Page 48 of Reckless Games

“I’m listening.”

“There are two bags, both containing exactly the same diamonds,” Nikolai began.

“And so I can see,” Markos replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

“But here’s the twist. One of them is fake. Let’s see if you really have an eye for the original.” Markos smirked, clearly relishing the challenge. Without a word, he leaned forward,his eyes scrutinizing the contents of each bag. He took a deep breath, his eyes darting between the two sets of diamonds without even touching them. His gaze flickered back and forth, absorbing every minute detail. I watched as he took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

Finally, his hand stretched out towards one of the bags. I scoffed internally, already anticipating his failure. Just as Nikolai’s smug smile began to form, Markos paused. In a deft, last-second move, he shifted direction, his fingers closing around a diamond from the other bag.

The room held its breath.

“Pass?” he challenged, meeting Nikolai’s gaze. “Let’s test, shall we?” He pulled out a diamond tester from his coat pocket and placed the nib on the stone.

“Diamond,” the automated voice confirmed. Markos returned the stone to the briefcase, leaning back with a victorious smirk.

“Now tell me, how can Ireallyhelp you, Mr. Romano?” Nikolai nodded, impressed, and pulled out the ninth Temptucce from his coat pocket. Markos’ eyes narrowed as he watched closely.

“I need an exact replica—same color, same weight, same shine, everything,” Nikolai stressed, handing over the ring. I felt a pang in my heart as I watched.

The real diamonds were never in the Volka Museum; they were always with Nikolai, kept safe in his bedroom locker. He took them everywhere he traveled, trusting no one else to protect them.

Markos examined the ring, a smirk forming on his lips. “What’s the twist in this story?”

“No questions for the client, Markos. Only actions.”

“Alright then, I’ll name the price. No negotiations,” Markos added. “Fifty.”

“Sure. Sebastian?” Nikolai called out. “Transfer fifty thousand to Mr. Markos—”

“Million,” Markos corrected, and I saw Nikolai's eyebrows disappear into his hairline.

“Are you out of your mind? You’re asking for fifty million for a stone that’s not worth even a few thousand.”

“It’s not the cost, Mr. Romano,” Markos chuckled. “It’s the effort and the time. This piece,” he said, holding up the gleaming stone in the perfect shade of green attached to the ring, “is the most intricate of them all. You wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t the best at my job. Besides, I’m sure you can recover a few million in a month by cheating all the people you do normally, every single day.’’ Of course, even a child could add two and two together if the clues were laid out in front of them so openly.Quite literally.“If the deal is no-go, the door is that way. I’m not the desperate one here anyway.”

Nikolai glared, clearly unhappy. After a tense moment, he sighed. “You’re right. I am desperate since the man who made the rest of them died.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Markos said, totally not giving a shit about it. “I won’t waste time asking how—”

“I killed him.”

That shut Markos up. Nikolai stood up, toying with his gun, slowly making his way to Markos’ side. “I killed him because he tried to cross me. Tried to fool me by trading the wrong stone,” he whispered menacingly, leaning close to Markos’ ear. “I also kill people who don’t listen to me. That should be a fair warning,” he threatened. “So, Mr. Markos? Do we have a deal?” Markos nodded, feeling the pressure of the gun against his temple.

“Good,” Nikolai smiled. “That’s what I expected. I’m sure you won’t disappoint me with your work,” he threatened, stepping away.

“He’s one good negotiator,” Jacob whispered in my ear. I scoffed silently at Nikolai’s so-called negotiating skills. Before I could reply, a surge of panic spread through the room as the security alarm blared and red lights flashed.

“Security breached. Safety compromised,” the automated voice announced. Before I could reach for my gun, a deafening explosion rocked the room.

***

Chapter 25

Angela

Smoke filled the room, making it hard to breathe and see. I coughed violently, trying to get a grip on my surroundings. The explosion had thrown us all to the ground, and groans of pain echoed around me. My ears were ringing, and everything felt surreal, as if I was moving in slow motion. The room suddenly filled with men—Lorenzo’s men.

"Get the diamonds! Now!" Nikolai's voice cut through the chaos, filled with urgency and rage.

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