My mobile rings inside my pocket then, and it’s Callum’s tone. Gem looks my way while the man carries on, oblivious to the questions in her eyes that have nothing to do with crime lords of the past.
I arch a brow and she nods, telling me to answer. My cousin isn’t one to ring without a reason, and more so when I’m on a bloody date with my wife.
“Oi,” I greet into the line, my eyes on the two walking a few steps in front of me to the next stop. “Everything okay?”
“They’re moving it up.”
“How soon?” The sound of what I know is the harbor comes through his end, the wind loud in the background. “Tonight, around two a.m., says my guy from the dock’s receiving office. They’re afraid it’ll be confiscated by some art thief from Gem’s side of the pond.”
“Is that so? This bloke checks out?” Gem looks back at me, but I shake my head with a smile. There’s no need for her to be worried.
“He does, and the tourist seems to have the buyer with him here. Fast transaction.”
“How many are coming with us, and the time?”
“I say an hour after you take your last cuppa before bed, and two more should do the trick.”
Gem won’t be upset if I slip away for a bit after midnight. “Deal.”
“Good. See you tonight. Now go enjoy your day with the dons of the past.” There’s a hint of a snicker in his tone, and I hang up. Fucking arse. Pocketing my mobile, I walk back over to where my wife quietly waits for me with a knowing stare. “What tidbit did I miss?”
“Not much, Mr. Jameson. We were just discussing the difference between the American justice system and ours. How the possible jail time for a misdemeanor could be outrageous, versus those who’ve committed a high-rated felony.”
“To me, it depends on two things,” I say, entwining my fingers with Gem and pulling her close. “How much money you have, and the kind of defense that affords.” They nod because it’s true. Everything comes back to money, and your time in jail is no different. A millionaire will get a slap on the wrist, while your average citizen gets jail time for carrying a small bag of weed. “Now, what have I missed? Has my beauty had her Q&A section of the tour yet?”
Aurora laughs, smacking my stomach with her free hand. “Don’t be a jerk.”
“That wasn’t a yes or no?”
“He answered everything before I could show him my notes. The man is good.” It leaves her on a grumble, but she gives him a thankful grin a few seconds later. “Thank you so much for everything, Mr. Bright. I truly had an amazing time, and the added surprise blew my mind...I’ll be doing some digging of my own now on the plane ride home.”
“Digging, Mrs. Jameson?”
“I’ve told you to call me Aurora.”
His eyes flicker to mine, and I nod, giving him the okay to do as she asks. “What will you be researching, Aurora? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“The things I’m sure your government wants to stay hidden.”
“What she means to say, Mr. Bright...” I interrupt because the poor man looks lost “...is that her specialty is researching, and she’ll go looking for what isn’t public knowledge.”
“Understood.” The man holds a hand out for me to shake and I do so, slipping him my business card. Bright looks down at it and then back to me with a bit of confusion. “Sir?”
“That’s in case you ever get curious about what she finds. Email me, and I’ll pass the message along for her to reach you.”
“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Jameson. Thank you both. This has been a pleasure.”
“Likewise,” Gem says and gives him a small and very quick hug. “I’ll definitely do this one again; my father-in-law would love it. He has the same kind of fascination I have with these kinds of tourist attractions.”
The man swallows hard but keeps his composure. “That would be lovely, Aurora.”
My father’s reputation is much like his son’s. I’m not the only ruthless bastard in our family.
“Have a good day, Mr. Bright.”
“You too, Mr. Jameson.”
“To be honest, I don’t know what I enjoyed more.” Gem’s words pull me away from the scurrying old man and toward her. My nose scrunches in question. “Him running away that fast for his age, or their accounts of what happened here. Because you know this isn’t the full story, and side B is always bloodier and dirtier than what’s sold to the general public.”
“Are you saying they’re lying?”
“Not at all, Casper, but we both know that the country will not divulge every detail to the public, and what’s hidden is sometimes a different story altogether.”
“You’re not letting this one go?”
“Nope.” The cute way she exaggerates her “P” at the end makes me want to bite her. “Now, take me back to the hotel and molest me. We have a dinner reservation at—”
“Since when?”
“Since it’s my gift to you, dear husband.” Standing on the tips of her toes, Gem presses her lips to my chin and lays three small kisses there. “It’s my gift to you, and I plan to do a lot more than just feed you.”
Fuck.
2
HE ISN’T AS sneaky as he thinks he is.
Not to me, at least.
With one look into his eyes, I know where he’s going, been, and what to expect the second Casper Jameson opens his mouth. My love doesn’t hide who he is, and it’s something I appreciate because with him, you always know where you stand.
If you’re an enemy, be afraid.
If you’re an ally, know that he’ll have your back.
But if
