“It’s perfect.” I typed it into my phone because I’d had so much to drink, I didn’t think I’d remember it in the morning. “He’s good with the ideas. I hope he finds a wife who appreciates his creativity.”
“Not you.”
“Not me. I’m taken.” I was stronger now. I’d made peace with my past. I didn’t have to sacrifice who I was or what I wanted to make other people happy. I didn’t always have to be good. I was brave enough to go after what I wanted, and strong enough to stay standing if I failed. I was worthy, and I had opened myself to love.
“What if he doesn’t come back?”
I gave her a wicked grin. “As Gino said, there’s a price to be paid for betrayal.”
I heard the crunch of footsteps outside. For the briefest of seconds, my breath caught, and then I heard Gage say, “I’ve got something for you.”
“Come on in.”
Gage slammed open the door and pushed a hooded man into the room, forcing him to his knees. “Your favor,” he said to me.
“What’s going on?” Chloe looked from Gage to me and back to Gage. “I thought you said you had to leave town for a job.”
“This is it.” He kicked the man at his feet. “A job for Simi.”
“I asked him to find the man who set you up,” I said. “I didn’t like the idea that he was still out there doing the same thing to someone else, and I thought you deserved some revenge. It was a loose end that begged to be tied.” I waved a hand in the man’s direction. “My gift to you.”
“Take off his hood.” Chloe’s voice was firm and hard.
Gage obliged, and Chloe and I gasped as one.
“Kyle.” She spat out his name. “You set me up? Why?”
“Because you’re a fucking thorn in my side,” he growled. “A constant reminder that I fucked up. My parents have never forgiven me. I lost my trust fund because of you. I was supposed to inherit the family business and they gave it to my brother.”
“That’s hardly my fault.” I’d never seen Chloe so angry. Her body shook, hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You made your choices. The consequences are on you.”
“Fuck that.” He twisted, struggled to get to his feet, but Gage pushed him down. “I’m in debt, working entry-level jobs, living in a shit rental apartment, and you still come after my fucking money for a kid I never wanted.”
“You took advantage of me,” Chloe shouted, face red, nostrils flared. “I was barely sixteen. I had no one to look out for me. You wouldn’t leave me alone. Day after day you harassed me, until I agreed just so you would stop. We both knew the risks. We are both responsible for that decision, although I wouldn’t change it for the world. Olivia is the best thing that ever happened in my life.”
“How did you do it?” I asked him. “Why did you do it? Was it just about the money?”
“She destroyed my life.” He turned his furious gaze on me. “I wanted her to pay and I got the perfect opportunity when I met a guy who was looking for someone to hack a museum security system. I couldn’t do it, but I knew Chloe could, so I told him I’d give him her details if he made sure she took the fall.”
“But then you’d get custody of Olivia,” I said. “I thought you didn’t want her.”
“I wanted the fucking money,” he said. “I was going to tell my parents I needed the trust fund to look after the little brat, and boom, I’d be back in business. I’d play the good son for year, get my inheritance back, then dump her off with them and live the life I deserved.”
Chloe crossed the room and slapped him across the face. “Never speak about my daughter like that again.”
“You think you’re so tough ’cause you got your friends here,” he spluttered, “but we both know who’s the boss when we’re alone.”
Chloe nodded at Gage and then at me. “Leave us.”
I grabbed a half-empty bottle of vodka and dragged Gage out of the room. “I’ll get the bleach.”
“Don’t like leaving her inside with that piece of shit,” Gage muttered on our way out.
“She’ll be okay. She’s not the same woman you met all those weeks ago. None of us are.” I took a swig from the bottle and handed it to Gage.
“Never much liked change,” Gage said, taking a sip. “But if it means she can send that prick a message that will keep her and her daughter safe, then I’m all for it. He’s a fucking cowardly weasel.”
“Strong words.”
“He framed the mother of his child for cash and didn’t even do the deed himself.” His face hardened and I hoped Kyle appreciated that Chloe was doing him a favor by sending Gage outside. “I already got the story from him and taped his confession. He doesn’t have much pain tolerance.”
“Too bad. I would have liked him to suffer a little bit longer.”
“I wasn’t done with him,” Gage said. “But you asked for five minutes, and I thought you’d want him conscious.”
“If Kyle wasn’t in the museum, who took the necklace and locked her in?” I took another sip from the bottle. After the adrenaline rush, I wasn’t getting my usual buzz.
“A couple of mid-level jewel thieves,” he said. “The guy who organized the whole thing has computer skills, but he couldn’t handle a job that complex. He got a tip that the necklace would be at the museum and went looking for a hacker. He lucked out when he found Kyle, who gave him Chloe’s details. I found that guy, too. Got the rest of the story from him.” Gage tipped his head from side to side, cracking his neck. “You didn’t ask me to bring him to you, so I was able to do my best work.”
“I don’t need to know the details.” I handed him the bottle. “How was Mr. Angelini involved?”
“Mid-level guys can’t move stuff of that value themselves. Mr. Angelini is the most well-known fence on the East Coast. Word travels fast when a piece like that is on the move. Jack already knew it was in Chicago and had come here to . . .” He trailed off with a grimace, so I put him out of his misery.
“Reclaim it?”
“Yeah. That’s it.” Gage took a long sip. “Mr. X keeps tabs on Jack. He knew something was up. Sent out some feelers. Found out the necklace had been stolen and figured either Jack had it or he was after it, so it would be an easy win.”
“That’s why he sent the guys to my place.” My lips curled into a smile. “They didn’t think there were any good fences in Chicago.”
“They’re idiots,” Gage said. “Angelini is big-time.”
“After the beating they got at the butcher shop, I don’t think they’ll be bothering us again.”
“No, but they’ll still be after Jack. Him and Mr. X . . . that’s personal, and Mr. X will be pissed he didn’t get the necklace.”
“I have a feeling Mr. Angelini was going to move the necklace to Berlin and Mario was in on it,” I said. “It was an odd location for a honeymoon. I guess he wasn’t prepared for his daughter to steal it right out from under his nose.” I leaned against the house and stared up at the stars. “If I ever go on a honeymoon, it will be somewhere tropical.”