AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Once the fire was burning and they’d started the first load of wash to get the sheets cleaned, Fletch poked around, noting that there was little that felt like Claire in the cottage. Her grandfather’s stamp could be easily seen, but Claire’s presence was hard to determine.
“There’s not much of you here…” he started.
“There’s plenty of pictures.”
“But they’re a grandfather’s pictures of the granddaughter he adored. Nothing much of yourself.”
“I suppose. It’s just always felt like his place. When he’d grown too old to actually go on heists, we used to sit and plan them here. Once Mia joined us, he took such delight in watching us thwart all the high-tech stuff.” She shook her head with a smile. “I think he realized there were things we could do with Mia’s expertise…”
“And your daring...”
“Yes, a combination of our skills that allowed us to get pieces he never would have been able to get.”
“Did your parents know? About the thefts?”
Claire laughed, her eyes dancing in the firelight. “Not only did they know; they were
involved. My mother not as much, but apparently my father was a gifted cat burglar.”
He laughed. “So, you’re telling me it’s in the DNA.”
“Just as surely as being an equestrian.”
“You really are a gifted rider. I’ve seen you make some jumps in cross country that I held my breath for, even when I knew you’d won the event.” She grinned. “I promise we’ll find a place for you to get that adrenaline boost. I actually think you and Mia should come to work with me. Your expertise would be a real asset. Maybe we can do demonstrations of how someone’s security is inadequate.”
Claire seemed to brighten at that. He wanted to think it was the prospect of working together that excited her, but he feared it was more likely to be the idea of continuing to experience the high of a good heist.
“You told me once that your grandfather believed that Sir Godfrey’s father had your parents murdered trying to get to your grandfather.”
“Yes, he never believed it was Sir Godfrey himself.”
“I’m not sure I believe that. I spent quite a bit of time around Evangeline’s father. He seemed far more impressed with the title than his father had been, and I’m not sure it doesn’t make me think he’d do something desperate to keep the family’s name clean. But could there be others?”
“Could be. I know old man Robbins had a couple of cronies—other peers—who used the looted Nazi treasure to prop up their own family name.”
“Let’s get you and Mia in the clear, and if you want, we’ll try to find who was behind it and go from there.”
“Do you think it’s worth doing? I know that sounds awful as they were my parents, but I didn’t know them.”
“Your call. But here’s something to think about. What if the attempt on your life is more connected to your parents’ murder than we thought? What if whoever wanted to silence them now feels he or she needs to silence you?”
She turned and looked at him, her eyes opening wide. “You really believe Mia and I are in danger, don’t you?”
“I do. Why do you think I’ve been doing all of this? It isn’t my norm to sneak into countries and hide out.”
She laughed. “Honestly? I thought you wanted to make sure we didn’t go after the Clarion and figured a nice, secluded spot where you could take me to bed and keep me there was just the ticket.”
Fletch chuckled. “Not that I don’t relish that idea, but the one flaw is that at some point, I have to close my eyes.”
She turned toward the primary bedroom and reached her hand back to him. “Come to bed with me, Fletch. I need you.”
Claire hadn’t given up on her plans to snatch the Clarion Necklace—of that he was sure, but there was no way he was going to say no to her invitation. She was his, and he meant to prove that to her. Linking his hand with hers, he pulled her back to him and hauled her up in his arms. She needed to accept that he led, and she followed. Carrying her, however, seemed to be a nice compromise.
His dick didn’t care about compromise. It was aching and harder than he could ever remember it being. All it wanted was to be back up inside Claire. She was his safe place. The one thing he would give everything to protect.
They could think about the rest of it tomorrow.
CHAPTER8
