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.I already know that.I’ve always known it.Sometimes I just get so tired, and it really helps if I know you believe it, too.”“I do.” Tears blurred her vision as she took her sister’s cold hand, squeezing it gently in her own.“Jesus, sis, I’ve always believed-”“Then act like it.” Clarissa’s eyes snapped with passion as she spoke, her voice getting stronger with every word.“Stop treating me like I’m going to drop dead before you see me next.Live your life.If you want me home, I need to know you’re doing that.I don’t want to feel like the anvil around your neck.” Clarissa stared down at their clasped hands and shrugged.“I don’t want to be a burden.That sounds silly because there’s no other way for me to be right now, but it’s the truth.”Sadie’s stomach pitched and she swallowed hard to dislodge the knot in her throat.“You’re never a burden.You were the light of my life.Especially after mom died.I don’t know what we would have done without you, cracking jokes and making me and Dad smile when we needed it so bad.”Clarissa gave her a shaky grin.“You guys always were an easy audience.Couple of bad knock-knock jokes, and you’d be laughing your asses off.”“Well, believe me when I tell you that there is nothing that would make me happier than to have you home making me laugh, so let’s pinky swear.” She tugged her hand away from her sister’s and crooked her little finger.“We’re both going to do whatever it takes to make that happen, ASAP.And I promise I’ll work on getting my shit together.”Clarissa clasped her pinky with Sadie’s and wiggled it.“Deal.” The heavy tension in the air disappeared in an instant.“Now, on to more important stuff.Did you hear one of the Kardashian sisters is going to name her baby Kale? Like the vegetable…”Sadie stayed for another hour and they chatted about celebrities and current events and some new recipes they would try when Clarissa came home.By the time she walked out into the warm summer sunshine, she was feeling twenty pounds lighter.Like she’d been in a dark room and someone had finally showed her where the light switch was.She’d spent the last decade and a half insulating herself from life and staying inside a little bubble because really living felt like a betrayal.How could she go to dances and have loads of friends and run track and flirt with boys while her baby sister lay in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of her nose and her hair falling out?But she had it all wrong.Clarissa wanted those things for her.And not living life to the fullest was the real betrayal.Jesus, she’d been so blind and stupid.No more, though.She had her health.She had her youth.And, unless something had changed in the past twelve hours, she still had a chance to take life --and Jake Callahan-- by the balls.***“So here’s what we’ve got, in case you need to pull a quick disappearing act.”Jake laid the blueprints out on the mahogany table and set a pair of coasters on each side to weigh them down.Sadie let out a low whistle from between her teeth."Fancy.Mine aren't nearly as nice, and they're also dated.I didn't even know about that new wing, or the second wine cellar." She tapped her index finger to the paper, indicating the spots she was referring to."I bought my set from the nice lady at the desk of the deeds department at town hall and she let me photocopy them.You?""I made sure the architect who built the home when Alistair purchased it two years ago was on my payroll.Every time there was an upgrade or change, he redid the blueprints for me."She inclined her head and made like she was bowing to him."Well, clearly I'm in the presence of a master.I'll have to keep that in mind."Another compliment.It was the third so far, and she’d only been in his house for thirty minutes.He found himself both intrigued and suspicious.He hadn’t even been sure she would take his call that morning after the way last night had ended.She’d thrown him for a loop when she not only agreed to meet him, but called back a couple hours later to suggest getting takeout and eating at his house.Ever the optimist, his dick had gone stiff in an instant at the implications, but his brain was more cautious.Was this another grift? Some sort of angle to get into his house? The idea that he’d now become the mark would have been almost funny if it wasn’t such a real possibility.But even that didn’t do fuck all to deflate his erection.Especially not when she walked in wearing the mini-est jean skirt he’d ever seen, paired with a white halter-top that made her look like a nineteen-fifties pinup.She leaned over the long dining table to look closer at the blueprints, giving him a glorious, unobstructed view of her cleavage.“I’ve been a solid card mechanic for more than ten years.I have no intention of getting caught, but if for some reason, the shit hits the fan, it seems like the best thing to do is to head out through the east wing and down the servants stairs out the side kitchen door.” She straightened to face him.He dragged his gaze away from her perfect-handful breasts and nodded.“Sounds like a plan.”“Since he introduced us, Hannigan won’t suspect we’re working together.Even if he suspects me or I make a mistake, go along with him.Get irate.Maybe yell at me some.Whatever you have to do to maintain your own cover.What’s he going to do? Call the police to come arrest the cheater at his illegal high stakes card game? Not likely.I’ll give them their money back, kick off my heels and bolt.Call myself a cab and have them meet me around the corner.You stick around until things cool off.As long as you get a chance to put the jewelry back and I walk out with at least the twenty-five thousand dollar stake I started with, it’s all good.”Her assessment was close to his own, but Hannigan could be something of a wildcard [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]