Page 12 of Risky Obsession
“And this is Jackson,” Maya said, indicating the bundle as she took a seat. “He’s Levi and Billie’s bubby. I’m just looking after him for a few hours while they get some sleep.”
She bounced the baby on her lap, showing off her toned biceps that would make many men jealous.
“Now that we’re all here, tell us what you want.” Aria pierced me with her black eyes. “You have twenty minutes.”
I placed my hands on the table. “It’s not so much what I want, but what I think we can do for each other.” I scanned their faces but got no reaction, so I said, “I watched the documentary about the stolen Nazi gold that you found.”
“Yeah, you and every other fucker.” Viper raised his chin at me.
“And I’m here about the portion of gold you didn’t find. The hundred bars that were put on the train.”
“What about it?” Aria asked.
“I have a clue to its location, and I believe we can work together to?—”
“Well, you’re an idiot then,” Viper said.
Aria glared at him, and Viper folded his arms, and his massive biceps bulged even more.
The baby made gurgling sounds.
“What’s your clue?” Nick asked.
“Obviously, I’m not keen on sharing that information unless?—”
“Sounds about right. You’re planning on stealing the treasure from us, like you did to Indiana.” Viper clenched his jaw.
My shoulders sagged. “That happened a very long time ago, and I was young and stupid then. I hate that I did that, and I have apologized to her many times.”
“Doesn’t change what you did,” Viper said.
“No, it doesn’t. I’ve regretted what I did to her ever since.”
“How do we know you won’t betray us like you did to Indiana?” Maya said, then blew a raspberry on Jackson’s rosy cheek.
“Because I’ve changed a lot since then. Also, I’m wealthy, so it’s not about the money.”
“Bullshit. It’s always about the money,” Viper said.
“That’s not true.” Maya leveled her gaze at Viper. “Is it?”
Viper glared at me. “What’s it about then?”
“I found this clue ten years ago after my grandfather died. It’s become . . . a quest, I guess. I was very close to Pops.”
“What happened to your pops?” Aria asked with a tenderness I hadn’t anticipated.
“He passed away ten years ago from prostate cancer.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said.
“Thanks. I want to do this for Pops. He traveled the world searching for treasure, and he was extremely good at it. So good in fact, he had his own antique shop in Rosebud,The Lucky Devil.”
“I remember it, down on Empire Street,” Viper said. “It’s been gone a long time.”
“Yes. I inherited grandfather’s shop and its contents when he passed away and?—”
“Lucky for some.” If Viper’s eyes were swords, I would have been decapitated.