Page 7 of Cozen

“Cozen, is it?” he asked.

“Who’s asking?”

The man smirked. “Fourth Astor. My great-grandmother has a fondness for white marble—please don’t ruin it for her.”

Cozen lifted a single brow. “I would appreciate your men keeping their distance, then.”

“Fine.” Fourth tipped his chin up, and looked her over with a keen eye. A look that felt almost … dismissive. “She’s not much to see, is she?”

Her back straightened. “I beg your pardon?”

Fourth waved a hand, saying, “Don’t take offence, Cozen. I mean, you’re certainly something to look at as a woman. As a thief, though … I don’t know, I can’t see it.”

“Well, you’re looking at it.”

And she didn’t appreciate being disregarded, either. In fact, Cozen took that as a challenge.

“How long have you been in this business?” Fourth asked.

“Long enough.”

“How many jobs?”

“More than you are old,” she returned.

Fourth’s gaze narrowed, and he took a step closer to Cozen. “And what makes you think a thief like you can handle a job like this?”

Easy.

“It’s the same as any other job, but with a different face on the mark, a new location, and something else to extract. Logistics come in to play later, as I’m sure you understand.”

Fourth passed Ace a look. “She certainly seems full of herself, doesn’t she?”

“She is right here, and she is confident, not arrogant.”

“Yes, well … we shall see.”

Cozen smiled.

Fine.

“You will need to be checked before you can greet anyone else. Astor house rules, sorry.”

“Why don’t you check me, Fourth?” Cozen offered, simpering him with a smile that all men liked to be dazzled by. “Instead of your scary man there with his big gun, I am sure you could do the job.”

Fourth’s gaze flashed with something Cozen didn’t recognize, but he didn’t seem to sense anything off in her words. In fact, he didn’t say anything at all as he came closer, and waved a hand for her to lift her arms.

Cozen did just that, and allowed Fourth to pat her down. He didn’t tell her to put her arms back up when she dropped them down after he finished patting down her back. He didn’t notice the way her hands lingered on his when he grabbed her waist to turn her around, and he didn’t feel her fingers slip into his pocket, either.

Finally, Fourth straightened, and nodded. “You’re fine.”

Cozen shifted the cardigan hanging over her arm, and reached out to brush an invisible piece of lint from Fourth’s shoulder before letting her hand move higher on his throat, and then back to his ear.

The man smiled at her.

And he thought she was arrogant.

“Shame that for such a handsome man, Fourth,” Cozen murmured, “your attitude is a little hard to bear.”