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“Um . . . because it’s not glass.” She picks up one of the crystals from my palm and looks it over. “That, my dear, is a ten-carat emerald, worth at least fifteen grand.”
I blink, bewildered, and look at the fish tank where at least twenty similar stones grace the sandy depths.
“But, he told me . . . He told me it was just glass. Why would he do that?” I gape at my “decorations.”
“Yeah, I wonder why.” Tara snickers. “Prince Saeed won’t be happy.”
“Who’s Prince Saeed?”
“The billionaire who ordered those months ago.”
I look back at the emeralds in my palm, and the familiar feeling of panic surfaces again. Letting the rest of the green stones fall into the fish tank, I watch as they make a small splash before settling down next to the others.
“I think I’m getting a headache,” I say, avoiding looking at Tara. “I’m going up to crash for a bit.”
“Don’t be sad about the fish. It happens.”
“I know.”
Reaching our bedroom, I head straight to the dresser and grab the vase filled with “glass crystals” Drago gifted me, then take a seat on the edge of the bed. Dozens of colored rocks scatter onto the bedcover when I tilt the container. I slide my pens to the side and pick up the nearest stone. It’s fiery red and shaped like an oval, with many facets that reflect the light spilling through the window. A ruby, most likely.
There are a few more red stones among the others of various hues. I don’t know much about precious gems, but based on the colors alone, there are sapphires, amethysts, and many others I don’t recognize.
“Silly man,” I choke out as I collect the stones back into their vase.
When I have my “pen holder” back on the dresser, I walk to the closet to get my notebook from its hiding place between my sweaters and take a pen from the nightstand drawer.
Georgina had a secret, I write, as my hand shakes slightly. A huge, horrible secret. It was so bad, that she would rather die than confess it to anyone. Especially to herself. She’s fallen in love with her grumpy wolf man.
The door to my office opens and a short, almost gaunt man in a charcoal three-piece suit walks inside. His white hair is slicked back, contrasting with his thick black eyebrows visible above the rim of his black-framed glasses.
“Mr. Dubois.” I motion toward the chair on the other side of my desk.
When the Frenchman takes a seat, I pull out a big velvet box from the drawer and set it before him.
Most jewelers purchase precious stones exclusively through regular channels because they want to assure their customers of gemstone authenticity by delivering certified products. Some buyers, however, are not interested in paperwork. They just want the best rocks. Mr. Dubois caters to that kind of clientele. Arabian princes. Business moguls. Oligarchs from all over the world. They don’t give a fuck about certificates as long as their wives or lovers can wear the most expensive piece of jewelry in the room.
“This isn’t what we agreed on, Mr. Popov,” Dubois says.
“I know.”
He takes off his glasses and points them at the box. “Prince Saeed was very clear in his request. Emeralds, not sapphires.”
“I’m afraid the emeralds are no longer available. The sapphires I’m offering are worth 20 percent more,” I say and reach into the drawer. “And I have a gift, as an apology.”
“His Highness has specifically asked for emeralds. It’s absolutely unacceptable to—” He stops midsentence, staring at the gem on my palm. “Is that . . .”
“Yes. A G SI1 five-carat round diamond.” I place the diamond on his outstretched hand and lean back. “Call the prince. Ask if my gift is enough to compensate for his disappointment about receiving sapphires instead of emeralds.”
The jeweler takes out a small magnifying glass from his pocket and inspects the rock from every angle. Once done, he pulls out his phone and makes a call. I assume he’s speaking French since I can’t read his lips and I’m having difficulty understanding what he is saying. But, based on Dubois’s excited tone, he must be conversing with Prince Saeed.
“The money will be wired within the next five minutes,” Dubois says after ending the call. He carefully returns the diamond to me. “His Highness asked me to convey his gratitude for the gift, and he confirmed that sapphires are an adequate substitute.”
I nod and place the diamond inside the box. “As soon as I get a confirmation about the receipt of the money, our business is concluded.”
Dubois closes the box but keeps his hands on it as if he’s concerned the thing may disappear. “If I may ask, what happened with the emeralds?”
“My wife needed them.”
