Page 116 of Cozen

“I’m happy to see you can follow directions,” Fourth said quietly.

There was a lilt in his tone that couldn’t be missed—a threat, maybe. Just the way his tone stayed level and calm, and yet managed to also be entirely cold told her all she needed to know. This family was not pleased with her at the moment.

No surprise there.

“I came within forty-eight hours,” Cozen returned. “As Pearl wanted.”

“As I wanted,” Fourth said. “I am the one who called you back here, not my great-grandmother. Or anyone else, for that matter.”

Cozen nodded. “And why is that?”

Fourth checked his watch, and then brushed a piece of invisible lint from his suit jacket. A black Armani number, it looked like. It likely cost more than most people’s salaries for a month, if she were being honest.

“Well, I am here,” Cozen said. “So, what do you want?”

“Where is the ring?”

Right to the point.

“With the man I still need to steal it from, I assume.”

Fourth’s gaze darkened. “You assume?”

“I haven’t taken it yet. I haven’t gotten the chance.”

“You have been working this job for almost five months, and you don’t have it yet?”

“First, I haven’t been working Jett for five months, Fourth. I have only been in his sights for half of that time. The first three were dedicated to getting my shit together for this heist.”

“And—”

“Second,” she interjected, not giving a shit if it was rude to interrupt him, “if your great-grandmother wanted to make a show of stealing the ring back from Jett Griffin, then she should have hired a team who would do exactly that, Fourth. Instead, she hired me.”

“Yes, and I am still not sure why she bothered.”

Jesus.

This man was something else.

“She hired me because I am a thief who integrates into the lives of their mark, and then leaves as quietly as she came. I try—if at all possible—not to draw attention to the heist until I am already gone. There was a reason why I was contracted for this job. I assume you will know the details for that reason better than I will, but that’s your business.”

Fourth stiffened, and Cozen didn’t miss how his jaw tightened. “You were given six months, and already, that time is nearly up.”

“Except it isn’t up yet.”

“Your time has gotten shortened,” Fourth said coolly. “Two weeks—that’s all you have left. Two weeks to return our property, or you can expect to answer for your failure, Cozen.”

A cold chill slipped down Cozen’s spine, but she refused to acknowledge it.

“Why?” she asked. “Why the change?”

“Your job is to steal a fucking ring. Not some big affair that should take this long. It is a ring. Get it done.”

Cozen sucked air through her teeth. She tried not to let the irritation overwhelm her, but it was goddamn hard to do. “And yet, you called me away from the job. You took precious, valuable time away from the work I have to do to call me here and threaten me. You’re risking my cover, and the job with this bullshit, Fourth.”

“Nothing the Astors do is ever bullshit.”

“So says you.”