Page 26 of Sensual Surrender (The Serafina: Sin City 2)
Chapter 17
Three days later
Jay stared at the monitor in V’s office, unable to believe De Luca had sent Kevin and his crew in to steal the Dragon Collection only three days after receiving the plans from Ellie. “They’re actually good,” Jay murmured, watching as the small four man team worked together in perfect synchronicity.
“Laziness or incompetency was never his problem,” Ellie said. “He just thinks the world owes him and likes to take from those he views as having the success he should have.”
Jay tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “After tonight he’s never going to bother you again.”
Sitting on one of the chairs in V’s office, Ellie was in Jay’s lap, right where she belonged. It was just after midnight and they’d received a call from Wyatt that everything was going down tonight. One of the security teams he’d had stationed around the perimeter of the hotel had spotted Murrell. Then V had verified him with their facial recognition software. Just once, because Murrell and his small crew had been very careful about avoiding security cameras. It was pretty damn impossible considering how many they had at the Serafina, but he’d come close.
As they continued watching, the office door made a soft whooshing sound as it opened behind them. Wyatt stepped into the office with a satisfied grin on his face. Even with the late hour the man was dressed in a three-piece custom-made suit looking every bit the billionaire he was. “Everything’s in place. Whoever Hurley’s inside man is came through. SWAT now has the location of the meeting place after they take the jewels. Apparently De Luca plans to eliminate Murrell at the meeting. No loose ends. It won’t get that far though.”
“That’s too bad,” Jay muttered, earning a half grin from Wyatt.
“The team will infiltrate the moment the jewels are in De Luca’s hands. Murrell is going down too and I’ve been assured there’s no chance of him getting out early again. Not after this. We’re handing the cops De Luca and the state’s attorney is feeling very generous about that.”
Ellie let out a big sigh, melting against Jay. “I can’t believe this is almost over. Thank you guys. All of you. So much. Words will never be enough, but…” Her voice cracked once but she continued. “Just thank you.”
Wyatt’s expression softened a fraction as he nodded. “Something else that might make you feel even better. That bastard Leonard is going away for a long time too.”
At that both Jay and Ellie straightened. “For what?” Ellie asked before he could.
“Involvement in drug trafficking and the skin trade. It’s why Hurley was there undercover. Your appearance that day moved his time table up when Leonard fired him, but it worked out for the best. Been waiting to tell you guys, but couldn’t until the charges were official,” he said before stepping over to the monitors and murmuring quietly to Vadim.
Ellie shifted against Jay’s lap, her dark eyes bright with something he recognized. Hope. “If they don’t need us here anymore there’s something I want to do. I know it’s late, but—”
Unable to stop himself, Jay brushed a kiss over her soft lips. “Let’s do it,” he murmured.
Her eyebrows pulled together. “You don’t even know what it is.”
“I think I can guess.” She wanted to retrieve the money Murrell had stolen. She still hadn’t told him where it was, but Jay knew her better than anyone.
“I don’t want to keep any of it. If we turn it in, the cops will just keep it as evidence. We should donate it.”
He grinned. “I can think of a few places that could use it.”
“Me too. We’ll need to change…and get shovels.”
“I’m going to pretend I don’t know what you two are talking about,” Wyatt said without turning from the monitors. “I’ll text you once they’ve cleared the hotel and you’re good to go. Use one of the employee exits and take what you need from maintenance.”
* * * * *
Kevin’s heart was an erratic beat in his ears as he and Tadeo slid into the backseat of the nondescript SUV they’d used for this heist. He couldn’t believe how smoothly everything had gone. Everything Ellie had given him was perfect. Which should have eased the tension that had settled in his gut.
Instead it was worse.
The lead ball of worry in his chest that had been with him the past three days was jagged and angry, telling him something was wrong. He just couldn’t figure out what it was. De Luca had told him and Tadeo that the rumor was Ellie had split town. No one had seen her since the meeting at the shopping center and while it hadn’t been officially announced, she hadn’t been seen with Christiansen publicly. Her boyfriend had been with the billionaire, but not Ellie. De Luca was pissed, thinking that Kevin had told her to run, but Tadeo had assured the man that Kevin hadn’t. That she’d run because she’d known what would happen to her.
Guess she hadn’t been kidding about leaving town. De Luca would catch up to her eventually. Or maybe Christiansen. Kevin didn’t care as long as she ended up dead.
The bright neon lights of the city flew by as they cruised down the main strip. Even when they turned off onto a side street, the colorful display didn’t fade. This place truly never slept. Right now he felt as if he’d never sleep again either. He was always like this after a job. While this one had gone smoothly, it was still an adrenaline rush, stealing something so valuable. Something no one had attempted before. It hadn’t been easy either, but with the right plans and all the practice they’d done, the job had gone off without a hitch.
The driver was talking quietly to someone on his earpiece—one of De Luca’s men or De Luca himself—and the man in the passenger seat wasn’t paying attention to them when Tadeo slid something over to Kevin. His friend didn’t look at him as he handed
it over, but continued staring out his window.
As that ball in his stomach expanded into a full-fledged adrenaline dump, he casually cupped the piece of paper in his right palm, keeping it low against his outer thigh as he read it.
Don’t react. De Luca’s getting busted tonight. You’re supposed to be there too, but I can’t do that to you. No other time to warn you. Jump out at next stop and run. Don’t stay in city, cops will find you. Sorry, mano.
Kevin felt all the blood drain from his face, his fingers turning numb in his gloves. He didn’t dare look at Tadeo. This wasn’t a joke. His friend wouldn’t mess with him about this. For a split second he wondered if this was some bullshit way to cut him out of the eventual sale of the Dragon Collection, but knew that didn’t make sense. De Luca would have other ways to get rid of him. Something he’d thought long and hard about. In the end, there had been more reasons for De Luca to keep him alive in the long run, especially since Kevin had proven himself to be a valuable asset.
So this letter was real. And if Tadeo knew his boss was getting busted it meant he’d been somehow involved in it. He must be working with the cops, which explained why he hadn’t been able to tell him before now. They’d been at De Luca’s place the last three days preparing for this job. The man hadn’t been willing to let any of them out of his sight for even a moment. Tadeo was taking a huge risk by doing this, by letting him go.
A small thread of guilt wormed its way through him because Kevin wasn’t sure he’d have done the same thing for Tadeo. No, he knew he wouldn’t have.
As they neared a traffic light that had just turned red, he slowly reached out and slid the lock to unlock. Knowing there was no time to second guess himself, he jerked the door open and jumped from the slow rolling vehicle. There were shouts of alarm from behind him and one car honked, but he ignored everything as his feet hit the sidewalk. Racing back in the opposite direction the SUV was headed, he didn’t turn around. Unless they planned to open fire on him, they’d never catch him. And there was no way they’d risk engaging him in a chase or shootout, not when they were carrying those diamonds.
