Surrender (Careless Whispers #3)(8)

“I’m telling you now,” Niccolo replies, while I discreetly settle Annie back in my purse, my hand resting on the soft leather, ready to draw her again should this turn nasty.

“Why now?” Kayden asks. “Why not last week when I told you about Ella?”

“Aside from the fact that I had yet to conclude my internal investigations, until now, you hadn’t committed to finding the necklace for me.”

“But you committed to protecting her.” Continuing to act as if he didn’t know the men are dead, Kayden adds, “And if they took the necklace, the attention turns from her to them. Where are they now?”

“They’ve yet to reappear, and no one I’ve persuasively given incentive to find them has any clue where they are—which leaves me with one of two assumptions. Either they were attacked when Ella was attacked, and they’re now dead, or they’ve betrayed me, and they’re as good as dead.”

“In other words, they mugged Ella and took the necklace,” Kayden concludes.

“Negative,” Niccolo says. “They didn’t know about the necklace. They knew about the woman.”

“I intercepted internet chatter about that necklace and that location,” Kayden says, protecting his inside source. “Don’t tell me they didn’t know about it too. You have a leak, Niccolo.”

“And yet, the necklace hasn’t gone on the auction block. Obviously,” he flicks me a look, “Ella didn’t have it with her that night.”

“Or,” I say, “the two men who worked for you attacked me, took it, and disappeared with it.”

His gaze sharpens. “I don’t remember saying ‘two men.’?”

“I don’t remember referencing anything you said,” I counter. “I simply stated a fact: two men attacked me in that alleyway that night.”

“You remember your attackers?”

“Not their faces,” I say. “Just two men in suits. It’s sounding like they were yours.”

Irritation flickers over his hard features. “You seem to have missed the part where I said it’s not gone up on the auction block.”

“That means nothing,” Kayden interjects. “Whoever mugged her, be it your men or otherwise, could be holding the necklace and biding their time.”

“Three hundred million dollars says they won’t hold it,” Niccolo snaps back.

“A price tag that could get them killed if they don’t have the right broker says that they would,” Kayden counters. “And you’d better hope it’s not The Jackals they go to for help, because I promise you: Alessandro will own that necklace, not your men.”

“Assuming they took it,” he states, “which I still doubt.”

“And yet they’re missing, and so is it,” Kayden reminds him.

“Yes,” he says keenly. “They are missing—and it seems to me that aside from Ella, you’re the only other person who’s been placed at that scene that night.”

“Murder isn’t my style,” Kayden says, never missing a beat, “and you know it.”

“But you will kill, if necessary,” Niccolo states matter-of-factly.

“Yes, I will,” Kayden replies, equally matter-of-factly. “But I didn’t have the pleasure that night.”

“As you say,” Niccolo remarks, his lips twisting. “Whatever the case, Alessandro’s not a problem.”

“In other words, he’s on your payroll.”

“Of course he’s on my payroll,” Niccolo says. “Anyone and everyone I was able to eliminate as competition to get that necklace, I did, and I will continue to do so.”

“Alessandro’s the redheaded stepchild that wants to be us. He wants to be you. He will take that necklace and sell it out from under you.”

“You underestimate me, Hawk, if you think I don’t know these things about him and don’t have the leverage to ensure that he does exactly what I say.”

“What leverage?” Kayden asks.

“You also underestimate me if you believe I’ll tell you that.”

“How do you know it wasn’t he who attacked Ella in the alleyway, intending to double-cross you? How do you know he’s not double-dipping and also working for your brother? Or even for Raul?”

“The kingpin of the drug cartel?” I ask.

“Yes,” Kayden confirms, answering me but focusing on Niccolo. “He knows about the necklace. He wants it.”

“Of course he wants it,” Niccolo states, “and as you keep forgetting, I know Rome. I know my business. And he’s not a problem.”

“Raul is not a man who can be threatened.”

“But he can be bought,” Niccolo replies. “And he does bleed. He’s contained, as is Alessandro. End of topic.”

“Nothing is done until I say it’s done, when it comes to the safety of those I protect,” Kayden states. “Raul will turn on you if he gets even a sniff of weakness, which we know you have right now. And Alessandro is not just a Jackal. He’s the Jackal, and my enemy.”

“Thankfully you’ve made your Evil Eye apparent where Ella’s concerned.”

“And should I have to invoke it on him, consider yourself part of that for bringing him into this.”