Page 74 of Merciless Heir

“Exactly.”

She nods. “Then we’ll need more than to get word out and a fake trail full of nothing. We’re currently surrounded by all of that bullshit, and that’s the problem. Adding to it won’t make a difference. If you want to test how deep your mother’s involvement is, then we need a solid plan.”

“I’m listening.”

“You could ask her.”

I snort. “She’s even more diabolical than me. Maybe even more than you.”

“Such sweet words, Kingston.” She bites the corner of her lip a moment, then her gaze flies up to mine. “Photos.”

“You want me to show her photos?”

She spins away and starts pacing, the air thickening with the excitement rolling off her. She’s so fucking hot when she’s like this.

What am I thinking?

Sadie is fucking hot all the time.

“Not a bad idea, but I mean, are there photos of the jewels now? More than the ones I’ve seen?”

“Jenson catalogs everything. Yes.”

“Get them.”

“Why?”

“A fake.”

I stare at her. “A fake tiara? You want…how the hell do we do that? It’s going to have to go to Jenson.”

“If we get that far with it. I have a plan.”

“And I’m all ears,” I say. “What’s the plan?”

“I just told you a fake. I’m going to get you a fake.”

“Who do you know?” I ask.

She smiles.

And if I believed in love, this would be the exact moment I fell in love with Sadie.

If.

Chapter Twenty

Sadie

Kingston is leaning against my building’s wall when I come out the next morning.

Little flurries of snow that melt the moment they touch anything make the early cold snap more fun.

He’s a gorgeous sight all in black, tall, lean, austere beauty almost hypnotic. He’s compelling, and that compulsion, that draw to him, is made even more addictive by the heavenly scent of rich coffee from the steaming requisite New York deli to-go cups.

Kingston’s blue gaze punches me hard as it greets me and I struggle to breathe as he sips a cup in his left hand and holds forth the other in his right.

“Is this bodega coffee?”