Knock Out (A Reynolds Security Novel) (6 page)

Chapter 8

The Radisson was the nicest and therefore most expensive hotel in town. It was also the only hotel with a ballroom big enough for an event like this. There was a line of cars and valet parking. Lou had seen events like this on TV but this was the first time she had ever attended one. She was thankful for Colby’s reassuring presence at her side. 

Jace was watching for her but when she arrived on the arm of one of her classmates his heart stopped. She was breathtaking. He literally couldn’t breathe and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her long shiny black hair was left loose for once. It cascaded down her back in big bouncy curls. He’d never seen her wear any makeup and she wasn’t wearing much tonight, her eyes were outlined making them appear even bigger. She looked older, which in this case was a good thing because she finally looked older than jail bait. His mouth was dry and he realized it had dropped open. He quickly closed it and looked around making sure no one else had seen the reaction. He watched as she and the other new recruit, what was his name? Something with a K, Kyle or Clint, worked their way into the room.”

“
I sure hope she works out.”

“
What?” He looked up at Ethan wondering if his friend had seen his reaction to the woman.

“
Let’s face it, it’s not exactly easy to find a female bodyguard. If she works out it will be good for business.”

“
Oh, yeah it will.”

“
She cleans up good too. She’ll blend in at any A-lister’s party. No way they would peg her as hired help.”

“
Nope.” Jace was much too distracted by his own rambling thoughts to really hear what Ethan was saying. He was watching as one shapely leg appeared and disappeared through the slit up the side of her gown as she moved. Those legs were the perfect length to wrap around his waist. He already knew how strong they were. She was small but she curved in all the right ways and places. She turned and he saw that the gown exposed most of her back. He nearly groaned aloud. Barely bit it back in fact. The man she was with Kyle, Clint, whatever, led her out onto the floor. He placed his hand in the middle of her bare back and Jace wanted to cross the room and jerk it off. He had never been jealous of anyone or anything in his life. But right now he wanted to murder one of his employees for touching another. He had to get a hold of himself. He grabbed a flute of champagne off the tray of a passing waiter and downed it in one solid gulp. When he looked back Ethan was staring at him like he had grown a second head.

“
What is wrong?”

“
Nothing. Just trying to calm the nerves is all.” Ethan didn’t look like he believed a single word and Jace didn’t blame him.

“I feel like everyone is staring at me.” Lou whispered as Colby danced her around the room.

“
Not everyone, just the men,” he smirked.

“
Thanks that makes me feel a lot better.”

“
Relax no one is looking at you. Take a deep breath and remember we’re working.” Colby was right. The reminder helped her to focus. She started scanning the room for anyone who looked suspicious. Instead she spotted Jace. He looked positively sinful. A blond James Bond but not in the weird Daniel Craig way. No in a hot James Bond is now an American Surfer kind of way.

“
Which one is he?”

“
What?”

“
The designer, which one do you think he is?”

“
Oh.” Lou quickly continued scanning the room, thankful that Colby had not been inside her head as the hot Bond girl fantasy was unfolding. “I don’t see him anywhere.” Colby led her off the floor and they began to mingle with the rapidly expanding crowd. There were several displays around the room holding glittering jewels in glass cases. She separated from Colby under the guise of checking out the displayed jewels. They agreed to meet back at the bar in thirty minutes.

The displayed jewelry, while beautiful in its own sparkling way was also comically ostentatious. There was a necklace with multiple strands of diamonds each a different color, six
in all. Another display held a tiara, an actual diamond tiara as if there would be any call for that in real life. In addition to the large items there were smaller creations, rings, earrings, bracelets. Not your average diamond tennis bracelet of course.

After she had looked over the displays she made her way back to the bar. Colby handed her a glass with clear liquid, ice and a straw. She took a hesitant sip and discovered it was club soda.

“It’s all about appearances.” Colby smiled. “Ready?” She nodded and reached up to her pearl earring and twisted it slightly. To anyone watching she was simply playing with her earring. Before the party the team had met to go over their game plan. All of them being ‘the new guys’ they felt they had something to prove. They were all determined to prove they could get the job done.  When she twisted her erring she opened the two way communication with the team.

“
There are thousands of dollars in diamonds on display but all those cases are locked and alarmed. No one is going to slip one out without anyone noticing.”

“
No way, this is going to be more subtle.” She recognized the voice of Sam Cavanaugh in her ear. “He wants to show up the security team. He doesn’t want to make himself look like an easy target.”

“
All right let’s stick to the original plan and look for anyone suspicious in the crowd.” Colby said. Lou turned off the mic but left the sound open in case anyone saw anything. Colby straightened slightly looking over her shoulder causing her to turn. Jace was approaching them and her heart picked up its pace.

“
Good evening, are you enjoying the party?” He asked them both. Not displaying recognition of either of them.

“
It’s a great party. Open bar is always a plus.” Colby grinned. Jace smiled a tight smile. Lou could tell he didn’t think Colby was joking. He turned to her and again offered a tight smile. "Would you care to dance?"

“
I’d love to.” He led her out onto the floor and her heart raced as he pulled her close. “You know he was kidding about the bar right?”

“
If you say so.”

“
We were drinking club soda, just to keep up appearances.” He didn’t respond and she fought the urge to fidget. She wondered if she had done something to annoy him and immediately hated that she even cared.

“
I didn’t think you would approach any of us, given that we are incognito and all.”

“
Sometimes it is more conspicuous to avoid.”

“
That is true I guess.” Again he was quiet and she decided to just take the plunge. “You look good in your tux, very James Bond.” He actually smiled at that.

“
Does that make you one of Charlie’s Angels?”

“
I figured it made me a Bond Girl.” The self-satisfied grin that spread across his face spoke volumes. He pulled her closer his hand sliding up to the bare area on her back and whispered in her ear.

“
Some of those Bond girls are villains you know.”

“
Bad girls have more fun.” She whispered back. She was shocked by her own brazenness but at the moment she felt like a different person and she very much wanted to tantalize him. His fingers played along the line of her bare spine and she arched against him involuntarily.

“
Are you ticklish?” He asked a chuckle in his voice.

“
Um apparently.” Her voice was slightly breathless. She didn’t think the way his fingers were making her feel qualified as a tickle.

“
You look beautiful.” He was still whispering in her ear and she wanted to both push closer and pull away at the same time. 

“
I feel ridiculous.” She deferred the compliment.

“
Looks like our host is joining us.” Jace straightened as if getting back to business. When he turned her enough so she could look without being conspicuous she spotted a striking black couple descending the stairs. She recognized Viktor Castillo from the photos she had seen online. He looked to be in his sixties. His once black hair was grayer now. The woman beside him she also recognized from her internet research as his long time wife Elena. She should be nearing sixty as well but she didn’t look it. Either the years had been good to her, or more likely the cynic in her pointed out, she’d had work done. The result was a very beautiful woman. She was tall and regal, her heels making her at least six feet. Her long shiny black hair was twisted and laying over one shoulder. Perhaps the most important thing about the woman, the one detail Lou had zeroed in on, was hanging around her neck. It was a huge diamond pendant. It was pear shaped and had to be the size of her fist. Lou didn’t think diamonds of that size existed outside of crown jewel collections. She looked up at Jace.

“
You’re impartial in this little test right?”  He frowned but nodded.

“
I want you to succeed if that’s what you’re asking. If someone tries something and we don’t catch it, it makes us all look bad.”

“
Time to go to work then.” She smiled up at him. She reached up and turned her earring.

“
Look alive boys. Our host is joining us and his wife has jewel around her neck that is not in a locked case and worth more than we’ll make in our lifetimes.” Her ear piece sprang to life as each man confirmed sighting the couple. Jace cocked one eyebrow at her and she smiled and winked at him.

They exited the floor and Lou positioned herself in what looked to be the path they were taking. Jace handed her a flute of champagne and she pretended to sip it. Her heart rate was a steady pound in her chest. She could feel adrenaline pumping through her, it was just like the way she felt just before a fight and she relished it.

“Mr. Carpenter so good of you to join us.” The man’s African accent was heavy but his English was perfect.

“
The pleasure is mine Mr. Castillo, you throw a fabulous party.”

“
Please call me Viktor. Is this lovely creature your date?”

“
No, actually I came stag with the express purpose of meeting lovely creatures like this one. It is quite remarkable how beautiful jewelry will bring out the most beautiful women.” He smiled at Elena Castillo as he spoke and she returned his smile. Viktor introduced his wife to Jace before turning his attention back to Lou. She offered him her hand.

“
I am Lou Santiago, Mr. Castillo and I can’t tell you what an honor it is to meet you. Your creations are just… well they are amazing.” Her shameless gushing had the desired effect. He grinned.

“
Please call me Viktor my dear. Tell me, if you are so appreciative of fine jewelry why is your beautiful throat bare?”

“
Oh well to tell you the truth anything in my collection would so pale in comparison to your stunning creations I just couldn’t bring myself to wear anything.”

“
What a shame. Sometimes even the simplest designs are the most beautiful.”

“
I agree.” She turned toward Elena to engage the woman. “I would certainly not call what you are wearing simple but it is stunning. Is that one of your husband’s designs?”

“
No.” Elena’s voice was smoky and sultry. “This particular diamond has been in my family for generations.”

“
It is quite something. I didn’t know diamonds that large existed outside of the crown jewel collections.”

“
I guess you could say this piece is one of Africa’s crown jewels. It is called the Heart of Africa. It is among the largest flawless colorless diamonds in the world.”

“
How big is it?”

“
Two hundred and fifty four carats.”

“
Oh my, it makes the quarter carat my ex gave me seem like pea gravel.” Lou laughed and Elena laughed as well.

“
Tell me Lou have you seen the rest of the collection?” Castillo asked reclaiming her attention.

“
I did browse through the collection earlier. I never knew there were so many colors.”

“
Interesting isn’t it that those colored stones were once considered the garbage stones. They were thrown out with the rest of the dirt.” Elena interjected.

“
Elena is a purest when it comes to her diamonds.”

“
I can see why.” Lou glanced pointedly at the stone centered on the woman’s chest.

“
Come I must hear your critique of the collection.” He took Lou’s elbow and started to lead her toward one of the displays. “Are you coming darling?” He asked his wife.

“
No, you go ahead. I believe I will get a drink and mingle with the guests.”

“
I would be honored if you would allow me to escort you Mrs. Castillo.” Jace offered his arm.

“
Thank you.” She slipped her hand onto his arm and smiled. “And please call me Elena.”