Stolen Skye (Book One, The Skye Trilogy) (16 page)

“Apparently, I didn’t fully confide in the others, but I must have told you.
What did I feel for Finn?” I braced myself because I had avoided this knowledge for a couple of reasons.

“You loved him.
I don’t know if you were in love or not. He was more wild back then and, of course, you were careful considering his past.” Bounce wasn’t surprised by the choice of topic.

“By past, you mean the art theft and pick pocketing?”

“No, his being a con-artist got to you. He told you about the women.” Bounce reminded me of the story of how Finn met Ari.

“He mentioned two.
What are you saying? He cons women?” I guess I shouldn’t have been taken aback, but nobody had spelled it out for me.

“Well, yes.
He got to know some women who helped him out. A few gave him money to go pursue different things who never heard from him again. Sorry, I thought you got more of the story. Anyway, we’re talking about when he was still a desperate teenager. By the time he got his money stolen by that woman in Italy, he was grown and into other things. Long before he met you.”

“So, I told you I was into him, but I was being cautious?
Please tell me, and I promise I won’t ask any more about it — was I sleeping with him?” I actually held my breath, not sure what I was afraid of.

“If you were, you didn’t tell me.
Finn was into you, clearly, but you were slower to commit. He was trying to convince you to let him show you the coast of Italy. Then, we did the Scotland job and you were gone. It was hard on Finn, I told you that. He’d be gone for weeks at a time, alone on his boat. He hardly ever smiled when he was here. Nothing was fun for a long time. He must have cared for you very much. We all did.” Her voice took on a sad cadence and made me want to change the subject. It had been hard to see what could have kept me from getting into bed with Finn back then. I understood it a little better now.

“What about Ari?
Were we really close before?”

“That’s more complicated.
You respected each other. Sometimes your friendship would bug Finn and then it would bother Ari that Finn was jealous. It was amusing at the time. Now, there is some real anger behind it. Hopefully Finn gets it out of his system. He loves Ari, really. I can’t believe he would leave because of all this.”

“What do you mean by leave?”
I asked.

“When he found out the truth of what Ari had done, Finn told him he’d give him a chance to make it right or he’d be gone on the next high tide.
Today, it didn’t seem like Finn was happy with Ari’s treatment of you. I’m not sure what will happen now.” Worry crinkled her forehead as she grabbed one of the throw pillows, hugging it in her lap.

“Okay, so tell me about the Scotland job.
I won’t tell anyone you did.”

After some hesitation, she said, “Ari was hired by a friend of his who deals in diamonds.
With the slow economy, he was sitting on tons of stock and losing money. He convinced Ari to rob one of his vaults in Edinburgh. He hired you as his personal assistant. You went in before we did, gathering information on the other people there and the facility — basic office work. A couple weeks later, we went in and stole what was contained in the vault. After, you were terminated a week later for engaging in an extramarital affair with the boss. His wife caught you — all fake, of course. Ari held onto the goods and his friend got a big insurance payout without losing any stock. Brilliant, if you can get away with it.”

“Obviously, there is a lot I don’t understand about what you just said.”

Bounce smiled and continued, “Several months later, Brinks and I lifted one of those rent containers and put the diamonds in a warehouse outside Glasgow so his friend could recover them. Anyway, you got paid for your participation on the day you were due to leave Edinburgh and that is the money we can’t place.”

“The affair with the boss, that was pretend…
staged for the wife?” I was getting tired of trying to verify who I had and had not slept with, but it was sadly necessary.

“Yes, he figured better an upset wife than an investigation.
She stayed with him anyway, so no harm done.”

“No ideas then as to where I would have put the money?”

“No, every place we could think to look turned up empty.
All we know is Ari gave you the money after he got paid in Edinburgh and then he went off on his own cover. I’m sure it will come back to you.” I took a moment to picture what she had described. Something about the money was giving me a bad feeling, like a final exam you forgot to study for.

“Just one more question, and then I’m going to have too much to eat and drink and watch a movie.
Did I tell you why on earth I chose to participate? It’s the thing I’m struggling with the most. I didn’t have to help.” I cradled my face in my palms, trying to squeeze the reason out.

“I can’t put it as well as you did, but you wanted to help because you felt we needed you.
It’s the same reason for all of us, more or less. There are jobs we could do and quiet lives we could live now. Still, here we are, wanting to work together. It feels wrong to let Ari do something without my help, like I am putting him and the others at risk. When you would hear us talking about something, you wanted to know how you could help — more for the group than the money. Go home and be with your mom, but come back to us and go to Paris. You’ll remember more, I promise.”

Everything she said made sense.
I had only been with them briefly, but already I felt like I was changing back into the real me as opposed to becoming someone else. Ari was an enigma and I barely knew Brinks, but I did already care for them. I was even starting to miss them and I hadn’t booked my flight yet. The thought of leaving Finn had bothered me before, now it extended out to all of them in one way or another.

“Let me go home and then we’ll see.
I just need to clear my head. Do you want to stay and watch a movie with me?” Being alone didn’t feel as crucial all of a sudden.

“Absolutely, let’s get some room service.”
Bounce snagged the menu and we made our selections. Half way through, someone knocked on the door. Bounce and I looked at each other and decided to stay silent. Thirty seconds went by and we heard the key slip into the door lock. Finn poked his head into the entryway.

“Seriously, you just break into my room?”
I jumped off the couch, less annoyed than I sounded.

“Technically, I have a key
. And please, do not get all moral on me after the earlier joyride in my car. Oh, good evening, Bounce.” He pretended to be delighted to see her, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Clearly, he didn’t appreciate her car theft.

“Yeah, I knew Raven would betray us.
Hi.” Bounce kept watching the screen.

“Why are you here anyway?”
I couldn’t be too upset with him; he was so attractive standing in my hotel room. Then I remembered that was his stock in trade. I also noticed swelling in the cleft of his magnificent chin.

“Raven’s out.
Brinks is held up with Sir Ari, and Bounce texted me, letting me know you were watching movies. I figured it was okay to stop by.” I glanced over at Bounce, who had a suspicious look on her face. She was encouraging a friendship with Finn, probably thinking that would make me want to come back. She was a genius, but I was already way ahead of her.

“I heard you got to vent your frustration earlier today.”
I stepped closer to him to take a look at the one apparent wound.

“Yes, it was grand.
However, his response didn’t feel quite as nice.” He tilted back his head to show me the extent of it. After my examination, he took a seat next to Bounce and slapped her on the knee. “Did you tell her about New Year’s Eve?”

Bounce responded, “Yes, she’s considering it.
She’s going to go home for Christmas first.”

“What?
When?” 

“As soon as possible.
I’ll go back to Newport and then drive up to Boston. I haven’t spent a Christmas with my mother in a few years.”

Finn struggled to hide his disappointment.
“But, you’re going to come back for New Year’s?”

“I’ll think about it.
So, you’re really considering stealing from the Louvre?” It felt impossible to me and I was worried for them. Apparently, I had taken my side in the moral dilemma posed when your friends are burglars.

“We didn’t really get into it
,” Finn answered in the vaguest way possible. “But, it will be more interesting if you come with.” Finn took off his jacket, grabbing himself some pizza. “At least let me get Kelly to fly you back? Let me know the day and we can make the arrangements if he is free.”

“He would do that?” I asked.

“Kelly runs a private service. He and Ari go way back. If we need him, he flies us. No questions asked. Something about Ari’s dad and them growing up together in Scotland. We pay him, but he’ll only accept money to put toward the cost of fuel.”

“Good friend,” I mused.
Ari seemed to be surrounded by people who wanted to help him, no matter what. We finished the movie, the pizza and the wine. Finn caught me looking at him and smiled. My heart missed two beats and then took off, soaring. It was so not a good idea to like him, even less of a good idea now that I knew more of his story. It didn’t give me reason to think he was conning me now, but it was just enough to slow me down. I had liked him kissing me. He had starred in a couple fantasies since then when I couldn’t sleep. I was totally into the idea now as he kept his eyes on me, heavy with passion. It was definitely time for everyone to go.

“I’m getting tired.
Finn, if Kelly can take me that would be really kind of him. Let me know what the fuel charges are approximately, I’d like to contribute.” I stood up and watched them both slowly do the same. “Wait, Bounce, take the dress and your jewelry. Thank you again for your help last night.” Bounce followed me back toward the bedroom. I turned to her before she left my side. “Thank you for tonight as well. It’s all hard for me to understand, looking back this way without a memory, but I can see why I loved you so much.” I hugged her briefly. She hugged me back with much more commitment.

We went back out into the hall and Finn stood by the entrance.
He turned to Bounce. “Go on down, my car is outside. I trust you know which it is. I’ll meet you there in a second,” Finn said sarcastically, opening the door for her. She shot me a knowing look, but before she could respond to him, he shut the door, just missing her face. “Evelyn, you’re coming back. If not, I’ll just keep coming after you.” He stared into my eyes, making me want to swear to just about anything.

“Yes, I’m coming back.
Just give me a chance to digest all of this. Going home is the right thing, and everyone can make their arrangements without worrying about me.” I smiled through how nervous he was making me. As if in response, he demonstrably placed his hands at his sides, but his gaze continued to smolder. There was no way this man was jealous of Ari. I couldn’t imagine a person in the world he would feel inferior to. Finn was like a radiant ball of energy you just couldn’t burn out. I felt like I was teetering on the edge of him, more and more anxious for the fall. Before I could react, he kissed me swiftly on the lips. Smiling at my expression of surprise, he whispered, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” as he moved away from me with effort. He opened the door, saying good night with one last beaming grin.

Chapter
15. Fair Fight

The morning progressed as expected, with Raven joining me for a modified run through Hyde Park.
She used her iPod for part of it and I did the same. We had grown comfortable enough with each other that this was feeling like a routine. When we got to the end of the trail, I took a seat on the bench to catch my breath. The brief bouts of running had really upped the exertion factor. We decided upon a stop at Dura Vita, where we ran into Brinks.

“So, you ready for tonight?”
Brinks sat down beside me with his coffee.

“Yes, Raven filled me in a little.
You do this every year?”

“Well, Ari has agreed to it the last five years.
His uncle is hard to say no to.”

“And the boxing is a gypsy custom?”

“Yes, they are like any big group with their traditions and culture, a strong love of family.
Uncle Gheorghe is quite proud of Ari, his intelligence and education, at least. Honestly, I think he’s been trying to marry Ari off. He never had children of his own so he is kind of the patriarch of the family. Ari’s been… slow to make good on the idea.” Brinks blew on his coffee, trying to cool it.

“Really?
Well, if he has held out this long he must have his reasons. How old is he?” He didn’t look older than me, but he acted like he was from another century.

“He’s thirty-one.
His uncle remains hopeful. I get it. My parents set me up every time I go home to visit. The last time I went home, I took Bounce with me. That shut them up. They loved her, of course.” Brinks winked at me and began scarfing down his cinnamon bun.

“I understand.
My mother thinks marriage is the answer to my trouble. She means well.” I toasted her silently as I tipped back my espresso.

Brinks added, “If you want in, we have a pool tonight on the fight.
Once the opponent is announced, I’ll be taking bets. It’s most likely Luca or Marko, two of his cousins closest to his age. You just let me know who you favor.”

I laughed and told him I’d consider it.
“How did you end up involved in all of this?” He was so very normal; it was hard to fathom any criminal activity. I imagined the same could be said for me.

“I didn’t want the life I was being groomed for.
My parents let me go out in the world to find myself. Late senior year, I came back to my room and there was Raven, lying on my bed. Ari told me they had need for my talents. I was in when I saw Raven, but after listening to Ari’s proposal, it fit for me. We aren’t all born the same, ya know. Some go one way and some another. Who knows why? I think after each job, that I’m done. That it’s enough and I’ll stop, but then another plan gets hatched. Leaving Bounce, Finn, all of them, that doesn’t feel right to me. Maybe I’ll quit when I’m thirty.”

“Finn says you’re pretty brilliant.
You could probably do anything?”

“Well, definitely more brilliant than Finn.
Do anything? I’m doing what I want. That’s enough for me.” He laughed over his putdown of Finn and began interrogating Raven over who she was texting. Kierk was taking a back seat to a new man, she alluded. Brinks called her a man-eater, causing her to flounce off toward the coffee counter, not entirely offended by the characterization.

Brinks moved closer to me.
“Evelyn, I may get into trouble for telling you this. I haven’t told the others because I was afraid it would only make them angrier. I’m telling you because yesterday you seemed afraid of Ari. I can assure you he won’t hurt you. But more to the point, he went to Boston after you ‘died’. I think he might have been checking on you. Surely someone who does that isn’t a threat?” He patted my hand, trying to make me see his reasoning.

I couldn’t think of an answer.
The same way I couldn’t understand him not letting everyone know I was alive.

“Brinks, thank you for trying.
I’m not afraid he is going to hurt me, really. I just don’t understand him. Knowing this makes me even more confused.” I tried to regain my composure as Raven returned. He nodded, indicating he understood.

Later, I returned to my room.
After showering, I called my mother to let her know I was going to drive to Boston before Christmas. She was thrilled. There was a lot going on for her so she was so happy I could help her. I was glad too, she had a tendency to go overboard and then be sick for the entire month of January. Finn called, letting me know he was going to pick me up for the party and that Kelly was happy to take me back to Newport in two days.

Before getting ready for the party, I considered the reasons why Ari may have come to Boston around the time of my accident.
The most likely theory was that it was simply coincidence. If he had business there, then there wasn’t anything to keep him away. Checking on me was an intriguing idea, but it was hard to picture based on what I knew of him thus far. If he knew I didn’t remember him, why visit? I shrugged my shoulders and began fixing my hair into a twisted updo. I decided on my sapphire dress in spite of Raven’s critique.

Finn pulled up to the hotel entrance in his boxy Mercedes.
He was freshly shaven and shiny, dressed in a black cashmere sweater and black trousers. He looked more mature than usual, until he smiled. “Evelyn, you’re a knockout.” He took my hands and stretched them wide for a better view. Much warmer, I thought, than the reception I had gotten from Ari before. He helped me into the front seat and we were off to pick up Brinks. Bounce and Raven were already there. They discussed some of the people that would be at the party. It was all foreign to me. Apparently, this particular group of gypsies had done quite well for themselves. Business owners and politicians, successful and dedicated to seeing their people prosper.

Every lantern was lit as we pulled into Ari’s driveway.
Cars were everywhere on the grounds, encircling a small bus in the center. Brinks and Finn escorted me through the front door, where we were bombarded with guitars, violins, and laughter. Large groups of people clustered together drinking, eating, and dancing, with no concern over their volume or their skill. The liveliness of the group stood out drastically against the cold backdrop of Ari’s house. There were no head scarves, broom skirts or gold hoop earrings. Instead, the women wore Chanel suits and designer cocktail dresses. The men were equally as fashionable. If these were gypsies, it was obvious what little I had been shown of their kind was exaggerated.

Raven danced seductively in the living room while an older man next to her blew the horn with fervor.
An older woman in a tweed skirt suit joined her and more people began clapping. Bounce was back toward the kitchen, taking in the spectacle. She waved to me and no fewer than fifteen men turned and cheered at my arrival. Welcoming was not a strong enough word to describe the group as a whole. Finn took my hand and began making our way toward Bounce. Off in the corner were a quieter bunch of twenty-something girls, all with long hair and gorgeous clothes. Despite their glamorous appearance, they looked out on the rest with some girlish shyness and whispered to each other conspiratorially. More than one of them lit up as Finn came into view.

Bounce took our hands and said, “I’ve been waiting for you to get here.
Raven left me to fend for myself immediately once people started arriving. Come, get a drink.” Bounce escorted us through the kitchen where a bar and three bartenders in uniform waited to assist us out on the patio under a heat lamp. Finn and Brinks ordered and I opted for my standby, dirty martini. The four of us turned to stare back into the party. I spotted Ari’s uncle talking emphatically with a group of men similar to him in age and appearance. They were nodding in agreement and more serious than some of the others around them. I wasn’t sure how they were even hearing each other.

“Brinks, it’s Luca.
Marko stayed in Paris this year. Let the betting begin.” Bounce filled Brinks in on which cousin Ari was going to box. Brinks quickly went to work on taking bets. I put ten pounds on Ari. Finn bet on Ari as well, surprising us. Brinks didn’t even ask Bounce, putting her down for Ari to win also on his sheet. I had no idea what a boxing match consisted of, much less “bare knuckle” boxing as Brinks explained it.

Food tables had been set up along the open floor plan of the house and I was very hungry after not eating all day.
After catching up in the kitchen and finishing my martini, Bounce, Finn, and I hit the buffet. As I stood in line, eyeing the Beef Wellington, a man came close and whispered in my ear.

“Look who i
s back amongst the living.” He pulled away so I could see his face and smiled suggestively at me. He reminded me of a swashbuckling pirate with his dark eyes and chin length, jet black hair, most of which was pulled back and secured with a leather tie. He was quite alluring. I couldn’t place him.

“Hi, I’m sorry, but I have a problem with my memory.”
I should just start wearing a sign that says ‘Don’t assume I know you’.

“I’m Luca.
You are still outlandishly attractive. Save me a dance later, please.” He kissed my cheek, slowly, and disappeared into the crowd. Oh no, I thought. Surely, someone would have prepared me if other flames were going to come out of the woodwork. I looked behind me down the buffet line and Bounce shook her head at me. Finn was engrossed by the smoked salmon and had missed the exchange. I finished filling my plate and headed back toward the kitchen.

I cut into the beef pastry and said, “I met Luca.”
I waited for anyone to tell me the story.

Bounce assured me there was nothing to worry about.
“You knew him, but not very well. He travels a lot, working for his uncle. He’s a major flirt.”

Finn added, “He’s not as tall as Ari.
Ari will definitely have the reach on him, but Luca is solid and fearless. It’ll be a fair fight.” He didn’t think beyond the evening entertainment when it came to Luca, so he must not have been someone I needed to worry about. Off to my left, I caught Luca sliding up to Raven and whispering in her ear as well. The food was amazing, and as we ate, some people stopped into the kitchen to greet us. Though I looked, I couldn’t find our host.

“Where’
s Ari?”

“I think he’s upstairs with his aunt, Gheorghe’s wife, Helena.
She wanted to talk to him earlier.” Bounce went back to her chicken skewers. Just then, I heard a pair of heels coming down the stairs and a short, round woman appeared with Ari behind her. She was wearing a black sequined dress that came just below her knees and black, sling back heels. Her almond shaped eyes were expertly made up, and she smiled at us with white teeth set off by her bright red lips. She held onto Ari’s arm like he was her possession. His face lifted when he saw us.

“Everyone, you know my Aunt Helena.”
Ari gestured toward her and everyone said hello. I joined in, not knowing if I should know her or not.

“Aunt Helena, do you remember Evelyn?”

“Yes, so good to see you.” She spoke the words, but the sincerity was missing. She took me in from head to toe as if appraising my worth. I smiled and said hello again. Ari led her out to the bartenders.

“What’s her deal?”
I whispered to Bounce.

“She has never liked you or Raven.
She thinks I’m with Brinks because we are roughly the same color so why wouldn’t we be together? You two single women spending so much time with Ari, she thinks you have loose morals,” Bounce giggled. Finn didn’t think it was funny. When they came back into the kitchen, Helena strode as fast as her little legs would carry her into the other room.

“Glad to see you all.
Fintan, how’s the chin?” Ari put his hand on Finn’s shoulder, standing over him.

“Fine.
How are the ribs?” He turned to look up at Ari from his plate. I noted there was less fire in the looks they gave each other. Perhaps the mutual beating was therapeutic after all.

“Not fine actually, I recommend putting money on Luca this evening,” he laughed, letting his eyes fall to me.
Everything about him seemed much calmer. The way he looked at me was less intense as well. This must be what Ari looks like relaxed. He took a sip of his drink as he glanced out over the party in full swing. We were a subdued group in contrast to all the merriment. I had gotten farther through the meal than the rest of them and excused myself to get another drink.

Ari followed me out into the night.
“You look very beautiful,” he said in a low voice as he stood behind me. A compliment from him sent a tiny tingle up my back. I hadn’t received a sincere one before, well, that I could remember.

“Thank you.
I wasn’t sure you had the ability to give a real compliment.” I turned to him as my bartender looked up at us and then averted his eyes with a smile.

“You weren’t always someone who needed them.”
He shot me his roguish grin to let me know he was teasing me.

“Well, for the future, if you require me to dress in elaborate formal wear, please try to greet me with some appreciation.”
I smiled back at him, enjoying an easier conversation than we’d had before.

“Forgive me.
I had asked they find a dress that allowed you to blend easily at a formal event. You didn’t. On any future assignments, we’ll need to find something to counter your appeal. It’s a tall order.” He kept smiling at me, his eyes drifting over me. Nervously, I excused myself as I gathered my drink and went back inside. It would take me a lifetime to figure out Ari. He had barely even smiled at me since I arrived. Now, tonight, he was turning on the charm, and it was significant. I wasn’t afraid when I looked in his dark eyes just now, but his voice, low and intimate, was disquieting.