Page 19 of A Wise Prince
“Where’s the next one being held?”
“What, interested in stolen goods?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.
I laugh. “No, just curious who goes to these things. Maybe it would be fun. I could buy us a stolen Picasso to hang here in the female parlor.”
She slaps my shoulder. “You’re an ass.”
“I’m serious though. Maybe I could get in and you know, set some feelers.”
She frowns. “You?”
“Yeah, me.”
“You are not a spy.”
“No shit, Sherlock. But I could be.”
“Auggie, be serious.”
“Anna, I am serious.” I sit back and stare at her.
“South of France.”
“Thank you,” I say and kiss her cheek.
“Oh, and I promise to get you something good for your room.”
“Just remember, you are a girl now. Use your vagina wisely!” she calls out as I head back toward the stairs. I have a mission now, a distraction. I smile to myself.
Kathryn
Jackie and Dominic have officially ripped me a new one. Needless to say, I’m on their shit list. I can’t really blame them. If something happened to me, well, they would be fucked. I’ve apologized, but I know I won’t be sneaking away anytime soon. I’m pretty much going to be on lockdown for the foreseeable future.
I spend the next forty-eight hours working on my thesis paper. I hand the draft in before I finish packing to go to the Summer Palace.
“You ready?” Dominic asks from my doorway.
“Yep,” I reply as I zip up my suitcase.
Dominic eyes my three bags. I shrug. I don’t normally pack so much, but I have absolutely no idea what to wear at the Summer Palace. So, I did what any smart woman would do: I packed fancy, business, and casual…in separate bags, of course. I silently slide a smaller fourth bag over by the others, shoes…because…shoes.
Dominic groans. “You have problems.”
“Oh, come on. It’ll be like a vacation for you. I hear the Summer Palace is like Fort Knox since the explosion. So, you won’t have to worry about my safety, plus they have a bazillion security guards there.”
Dominic glares at me and he hefts two of the bags out of my room.
My phone pings with a text.
Terrance: Still down for hanging out this weekend?
Me: Sort of on lockdown.
Terrance: Shit. Jackie was probably pissed.
Me: Understatement of the century.
Terrance: I’m off to London for a few weeks, but I will give you a ring when I’m back this way.
