“Spare me your Robin Hood stories. Stealing is stealing, but if it helps you sleep better at night, believe whatever you want.”
The way she pronounces her R’s, especially now when she sounds upset, snags my attention. “You’re British.” It’s not a question, and her eyes widen slightly.
“Do youalways pry this much?”
“I find you fascinating,” I admit, watching her reaction. Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. “So sue me if I want to find out more about you.”
“There’s nothing fascinating about me. What you see is what you get.”
“I see so much,” I murmur, my gaze moving over her face and downward like a caress. “Yet not all of it is true.”
She audibly swallows, shifting in her seat. “Are you always this annoying?”
“Stop trying to change the subject.”
“You’re the one who keeps changing the subject. I want to talk about the Phantom Orchid and you want to discuss my accent.”
“I do. Your very Britishaccent. Why do you hide it?” I press. “I’m sure it’s lovely.” For whatever reason, I enjoy teasing this woman to the point she gets so riled up, she looks ready to spit.
“Bloody hell!” she practically screeches. And this time, she doesn’t bother covering it. “Yes, I’m British! Are you happy now?”
“Yes, actually, I am.” I send her a very pleased smile. “It’s even nicer than I’d imagined.”
She huffs out a breath and crosses her arms. Even though she’s wearing a sweatshirt, there’s no missing the perfect set of breasts she’s unintentionally pushing up. “Can we discuss the reason I need you?”
Her word choice makes me grin even bigger. “Youneedme?” I ask, voice dropping suggestively. My attention alsodrops, zeroing in on what I’m guessing are a pair of perfect C’s.
“I’m seriously re-thinking this arrangement,” she fires back. “Maybe I should’ve kidnapped your big fighter friend instead. He seems much quieter.”
A spark of jealousy zips through me. I’m not normally a possessive man, but the idea of Linc sitting here with Bella instead of me bothers me for reasons I’m not willing to examine too closely right now.
“Fine, be like that. Shop talk it is then.” I pull my gaze off her delectable rack and meet her false gray eyes. “What do I need to know about this supposedly lost purple diamond?”
She uncrosses her arms, relaxing slightly. “I’m sure you’re aware of the history and rumors, right?”
“History was never my favorite subject. I excelled in computer class and lunch.”
“Are you ever serious?”
“Occasionally, if the situation warrants it.”
“Well, I loved history and hated computer class,” she states.
“What about lunch?” I tease, and she rolls her eyes.
“Anyway, in 1938, Empress Sophie owned the Phantom Orchid. She was staying with a close friend, Prince Pálffy, at Heidenreichstein Castle when Germany invaded Austria. They fled before the Nazis showed up because royalty were being killed and imprisoned, their homes and castles pilfered and used for Nazi strongholds. No one ever sawthe diamond again, and Sophie claimed it was lost. But I think she hid it right before they left the castle.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Because if they were stopped, the Nazis would’ve confiscated it.” She pulls in a deep breath then reveals her secret. “The individual who hired me came into possession of a map showing secret tunnels beneath Heidenreichstein Castle. Tunnels that no one knows exist—except for you, me and him. And probably whoever attacked us at the safehouse. I think Sophie hid the Phantom Orchid down there before escaping. It makes perfect sense.”
“Possibly.” I’m not completely sold. “Or maybe it was stolen and then lost like so many other treasures during the war.”
“It’s there,” she insists.
“If she did hide it, don’t you think she would’ve returned at some point to retrieve it?”
“She died before the war ended.”
