Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
I choked and then saw the teasing gleam in her eyes. Smirking, I handed her a shirt. “It’s almost a shame to cover them up.”
Ruby laughed, a sound I’d begun to cherish. A few days ago, winning was everything to me. Everything was a prize. Every case was a victory. I was obsessed.
But then I’d lost the thing that mattered most. That’d taught me a big lesson. When it came to work, you could win some, and you could lose some. But when it came to love, you’d better play for keeps.
I would fight for Ruby. I would fight like hell to keep her mine, to keep her happy.
We headed downstairs, where we were meeting Montez in the lobby bar. I saw the bearded man at the end of the counter, nursing an orange juice. He stood as Ruby and I walked up, and I shook his hand.
“Thanks for meeting me. Especially at the last minute,” I said.
“Yes, you very nearly rustled me from my beauty sleep. I have a strict nine p.m. bedtime,” he said with a wide grin. Then he shifted his attention to Ruby and offered a hand.
“Pleasure to meet you,” he said.
“And you as well. I hear good things.”
Montez’s knowing gaze drifted to Ruby’s treasure chest necklace. “And I hear great things about you.”
Ruby smiled, then touched the necklace and said, “Thank you.”
That smile would make me melt anytime, but I stuck to our reason for being there and gestured to a table in the far corner of the establishment where it was more private. We moved to a spot away from the hubbub of the bar, and I reached into my pocket and took out one loose diamond. The rest of the gems weren’t going anywhere. They were cozying up to Ruby’s breasts, secure from any more thieves or other surprises.
Montez took the jewel between his thumb and forefinger and placed it on a black cloth he removed from his pocket, along with a jeweler’s loupe. I tried to read his expression as he studied the diamond, but only when Montez set down the magnifying glass did the corners of his lips curve up. “Color is good. Clarity is good. Weight is good. You have a very real, very expensive ten-thousand-dollar diamond from the Frayer mine.”
I’d thought I was calm. I’d thought I was cool, but holy hell, my sigh of relief could have powered a wind farm. I grabbed Ruby’s hand and squeezed it, then fuck it, I clasped her face and kissed her. “Thank you,” I said with all my heart.
“Back atcha,” she said with love in her eyes.
Then I turned to Montez and offered him a firm handshake. “And thank you. A million times over.”
“It is my pleasure. But you can buy me another orange juice,” he said, holding up his nearly empty glass with a cheeky grin.
This guy was one of the good ones. I’d had a feeling about him from the start and I was glad it had proven to be right.
“Consider it done.” I asked Ruby what she wanted and went to the bar to order. Then I stepped away to call Andrew with the news. He would be on the next flight, he said. We were both very ready for him to take possession of that sparkling fortune.
When I returned to the table, Montez was studying a sleek, obviously expensive watch.
I arched an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“This is a Vacheron Constantin,” Montez said with a smirk.
There was a gleam of triumph in Ruby’s eyes. “Just a little something I got from my stepdad. I was curious what it’s worth.”
I blinked, impressed, but a little shocked. “You took his watch?”
“Well, it was just lying there. The cat almost knocked it off the table. I felt it was calling out to me, asking for a better home,” she said.
“The cat?”
“The watch.” She beamed, thoroughly unremorseful and impossibly sexy.
Montez raised his face. “This watch is quite valuable too,” he said, then gave us a six-figure price that made my jaw drop.
“Thank you,” Ruby said, then deposited the watch in her purse with a satisfied, adorable smile.
Later, as Ruby popped into the restroom near the bar, I pulled Montez aside. “Did you bring it?”
“I did indeed. Is this for your sister?” Montez asked as he reached into his pocket and handed me a small pouch. I peeked inside, pleased at the contents.
“Nope. This one is not for my sister. But I’m glad we were able to do business together again.”
I shook his hand, then said goodnight.
Andrew arrived bright and early the next morning. He called as soon as he caught a cab, saying he’d be at the hotel in fifteen minutes.
“Great. Come to room 412,” I told him. “I am ready to hand these things off to you.”
“Can’t wait.”
Ruby smiled from the table where we’d been enjoying breakfast. “Ready to be done?”