TouchNode | Complete

25 | Diamond Wreath

My love of all things that glitter and are gold is a disease only cured with diamonds that hang with rubies and emeralds.

"When did we start selling jewelry?"

Carter stopped his pacing and turned to look at me. A slow smirk crossed his handsome face as he eyed me. I stared back, unmoving, waiting for him to answer my question.

"Losacero made a request that we showcase his jewels at the next party." His arm came up, arching in a complete circle as he motioned around the room. "All you see here is for the TouchNodes exclusively."

I shifted around the curved tables, taking the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of jewels as they passed. Carter's gaze burned my back. He was watching me, testing my mood. My thoughts soured as the air conditioner cut on, raising the hairs on my arms.

"And looking at jewelry requires me to be nude?"

A light laugh left him, "nope." Lust and hunger tipped his mouth now. "I just love watching your tits bounce when you walk."

Ignoring his comment took herculean effort, and knowledge that Carter still leered when I was near made my skin crawl. When Dominic had found me at House Fidelis and stated I was leaving to Main Headquarters, my stomach dropped. Yes, I was happy to return to my suite, but being near Ballarina and Carter meant they were watching me to ensure I didn't run.

I reached down a touched the delicate wreath style necklace to my left. It was platinum and features 22 carats of VVS1 pear-shaped diamonds with a large center stone that would hang between my breasts. Tucking the card back into the pouch, I touched the necklace again and began to look again.

"What did MPD demand in return for this favor?"

"A show of good faith."

My heart clenched in my chest. A show of good faith? I knew what that meant. And if the jewels were here, in MPD headquarters, it was a sure sign that whatever Carter wanted was given quickly and given without restraint. I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced my voice to remain upbeat.

"Isn't his daughter only 14?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Raising my eyes, I met Carter's gaze again. The man truly had no shame. As I stared I noticed a dark bruise partially showing out of the neck of his dress shirt and a tiny reddened cut at his jaw. He stared back, waiting patiently for a response.

"She's... a bit... young, Carter."

He thundered out another laugh. "Oh, sweet Devani, did you think I asked for his darling daughter? The one he ignores as she is just a spare. Oh no, I would never go after her." A breath I didn't even know I was holding rushed out of me. "But his son on the other hand..."

Repulsion zinged up my spine. His son? Did he ask for Lazarus Losacero? I vaguely remembered the young man. Tall, lean, with dark blonde hair, grey eyes, and thin lips, Lazarus looked like he belonged in a boy band.

"Lazarus?"

"Yes."

I debated asking the next question for split second, but I needed to hear the answer. "Why?"

"He disrespected me, Devani." His features hardened to stone. "I had to remind him where he lies in the food chain."

His declaration made the hairs on the back of my neck stand tall. Carter turned from me and found his way over to a side table that held an ornate bottle of what I assumed was brandy. He poured a bit of the brown liquor in a tumbler and took a swig.