"You weren't?"

  Her question was soft. And she was listening, watching me with rapt attention. "I loved her in the kind of way you love a pretty thing. And honestly, she didn't know me, I didn't know her, but I liked what the exterior presentation was. Sure, vacations were fun, and we did a lot with friends. We went to the right parties. We had all these things in common. She supported my ambition, that sort of thing. But it was a sort of hollow existence. We didn't match really. I remember some of our conversations when we had these long moments where I searched my brain for something to say to her. And I don't know why that didn’t give me a clue. Sometimes, I think she was a habit."

  "You were going to marry this woman out of habit? Surely, you loved her a little?"

  I frowned at that. Six months ago, I would have sworn up and down that I loved her. But had I? It certainly hadn't felt like this. “She didn’t push or challenge me. She never asked me to be anyone other than what I presented to her. She never asked me to dig deeper and be more."

  Livy frowned at that. "Do you think I'm asking you to be more than you are?"

  I took her hand then. "No, but yes in some ways. You’ve caused me to question things. Things about myself. The way I live, the way I grew up. Obviously, I've travelled a lot, but you're right, I have been sort of a billionaire prick. My whole life, I've never done things for myself. I've always had a helping hand. I sort of get in this habit of doing things the way I've always done them. I closed off horizons. Lila never pushed me to look beyond any of that because she liked when things stayed the way she thought they were supposed to be."

  "So what happened?'

  "She'd always said she wanted to live in Belgravia. And I had no real desire to live over here. I was perfectly happy staying at the hotel like East. After all, we'd worked hard to build them. I liked my loft. I liked my bachelor life. It was excellent. But from the moment she said that she had always dreamed of living here, I wanted to be the kind of man that could give her that dream. And then I saw that there was a townhouse up for sale and I started to try to give her that. It was right at the same time that I noticed that things were a little off. She hadn't been happy for some time. She was always pushing me to grow the business. Grow faster, grow bigger. She thought I was too small scale. Bridge, East, and I had a plan. And she insisted that I was listening to them too much and that they were keeping me from being great."

  "What was she talking about? The business was doing great because you know when to expand, when not to, when to hold, and when to pull back."

  I smiled at her softly. "You understand because you're in it, and you get it. But Lila was just looking from the outside, wanting the big name that comes with it, all the trappings, and so I bought the first townhouse. I thought I could make it into exactly what she wanted for her dream, and then she'd be satisfied and happy. But I rushed everything through. Everything. I had this house and had already started fixing it within six months. Obviously, with all my connections in the building industry, renovations went quickly. Then the townhouse next door became available, so I bought that too. I was making her Covington house. Everything she'd ever wanted. The day I came home with the key, she told me she was leaving, that I was never going to be able to give her what she wanted, and we were done."

  Livy's jaw dropped. "What? After everything you did for her?"

  "Yeah well, that was my own fault though. I should have done all these things for me. Fulfilled my dreams. Lesson learned."

  "So that was just it? She just left you?"

  This was the part. The part I had trouble saying out loud. "Well, she had found someone who could give her everything she wanted. The name, the trappings, the prestige."

  Livy laughed then. " That's insane. Who could possibly give her a better name than you could?"

  "Yeah, she opted to go with the senior. James Covington, my father."

  Livy blinked once. Then twice. Then again. "Are you fucking serious?"

  "Yeah, I am actually. She's my stepmother now."

  "You know, I knew I hated your father. How could he do that to you?"

  "Yeah, well, we have never particularly gotten along. And it felt like this was his giant final fuck you to me. It's fine."

  "It is not fine. It must have broken your heart."

  "At the time, yes. And I was more fazed by what my father did in the end than I was by Lila’s actions. Again, I had it wrong."

  "That's why you didn't ever want to live here?"

  "Yeah. But you, singlehandedly, have made this place a home. Before it was this museum or mausoleum that I couldn’t get past. Now, it's the place I want to be."

  "Does it feel weird having me here?"

  "No. It actually feels like home. You've put your own stamp on it. It feels like we belong here together."

  "Thank you for telling me all that."

  "I've held onto it, probably for too long. I should have told you sooner."

  "You're telling me now. And not for nothing, but your ex is a bitch."

  "Oh well, she got what she deserves. She and the old man are well suited to each other."

  “Your own father.” Suddenly she frowned. "Now it makes a lot more sense why you were so protective of me with him when he came here."

  "He's a known womanizer. But you didn't need my protection. As you keep telling me, you have it all completely handled."

  "I do, actually. But I still appreciate it. When you're not being excessively bossy, it is very hot that you want to take care of me."

  I laughed. "I'm never bossy."

  "Oh, you are plenty bossy."

  "No, no. Not bossy at all."

  "You realize the next time I see your father I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."

  "Nah, I think you've already terrified him plenty. Besides, it wouldn't sink in. And like I said, he and Lila have made each other miserable. I call it karma."

  She crossed her arms then. "If you say so. But you're right. We have a whole new life ahead of us. You and me. Once all of this is over with the Elite, we could start from scratch. Whatever you want."

  "I don't want a lot. Whatever we want is more important."

  "Amen to that." She leaned forward and gave me a kiss. And for the first time in years, I felt well and truly free.

  6

  Ben

  The last thing I expected at six o'clock in the morning was Prince Lucas Winston of the Winston Isles, banging on my door.

  I wasn’t in bed. I'd been down in the gym working out. Security sensors had gone off that someone had typed in the code. Very specifically, the team London Lords code. I grabbed the towel and hit the stairs, not bothering to wait for the elevator. I grabbed juice before heading to the back door to let him in.

  "You're here early."

  He gave me a brisk nod in way of greeting. "We have a fucking problem."

  I led him through the mudroom and the butler's pantry to the kitchen. "Do you want coffee? It's about to start any second now."

  "Yeah, thanks."

  I opened my god-awful green drink and chugged it down without stopping to take a breath because that was when you could taste it. When I finished, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "What's going on?"

  He pulled out the padded velvet holder, and my heart rate accelerated even faster than when I was running on the treadmill. This was it. Once I took care of this problem, the Elite would no longer be an issue. I'd be one step closer to unseating the Van Linsteds. Lucas unwrapped the velvet and I marveled at the way the stone glistened under the penlights from the kitchen. "It's beautiful."

  He nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's an exquisite fake."

  I choked on a cough. "What the fuck did you say?"

  "Yeah, it's fake. I had the gold tested, it's eighteen carat at best. But the diamond is manmade. Well made. Stunning, actually. An excellent replica. And the craftsmanship on the bracelet is second to none. A true artist made this."

  I ran a towel through my hair. "Where the fuck is the original then?"

  "Isn't that the question for the ages?" he asked as he rubbed his jaw.

  "Fuck. What now?"

  Lucas shook his head. "I don't know, dude. There could be a dozen different scenarios where the real diamond might have been stolen from right under their noses years ago, but we wouldn't know. No one has ever been close enough to check."

  "That stone is the cornerstone of their wealth and power. It's worth hundreds of millions. Marcus has gone so far as to use it as collateral on investments."

  "I don't know what to tell you. Because if this is what Marcus is using for collateral, it's not real. Or he’s working off of a past appraisal."

  Think. Think. Think. There was no way Marcus would have used a forgery as collateral knowing full well it would need to be authenticated. “The Van Linsteds have made their share of real estate investments along the way, never putting up their own money, so it would have to have been appraised recently."

  "That's true. If he's using that gem as collateral, then the original has got to be around somewhere. But what April was wearing for that gala is a fake. And there's no way to know where the real one is."

  "Fuck." I started to pace back and forth. "There has to be a way. Another way to verify. Unless it's just that she doesn't wear the real thing when she goes out."

  Lucas shrugged. "That is a distinct possibility too. I thought of that. But that's even worse news."

  "Why? It means that the real one is still in play."

  "Yeah, it's in play, but we're going to have to steal it right out from under them at the Van Linsted estate. And I'm good. I'm very, very good. But that's going to require some Mission Impossible-style Houdini antics, and I don't know if we have the chops for that."

  Did we have the chops? I had no idea. What I did know was that I couldn't hand over a fake to Rowan Downs. There was no way we’d get by with fucking over a man like that. So I was going to have to deliver the real one or give up justice for Toby, and I was not going to allow that to happen. And from what Lucas was saying, we couldn’t get verification unless we could get into the Van Linsted vault. I stared at him. "You can do it, can’t you? You’re that good?"

  He lifted a dark brow. “Me? Yes, with an experienced crew, which we are not. The real thing would be in the vault if it's at the estate, but it’s going to have the kind of security that makes your balls shrivel up."

  The bloody vault. "Jesus Christ, how the fuck are we going to get into the Van Linsted vault of all fucking places?"

  He shrugged. "The real question is, how are we going to get out?"

  "Jesus Christ, you're even more insane than I am for even considering it."

  "You have a better idea? Because this, pretty though it may be, is not real. We need access to that vault.”

  "You say that like it’s simple. This is the Van Linsted estate we’re talking about."

  "Not simple but not impossible. I just need time.”

  “The one resource we’re short on,” I muttered.

  “Have faith. I love a challenge.” His gaze lifted to meet mine. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.” His glance flickered up as if he was inquiring about Liv.

  "She's okay. Doc says bruises and bumps, nothing broken. Sore ribs. The fuckers hit her."

  Lucas's lips formed a thin flat line. "You have a name?"

  "I'm working on it."

  I didn't want anyone else in on the details until I'd at least talked to Liv. And I wanted the first crack at the murdering gits. With the team, I'd have to follow some kind of rules, and I didn't want to follow rules. Those goons had put their hands on Livy. And I wanted to scorch the earth.

  "When I know, you'll know."

  He nodded. "Well, I'm sure she's okay. And she was a trooper. She handled April like a pro. Actually, maybe one way into the vault is that April offers her a tour. That way we can get a look-see at the vault. April owes Livy her life whether she wants to admit it right now or not.”

  I ground my teeth. I hated that plan. That plan was going to require Liv and I to smile in the faces of jackals.

  But I could do anything for vengeance. Despite my distaste for it, it wasn't a terrible plan because he was right. They owed Livy a debt of gratitude. And if there was one thing the Elite understood, it was the payment of debts. So it looked like I'd be putting out a call to Marcus Van Linsted because Lucas was right; a peek in their vault could be crucial.

  “You think Liv is safe?”

  I swallowed hard as the aroma of coffee filled the kitchen. “I have no idea. Those fuckers could come at her again, and I’d rather she not be a sitting duck.”

  "So, now our mission is divided. Find the kidnappers and get into the Van Linsted estate."

  Said aloud, it sounded absolutely nutters. "We're going to need all hands on deck."

  "I agree. I absolutely agree."

  Livy

  The good news was I didn't have too much swelling on my face. There was a bruise, but it was faint enough to be covered by makeup. My lip was swollen, so I'd have to wait for that to go down. Luckily, Ben had fixed me an icepack before I went to bed, and it wasn't as bad as it could have been. But the real travesty were my wrists and ankles where I'd been bound and the bright covering of purple and yellowish bruises on my abdomen, my arms, and my legs from being hit, thrown, and dragged.

  All in all, I was fine though. As I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me, I felt marginally better. At least I was standing, and I didn't smell like gasoline, so that was a bonus. However, I was still pretty terrified. That was going to be a constant thing for a while.

  It could be worse. You could be dead.

  There was a knock on my door, and I grabbed my robe, easing my arms in and dropping my towel before knotting it at the waist. When I shuffled to the door and opened it, I gasped in surprise. "Telly!"

  "What's up, home slice? How are you, love?"

  "Ah, well, you know, kidnapped. But escaped."

  She laughed even as her gaze drank me in. "I've always said if you were ever kidnapped they would return you post haste. I'm glad to see that's true."

  I stepped back to let her in, and she hesitated. "Oh come on, Tell, it's me. I'm fine."

  "Well, you don't look fine. Sorry if I'm a little bit wobbly, but my best friend got kidnapped. K-I-D-N-A-P-P-E-D! All because she knew some admittedly fit-as-hell men. But kidnapped. There has to be a line."

  I coughed a laugh. "Tell, relax. This time, I don't think he was the culprit."

  She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, stop it. I mean, I understand his dick might be fantastic, but you can't just let him get away with this."

  How did I say it without sounding crazy? "He didn't do anything. Look, Tell, I don't know who it was that took me. I do know that somebody had been watching, and he's definitely Eastern European. He chased us and tried to run us off the road, then he escaped. But Telly, I've seen his picture in my mother's research."

  She frowned and then perched herself on the corner of the bed before eyeing it dubiously. "Do I want to sit on this thing?"

  I shrugged. "Um, looks like housekeeping has been through, so they probably changed the sheets. You’re safe, for now."

  She sighed. "Why don't you tell me what surfaces are safe to sit on that you haven't christened yet?"

  I laughed. "Well, I think there's a bench in the closet we haven't gotten around to yet."

  She pushed to her feet. "You know what, I'll stand. I will stand."

  I laughed and then shoved her back onto the bed.

  "Oh my God. It's been a while since I have been where a dick was, I really don’t want to know what has happened here. Or do I?"

  I laughed. "How's Carmen?"

  Telly ran a hand through her hair. "Oh, you know, she's fantastic actually. She's worried about you, of course."

  "Of course. You know, what with the kidnapping..."

  I rummaged around trying to find clothes, but the only things that seemed somewhat appealing were a pair of Ben’s happy face boxers I’d bought him. I jammed my feet into a pair before I lost the robe and then grabbed one of Ben's ultra-soft workout tees. When I slipped it on, Telly laughed. "Oh, you're at the height of sexiness now."

  I snorted a laugh. "Don't make me laugh. It makes my ribs hurt."

  Her gaze roved over me, cataloging every bruise and scrape. "My God, you are a mess. Tell me how you really are."

  I didn't know how to answer that. I sat down next to her and grabbed the towel again, wrapping it around my head, turban style. "Honestly, I don't know. I feel numb. Last night I started thinking about everything, and then I couldn’t sleep. If it hadn't been for Ben insisting that I needed orgasms to relax, I don't think I'd have been able to sleep a wink. But when he was done with me, I knocked the hell out. Something about being in his arms makes me feel like I'm safe there."

  "So you're saying that you don't think the abduction was related to him, that this whole mess isn't because of his secrets?"

  I shook my head. It wouldn’t have mattered if it were because of the Elite. I’d made my choices. But I knew where to lay the blame. At my own feet. "No. Given the fact that guy was at that warehouse, I think this has more to do with me and my research than Ben. We still haven’t talked it all through."

  Telly chewed her lip. "Moppett, we are at the point where you are getting kidnapped from places. Now is the time to tell him everything. Hold nothing back. I'm pretty sure he loves you."

  I grinned at that. "I'm sure you'd be right."

  Telly's eyes went wide like saucers. "No shit. Did you guys exchange the magic four letter word?"

  I laughed. "Yeah, we said it to each other last night."

  "That's amazing that you guys are going to go for anal. Good for you."