so it was possible for Carmen to move in without anyone noticing while our setup crew transitioned from one agent to the other. But the job still felt off.
I glanced at the clock and noticed it was nine o’clock in the morning. Fuck! Banks was going to be so damn pissed off. I dreaded the confrontation but couldn’t delay the inevitable any longer. The news had already broken about the heist at the museum, and his smug arse would think I was in possession of the vessel. I bit the bullet and dialed his number.
“Good afternoon, Lucky,” Banks said when he answered the phone on the first ring. “Did you have an indulgent lie-in to celebrate a successful mission?”