Ruthless Heart

“You are sooo lucky, having the whole store at your disposal,” Brittany sighs. “I actually have an account there. I just pick whatever I want and my special someone picks up the tab.” She winks, and I wonder if her special someone is her husband—or someone else.

“Brittany, are we going to eat or what?” one of her sorority sisters interrupts.

“I’d better go,” Brittany says. “I’ll see you later. And I’ll see you at the store soon, no doubt,” she adds to Juliet with a laugh.

We exit the restaurant. “Friend of yours?” Juliet asks.

“Yeah, nope,” I reply. “Although clearly she’s a friend to Sterling Cross.” Then I’m struck with a thought. “Does Nero have an account there, too?”

Juliet pauses, looking reluctant. “Yes.”

I shouldn’t be surprised. Of course he buys expensive jewelry, to lavish on his dates. “Anyone in particular shopping on it?”

Juliet pauses again.

“It’s OK,” I lie. “I just want to know what I’m dealing with.”

She sighs. “There is one woman,” she admits. “Avery, I think her name is. She always picks up things.”

I frown, remembering Avery from that first meeting I overheard. She’s loyal and beautiful. Oh, and one of Nero’s oldest friends. At least, that was what he told me about her, back in the day.

Jealousy stabs through me.

“Don’t worry about it,” Juliet says, and I can tell that she feels guilty for saying anything at all. “I’m sure it means nothing. I mean, lots of men have their secretaries come in to pick out gifts and jewelry for them. They really need the help.”

“Right,” I agree, with a light laugh. “I should be thanking her.”

Except for one thing. Avery isn’t Nero’s secretary.

We say our goodbyes, and Juliet heads back to the store. I know that I should call Kyle to come get me, but I’m not ready to do that yet. I need time to think, and I need to walk because I’m burning with jealousy, and I don’t think I can sit still while I feel that way.

So, I head uptown, wondering about the relationship between Nero and Avery and trying to tell myself that I shouldn’t care.

It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t belong to me. Why should I care who he’s buying expensive jewelry for?

Except I do.

I turn a corner, only to feel a hand clamp down on my arm. I let out a small shriek as a man starts to drag me, with a force I’m powerless to fight, toward a white van sitting at the curb.

What the hell?

I try to scream, but a hand covers my mouth as I’m thrown inside the vehicle. Everything turns upside-down, and by the time I get my bearings, the door is slammed shut behind me.

Fuck.

I twist around on the metal floor of the van. I’m still disoriented by the sudden attack, when I feel a hand on my arm, I scream, “No!”

“Lily, calm down.”

It’s the calmness of the voice that makes me stop and pay attention. It’s so out of place in a situation like this. Plus, he knows my name.

I blink a couple of times and see Agent Greggs sitting across from me.

And just like that, my day gets even worse.