Page 121 of The Scarab's Game

I wanted to laugh. Or cry. Or both. Instead, I summoned what little courage I had left and tried to sound brave. “Then turn the boat around and let me go.”

Noah’s lips curved into what might have been a reassuring smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I know Emmett and Rav. They’ll deliver the disc.”

The disc. One of two things Emmett and his team had stolen. Stolen? He hadn’t debated with Noah, so it must have been true. How much of the past week was a lie? And how had I fallen for all of it?

“Fucking Reynolds Recoveries,” Enzo shouted into the night.

Noah stood, raising his voice as he walked to the front of the boat. “We’ve got far more dangerous opponents to worry about than Reynolds.”

I pulled the jacket tighter around me, my thoughts a jumbled mess. Maybe Simonwasthe wise choice after all. At least he never had me help with art forgery or a casino heist.

God, what had I gotten myself into?

Enzo hollered over the engine noise. “I should have put Joseph Reynolds in the ground instead of in prison.”

Joseph Reynolds? Scarlett’s father? What did Enzo have to do with Mr. Reynolds’ imprisonment?

“That was twenty years ago,” Noah said, confusion evident in his tone.

“It was my first job for the boss.” A sickening pride filled Enzo’s voice. “I wanted to kill him, but the boss insisted you never kill a resource you may need later. Instead, all we got was a pain in the ass from his whelps.”

“They’re a distraction,” Noah said, but something on his face made me wonder if he believed it.

“You’re still soft for the skinny one. Can’t blame you. The tits on her! Honestly, her mother’s more my type. I’ve always wanted to fuck an MI6 agent.”

“Thatwasn’twhy I tried recruiting her.” Noah’s jaw tightened. “Scarlett would have been useful for our team.”

Scarlett was going to join Fenix? Evelyn was MI6? Their father was framed? My throat closed up. Scarlett had lied to me about even more than I’d thought possible.

“Useful? You’re smarter than she is. I tell you, we should have used those photos to expose her. Throw her in jail along with her old man.” Enzo turned, and I saw his profile, the control lights casting wicked shadows across his scarred face. “What do they call it in English? Poetic justice?”

“You’re a sadistic fuck.” Noah shook his head.

They’re distracted. Neither of them is looking at you.

The engine was loud enough they might not hear the splash if I jumped. We were still hundreds of feet from the yacht, so its lights wouldn’t give me away. But what then? Would Enzo circle around and pluck me out of the water? Shoot me?

And even if he abandoned me, what would I do? I couldn’t swim all the way back to shore, especially not in the dress. It would probably pull me down like an anchor.

Enzo said something to Noah, but it was too quiet. The two men argued, and Noah grew agitated, waving his hands and rolling his neck like he was scanning the heavens.

This might be your only chance to escape. You can do this.

Slowly, I shifted my weight, preparing to jump. I glanced at the two men, then at the dark water we sped through. I needed to be quiet, stealthy—they were only ten feet away. More importantly, I had to jump far enough and at the right angle to avoid the motor.

Taking a deep breath, I gripped the bench, my arms trembling. I pushed up to standing and?—

I was hauled back down to the bench. Noah wrapped his jacket tightly around me, pinning me to the seat. His voice was almost apologetic as he said, “Don’t make him more angry than he already is.”

I swallowed a scream. No one would hear me, anyway. “Stop pretending to be my friend.”

Noah’s eyes met mine, a flicker of hurt crossing his face. “I’m not pretending.”

I looked back toward the shore, searching for any sign of rescue. There was movement and lights at the port, but nothing below the museum. Emmettwascoming for me, wasn’t he?

What if he wasn’t? What if that was one more thing I’d misjudged about him? “What happens if they don’t bring you what you want?”

“They will,” Noah replied with unwavering confidence.

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