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No one was worse than Kolis.
The skin of his forehead creased as a warm breeze carrying the stale scent of decay lifted the strands of his hair. “I believe I may have insulted you.”
“Uh…”
“I’m not sure why,” he said. “I didn’t say I found you unattractive.”
I looked back at the city. I didn’t have it in me to even begin to explain all that was wrong with what he’d said.
“I’ve upset you.” Kolis shifted closer. “How can I make it up to you?”
Gods, not this again.
“What would you like? New gowns? Books? Jewels? A pet?” He caught a curl that had been tossed across my face. His lips thinned as he tucked it back. Was he offended by the color? “Tell me, and I will get it for you.”
I started to tell him that I wasn’t offended and didn’t need gowns, jewels, books, or a pet—wait.
What kind of pet?
It didn’t matter. It was the other thing he’d offered.
Jewels.
The Star diamond.
My pulse picked up as an idea rapidly formed—a really poorly thought-out idea, but one nonetheless.
I turned back to the railing, placing my palm on the smooth marble. “Do you know why I find the city so beautiful?” My stomach and chest fluttered as I spoke. “It’s the way it glitters. All the different shapes, some smooth, others irregular.” Aware of how intently he was listening and watching, I smiled. “My mother had many jewels, mostly sapphires and rubies. Bright, perfectly polished ones. Completely unflawed—unlike me.”
“How so?”
My mother did have many jewels, but most of what was coming out of my mouth now was completely made up. “The freckles.” I lowered my voice, playing off what he’d said. “She found them to be too many. After all, she preferred smooth, unblemished beauty. Still, she had this one diamond that was rough-edged and irregularly shaped. It always fascinated me—all diamonds do. Is it true they were created from tears of joy?”
“Most of them.”
“I wanted to wear it,” I lied, having absolutely no desire to wear any jewelry. “But she would never let me touch it.”
“I could retrieve it for you now,” Kolis said quickly. “Tell me where it is.”
Oh, shit. “I’m not sure where she keeps it now.”
Determination settled into his jaw. “I can make her tell me.”
Double shit. This was going sideways fast. “I’m not even sure she has it anymore.” I angled my body toward his, desperate enough to get him off the idea that I placed my palm on his chest.
Kolis went completely still.
So did I, but for different reasons, as I did everything not to acknowledge how his skin felt beneath my palm. “You don’t have to go to that kind of trouble, Kolis.” The bile crowding my throat was back, the lump bigger than ever as I drew my fingers over the slab of muscle, stopping at the center of his chest. “Another diamond would suffice.”
Kolis’s chin lowered. He stared at my hand as I wondered if I’d lost my mind.
“Obviously, not one from any of the buildings.” I could feel how fast his heart beat. “I would be sad if they were damaged in any way. But something large and unique would work.”
“Exactly how large?” His voice had roughened. “And unique?”
How big was this Star diamond supposed to be? All I remembered was that it was jagged and what I’d heard about the color. “Well, the size doesn’t matter so much as its uniqueness,” I decided, feigning a sigh. “And that it has a silver sheen. Hers was so very silver and jagged.” I tapped my finger against his skin and then withdrew my hand. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need anything.” I started to turn away.
“I know of one. It’s large and irregular,” he said. I might’ve stopped. breathing. “I believe it also has a silver sheen. It’s a…rare diamond.”
