"That's it?" Kim exclaimed when she saw the statue. "What's so important about this old thing? He's missing his head!"
"Likely that makes it worth more," Mandy added, clearly not very impressed with the ancient artifact.
Nate and Elliot had successfully retrieved the horse and rider statue the following morning and returned to Nate and Kim's apartment. The time was approaching when the exchange was to take place.
"Whatever it's worth, I'd far rather have Alyssa and Scott," Kim replied.
"I don't like the FBI using you two as bait. Surely there is a safer way to do this exchange."
Elliot kissed Mandy's temple. "They’ll be with us the entire time."
"That housekeeper heard that someone in the FBI is crooked," Kim pointed out. "How do we know they aren't setting you two up for something terrible?"
Nate squeezed her cold hands. "I promise you. I won't do anything to jeopardiz
Chapter Thirty-OneKnock, knock, knock.Alyssa’s eyes flew to the front door. Fear laced with adrenaline raced through her veins. This meeting could go a myriad of ways for all of them. Alyssa counted seven men in the house with them. She had no idea how many were stationed around the property.Scott was sitting beside her. His face looked terrible; the cuts and bruises had developed into a bloody mess. Despite everything he’d been through, Scott’s concern and attention had been on her wellbeing. If she didn’t love the man already, that would have sealed the deal.But as it was, Alyssa knew she was head over heels in love with Scott Tabor.One of Frank’s men opened the door.Alyssa’s breathing hitched when she saw Nate Livingston and Elliot Brand entering Frank’s home with the horse and rider statue in Nate’s hands.She looked over to her uncle who was practically salivating.
Epilogue – One Year Later“Does this dress make me look slutty?” Alyssa asked, pulling out the ninth dress from her closet to model for her best friends, Mandy and Kim.“Absolutely!” Kim said happily over her third glass of wine.Mandy rolled her eyes. “Ignore her. She’s a lush these days now that she’s not nursing Auggie anymore. The dress is perfect, as were the last eight. Honestly, Alyssa, you could wear anything.”“I am not a drunk,” Kim replied as she leaned over to pinch her sister Mandy. “I’m merely a connoisseur of fine wine. And I’ll have you know, I’ve learned on TikTok that most moms imbibe during the day. I think a few drinks with my girls at night is nothing.”Alyssa shook her head, lips twitching. “I can’t believe you now have a million followers on the platform. Maybe Mandy’s jealous.”Kim hooted playfully
Chapter OneThird Trimester: You may feel as if there is no possible way that your belly could grow any bigger. But there is your baby still has plenty of growing to do. During these last months of pregnancy, your rapidly maturing baby will grow from two and half pounds to between six and nine pounds. Achiness, fatigue, heartburn, varicose veins, and Braxton Hicks contractions are just a few of the delights you will come to know in this last stage of pregnancy.***“Nobody in the history of pregnancy has ever been a woman this pregnant before,” Kim said with a groan as she sank back into the plush chair in her sister’s penthouse apartment.Her younger sister Mandy stood nearby while she bounced her four-month-old baby, Charlotte, on her hip. Kim smiled as the baby gave her toothless grin and waved her fists about.“She truly is the most beautiful baby in the world,” Kim commented as she absently rubbed her b
Chapter Two“And then Elliot came in all caveman-like and said, who’s fucking their ex?” Kim gossiped over a steaming cup of hot chocolate later that day in her coffee shop, The Grind.Her manager and long-time friend Freddy grabbed another massive cookie and passed it to her. With a smile of thanks, Kim took the offering.“No shit?” Freddy exclaimed as he went back to tidying up the counter. “What did you say?”Freddy was gorgeous, tall with a muscular build, and far too many tattoos for polite society. He had that bad boy vibe down to a science. Back in the day, he’d rebelled against his parent’s wishes, smoked far too much weed, and somehow ten years of his life slipped away.Now, at twenty-eight, Freddy was pulling his life together. Not only was he almost finished with his Bachelor of Science at the community college, but he’d also cut back on the weed and booze so he could
Chapter ThreeNate flinched as if he’d been punched. When Alyssa Vauban had come to him last week, he’d told his secretary to refer her to one of the other partners. They’d dated off and on after grad school, but there were too many obstacles in the relationship.Besides the lukewarm sex, which in Nate’s estimation was enough to pull the plug, Alyssa’s family had never liked him. The Vauban’s’ money came from trade agreements with the British merchants more than a century ago.Originally from a small island, Singapore, off the Malay peninsula, Alyssa’s grandfather Bao Chang had brought his fortune and young bride to America. Having only one daughter, they’d pushed and encouraged Alyssa’s mother, Li Jing, to marry in her station.An obedient daughter, Li Jing married Walter Vauban III, and combined the Chang and Vauban fortunes. It was said that they were richer than God. Nate had never stood a
Chapter FourIn moments, Kim found herself flat on her back in the old bedroom that she’d once shared with Nate. “Well, this brings back memories,” she said with a laugh.Nate stared at his wife with the same expression a starving man would have at an all-you-can-eat buffet.Apparently, Kim wasn’t waiting for him. With a saucy wink, she cupped her full breasts. As Nate’s pupils dilated, Kim pinched her nipples with enough force to make herself gasp.Nate looped his fingers through the leg holes of her delicate panties and wrenched them down her legs. Spreading her thighs wide, Nate kissed the inside of her knee before working his way down to her glistening pussy, where she was hot, wet, and waiting for his touch.Kim wriggled her hips, trying to get him to hurry, but Nate merely laughed and moved to the other leg.“Nate!” she warned, panting.“Impatient?” he teased with heat in h
Chapter FiveNever in Alyssa’s twenty-nine years on the planet had she ever considered she might be reduced to hiding behind a fern tree clutching her only remaining Louboutin pump as a weapon.Surely there had to be an explanation as to why her life had been completely upended. After all, a fish cannot live out of water, and Alyssa had once believed that she, an heiress, couldn’t live without money. Life had a cruel manner of teaching her otherwise.“Ma’am, we’ve searched the apartment,” an officer said, just to the left of where Alyssa was crouched. “Whoever did this is long gone.”Alyssa nodded mechanically. In her mind, she knew the officer was just trying to assure her she wasn’t in any immediate danger. It might have been in the way he was eyeing her, like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff. Knowing that she was safe and feeling safe were two very different things.Safety had been
Chapter SixNate and Kim anxiously exited the elevator on the floor just below theirs. The hallway was thick with officers and detectives. Not to be outdone, several apartment owners were keeping tabs on things by peeking through the security chains at the top of their doors.Nate wrapped a protective arm around Kim’s waist as they pushed their way toward the apartment that Alyssa had been staying in.“Nate!” Alyssa’s voice rang out above the throng. “Thank God you’re here.”Pushing past the officers she had been speaking with, Alyssa rushed forward and threw her arms around Nate’s neck. Kim, having been pushed aside by Alyssa’s display, found her elbow being caught as she found her balance.“Are you alright?” A decidedly male voice asked her.Kim glanced over to see a handsome man in what she’d guess to be his early thirties. He was dressed in faded jeans and a t-shir