by Lisa Kessler
David rolled his eyes. “You know what’s in that box as well as I do. We need it recovered. Now.”
King kept his attention on the computer screen. “Your pirate crew is ready to sail into action on your behalf?”
“Yes,” Bale replied without elaborating. “But I need a picture and preferably something we can run through facial recognition.”
King turned his computer screen around, flashing a green grainy image of the docks. “I’m a shaman, not a miracle worker. The security camera isn’t in a well-lit area. I may be able to freeze a few frames of the crate being removed from the dock, but the chances of a clear enough photo for facial recognition software is slim.” He glanced up from the keyboard as he turned the screen back toward him. “Is my daughter aware of the missing item?”
King’s daughter was now a member of the immortal pirate crew, against David’s wishes. Dr. Charlotte Sinclair inherited some of her father’s paranormal abilities, which on its own wouldn’t be a problem, but her power gave her the ability for her spirit to escape her body and use kinetic energy. She could kill an entire military unit without leaving behind any physical evidence. And since she took a sip from the Holy Grail, killing her wasn’t an option.
Not that Dr. Sinclair was a threat, but if she ever became one, containing her was going to be problematic.
“Yes.” David ran a hand down his face. “I saw her on the Sea Dog today. She’s eager to see Pandora’s box for herself.”
“You’re lucky my girl is on your side.” King smirked and clicked on a file. “Got it.”
David came around behind King’s chair. A woman’s face filled the screen. The image was grainy and drained of color, but David recognized her.
“That’s the woman with the Digi Robins tattoo on her shoulder. She was the one trying to make a grab for the Holy Grail.”
“She’s more than a thief.” King tsked and looked up at David. “Regardless of what our computer systems say, the crate never made it onto our transport, let alone into our vault. This picture is proof of that.”
“So, she’s a hacker, too.”
“Or she knows one.” King shrugged. “The time stamp is two weeks ago. If they haven’t sold it yet, they’ve got to be close. They wouldn’t want to keep something that valuable any longer than necessary. They’re banking on us not wanting to get the police involved.”
David shook his head as he went to the door. “She doesn’t know I’ve got an immortal pirate crew coming for her. Email me the photo. And get a name, King. Now.”
…
Harmony sat across from John in his office. She focused on his body language, trying to get a read on his mood today. Overnight, Tuck had answered her email. They weren’t ready to formally accept bids for the box yet. They needed money to upgrade their bidding software encryptions first. She was itching to unload the creepy thing, but Tuck was probably right. This was too important to risk screwing it up.
She’d spent most of the day reworking her figures and updating her spreadsheets to make the front business look more enticing to John. She realigned the assets to offset some of the risk and added some new software products to their forecasts.
He finally looked up. “This is really good.” The corners of his mouth twitched as he bit back a smile. “It’s all made up bullshit, but you could probably fool just about anyone.”
Harmony crossed her arms. “But not you.”
He slid the graphs and spreadsheets back into the folder. “Not me.” He handed the documents to her, but when she took them, he didn’t let go. “I’m starving, and I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your future here. Can we work over dinner?”
“We don’t need to do that.” Her pulse fluttered. Was she about to be fired? Shit. She pushed too hard. “I’ll let this one pass. I’ve got a safer investment on my desk. I’ll get the proposal ready for you tomorrow.”
He stood up, releasing the file and shaking his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He went to the window to the left of his desk. “There is a project coming up soon that will keep me out of the office, potentially for a few weeks.” He turned around, his dark eyes meeting hers. “I was going to ask you to be my second in command.”
“Wait. What?” She must’ve misunderstood him. “I’m not being fired?”
“Fired?” He shook his head. “No. But I will expect you to think about what we talked about yesterday. No more risky investments.” He glanced at the folder and back up to her face. “And if you ever try to sell me on a fictional investment portfolio again…”
“No. I won’t. This was a mistake.” She shook her head, struggling to keep from laughing in relief. “When will your special project start?”
“I’m not sure yet, but I need to be prepared.” He walked behind his desk. “I guess we can discuss it in the morning.”
She tucked the file under her arm. “Actually, I’m free for dinner, if the offer is still open.”
His grin had her stomach all fluttery, but she squelched the rush of attraction. She knew John well enough to know the rare smile wouldn’t last. The man was driven in business, and as much as she used to fantasize about a forbidden office affair, she’d finally accepted the fact that John was far too controlled to ever risk a romantic relationship in the office.
Or a relationship in general. He was still one of Savannah’s most eligible bachelors, and it wasn’t for lack of female interest.
She held her breath, waiting for him to reply. Had the dinner offer been a mistake? She was just about to pretend to discover a forgotten conflict when John cleared his throat.
“Good. The Olde Pink House?”
“Sounds great. I’ll meet you there.” She hurried out of his office and directly into her own.
She closed the door and finally allowed herself a celebratory shimmy. This new position could solve everything. She could repackage the front business for the Digi Robins project and then fund it herself, which technically wouldn’t be breaking her word with John. She wouldn’t be showing it to him. It wasn’t like she was embezzling the money to pay for a new Porsche or a second home. The money would pay for the encryption and bidding software, and once she found a buyer for the box, they could save a few lives in the process.
It was all for the greater good.
Deep down, a voice whispered a warning. Betraying John Smyth could cost her everything. She silenced the would-be warning with her go-to mantra: No risk, no reward.
She made the drive to the restaurant in record time. Every green light became another sign of good fortune.
After she parked, Harmony took a deep breath, centering herself, and straightened her skirt. This was just another business meeting. She’d been to more than she could count over the past five years.
But none of those were with John Smyth.
Enough. She silenced her inner voice and hustled to the entrance of The Olde Pink House. The restaurant was a landmark in Savannah not only for its food, but for its ghosts. The stories of revolutionary war soldiers appearing at the tavern on the lower floor added to the flavor of the house, still standing since 1789.
Harmony had her own experience in the dining room when she first arrived in Savannah. The rational part of her brain still tried to convince herself it was a play of the light as the sun was setting, but her memories of that day were clear. A servant girl in colonial dress walked into the room, glanced her way, and then vanished.
Before moving to Savannah, Harmony would have dismissed the notion of ghosts and spirits, but after living in the “city built upon its dead,” it was tough not to feel the energy of history. The past weighed on Savannah like a heavy fog rolling in from the river.
This was a deal she needed to close, and she intended to do just that. John turned around as she approached, with his phone clutched tight in his hand. His gaze locked on hers like he might say something, but instead he dropped his phone into his pocket and gestured for her to follow the hostess. He stayed close behind
her and pulled out her chair for her. She’d never been with him outside the office to notice his old-school manners. She took her seat, and he helped her slide her chair toward the table before he went around to sit across from her.
She cleared her throat. Time to get this meeting started. “It seems we have a lot to talk about.”
…
John stared at the gorgeous thief seated across from him. She’d worked for him for five years. How did he miss it? Until now, he’d chalked up her appetite for risk-taking to her youth. She hadn’t witnessed as many deals go bad as he had. She wasn’t jaded and experienced yet.
But all this time, she’d been playing him. A pirate in her own right.
He recognized her face instantly from the grainy security camera photo that Agent Bale emailed to the crew. But John didn’t tell anyone. Not yet. He supposed he was still processing this new view of Harmony Andrews.
While he expected to feel the sting of betrayal, he found himself more intrigued with her than ever before. Almost impressed. After all, who was he to judge someone for pretending to be something they’re not? He’d faked his own death and returned to take the reins of his own company many times over. He’d walked away from relationships without explanation to avoid exposing his secret immortality.
The only people who truly knew him were on his crew.
He’d never met a woman who turned the tables on him before. After walking the earth for over two hundred and fifty years, new experiences were rare. And a dangerous flame sparked in his cold heart.
The server brought over a vintage wine for tasting. Harmony swirled the deep burgundy liquid around the glass before lifting it to her full lips. She hummed, the pleasure-filled sound hitting him like a bolt of lightning.
Harmony smiled at him. “Aren’t you going to taste it?”
“No.” John glanced at the server. “Bring us the bottle.” The server vanished, and John stared across the table again. “I trust your judgment.”
Harmony chuckled, unfolding her napkin. “That was not the message I was getting from you yesterday.”
“Trusting you and agreeing with you are two different things.”
“I’m sorry about the doctored portfolio. I feel really strongly about the deal, but I recognize I took it too far.” She placed her napkin in her lap, her dark eyes locking on his. “I got caught in the moment after you turned me down and…” She shook her head. “No excuses. I shouldn’t have done it.”
He raised a brow. “You’re not used to being told no.”
“Not really.” Her smile insinuated she meant more than just at work. And he discovered a pang of…envy toward any man lucky enough to taste her lips. “You’re on a very short list.”
“Just so you know, I get no pleasure in refusing you.” He placed his napkin on his lap, relieved as the waiter returned with the bottle of wine and took their orders.
He needed to rein in this swell of interest in the beautiful woman across the table. Not only did she work at his firm, but she’d stolen a priceless, dangerous relic from the federal government.
Tough not to admire her piratical tendencies.
After the waiter collected the menus, Harmony shifted in her chair. “I’m honored you chose me to be your second. How long will you be gone?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’m hopeful I can wrap things up quickly.” Since I am sitting directly across from the thief.
John found himself in the unique position to potentially discover where she was hiding the relic and who her buyers might be, but he couldn’t stop wondering how and why she took the box. Everything he’d thought he knew about Harmony was…only a small piece of her, and he was very curious to discover every secret.
Chatting about the office wasn’t going to produce the information he desired. John studied her as he asked, “Will this extra responsibility cut into your personal time? You’re welcome to turn me down if this is too much of an imposition.”
She shrugged and picked up her glass. “I’ll make the time.”
Purposefully vague. That shouldn’t intrigue him further. But damn it, it did. He tried another angle. “What do you like to do outside of the office?”
“I’m sort of a workaholic.” The candlelight flickered in her dark eyes as she took another sip of her wine. “But I used to spend a lot of time on the water.”
The server interrupted with their food, and Harmony took a bite, groaning in delight. He smiled, watching her thoroughly enjoying her food without a hint of posturing.
In the five years they’d worked together, this was the most honest she’d ever been with him. The most authentic reflection of her.
And she took his breath away. Until now, he’d been able to keep her at arm’s length, as he did with all the mortals he worked with, but sitting across the table from her, he had to warn himself about the line in the sand. She was Agent Bale’s thief and his employee.
But each second that ticked by gave him another glimpse into this woman he thought he’d known. And his ability to keep his emotions from becoming involved waned.
As they finished their meal and their wine, she grinned. “Why are you staring at me? Is there something in my teeth?”
“No.” He shook his head. “You’re beautiful.”
Her cheeks were flushed with color, probably more from the wine than his words. She rolled her eyes. “You’re Savannah’s most eligible bachelor. You can take your pick of beautiful women.”
He chuckled. “They don’t surprise me like you do.”
“Pfft. I know you well enough to know you hate surprises.” She gestured toward him. “You and your perfect suits and gorgeous hair. You could afford a racy Porsche, but you drive a sensible Lexus. And every deal I bring to you that’s not a slam dunk is too risky.” She raised a brow. “Pretty anti-surprise if you ask me.”
John laughed. Not a chuckle, but a full-blown warm-him-all-over laugh. He’d never met anyone like her before. “I’ve got news for you, lass.” His true nautical accent colored his words. Maybe the wine was getting to him, too. “Ye don’t get rich by spending all yer coin to impress others.”
She sobered, lowering her voice. “What about to help others?”
“I donate to many charities.” And he did. He wasn’t flashy about it, usually donating anonymously, but a wing of the Savannah library did bear the Smyth name.
She leaned in closer. “But what if you could save someone’s life? Would you offer up everything to give someone else a chance at fighting cancer or heart failure or some other disease?”
He didn’t know where the conversation was headed, so he angled the ship back into the wind. “Would you?”
“Yes.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Let’s get out of here.”
…
Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the realization that John Smyth trusted her enough to make her his second in command. Maybe it was hearing him really laugh for the first time. But if she could get him on board with the Digi Robins mission, she wouldn’t need to lie anymore. His support could be a game changer. With his money, they could get a real storage facility for their antiquities.
She probably should’ve been considering that he might be able to help them make legitimate investments so that stealing wasn’t required anymore, but…
Ugh. She was so damned good at it. And it wasn’t like she ever robbed someone who would miss it. She stole antiques from people so rich they wouldn’t even notice they were missing, and, more recently, relics most people didn’t even believe were real that the government tried to hide from the public. It was a victimless crime.
Or so she told herself. The good they did with the money outweighed the bending of laws.
In the parking lot, she took John’s hand, leading him toward her car. It was rougher than she imagined it would be. A man with his kind of money usually had manicured hands, but his were calloused. Working-man hands. Odd.
“My car is on the other side,” he said without pulling his hand away.
>
“Yeah, but mine is over here. I want to show you something.”
He stopped in his tracks, jolting her until she turned back. The man was strong. He didn’t budge. She stared up at him, trying to ignore the way the moonlight danced in his dark eyes. Damn. He was much sexier out of the office. Had to be the wine.
He cleared his throat. “Maybe I should drive. You had more to drink than I did.”
True. She was warm all over. His thumb stroked over her knuckles, and another wave of heat broke through her. Definitely the wine.
She plucked her keys out of her purse. “You can drive my car.”
He took the keys and followed her over to her SUV. She waited for him to notice the stick shift. Her father had insisted she learn to drive one. You’ll be able to drive anything, Harmony. That way you never need to depend on anyone else.
And she never did. The only person she counted on was herself.
By the time she’d started driving, her dad was halfway across the country, but she took his advice anyway. She ended up loving driving a stick shift. The control was addictive, and she never had to surrender to an automatic transmission shifting and dulling the engine’s power.
But she’d never met anyone else who could drive it. She was betting her rich date would recoil in horror.
Date? Boss. She meant her boss.
John fastened his seat belt and pressed the clutch to the floor before turning the key.
Her jaw dropped. “You know how to drive a stick?”
He grinned, and her pulse raced. He was far too good-looking when he wasn’t killing her investment deals. “I learned to drive with a manual transmission.”
Wow. She caught herself wondering why. His family had owned Privateer Capital for generations. He’d never been poor like her. Maybe his dad felt the same as hers and insisted on it. Either way, she didn’t ask.
And he hadn’t been lying. He didn’t stall the engine even once as she directed him to her place. In the confines of her car, his scent was impossible to miss. It wasn’t a cologne she recognized. It reminded her of the wind blowing in off the Atlantic, refreshing with a hint of danger, or maybe it was mint. Whatever it was, if she didn’t get out of the car soon, she’d be leaning over to sniff him.