Page 55 of Crimson Love

Manor at Winslet in The Greenhouse dining room. I have

reserved a private area so we can speak freely.

Andrei – I’ll be there. You’d better have the jewels, pet. I’m not

waiting another fucking day.

Me – You’ll have to wait a day because dinner is tomorrow

night at eight. Ask for me at the maître d’s station. Oh, and

come alone. If you’re not alone, I won’t meet with you.

Andrei – I’ll come with who I want. You can’t dictate this.

Me – Since I have the jewels, I am dictating this. Be there at eight by yourself. I’m ready to get this done.

Andrei – You’d better not try to fuck me over. You’ll regret it for the rest of your miserable life.

Me – My only regret is trusting my father all those years ago.

I’m so nervous, I could throw up again, but I haven’t, and it has everything to do with Jett Cross.

They weren’t kidding when they talked about an operational plan. I thought I’d have to meet Andrei, hand over the treasures, and everyone would be waiting in the wings to make sure I didn’t die, or worse, get kidnapped to resume the hell I was living on his boat.

This is not like that.

And now that everyone knows everything—down to the fact I took the bus to Alabama, but I didn’t know where I was going, so I stole a dilapidated sedan at a truck stop.

I planned on returning it. I even have the owner’s name and address saved in my phone. I switched it with another license plate farther along in the state and have been driving it ever since. Everything was going smooth as silk until Jett stole the car to fix it up for me.

And I have to say, Devon and Jett seem way too at ease about this. At ease and a bit excited. I think they both miss the days when their jobs were much more dramatic than running a manor and working remotely as a project manager on government contracts. Jett said this was his last hurrah before he was forced back to his remote position on Monday morning.

Tomorrow night, the DEA, CIA, and Devon’s sister, Bella, and the Winslet Police Department will covertly converge on the manor. I wish we could’ve gotten this done today, but Jett explained that he needed time to prepare for the meeting. And he needed to do that after hours when The Greenhouse isn’t open.

I’m impressed and not as scared as I was earlier. I have no idea what I’d do without them.

After the plans were set, Jett took me by the hand and led me through the atrium and straight to the elevators. The only problem with the plan is it messes up Sunday night dinner with Felicity and Harold.

I press go on Felicity’s number so I can let her down easily. I’ll be forced to lie, since there’s no way I can tell her Jett and I are canceling on them so we can help put a Russian criminal behind bars.

Oh, and that same guy held me captive for six years.

She greets me with a full conversation like she always does. “Happy Saturday, Lennon. I hope you got out of that library basement and are doing something fun today.”

“Hey, Felicity. I’m calling about dinner tomorrow night. Jett and I had something come up. I’m so sorry. We’ll have to take a raincheck.”

“You and Jett have plans? That is splendid! I like him. What’re you doing tomorrow night that you can’t eat here first? You know we eat early.”

I hate to lie to her. She’s taken me under her wing since I got here. “It’s sort of a work thing I’m doing with the kitchen. Jett’s going with me.”

“I understand. We’ll just have to do dinner tonight then. I can be flexible. Not often, but I can. I made my weekly trip to the market this morning. We’re eating healthy.”

Jett and I enter the elevator. “It’s really okay. I don’t want to mess up your Saturday plans.”

“I have the same plans every Saturday unless there’s a big event at the manor. Be here at five. We’ll eat at five-thirty sharp.”

I glance up at Jett as he reaches for the elevator button. “If you’re sure.”