Breck managed not to choke on a laugh and was saved from digging up an appropriate response by Hunter. “I'm afraid we'll have to pass. My wife and I both have separate business matters to attend to.”
“Ah, yes.” Lord Abernathy peered at Delilah. “You've meetings with my cousin's security staff. Final debriefings and what have you.”
The lynx-shifter nodded. “Yes, exactly. Palace security is prime. The queen should be very satisfied with my report.”
“Excellent, excellent.” Abernathy beamed as though he'd had a hand in the matter, and Breck noted that Delilah didn't mention whether or not she'd actually breached the palace's security systems, just that they were prime. Interesting.
Drusilla tilted her head, a smile curving her face that only accentuated her horsey features. “It's unfortunate you can't make it to my party, but if anything should change in your schedule, I'd adore having you.”
More likely, she'd adore having the Averys at an event in her honor, where people could see what a coup she'd pulled off by getting them there. Breck could sympathize since the Averys were what had clinched having the Abernathys at
his
party, but he'd gotten what he needed, so he let a relieved sigh ease out. This job Stefan had Tam on was going to drive Breck crazy. The tension was getting to him. He drained his champagne flute and signaled a waiter for another. He couldn't afford to have too much, just enough to take the edge off.
Even securing the invitation to the birthday party didn't do a thing to help him figure out what the hell Stefan wanted them to do for this job. Neither he nor Tamânor any of their considerable contactsâhad been able to uncover what made Lord Abernathy so interesting to Stefan. Breck felt as if he'd spent the last week flying blind in that famous London fog. Dangerous for an eagle like him. He had no idea where he was or what direction he was supposed to be going. Not with Tam and not with this kamikaze mission she was on.
Her hand slid into his and squeezed hard. She glanced up at him, a radiant smile on her face. Her dark eyes crinkled at the corners, dancing with secrets, drawing him in.
Mate.
He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them. Deus, but he loved her. He would do anything to make her happy, keep her smiling at him just like that for the rest of their lives.
“What business brought you to London, Breckenridge?” Lord Abernathy dabbed a few drops of wine from his mustache. “If it's not too prying of me to inquire.”
“Not at all.” Breck shifted his attention away from Tam and back to the conversation with his guests. “I'm looking into investing in some of the commodities traded in the London Metal Exchange. I want to get a feel for the market, so I thought a visit was in order.” Not a complete lie. One of his subsidiaries
was
considering such an investment. He just wasn't directly involved. Turning his head, he grinned at Tam. “And Tam wanted to tour her hometown again. Or, rather, the many shopping opportunities found here. She hasn't been back in a while.”
She played along, shrugging with a self-deprecating grin. “Guilty as charged. Breck is so good to indulge me.” She laid a hand on his chest, giving him a look that was so openly adoring, it made his heart stop, even though he reminded himself it was just an act for their audience. “I do love Harrods. Plus, there's a new designer I just adore, and her showroom is here.”
“Peta Burton?” Lady Abernathy asked, her eyes lighting with interest.
“One and the same.” Tam brushed a hand down her hip. “This is one of her creations.”
Drusilla waved her hand, indicating she wanted Tam to spin around and show off the dress. It was a short, lacy affair that was
almost
see-through but managed to be classy at the same time. More than one man at the party had gone slack-jawed and stared at Tam in it. It clung to her every curve and made her legs look a kilometer long. Breck would have liked to send everyone home and peel her out of it.
“Ooh. I love her work.” Lady Abernathy winced. “I haven't the figure to pull off her designs, though. I've commissioned her to make a hat for me for one of the birthday events this weekend, though.”
“I can't wait to see it.” Tam toasted the other woman with a glass.
Drusilla laughed. “I can't wait to show it off.”
One of the other guests came up, bowing slightly. “My lord, I wonder if I might have a word?”
The group broke apart, and Tam and Breck mingled with the crème de la crème of London society. She'd managed to get them all to attend, probably with a whisper about Hunter Avery being in attendance. Breck still had no idea how she'd pulled off that feat, and she wasn't telling.
“Stefan wants to speak to me. Keep an eye on Sophie for me, please.” Tam rose up on tiptoe and breathed the words in his ear. “I'll be right back.”
“I'll come looking for you if you aren't.” He brushed a kiss over her cheek, letting go of her when he wanted to hold her tight and protect her.
He watched her walk away, feeling that same worry and tension he always experienced when she was out of his sight now. He couldn't help it. Every time he saw her might be the last, and he knew it. He had no guarantee that she wouldn't disappear on him again, given the slightest opportunity. The moments were slipping away. He could feel them sifting through his fingers like sand, and the harder he tried to hold on to them, the faster they escaped him. Like Tam.
8
S
tefan cupped his hand under Tam's elbow, squeezing tight enough to be painful, but not so tight that others could tell he was hurting her. Bastard. His grip dug deeper into her elbow, making agony shoot through the joint. She struggled not to wince, fought through the pain, and offered a brilliant smile to Delilah as they passed the lynx-shifter. The other woman's green gaze sharpened on Stefan, but she did nothing to interfere as he steered Tam through the small crowd of guests, down a short hall, and shoved her into a wash closet.
She caught herself against the marble counter that stretched across one side of the small room. Flecks of gold in the marble sparkled in the light. She dragged in a breath while Stefan closed the door, shutting them in together. His sweet scent made her nauseous, and she swallowed down her gorge. Deus, she hated being this close to him. Which he knew, and used to his advantage. Straightening her shoulders, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked cool, calm, and in control, just the way she wanted to appear tonight. But it was a sham. Putting her in a pretty dress didn't change who she was or how she felt. It was all an act, a lie, just like the rest of her life.
“Did you get the invitation?” Stefan demanded, crowding her even further until she could feel his breath on the back of her neck.
She ignored her discomfort, fussing with her hair in the mirror instead. “Of course I did. I told you I would. I always deliver.”
“Good.” His smug grin made her want to scratch his eyes out, and she had to concentrate to keep her claws retracted.
“I think it's time you tell me what I'll be looking for when I'm at Abernathy's house, don't you?” She arched an eyebrow at his reflection.
He pursed his lips, calculating shrewdness flashing in his cold gaze.
Huffing out a breath, she let her impatience show. “Stefan, this is ridiculous. What the hell do you want me to steal? I can't bloody well get it for you if you don't tell me what it is.”
His nostrils flared in annoyance, but he didn't attempt to contradict her. “In his office, there's a safe. I'm sure you won't have any trouble ferreting it out.”
Ferreting, ha. She refrained from firing back a comment about his weasel-shifter nature, the cheetah in her wanting to pounce on the little rodent. “What kind of safe?”
“A Helax 1600.” His benevolent smile was anything but. “You'll have a day or so to look up the specs for that model.”
The Helax brand was one of the most difficult to crack, and the number indicated a newer model than she'd ever dealt with. Shit. She narrowed her eyes at him. “What's inside the safe?”
“Many things, I'm certain.” He waved a dismissive hand. “When you get in the safe, you'll know what to take. Trust me.”
“I don't trust you. Why would I?” She flicked her fingers. “What if I do what you say and what I leave with isn't what you wanted? Your vagueness could bite you in the ass.”
“Jewels, dearest. Sparkly, pretty, and priceless.” He leaned in to whisper in her ear, and revulsion made her stomach clench. “You'll know which ones are most valuable.”
Yes, she would. A hazard of the trade, knowing how much antiquities and hard currencies were worth. Jewelry, precious metals, paintings, sculptures . . . she knew which were valuable, which were not, and how to tell a fake from the real thing. She sighed. “Has anyone ever cracked the 1600 model?”
“No.” He chortled, clearly enjoying himself.
She curled her fingers into her palms to hide the claws that slid forward. “And it's well guarded?”
“I'm sure those are obstacles you can charm your way through.” He curled his hands over her shoulders.
She startled and jerked away, sidestepping his touch. “I'll see what I can do.”
“See that you do. I want those jewels. And you want me to have them, or Sophie will be the one who pays.”
Jewels. Jewels precious enough for Stefan to stage an elaborate kidnapping scheme. All those pieces of information she'd been collecting finally clicked into place. “Delilah.”
Abernathy was the queen's cousin. Delilah had been hired to steal the Queen's Jewels. But would they risk having the real jewels in the palace during a staged robbery? She didn't think so.
“What about her?” Stefan lifted an eyebrow.
“
She's
the reason you were in New Chicago. You were confirming that she was the one hired to steal the Queen's Jewels. That's why we stayed in New Chicago so long after you roped me in.” Tam let a breath out. “They're holding the Queen's Jewels at Abernathy's Surrey house, aren't they? Until Delilah's work is done, they took the real pieces out of the palace and put them in his Helax 1600. Those are the jewels you want me to steal.”
A muscle ticked in Stefan's jaw. His hand snapped out to grip her jaw, sharp, weasel-like claws digging into her flesh. The pain was enough to force tears to her eyes, and he got right in her face, the evil showing so clearly in his gaze that she flinched. “You think you're so smart, don't you, Felicia? Well, I'm still going to win in the end. Don't doubt it for a moment.”
“Why do you hate me so much, Stefan?” The words were muffled by his hand, but she knew he heard her.
“Because you dare to look like her, always reminding me of her.” His eyes glazed with madness for a moment, before they became as clear and cold as ever. His fingers bit deeper into her skin. “Because you're alive and she's not. A little whore like you should be the one who's dead. Not her.”
Her mother. He hated her for outliving her mother. The only thing he'd ever loved. “You want me dead.”
“Yes. I want that,” he whispered. “I get my jewels while they hunt down the thief who stole them. If you're lucky, they'll just arrest you instead of shoot you on sight. But luck hasn't really been with you, has it? I hear the queen can be quite vicious when provoked. How do you think she'll react when she finds out someone stole priceless family heirlooms?” His smile sent a chill down Tam's spine. “Either way, I never have to see your face again.”
“And what becomes of Sophie when you get what you want?” She forced herself not to struggle, not to pull away from his hold. “She's your only child, the only thing you have left of my mother. Doesn't that mean anything to you?”
“But she's not your mother, is she? She's just another reminder.” He shook his head. “Nothing will bring my wife back to me. Not you, not Sophie.”
He released his grip on her, shoving her backward so her hip hit the corner of the vanity. She grabbed for the counter to keep her balance and stay on her feet.
“Get my jewels and the brat lives to see that Swiss boarding school again. Don't get them and she dies with you. Is that clear?”
“Clear.” She swallowed, forcing a breath into her lungs. But she had no guarantee he'd keep his word, did she? She had to get Sophie away from him before then. Somehow.
“And you'd best keep loverboy on a leash, or he's going the same way you are. He'd better not interfere with my plans for the jewels. Do you understand me, Felicia?”
“Yes.” Forcing her mind to something other than the Sword of Damocles hanging over her head, she tried to dig for more information. “How are you going to move them? The Queen's Jewels are distinctive. Not many would risk having them.”
He straightened his bowtie, smoothing down his tuxedo jacket. “I have a buyer willing to pay prime creds for them. The embarrassment to the queen is an added bonus. Don't worry, Felicia. I'll come out of this just fine.”
Unlike her. And Sophie. And maybe even Breck.
He turned on his heel and exited the wash closet. Tam sank down on the commode, her thoughts whirling. She'd been right. Being anywhere near her now would get Sophie and Breck killed. She had to get them away from her; that was the only way to make sure they were safe. She had more enemies than just Stefan, which made her a constant danger to them. Even if they managed to outwit her stepfather, it wouldn't change the simple facts. She'd been bad most of her life, and now she would pay the priceâgiving up the people she loved. Forever. Dragging in one slow, steadying breath after another, she found the strength to climb to her feet. When she glanced in the mirror, she saw a composed woman, not one who'd had her life ripped to pieces. Fraud. Liar. Sham.
“Tam?” Breck appeared in the doorway. “Stefan came back to the party, but you didn't.”
“Where's Sophie?” she asked, her voice sharper than she'd intended.
He stepped closer to her. “She's fine. Hunter is watching her until we get back. I'm more concerned about you.”
Worry pinched his features, drew his blond brows together in a deep frown. Worry for her. It broke something deep inside her to see that caring. He shouldn't be here. He should never have been dragged into this. And he was at risk now, because of her. Because he was her mate. A sob caught in her throat, and she stepped toward him, burying her face in his chest, knowing this would be the last time she allowed herself to touch him. This had to stop; it had to end before he got killed. She would never forgive herself if he died because of her. She'd go into the afterlife hating herself for it.
His arms came around her, secure and protective, and she just breathed in the clean, masculine scent of him. Nothing like Stefan's cloying smell.
“Are you all right?” Breck's deep voice rumbled in her ear, and he ran his warm palms up and down her back.
She'd promised not to lie to him, so she chose not to answer at all. Instead, she leaned to the side and closed the door to the wash closet, engaging the lock. She didn't want to take the chance of anyone overhearing what she had to say.
Tilting her head back, she let herself take in Breck's handsome features. She wanted to lock in the memory forever. She tried to smile, but knew she failed. “Kiss me, please.”
Yes, she wanted the taste of him on her lips. She'd never craved anything so much in her entire life.
He cupped her shoulders, his gaze searching her face. “Only if you promise to tell me what happened with Stefan.”
“I swear it.” Not a difficult promise to make, considering the plan she had in mind required his cooperation. She was going to have to tell him everything. But not just yet. She wanted just a few more minutes before she broke something that felt so good.
He gathered her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead, her cheek, the tip of her nose. So sweet. Kinder than she could ever deserve. She swallowed hard, slipping her fingers into the rough silk of his hair to pull him down for the proper kiss she craved. Her tongue tangled with his, letting his flavor, his scent, the feel of him pressed against her seep into her senses. Slipping her hands up his hard chest, she twined her arms around his neck, holding him closer. He felt perfect, like the closest to heaven a woman like her could ever get.
Slow desire wound through her, that unstoppable reaction that she experienced whenever Breck was anywhere nearby. His hands slid down her back, cupped her hips, and pulled her even closer. They both groaned when she came into full contact with his rising erection. Her sex clenched with utter want, her core going damp. She twisted against him, loving the feel of her nipples beading as her sensitive flesh moved against his musculature. The lace of her dress only intensified the sensation. A shiver ran through her, tingles of heat that sparked into fire within her.
His hands dropped to her ass, kneading the curve of her buttocks and drawing her dress slowly upward. She felt cool air brush over her thighs, and the fire inside her turned into a blazing inferno. She wanted his cock to thrust within her, hard and fast, obliterating everything else. She wanted to enjoy that rush with him, one last time.
She let her head fall back. “More. Give me more.”
Sucking and biting his way down her neck, he grazed his teeth over the tender spot right at the base of her throat. “Don't think this gets you out of telling me what happened.”
She chuckled, the sound throaty. “I won't.”
“Good.” His hands slid inside her panties to grip her naked backside. He pushed that scrap of fabric down, and she let it slip along her legs until she could step out of her underwear.
“I want you, Breck. Inside me.” She trailed her tongue up the column of his neck, nipping at his earlobe to make him shudder. “Now, please.”
“Yes.” His grip tightened on her backside, turning her to face the vanity. “I want you from behind. And stay in this pretty little dress. I like it.”
She grinned at him in the mirror, the expression wicked. Her face was flushed with desire, her lips swollen from his kiss. “I was hoping you would. I wore it for you.”
Heat whipped through her when she heard the distinct sound of him unsealing his fly. She shivered, some muscles loosening as others clenched within her, her body readying it self for sex. Bracing her palms on the vanity, she bent forward to give him all the access he could want.