Cut (25 page)

“Not all of his collection,” Brent said, leaning his head closer to hers.

“There's more?”

“Are you anxious to be somewhere else?” he mused.

“No,” she said with resounding honesty.

“Good.”

“But I don't see any other items on the list.”

“Salvador is known for saving the best for last. The guests are waiting to see the real prize. Some people think his style is unethical, but I like the fact that he brings an unknown factor to the room, and that the element of surprise still exists at these otherwise routine events.”

Jessie glanced to the back of the room, to the man who'd caused Brent's jaw to tighten. She nodded at the guy. “Is he your competition or something?”

“Worse.” Brent reached for her hand. “That's Jefferies Abbott.”

“Jefferies!” she said in hushed anger. She understood why Brent outbid him on the orange diamond. “I will be sure to ask him about his ‘friend' who came up to me at the hospital.”

Brent put a firm hand on her leg. “Do not say one word to him.”

The muscles in Brent's jaw ached from the pressure of gritting his teeth. The presence of Jefferies was a direct threat. A reminder. He'd come to town early for Brent and not for some auction. He couldn't tell Jessica or anyone else about the meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

Right now Brent wanted to get out of this place. He wanted to be alone with Jessica.

Salvador disappeared behind the stage and a moment later, reappeared to resounding applause and cheers. In his hand, he held a box veiled in fabric. Brent leaned forward to get a better look. A slight chance existed that a green diamond might be underneath. The odds were a fraction of not likely, but these auctions produced a miracle once in a while. And he needed a miracle. It would have to be a rough diamond too, which stacked the odds even more.

The entire room held their breath and sat with their rears on the edge of their seats. The moment they'd all waited for. The moment Salvador unveiled his last item of the night.

Brent's breath caught in his throat.

On the pillowed cushion sat a bulk of rock.

Can it be…

“With great pleasure, I introduce you to the Lady Jane Diamond. She's in rough form, uncut, and estimated to weigh up to fifteen carats. The color is…”

Brent started to raise his number.

“…Blue.”

He sat back in his chair.

Salvador continued, “I'll start the bid at ten million.”

A flurry of hushed excitement swept through the room. Jefferies stuck up his bid. “Eleven.”

“Do I hear twelve?”

Brent put his bid. “Fifteen.”

“Fifteen!” Salvador's enthusiasm couldn't be contained.

“Eighteen,” Jefferies shouted.

“Twenty,” Brent said in a strategic move.

“Thirty,” Jefferies countered.

Jessie put her hand on his arm. He looked at her and grinned.

“Thirty million. Going once…going twice…sold!” Salvador and the room erupted in applause.

“I thought for a minute you'd actually spend thirty million,” Jessie said, disbelieving.

“I wasn't going to go any higher.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“I wanted to drive up the price for Jefferies.”

The gentleman sitting next to them got up and said, “Excuse me.”

Jessie and Brent stood to let him pass.

“Will there be another item up for sale?” she said.

“No, he's making some closing remarks.” Brent waited for Salvador to thank everyone and encourage guests to stick around and enjoy the food and drinks.

“I'll meet you out by the fireplace. I need to speak with a few people.”

“I'll get us a drink.”

The evening wore on for Brent. He spent time talking to fellow members of the gemstone community, including some of the most prominent jewelers in his line of work. He grew discouraged each time he asked them subtly about the diamonds on the Abbott Tiara. No one seemed to know a blessed thing about them. Either they did know and weren't saying, or he was really out of luck. Nobody confided in him about them because the Abbott diamonds hadn't made their way to the black market—yet.

The time between the auction and his date grew too far apart for his liking and he made his excuses. He left the room and went to find Jessica.

He spotted her at the fireplace…quite a sight in her dress. The soft tones of the orange and red fire played off her creamy skin. He was happy to see her until…he saw the person monopolizing her time.

Jefferies Abbott.

Brent walked straight over to her. “Jessica,” he said, making his presence known.

“There's my former employee now,” Jefferies said with the soft South African accent.

“You came a long way to go to an auction,” Brent retorted.

“I have come to see friends like yourself, and like Salvador.” He flashed an unconvincing smile. “I like to travel around the world and attend different auctions. It keeps me abreast of the competition.”

“I apologize for interrupting. We need to go,” Brent said to Jessica and hoped she caught the urgency in his voice.

“Come on and be a good sport, Brent,” Jefferies said. “We're all friends tonight. You see, Miss Cahill, Brent and I have a business meeting soon.”

Brent grabbed her hand. “We have to go.”

Jefferies hand fastened on Brent's arm. “We need to speak.”

He shook off his hand. “There's nothing we need to discuss.”

“I'll let the two of you have a minute,” Jessie said with a nervous tic to her voice, and walked away.

Jefferies gaze stayed upon Jessie until she was out of sight. He turned back to Brent. “She's lovely.”

“She is none of your business.”

“Do you know what I think?”

“I don't care what you think. We're not meeting until tomorrow.”

“Oh come on Brent, did you really think I wouldn't find out?”

“I could ask the same from you. You had someone on your staff scare Jessica in front of the hospital.”

“I have every right to take back what's mine.” Jefferies moved closer to Brent. So close that small flecks of his spit landed on Brent's face. “How do you plan to meet with me when you have no diamonds?”

“I have them.”

“I'm told your brother sold my precious diamonds to Chadwick's of London. I would hate to think what's rightfully mine are in the hands of my biggest competitor.”

“You're too old to buy into schoolgirl rumors.”

Jefferies sneered. “We'll see if you are laughing tomorrow.”

“As long as you uphold your end of the deal, I'll do the same.”

Jessie returned to them. She laced her fingers through Brent's. “I am sorry Mr. Abbott, but I would like to steal my date back.”

“It will be my pleasure to give him back to you.” He shook her hand and said, “By the way I am most sorry to hear about your sister. I hear she's in a coma.”

Jessie's expression maintained neutrality. She lifted her chin and said, “I appreciate the thought. She's going to be okay.”

Brent turned and walked away holding her hand. She started to loosen her grip and he said, “Don't.”

“What does he want with you?” she whispered.

“Never mind what he wants. Did you tell him you recognized his name?”

“No.”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I owe you.”

The claim desk was in a private room just off the main entrance. Brent walked up to one of the ladies waiting to assist and he handed over his bid number. The exchange took a few minutes. Once Salvador received the payment, someone from the auction house would ship Brent his diamond. To make sure he intended to pay, Brent put the minimum twenty-five percent down.

“Mr. Harrison,” Salvador said, striding over to Jessie. He took her hand and kissed the back. “Who is this beautiful creature?”

“Jessie Cahill,” she said, blushing.

Reluctant, Brent shook his hand. “Salvador, nice to see you again.”

“You two know each other?” Jessie said, looking from Salvador to Brent.

“We're acquaintances of sorts,” Salvador said, and feigning disappointment he added, “Don't tell me you're leaving so soon. I am about to bring out my collection of fine wines from France. I have a several vineyards in the Alsace region.”

“I won't pretend to know where that is,” Jessie said.

His smile humored her. “Allow me to teach you. I insist that you join me for a few moments. I'll let you taste the samples.”

Brent didn't want her to sample anything from Salvador. “We're leaving,” he said, bluntly.

Jessie raised an eyebrow. “I would prefer to stay.”

“The lady has made her choice.” Salvador held out his arm like a gentleman and guided her away from Brent.

Brent's fist curled. He stepped back and let her enjoy herself for the evening. Jefferies wasn't anywhere in sight and he supposed he could try to relax for a moment. He reminded himself this was Jessie's first time at an auction. The scene was all new to her and old news to him. He found these events tedious.

Brent sought refuge in the bar. From where he sat, he watched Jessie come to life. Everything about her screamed vibrancy and confidence. She attracted more than just Salvador to her side. The color in her cheeks and lips deepened and her eyes lit up with laughter. Alone is how he would prefer to be with her, in his bed, discovering the curves of her body. It reminded him of the first time he'd seen her in the bar at her bachelorette party. If not for their chance meeting, they wouldn't be here tonight. Jessie might be in someone else's arms or worse, Carl's. The idea of her with another man caused an inward groan.

Brent made eye contact with Jessie. He nodded towards the doors and got up to leave. She made eye contact with him, but didn't move a muscle. Brent left the room and decided to get some air. He exited the building and walked away from Whitaker's.

He did not get very far when he heard Jessie say, “Wait up.”

She grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Are you leaving without me?”

“No.”

Not for one second did he pause. He turned to the right and followed the sidewalk. Overgrown bushes claimed the fence on their right and trees draped a tunnel overhead. She grabbed his arm and pulled back. “What's going on in there with Jefferies? I can see how much the two of you don't like each other.”

“It's business,” Brent said.

“There's more to it.”

Brent stopped abruptly. He grabbed her waist and stumbled with her up against the fence. He didn't ask. He claimed her lips with punishing recourse. She protested and his hands slid down her lower back and over her hips. His lips worked over hers until the stubborn line of her mouth bent to his command. A gasp escaped her mouth. He grinned at the softness of her lips on his and the burst of heat each time their tongues met. He stopped for a second and took in the sight of her face and chest aglow from the soft light of the street lamp. “Make love with me,” he said.

“Here?”

“Come home with me. It's where I've wanted to be with you all night.”

He kissed her again to prove the point. His body was lost to hers. One press of her chest and her legs against his and he didn't trust himself to make the drive to his house. His hands skimmed down her chest and he fought the urge to rip the dress right off her. She made him hard. She turned on every nerve and stole his breath. He came up for air. “What's your answer?”

“I'll go with you,” she said, out of breath, as if she'd been running.

Brent led her to his car, parked not far from them. He unlocked the doors and they got inside. He knew what this meant. He would reveal a part of his life he had done a good job to keep hidden from her. Tonight he would bring her to his other house.

“What did you think of the auction?” he said.

“I've never seen anything like those gemstones. Or the way people so casually drop millions on them. I still can't get over the diamond you bought. Everything about tonight was unreal. I don't think I'll ever forget it.”

“How about Salvador; what was your impression of him?”

“He's a charmer. I don't know if I'd trust him with my heart.”

“That's one decision you won't have to make.”

Brent drove them through the city. The road curved around and he let her experience the view. All that darkness illuminated with lights. To Brent's relief, Jessie didn't seem in the mood to talk. Not because he didn't want her to, he liked the sound of her voice close to his ear. He enjoyed whatever she had to say. The real reason he needed time to think was because the rest of the evening required delicacy on his part. Jessica chose to show up tonight, which he took as an act of faith. She'd begun to trust him, even after everything in between. After tonight, there'd be no going back for either of them.

He concealed his nerves behind a pensive face and watched the road. At the right time this evening, he would ask her one last time to give up the diamond.

One last time.

The closer they got to his house, the more uncertain he became on how to proceed with the night. If they made love first, he might ruin his chance. If he told her why he needed the diamond, she might have a change of heart. He flipped on the blinker and guided the car to the left lane.

A quaint street with tree-covered sidewalks and cafes appeared and he pressed the gas, taking them up and down a series of hills close to his neighborhood until they reached Broadway. The dated houses of faded yellow and white stood between restaurants, car washes, and fast food places. The colors they couldn't see at this hour, but he knew this street by memory. They were almost there.

He pulled the car into a driveway off the main street. A high-walled fence blocked the entrance. He pressed the button above his rearview mirror and the gates parted. “We're at my home,” he said.