Sloan shifted uncomfortably. “That’s very generous of you. How much do you want for this?”
“Three hundred.”
Sloan’s brows furrowed. “That’s all? That’s pocket change.”
Jason snorted. “I think he means thousands.”
Sloan glared at him. “I understood that. I expected to pay more.” He looked at Ares. “I’ll get your money.” He started to leave.
“Where are you going?” Ares asked.
Sloan stopped. “To my vault. You do want to get paid, don’t you?”
Ares held out his palm. “The dragon’s bone is mine until the money’s in my hands. Also, you’re not going anywhere alone until our deal is complete.”
Sloan’s mouth twisted unpleasantly, but he tossed the pouch back. “You can hold the goods, but this is my house. I’ll go wherever I damn well please.”
Ares shrugged. “And this is my product. And I’m just as free to leave.” He wheeled around toward the door, his black leather coat flying out behind him.
Three steps and Sloan called, “Wait.”
Ares stopped and turned. He stared at Sloan. “Change your mind?”
Frustration flickered in the illusionist’s eyes. “You can’t think I’m going to let you go back there with me.”
“No.” Ares nodded at Jason. “And you’re not taking your hired muscle, either.” He tipped his chin at Claude. “Take Claude. I trust her.”
Sloan rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine.”
“She’s not to leave your side. I want her eyes on you at all times.”
“Yes, yes,” Sloan answered, as if having Claude with him was of no consequence. “Claudia?”
“It is my job to assist, after all.” Claude almost smiled. That was exactly the reaction she’d been hoping for. Sloan underestimated her.
“Very good.” Sloan gestured toward the hall. “Claudia, my dear, if you would be so kind.”
She nodded. “Of course.” She walked with him toward the grand hall that led into the rest of the house, trying to look like the dutiful assistant. Little did he know she was about to be anything but.
“Your home is amazing.” Claude kept her banter light and breezy as she walked with Sloan through the house.
“Thank you.” He seemed tense, but, then, he had a wraith in his house. She’d give him a pass.
She put a tentative note in her voice. “Are you happy with the deal?”
He looked at her like she’d just pulled him from thought, then laughed softly. “Yes, very.” He smiled. “I underestimated you.”
He had no idea. She smiled shyly. “I told you I could help. I guess this means I’ll be getting that raise.”
He nodded. “You earned it. In fact, even with your raise, I’m still paying less for the dragon’s bone than expected.”
“I imagine the Dealer wants to keep you as a customer.”
“I suppose you’re right. Which means the next purchase will probably be much closer in price to what it should be. Such is the commerce of life, eh?” He stopped at a set of grand double doors, pushed them open and strode through. She followed him. He held out his arms. “Welcome to my sanctuary.”
An enormous bed sat in the midst of the room. She ignored it and glanced around. Lots of ivory, black and red with the same touches of gilt and crystal as the rest of the house. It was so stereotypically Vegas, it was almost funny. “It’s lovely.” If you liked pretending you were a Mafia don.
On one wall, dominating the room, was a larger-than-life oil painting of Sloan astride a white tiger. His ick factor shot up to eleven. Realizing she was gaping at the painting, she closed her mouth and tried to find something else to look at.
Too late.
“Quite impressive, isn’t it?” Sloan was at her side, staring with great admiration at his likeness. “Javier Bares did that painting for me. I did a private show for his daughter’s quinceañera, and that was his gift to me.”
Bares was a well-known Vegas artist whose work went for huge sums. And who also, apparently, had no personal standards on what subjects he would and would not paint. “It’s unbelievable.” Which was totally not a lie.
Sloan beamed. “That’s not all it is.” He walked forward, grasped the painting by its thick gilt frame and swung it open like a door. Behind it, recessed into the wall, sat an enormous gold rectangle with a shiny chrome handle and gleaming black keypad.
The vault.
She smiled. “What a clever man you are.” Like that wasn’t the first place she would have looked.
He circled his finger in the air. “If you wouldn’t mind turning around while I unlock this?”
“Naturally.” She turned away. She didn’t need to know the combination. Just for him to open it. After the beeping of the keypad, she heard the snick of the door and the soft whoosh of the heavy door being opened. She called out, “I’m turning back around now so we don’t make the Dealer mad.”
“Mm-hmm.”
He was deep in the vault, which was about the size of a standard walk-in closet. She went closer. The idiot had the Queen of Hearts displayed on a velvet stand. A quick scan revealed no sign of Jason’s keystone. No matter. He could find it himself in about ten minutes.
“Ohh!” She clapped her hands and widened her eyes. “What is that delicious sparkly thing?”
He looked up from counting out stacks of bound hundred-dollar bills. “Pardon?”
She pointed at the necklace. “Can I try it on? Please?” She batted her lashes. “I’ve never seen anything that gorgeous.” In truth, she hadn’t. The pigeon-blood ruby was surrounded by round-cut diamonds and hung on a platinum chain studded with more round-cut diamonds. The piece belonged with royalty. No wonder the Boss loved it so much.
He laughed. “My dear, that is a priceless ruby.”
“Please? Just for a minute.” She stuck her bottom lip out while delicately trailing her fingers down his arm.
He licked his teeth. “I haven’t ever actually seen it on anyone.”
She clapped her hands some more. “Ohh, please let me be the first.” Bast help her, she hated this dumb act.
He lifted the necklace from its stand, unclasped it and held it out to her.
She turned and bent her knees so he could put it around her neck, then she lifted her hair out of the way. The metal warmed against her skin almost instantly, the ruby nestling into the top of her cleavage like it had been designed for her. After he’d fastened it, she turned again, shaking out her hair. “What do you think?”
He had the look of a man who thought he was about to get some. “Spectacular. And the necklace isn’t bad, either.” He reached for her, eyes closed like he was going to kiss her.
She reared back and punched him in the temple. He dropped to the vault floor and sprawled there like he’d had a sudden attack of narcolepsy. She stared down at him as she shook out her throbbing hand, pleased she hadn’t lost her ability to knock a man out with one punch.
“Cristos the Incredible. Hah. More like Cristos the Unconscious.” She shook her head at him. Her fingers curled around the Queen of Hearts. They were halfway home. “You’re going to pay for what you did to Jason.”
She reached into the back of her waistband and pulled out a set of charmed handcuffs specifically meant to hold those of the magical persuasion. After securing Sloan, she leaned out of the vault and yelled for her favorite gargoyle.
At the sound of Claude hollering his name, Jason ran for the vault. “On my way,” he yelled back. Ares followed him, but as long as the wraith didn’t touch him, Jason didn’t care what he did.
A few seconds later he was in Sloan’s bedroom. Claude stood in the doorway of the vault, the Queen of Hearts dangling around her neck like it was the sort of thing she wore every day. She should. It looked damn good on her. Sloan was sprawled on the floor like a rag doll, hands cinched behind his back.
Ares stood at Jason’s right shoulder. “I see you found the necklace.”
Claude nod
ded. “Yes, but we also need to find Jason’s keystone. Sloan stole it and used the threat of destroying it as a way to make Jason do his dirty work. Jason isn’t guilty of anything except having an egomaniac for a boss.”
The glint in Ares’s eyes unnerved her. “Your job is to recover the necklace and Collect Jason.” He slanted his eyes at the gargoyle before returning his gaze to her. “If you need my help to do this—”
“Step back, wraith.” Claude scowled at him. “I’ve got this covered. I’m still the Collector in charge here.” She nodded at Jason. “Get in there and find your keystone.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winked at her and slid past her into the vault, making a note not to get on Claude’s bad side.
While she held off the wraith, he searched the shelves, finally finding the shield-shaped slab of granite on the top one, hidden behind a stack of rare vinyl LP’s. The minute he touched it, a sense of well-being flooded his body. He closed his eyes for a moment. He wasn’t whole yet, but he was damn close. Forcing himself to be patient, he held it out for all to see. “Got it.” He tucked the stone plate under his arm and went back to Claude.
“Good. I know you probably want to reattach it immediately, but—”
“We’re going to need it for evidence.”
“Exactly. You wanna grab Sloan, too?” She stepped over the still-unconscious illusionist and pointed at Ares. “I appreciate your help, but you’re really not needed here anymore.”
Jason tossed Sloan over his shoulder. A little air whooshed out of the comatose magician illusionist, but he didn’t otherwise stir. “It was good of you to help.”
Ares stared at him. “It’s still her mission to Collect you and bring you in, along with the Queen of Hearts.”
A little growl emanated from Claude’s throat. “I take it you’re not going to be happy until you follow us in, huh?”
“You have your job, I have mine.”
She threw her hands into the air. “Fine. Let’s go. But give me a minute with Jason. Go wait in your car.”
He glared at her, but after a moment, he nodded and started for the door. “One minute. No longer.”
As soon as he was gone, Claude turned to Jason. “I’m sorry, but I do have to bring you in. There’s really no option. You could run, but you’d be looking over your shoulder the rest of your life.”
“And leave you to suffer the consequences? Not going to happen.” Jason smiled. Holy heaven, she was beautiful. Being slightly deadly just made her hotter. “I’m okay with it. Hey, I have my keystone back. That’s huge. You’ve already done everything in your power to help me, and for that, I will always be in your debt. Besides, we’re going to tell them the truth. They’ll get it.”
She smiled, but the expression didn’t reach her eyes. “Maybe they will and maybe… Look, you need to know that even with all this evidence, there might still be some sort of punishment. You are the one who physically stole the ruby, even if Sloan was behind it.”
He cupped her face in his hand, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone and grinning. “If they throw me in the slammer, will you bake me a cake with a file in it?”
She frowned, a little anger flickering in her gaze. “I’m being serious. They could exile you from Vegas.”
“And?”
She turned her head. “And that would mean I’d never get to see you again.” Her voice cracked a little.
“You could come with me.”
She shook her head, her eyes liquid with emotion. “I can’t. Retired or not, I’m a Sin City Collector. I have to be reachable in case they need me.”
“Then I’ll figure out a way to stay. Because I don’t want to be without you.”
The corners of her mouth lifted a little. “You don’t?”
“No, I don’t.” Behind Jason, Sloan made a little noise like he was moving, but Jason ignored him, keeping his attention on Claude. “Woman, I have plans for you. If you want me.”
“Yes, I want you. Even though admitting that makes me feel a little naked.”
“I like the sound of that, but let’s wait until we’ve ditched Sloan, okay?”
She laughed. “Okay, let’s do this thing and we’ll figure it out together.” She pushed the vault door open farther as she exited.
He followed behind her, Sloan draped over his shoulder like a used gym towel. “Good to know you have no problem dating a felon.”
She made a face. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Sloan moaned. “What’s going on…”
Jason tipped his head toward the man. “You got this?”
She nodded. “I got this.”
Jason turned, putting Sloan’s face in front of her.
She slugged him again, knocking him out a second time.
Jason spun back around. “Is he out?”
“He’s out.” She gave him an odd look. “You really don’t have a problem with this side of me?”
“No.” He shook his head. The woman was incredible. He couldn’t help but grin to think that she wanted to keep him around.
“What’s that look?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Nothing. You’re just so damn hot.” He nodded toward the door. “Lead on, tiger princess warrior.”
Jason dumped Sloan onto the couch in the waiting room while Claude talked to the receptionist. The illusionist was still out, thanks to Jason giving him a little Marine stranglehold when he’d woken up in the car. Jason had let Claude drive since she’d known where they were going. Ares, who was standing by the door like they might bolt, had followed Jason and Claude the whole way, his Maybach growling down the road behind them like a metal beast.
A Maybach. Damn. Who knew being a Collector paid that well? Although Claude had said Ares did more than just Collect.
She walked back toward Jason, the confidence she’d had on the ride over almost gone now. She glanced toward the door. “My handler’s on his way up.”
“Is he the one who decides what happens to me?”
“Yes and no. He knows what should happen, but he also knows this case has some special circumstances. I’m sure the Boss will have the final say. No doubt, he’ll be listening in on the whole conversation.”
Ares grunted like he thought the entire thing was a waste of time and that Jason should just be sentenced. Jason refrained from showing him the intricacies of the Marine stranglehold. “Okay, so we plead our case and—”
“No,” she said. “I plead the case. It’s probably best if you don’t say anything initially. This isn’t like a human court. You’re not exactly presumed innocent.”
Ares snorted.
Claude turned slowly to look at the wraith, her eyes blazing with anger. “Why are you still here? Romero’s on his way up. You did your part.” She waved a hand at him. “Shoo.”
“I’m here in case I’m still needed.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not.”
“That depends on Tennant’s sentence. And yours.”
Her fingers flexed and straightened as she unsheathed her claws. “You try to steal either of our souls and I will shred you like junk mail.”
Ares stared at her, the tiniest flicker of respect in his eyes. Jason wanted to ravish her right then and there.
Instead, he put his hand on Claude’s shoulder and gently guided her to the other side of the room. “Deep breath, babe. Don’t let his presence get to you. Everything’s going to be all right.”
She shot an angry look at Ares. “I’d feel better if he wasn’t here.”
So would Jason. “He’s just doing his job. Like you are.”
“I guess.”
The phone on the receptionist’s desk buzzed. She picked it up. “Yes, sir. All of them. Right now.” She hung it up and looked at Claude. “You can go in.”
She hitched a thumb toward Sloan. “Him, too?”
The receptionist nodded. “Yes, take him with you.”
Jason tipped his head at Claude. “I got him.”
Wit
h a ragged inhale, Claude gave Jason’s hand a squeeze, then headed for the double doors behind the receptionist’s desk. He threw Sloan over his shoulder again and followed, as did Ares, a few steps behind. The office was spacious and well appointed, but the décor was something he could describe only as the swanky ’70s. He dumped Sloan on the floor.
That woke him up. The illusionist blinked a few times. He coughed and grimaced, obviously feeling the side effects of the stranglehold. “Ow, my head.”
“Shut up,” Jason snarled. “Or I’ll let Claude have another go at you.”
Sloan looked around, spotted Claude in front of him and went quiet. His left eye was a little swollen and starting to purple.
The man behind the desk spoke first. “Claudette.”
“Romero.” She unfastened the Queen of Hearts from around her neck and placed it on his desk. “Recovery accomplished.”
Romero glanced at Jason. “And your Collection, I see.” He looked around her at the prone illusionist. “I take it the evening went as planned, then. And Sloan?”
“He’s the one I’m here to turn in, not Jason.”
Romero sighed. “You know we have video of Mr. Tennant entering and leaving the Boss’s gem vault on the night the gem went missing.”
“But he did that under duress.” She wiggled her fingers behind her back, motioning for Jason to come forward. He stepped over Sloan to stand beside her. “I’m here to explain what really happened and to plead for leniency for Mr. Tennant.”
Romero nodded. “I figured as much. So what’s his story?”
“The story is Sloan is a rat bastard. Through devious means, Sloan stole Jason’s keystone and used it to coerce Jason into stealing the Queen of Hearts. Sloan has threatened to destroy the keystone on numerous occasions. Doing that would strip Jason of his supernatural gifts. And in the two years Sloan has had possession of Jason’s keystone, Jason has been unable to fully shift, causing him great mental, emotional and physical distress.”
Jason nodded, while doing his best to look mentally, emotionally and physically distressed.
Sin City Collectors Boxed Set: Queen of Hearts, Dead Man's Hand, Double or Nothing Page 9