Heist Royale (Thieves’ Gambit #2)

Chapter Five

Five

“You want to replace Count. As…”

“You know what I mean,” Baron said.

I did know. To be honest, I’d never been entirely sure if Count was just a mouthpiece for the organization or if she was a lot higher up than she let on. She certainly didn’t act like a lackey. But this confirmed it. She wasn’t just a key player, but I guess the…?

“You’re telling me Count is, like, you guys’ leader?”

“Something like that.”

For now.

“If she’s the top woman, why is she still doing things like sending emails and texts herself and personally rendezvousing with nobodies like me and Devroe?”

“Because she’s a chronic micromanager, obsessed with keeping a personal eye on everything. Of course she fails, because it’s impossible for one person to manage all the tiniest details of an empire this large. Hence how she allowed you to trip her up at the end of the Gambit. I never would have let something that embarrassing happen, which I knew would eventually.” He got up and started pacing, dropping his hands on his hips. “She’s as paranoid as she is obsessive. I was using the master list to start fishing out who I knew would be loyal to her in the event of a proposed change of power, and I suppose she guessed correctly what I was up to and had you wipe my drive. It delayed me for a couple of months.”

“What do you want, an apology?” Victim of my crimes or not, this guy was top-tier organization. Anyone in the organization was permanently on my hate list these days.

“I’d respect you less if you said sorry. And it’s not necessary. Count and her little antics have only been slowing down the inevitable. I’m getting more and more members on my side every day. Losing a few hundred million here or there isn’t going to stop that, no matter what she thinks.”

Yes, because when has losing a few hundred million ever stopped anyone?

Baron quit pacing and shot a glare at Marc, who’d only finished half his plate. Marc quickly picked up his silverware and started eating again.

“I’m close to tipping the balance, I think,” Baron said. “I just need another key member to side with me for a change of power. We’re around fifty-fifty right now. But I’ve done all I can with persuasive words and bargaining. Everyone left on her side is too loyal. They’re not going to switch unless something happens to show they’re not as safe under her rule as they think. I need someone to hit her where it hurts. I need someone they think Count has in her pocket to attack.”

“Me?” I shook my head. “I don’t even know you. Why the hell would I want you in power?”

“You prefer Count?”

“I’m saying I know her.”

“Oh?”

“More than I know you, Baron .” At least I knew Count’s real name, and that she had a son and an ex-wife. Maybe that wasn’t much, but don’t they say something about sticking with the devil you know? My devil was a passive-aggressive control freak, but at least she didn’t make her lackeys scarf down her culinary disasters.

I bit my finger. “Why do you want me anyway? There are a lot of other thieves familiar with Count who have a freer schedule than me.” One was presumably still staked out in my hotel room. “Actually, I can AirDrop you my mom’s number right now.” Wouldn’t I love for her to have a distraction.

Baron shifted. “I did think about your mom for this job first. Oh, how I would have loved to have her. I’ve heard she’s absolutely the best.” A sour sort of look twisted his face, and he shook his head at me. I squirmed, sinking at the thought that he was disappointed I wasn’t her for a second. “However, even I am a bit apprehensive about working with someone so notoriously conniving. I’ll admire her from afar, and hopefully you’ll be good enough.”

Good enough shouldn’t have stung as much as it did, but I pushed on.

“Why not the actual Gambit winner in Count’s arsenal?” I asked, biting back my bitterness.

“The Kenzie boy’s not cut out for this. You have a vested interest in helping me. For the same reason he never would.”

I sat up a bit straighter. Okay, he had me curious now.

“You’re not the only one Count’s been throwing at me over the last six months,” Baron said. He cocked a brow. “Have you wondered what Ms.Abara has been up to since the end of the Gambit?”

Diane. Devroe’s mom. The woman who wanted him to wish all of my family into their graves.

No, I certainly hadn’t forgotten about her. But I guess I’d been a little too busy trying to keep an eye on her son to worry about what she was doing. No wonder Mom was Baron’s first choice for this. Screwing over Diane was at the top of her résumé.

“She’s…working for Count?”

Baron circled the table. “She’s managed to do three times as much damage to my personal assets as you and Mr.Kenzie have all by herself. If I know Count, she’ll squeeze as much work out of her as she can before giving her what she wants. But Count will give her what she wants, and I’m pretty sure that’s still, you know, the end of everything you know and love.”

I burst up from the table, pressing a hand over my heart. Count had seen us every other week for the past six months while she was courting Diane?

I paced over to the balcony. Why did I think Diane would just…stop? I’d been so worried about Devroe’s wish, I hadn’t thought that she could find another way to get what she wanted.

I pressed my forehead against the glass. A phantom chill brushed my skull, pushing through my braids. That barrel, pressing against my head and the heads of my entire family too.

Baron approached. I could see him in the reflection of the glass, thumbs hooked into his pockets. “She has quite the grudge, I’ve heard. I can’t imagine what that feels like hanging over your head, every single day.” He clicked his tongue in mocking sympathy. It was a good thing he’d taken my bracelet, because I wouldn’t have been able to resist strangling him.

He leaned against the glass beside me. “As you can see, it might be in both of our best interests if Count wasn’t the one in charge anymore.”

I shook my head. “Until you cut a deal to help this woman murk my whole family too?”

All of these organization members were the same. Heartless. Cold. Ruthlessly pragmatic. I was convinced that was the only type of person that could lead a group like this.

“No, in fact, I can promise you the opposite. Help me overthrow Count, and I’ll give you guaranteed protection. All the Quests will be safe as kittens under me. For life.”

I turned to face him. Was he for real? I scanned his face for a hint of deception. All I found was determination in his eyes.

He meant this, at least for now.

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

He huffed a laugh. “If there’s one thing we do in this organization, it seems to be keeping our promises. We wouldn’t have quite the reputation we do for our Gambit wishes if that wasn’t the case. This is real, Ross Quest. I want your help, and you need mine.”

Did I? He could be lying, no matter what he said. What kind of fool would I be for just deciding to trust this stranger that kidnapped me?

What would the consequences be if we failed and Count was furious with me? But that sure as hell wouldn’t be worse than if he was telling the truth about Diane and I did nothing. Just imagining everyone being hunted down. Me…dead before my next birthday. I’d only ever get to eighteen…

Baron shook his head, breaking in before I could start spiraling. “I really thought it would be an immediate yes. I’m sure Rhiannon would’ve said yes immediately. She’s so very good at getting what she wants.”

He was baiting me, but he was right. Mom would’ve agreed immediately. Psychotic or not, she was excellent at winning. Wasn’t that a trait I wouldn’t mind adopting?

“Give me the details.”