Page 4 of Crimson Fury

Tony’s my wheelman. If he’s not on point, my escape route is screwed. Months of planning – along with my chance of a fresh start – could be about to go down the drain.

“So what’s the deal?” I hiss under my breath.

“There’s a car around the block. We got a ten-minute window to get our asses outta this joint.”

“Fine,” I snap, my heart pounding in my chest. Ten minutes. That should just be enough, but I can’t waste another second.

Time to act, Scarlett.

Slipping away from Carl, I approach the door again, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. When a waiter walks by, carrying a tray of champagne flutes, I seize my chance. I “accidentally” bump into him, causing a distraction as glasses shatter and liquid spills onto the floor. A well-dressed couple gets splashed and begin causing a scene.

Perfect!

“Sorry!” I exclaim. The woman is shrieking about her dress being ruined and is having a meltdown.

“Isn’t somebody going to do something?” her companion blusters. The guards at the door exchange glances, one of them nods, then moves toward the commotion. The other steps forward and watches him, his attention momentarily diverted as a group of guests gather around the couple.

Just a brief moment of distraction.

That’s all I need.

I slip behind the guard’s broad back and move to the doorway, sliding behind the curtain. My fingers dance over the lock, expertly maneuvering the tools as I work to crack it open. Sweat trickles down my forehead, but I don’t have time to wipe it away. The seconds tick by agonizingly slow.

“Come on, come on,” I mutter under my breath, willing the lock to give way.

Finally, I hear the telltale click.

Success.

“Got it,” I whisper, slipping into the private room and closing the door behind me. And then I stop short and suck in a breath. The glass case in the center of the room is shining beneath carefully angled spotlights that highlight the facets of the gem that takes pride of place.

The Rose Star.

I can’t allow myself to falter, though. The diamond is within reach, but I’m far from safe. The real challenge has only just begun.

Darting across the room, I reach the velvet ropes that cordon off the case from the rest of the room. It appears sealed from all sides, but I’ve seen the designs. There’s an intricate locking mechanism beneath the rim at one edge. I’d ordered a similar lock from the manufacturer and spent weeks practicing opening it. Now those hours stand me in good stead as I feel along the bottom of the case for the familiar steel shape.

Dropping to my knees, I get to work with my gleaming tools once more, exhaling a sigh of relief as I hear the cogs inside click into place. The door swings open and I find myself breathless as I take the cool gem into my hand.

God, it’s beautiful!

I’m lost for a moment, staring into the dazzle of pink as I admire the flawless stone. Which is goddamn stupid, because I barely notice the nearby voices until it’s almost too late.

“…you think you own me?” a male voice snarls gruffly. Footsteps come closer and my heart leaps into my throat, making it difficult to breathe. I peer around the room, desperate to see a way out. There’s nothing immediately obvious, aside from a window, which I’m certain will be secured.

Shit!

“It’s not about ownership, Victor,” a smooth female voice responds. “You owe me, dammit. Five years. Five years, I’ve given you! Now you want to flush it all away?”

I bolt across the room and slip behind the drapes, sucking in a breath as I press myself against the cold glass and draw the drapes in front of me.

“I told you, it’s nothing personal. Lydia has always had her suspicions, and now she’s simply put her foot down. She’ll ruin me if she makes this public.”

I feel my eyes widen as I recognize the male voice as our host for the evening. Victor Cartwright has invested a fortune in this event. His mining operations in Africa were the source of the diamond in the first place.

“Bullshit, Victor!” the woman snaps back. “You’ve found someone else. Someone…younger…prettier,” she sneers. “Well, if you think you can get away with that, you’re dead wrong.”

“Are you threatening me?” Victor snarls.

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