Page 78 of Prettiest Little Thief
When she released him, Sarah gazed up at her brother. “Lucas, it’s so good to see you. Joseph said you’re married now?” A smile spread on her gaunt face.
Lucas’s gaze landed on me, and Sarah followed his stare. “This is my wife, Monroe.”
Her smile widened further, and she stepped in my direction. I placed the chest on the table and pushed to my feet to greet her. “You can call me Roe. Lucas likes to call me by my formal name for some reason.” I shook her hand as she chuckled. Her slender fingers were cold in my grasp.
“He would.” She glanced over her shoulder at him, and he shrugged. “I’m Sarah.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Sarah.”
“Now that the meet and greet is complete, can we get the fuck on with the reason you’re here, Knight?” a deep, soulless voice said. We all brought our attention to the doorway of the room.
My body went rigid as I took in the man who held reign over Sarah’s life. The man who caused so much torture in myhusband’s heart. He stood tall, with his hands in his pockets, dark hair swept back and a smug smirk on his face.
Christian stalked into the room, Joseph trailing behind him. His gaze snagged on the chest on the coffee table. His brows raised and his expression morphed into that of a kid in a candy store. “How’d you find it?”
“Does it matter?” Lucas drawled.
Christian’s inky eyes snapped back to him. “I suppose not.” He sat on the sofa and ran his fingers along the edge of the chest. “And the key?”
“I want an understanding before I hand it over.”
Beside me, Sarah tensed, and her hands at her sides shook. I reached over and gripped her hand in mine. She glanced at me with a weak smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
She was terrified. If holding her hand was the only way to offer her support, then that’s what I would do. When we went back home, we would figure out what else she needed.
“Get on with it, Knight. What are your demands?” Christian said.
“You are never to contact Sarah again. Or have anything to do with my family. The divorce will be immediate.”
Christian chuckled. “You can have the bitch.” He nodded in Sarah’s direction.
Lucas’s hands balled into fists, his jaw feathering with irritation. With jerky movements, he pulled the key attached to the chain out of his pocket, tossing it to Christian.
Without waiting, Christian opened the box. He tossed aside the ancient letters and the portrait encased in an elegant silver frame. The thud sent a cringe through me as I withheld a gasp. Because even if the painting wasn’t important to him, it was still a relic. Maybe not even for a museum. Maybe for Alina.
Christian continued digging in, tossing aside the remaining contents until he had removed everything. A menacing laugh erupted from him, the pit of my stomach churning with nausea.
“Done deal,” Lucas mumbled, coming closer to where Sarah and I stood.
“No. Not a done deal, Knight. Where the fuck are the jewels?” Christian barked.
“Jewels?” My husband said, “There was nothing other than what you’ve pulled out.”
My stomach sank at the infuriated look on Christian’s face. He must have gotten it in his head that the stories of treasure were true.
“You’re a fucking liar, Lucas. You took it for yourself, didn’t you?” He strode toward us.
“There were no jewels. Lucas wouldn’t come all this way just to give you something you didn’t want.” My voice was remarkably smooth even though my insides were a twisted mess and I wanted to puke.
“I wasn’t talking to you, whore.” Those dark eyes locked onto me.
Jericho and Evan both pulled their guns from the holster, waiting for Lucas’s signal. Joseph pulled his own weapon, and his stare darted around the room.
“Watch how you speak to my wife and sister, or I’ll cut your tongue from your mouth and send it to your mother.” Lucas placed his hand behind his back, his fingers grasping the pistol grip.
“Oh, did I touch a nerve, Knight? You must really like this one.” Christian’s gaze raked over me, and I withheld the disgusted shiver from being noticeable.
My pounding heart bottomed out, and I released Sarah’s hand as my palms began to sweat and I wiped them on my jeans.
