Hearts and Diamonds

by Nichelle Gregory

  She walked past Tess towards the hall closet. With shaky hands, she began rummaging on the top shelf, dropping other purses and hats, constantly aware of the gun fixed on her from behind. She hoped her lie would buy her some time, praying Quin wouldn’t walk out of the bedroom unaware of what was happening or worse…unarmed.

  “C’mon!”

  Beads of cold sweat rolled down her back as she reached for the last two purses. She took down another brown bag similar to the one she had carried that night with one thought replaying over and over in her head.

  Where was Quin?

  She turned around and lifted the soft leather in her hand. “I think I’ve found it.”

  The cold impatient gleam in the other woman’s eyes shifted to one of rage.

  Nia knew her time was up.

  “That is not the right—”

  “Put the gun down, Ms. Parker,” Quin said, appearing around the corner with his weapon raised.

  Thank God!

  Nia’s heart tripled its ragged rhythm as he moved in front of Tess clad in only his jeans.

  “Put it down on the ground now!” He gaze never left Tess.

  Tess didn’t move or lower her gun. Her delicate features shifted from shock to calculating curiosity. “Wow! You’ve surprised me again, Nia, with that daring escape during the robbery with Mr. Hot Cop and now this.” She waved her weapon at Quin’s bare chest. “Yummy. I guess Santa brought you your present early. God knows you needed it.”

  “Nia, get out of here.”

  Nia moved out of the line of fire and went to the front door, but she couldn’t leave.

  “Ms. Parker, I will not ask you again. Lower your weapon.”

  Tess jumped at his brusque order.

  Seconds ticked by and to Nia’s amazement, Tess started to cry, allowing him to take the gun from her hand. “I-It’s not loaded. I wasn’t going to hurt her. I just need the diamonds to disappear.”

  The sound of approaching sirens wailed outside as Quin checked the chamber of Tess’s gun. “The gun is loaded.” He stuffed both guns into his pants before placing handcuffs on her wrists.

  “For my protection, you don’t understand. They’re trying to kill me.”

  Nia opened the front door to see cops coming up the front walk.

  “Who’s trying to kill you, Ms. Parker?” Quin asked, leading her to the door.

  “I wanted out, Scott didn’t. He told me there was no ‘getting out’. I stole the rocks from him and the rest of the crew with plans to leave the States and start over.” Tess started crying again as another officer read her rights. She turned to Nia. “You believe me, don’t you?”

  Nia stared at the woman she realised she’d never really known. “You aimed a loaded gun at me.”

  “I wasn’t going to hurt you!”

  “If your story is true, we’ll do everything we can to protect you,” Quin said, giving her over to the police.

  He turned to Nia, his expression hard. “Can you go get the purse she came here for?”

  Nodding, Nia walked to her bedroom on autopilot. She opened her closet, located the bag and took it to Quin and the other officers waiting. In a state of shock, she watched him rip open a tiny seam in the bottom panel. She gasped as he pulled out a handful of loose stones and rings.

  “Process this,” Quin said to one of the men.

  She turned away from the officers to pick up the phone. Her fingers seemed to dial the number to her job on their own. She waited for someone to pick up; still trying to face the fact Tess had held a gun in her face…a loaded gun.

  One of her most responsible employees answered and she briefly explained the situation. She hung up to find another officer waiting for her.

  “Ms. Sanders, if I could just ask you a few questions?”

  Nia glanced at Quin still talking and nodded. She answered each question, sinking down on her couch with a weary sigh when he finally walked away.

  “Are you all right?”

  The concern in Quin’s voice calmed her instantly, she glanced up to see the remaining officers leaving as she met his hard gaze.

  “I’m fine.” She stood up, wanting to touch him but something in his eyes held her back. “What’s wrong?”

  “Tess has agreed to talk for a lesser sentence. This could be the break we need to finally get all of these guys.”

  “That’s great, but that still doesn’t answer my question.” Nia noticed the sweater he must have slipped on at some point, his rigid posture and the stark¼no troubled look on his face filled her with dread. “What’s wrong with you?” Her heart started hammering in her chest again as he looked away.

  He’s shutting himself off from me.

  He faced her and the steel in his eyes shook her composure.

  “Getting involved with you was a selfish mistake.”

  The words hit her like a sucker punch to the face, scaring her more than Tess had moments ago. She struggled to breathe as her heart fell to her knees. “What are you talking about?”

  Quin dragged a hand through his thick dark hair. “I should’ve seen this coming.”

  “You’re not a superhero, Quin.”

  He walked away from her, shaking his head. “I wasn’t one hundred percent focused on this case because of—”

  “Because of me,” Nia said flatly, folding her arms across her chest.

  “Because of us.” He whipped around, coming to her within the breadth of one heartbeat. “You could’ve been killed!”

  “But I wasn’t.” She gasped as he grabbed her arms.

  “Yes, but you could’ve been!” He stared into her eyes as his fingers bit into her flesh. “You didn’t even follow my instructions to leave the house.”

  The depth of fury evident in his dark gaze whether directed at her or himself shook her. “I-I’m sorry.” Tears filled her eyes. “I should have followed your instructions.”

  A few seconds went by as they stared at one another before he released her.

  “I’m sorry,” Quin said, stepping back from her.

  Nia rubbed her arms. “Sorry you got involved with me, sorry this all happened…sorry for what?”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.”

  “But you did. Think what could’ve happened, if you hadn’t been here.” She waited for him to respond and every second that ticked by chipped away at her faltering composure. There was so much she wanted to say to him. But what was the point, if he didn’t value their relationship enough to forge ahead?

  “I’ve got to get to work.” She struggled to hold back tears as she walked past him to get her coat.

  “Let me help you.”

  “I’ve got it.” She moved away from him as she pulled the wool coat on, reaching for her purse as Quin picked up his own coat. “I’m glad you were here this morning to help me. Thank you.” Her polite words were carefully chosen as the tension mounted between them.

  “No thank you is necessary.”

  She offered him an equally polite smile before walking to the door, pain lancing through her heart. She’d felt a closeness…a kindred spirit with him she hadn’t expected. How could talking to each other be a struggle after the intimacies shared between them last night and this morning?

  A gust of chilly air hit her face as she stepped outside and the tears she’d pushed back threatened to fall as he walked past. She locked the door, took her sunglasses from her purse and placed them on her face as she swallowed down the offensive signs of weakness.

  Quin stood waiting for her at the edge of her walkway.

  If he was battling any of the same emotions, she couldn’t tell from the stoic expression on his face. “Have a nice holiday, Quin.” She had less than a minute to escape his presence before the river of tears broke past the mental dam in place. The slightest flicker of emotion in his eyes demolished the last vestige of her control.

  “Nia—”

  “Please let me know of any updates with the case.”

  He stared at her for a m
oment.

  Thirty seconds until meltdown.

  “All right.”

  “Thank you.” Her eyes literally burned.

  Fifteen.

  “Good bye, Nia.”

  “Good bye.”

  He turned away from her as the first tear slid down her frozen cheek. One wet track on her face soon became several as she watched his retreating form until he was nothing more than a blurred shape in the snow.

  * * * *

  Quin downed the scotch in his glass and considered ordering another. The shattered look in Nia’s eyes kept replaying through his mind when he had said getting involved with her had been a selfish mistake. Hurting her had been his biggest mistake to date. The urge to pick up the phone and call her made him clench the small glass in his hand.

  And say what, Rios? I’m sorry, I love you.

  “I love you?” His grip tightened on the glass as he repeated the impossible thought running through his head.

  “I love you too, big guy, but let’s not go broadcasting it, okay?” his partner teased as she slid onto the barstool next to him.

  “You got it.” He watched his friend order a beer in a state of disbelief. Two glasses of scotch had never made him to profess his love for a woman. He hadn’t said or even thought about the L-word since high school.

  “A toast,” Agent Tan said, lifting her beer, “to new leads, arrests… “

  “And convictions,” Quin finished, lifting his empty glass to Tan’s with a ghost of a smile.

  She looked at his drink. “Another?”

  “I’m good.”

  “You look like hell.” She took a long swig from the bottle. “You should be thrilled. Tess’s statement has already helped us pin down two of these clowns. We know where they’re planning to hit tomorrow and we’re gonna get ‘em.”

  “Yeah, but these guys only make up a small fraction of this crime organisation.”

  “It’s progress.”

  “Right.” He sat his glass down and flexed his hand. “What time do we leave for Miami?”

  “6:20 a.m.” Tan watched his movements. “So, this is none of my business, but I’m gonna say it anyways. Consider it an early Christmas present.”

  “You don’t do Christmas.”

  His friend smirked. “I know you better than you think. You need to hear this so listen up.”

  Quin glared at her. “Presents are supposed to be enjoyable.”

  “I’m enjoying this, so it’s all good. We both know there are circumstances that arise on this job beyond our control. You’ve worked your ass off on this case…we both have. You’re a damn good agent and if I thought you made a wrong move, you know I’d be the first to say it.” She took a quick sip of beer before turning her head to look at him. “I’ve been around you long enough to see this job is your life,” she held up her hand as he opened his mouth to protest, “but it doesn’t have to be and deciding you want more won’t make you less of an agent.”

  “That wasn’t festive,” Quin said after a long pause.

  “Nope, practical,” she winked at him, “waaaaay better.”

  He smiled at her, grateful for her quirky no-nonsense advice. “Thanks.” He signalled the bartender to get her another beer. “You’re a helluva an agent too and friend.”

  She lifted one eyebrow. “Rios, are you trying to make me cry?”

  “Could I?”

  “Not today.”

  Quin grinned. “There’s always tomorrow.” He glanced at his watch. “Actually, it is tomorrow. It’s officially Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas, Tan.” For the first time in a long time, he was looking forward to the holiday.

  The female agent rolled her eyes. “Bah humbug.”

  * * * *

  “I’ll see you guys on New Year’s Eve,” Nia said, forcing a laugh with her dad on the phone as she sat her tea kettle on the stove and turned it on.

  “You’re sure, you’re all right? You sound exhausted.”

  “I am, but it’s nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix.”

  “Okay, babygirl, get some rest. I love you.”

  Her lips curved up into a genuine smile. “I will, Dad, and I love you too.”

  “Nia?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m real happy you’ve met someone who finally makes you happy, too. Please invite him to share New Year’s with us.”

  “Will, do.”

  She said goodbye and hung up the phone feeling guilty.

  Well, it wasn’t a total lie, Dad.

  She had met someone who made her happy. He just didn’t feel the same way.

  With a sad sigh, she stared out her kitchen window. Her feet ached from standing in heels for almost ten hours and tender spots all over her body kept reminding her of Quin’s exquisite lovemaking expertise. She closed her eyes in an effort to block the wave of desire cresting over her as she squeezed the bridge of her nose. Her senses taunted her with a subtle phantom whiff of his gorgeous olive skin.

  The tea kettle began to whistle and she turned off the burner and poured the hot water into her oversized mug filled with gourmet hot chocolate. She took the mug to the couch and sat down, watching the flickering lights of her candles. Work had been a nightmare, her usual zest for the hectic holiday frenzy gone. The hours dragged by as she helped her staff and customers. By the time the store closed, she was exhausted from struggling to smile and be festive when all she wanted to do was crawl into bed.

  She took a hesitant sip of the creamy decadent drink, finding it at the perfect temperature. The familiar treat warmed and comforted her as the clock on her bookshelf chimed. It was officially Christmas Eve. This would be the first time she’d ever spent the holiday alone and she didn’t care. If she couldn’t be with Quin, she’d rather spend the time in her own thoughts.

  At thirty-one, she’d dated and been involved in two serious relationships. Break ups weren’t new to her, but this one hurt more than any of the others.

  You haven’t been seeing him long enough to call this a break-up.

  So why was her heart torn in two?

  In the past, after a relationship ended, she would know it was for the best. Her mind would bombard her with hundreds of reasons why the guy wasn’t right for her. She’d question whether her ex had really loved her and vice versa, but this was the first time saying goodbye felt all wrong.

  Because you’re in love with him.

  The mug wobbled in her trembling hand as she faced what her heart already knew.

  She had fallen in love with Quin.

  Tears she had been holding onto all day filled her eyes and Nia welcomed the release. Placing her cocoa on the coffee table, she let out a sob as the salty wet tracks slipped down her cheeks. She cried for her heavy heart full of love and sadness and she cried for Quin.

  He cared for her, she refused to believe otherwise which meant he’d chosen to walk away from her…from the possibility of what they could share together simply because it was easier to say goodbye than to trust the growing feelings between them.

  Nia grabbed a throw pillow, laid down on the couch, emotionally spent. Her fingertips brushed against an article of clothing. She pulled Quin’s T-shirt, wedged between the seat cushion and armrest, up to her nose. His familiar sexy scent evoked another onslaught of tears as she pressed her face into the soft cotton.

  How much harder it would be to get over falling in love with someone you never had a chance to truly love?

  Nia woke up on Christmas morning exhausted. Christmas Eve at Fletcher’s had proved to be a very profitable, very exhausting day despite the store closing early. She’d come home, stripped out of her clothes and crashed on the couch for the second night in a row. The crick in her neck elicited a groan as she stifled a yawn. Her head ached, momentarily distracting her from the pain in her heart. She lifted up from the throw pillow covered with Quin’s shirt and snatched it up.

  On impulse, she stood up, took off her own pyjama top to slip his over her wild hair. Just having his
T-shirt on made her feel better.

  “Why are you torturing yourself, Nia?”

  I don’t have the man, but I do have his shirt.

  She padded into the kitchen with a hollow laugh and noticed one of the chunky holiday candles she’d lit still burned. The steady flickering light drew her near, the sight of flame slowly filling her with newfound determination.

  “It’s Christmas Day and I will not wallow in self-pity.”

  Well, at least not all day.

  Two cups of coffee gave her the strength to shower, dress and finally change the sheets still left on from her night with Quin. She blasted holiday music as she reorganised every purse she owned and threw out the brown bag Tess had stuffed with diamonds. It was after two when she decided to bake sugar cookies, the only festive thing she felt up to making.

  Thoughts of Quin plagued her every move, but she pushed through until she had eight dozen frosted star cookies. When the last dozen were in the oven to bake, she finally decided enough was enough. A spectacular display of sugar cookies covered her dining room. Her kitchen was a complete mess and one look in the living room mirror confirmed she was a mess too.

  “Martha Stewart would be proud.” She grabbed a cookie, sank down into the chair at the dining room table as her stomach growled. A reminder she hadn’t eaten since yesterday’s bowl of chicken noodle soup, her appetite disappearing almost as quickly as Quin had from her life.

  The self-pitying thought filled her with anger and she attacked the delicate cookie with a vengeance. The first sweet buttery bite was pure nirvana, almost capable of making her forget her woes. She was on her third cookie when the doorbell rang.

  Quin!

  “It can’t be,” she said, sending cookie crumbs flying all over the table as she shot up from the chair. Her heart raced as she swallowed her last bite.

  But, who else could it be on Christmas Day? All her friends thought she was with her family and her family believed she was spending the holiday with someone special.

  The doorbell rang again and Nia cringed at her messy reflection in the hallway as she walked to the door. She stretched up on her tiptoes to look through the peephole and froze.

  It was him.