Page 111 of Dash

“Daaaamn.” Mina’s voice rang in my ear. “That thing cost some bucks.”

She wasn’t wrong about that.

I pulled the chain and lifted the large jewel in the air. That’s when I recognized the profile embedded on the stone.

“Careful,” Arthur warned. “The agate silhouette is set on fine onyx.”

“Is that… Mom?” Thena reached out, took the cameo from me, and examined the object in her hand. “It is Mom!” Her wide-set eyes touched mine in a moment of utter delight before she slid her gaze to Arthur. “Where did you get this?”

“Years ago, your father asked me to have this made for your mother.” Arthur cleared his throat with dramatic flair. “I was traveling to Africa to help out in an orphanage in Somalia when your father persuaded me to detour to Italy where they make the finest cameos in the world.”

Thena looked from the cameo to Arthur. “You commissioned this for my mother?”

“I commissioned it on behalf of your father for your mother,” Arthur clarified. “On my way back, I picked it up and flew home. Alas, I was too late.” His lip quivered. “Unbeknown to me, your mother had just passed. Your father didn’t even wantto see the cameo. He told me to get rid of it, but I decided to keep it for you girls.”

Thena’s eyes filled with tears as she traced her mother’s profile with her long, delicate fingers.

“Yo, Uncle A,” Guzman quipped. “You can really spin a yarn.”

Bozeman met my eyes. He had no hopes for Guzman.

“What a treasure.” A smile that made my heart soar enlivened Thena’s face. She got up and stepped up to her uncle. Arthur stood and she enveloped him in one of her signature hugs.

Fuck Uncle A. I wanted Thena’s hugs all for myself.

“This is so special,” Thena choked out. “Family is everything. Thank you so much.”

Tears gleamed at the corner of Arthur’s eyes, but he held it together. Peering over Thena’s shoulder, he made eye contact with me. “May I put it on her?”

“Of course.” Thena gave Arthur the cameo and turned around. “I’ll wear it with pride.”

Arthur put the chain on Thena and clasped it behind her neck. The cameo sat in the middle of her chest. The dark onyx contrasted beautifully against her dress’s white silk. Thena fingered the gift and returned to her seat. Her eyes were rounded with wonder and her smile was as bright as it could be.

I felt like an asshat for allowing my paranoia to almost ruin this moment for her. Thena’s joys had been few and far in between. She deserved them.

Her reaction to Arthur’s gift made me jealous. The present I had for her felt small in comparison. After all these years, would she find it meaningful? Did she even want it?

The first report crackled in my ear, yanking me back to the hunt.

“This is control,” Mina’s voice buzzed in my ear. “We’vegot intel report, inbound. Patching through. Blue, go ahead.”

“This is Blue,” Knox’s familiar voice announced. “We’re in the clear. Nothing to see here. We’re moving out.”

“Copy that, Blue,” Mina replied. “Thanks for the assist.”

I glanced at Paolo. The search confirmed he was as clueless as he appeared. Bozeman, King, and Guzman kept their expressions neutral, but I knew what they were thinking.

One down, two to go.

A loud snore caught my attention—everyone’s attention, really. We all stared at its source. Monique’s forehead laid on the porcelain dessert plate before her. Her hand was still wrapped around the empty wine glass. The woman was so drunk she’d passed out.

“Sorry.” Guzman lifted his brawny shoulders. “Too much?”

I rolled my eyes.Fucking obvious.

Thena looked at me and cringed. “Oh, dear.”

“My apologies.” Paolo wrung his hands. “I don’t know what to say.”

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