Page 77 of Merciless Heir
She was also a master jeweler in her own right, but her real skill lay in counterfeit jobs and she knows it. “I’m not stroking your ego, Yia-yia.”
“Of course I can. It’ll cost.”
“Clearly, he can pay.”
She picks up a photo. “Remember when we met? You tried to fence me some piece of crap your father made you steal. I still have that.”
“It was junk.”
“Monetarily, yes. But not all things of value have a big dollar price tag.” She looks from the photo and to me. “Do you understand what this is worth? Or, should I say, does your young man?”
“He’s not my anything. Unless you mean a pain in my ass.” I cross my arms. “Because he’s that.”
“There are worse things, Sadie.”
Oh, God. She wants to talk in riddles and I don’t have the time. “Kingston knows it’s very expensive. And it’s his. The real one. I’m going to get it back. He’ll sell it, well, technically I will for him. That is, if I don’t steal it, instead.”
“Sadie!”
I roll my eyes. “I won’t, but officially, I haven’t decided.”
“Hmmm, so you both think the price is the tag it would be given in a store?”
“Yes.”
Athena spreads the photos out, moving them about in some kind of order that pleases her. “I thought I taught you better than that. You are better than that.”
“I’m a thief.”
“Ex. You did what you needed. Just like I did. We all do things to get by. But I honed all your skills and you took to that. You ran with it. You had your short-lived wild days, and you never hurt anyone. Never took from anyone who couldn’t afford it.”
“I don’t regret it.”
She meets my gaze with those eyes that see too much and I swallow. I do. I regret the stealing when I didn’t have to, but I can’t turn back the clock. I’ve managed to turn that into a way to stop others from doing the same with my clients. Christ, I should give myself a fucking parade for my virtue.
I’m pathetic.
I take a breath. Maudlin and regrets never help. Learning from mistakes does. This lady who is family to me taught me that. And I know she’s trying to teach me something else.
“I know what you regret, Sadie, honey. But the past is the past. I gave you tools, but you’re the one who got away from the life your father would have sucked you into. And I think without me, you’d have found your way. So don’t let that color decisions now.”
I frown. “I’m not.”
“And be careful of playing games.”
“I’m not doing that, either.”
She smiles softly, like she can see things I can’t. And it’s annoying. “Be careful. Certain games bite back hard.” Athena turns and sits. “Now, this job…”
“You can do it? A rush job?”
“I’m the best no one has heard of for a reason. Yes, I can do it.”
I know it’s been a while for her. But if I have faith in anyone it’s Yia-yia, even if she’s having a Confucius moment.
My phone beeps. I pull it from my pocket. Damon. “I need to go. I can leave this with you?”
“Yes.” She waves me away with a hand, her head clearly already immersed in the job. “Remember what I said.”