Two nights before the auction, Amber found herself in a little boutique in The Village with Lauren passing her selections over top the door. After failing to find anything that she thought would work for the event, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to find a dress, while filling Lauren in on all things Kyrnon.

“So what’s he like?” Lauren asked from the other side of the dressing room door, her shadow shifting with her pacing. “Since you’re intent on hiding him, you’ll just have to tell me.”

Laughing, Amber finished zipping up the dress she was wearing before reentering the dressing room floor. “I’m not hiding him. The timing just hasn’t worked.”

Like that first night she had gone out with Lauren and Kyrnon had been waiting on her when she got home. Had Mishca not had an emergency at home, they could have met then. And just like then, each time after had fallen along the same lines.

She stepped in front of the trio of mirrors, smoothing her hands down the skirt of the dress. As Lauren walked small circles around her, commenting on everything she liked and disliked, Amber almost smiled at how just a few years ago, their positions were reversed, and it was Amber helping her find a dress for a gala Lauren was attending.

“Well,” Lauren said with a wave of her hand. “I’m still waiting.”

Thinking of him, Amber did smile this time. “He’s great. Really, really great.”

“That’s what you said last time. Give me something new.”

As she contemplated her reflection, she did the same of her answer. “He makes me feel unapologetic. I don’t feel like I have to be anyone else when I’m with him.”

Which was almost the complete opposite of what she had felt with Rob, she was realizing. Thinking back, she could see the moments where she made allowances for the things he said and the way he made her feel.

He hadn’t outright said anything was wrong with her dream of becoming a full-time artist, but he had always treated it like it was a hobby, one he thought she would grow out of. If Kyrnon came over and she was absorbed in work, he merely waited for her to finish before seeking her out. And he actively asked her about past works, though not about what she was currently working on since she never talked about those, and even asking about inspirations and previous artists she might have been channeling.

He just seemed to care about her and what she loved to do, and that was all she could ever ask for in a relationship.

And that was what it was, though they had never put a name to it. He was just, as he would put it, her fella.

“Love is in the air,” Lauren said wistfully. “Luka and Alex got married. Klaus is having twins. And now you have Kyrnon.” Then she frowned. “I feel like we’re getting old.”

Amber had met Reagan a few times, mostly by chance when she was with Niklaus and they dropped by the penthouse to see Mishca and Lauren. And even if she didn’t know her that well, she still thought she had to be something special if she managed to get Niklaus to calm down.

“And if there’s anyone getting old, you’re first. Unlike the rest of us, you’re already married with a kid. We’re still catching up.”

Lauren groaned. “Don’t say that. It’s worse because Mishca is already ready for a second. I’ll be lucky to graduate without him knocking me up.”

“But you have to admit. Sacha is too adorable not to have a sibling.”

“Don’t let Mish hear you say that. That’s been his argument since the day he gave me that smile of his and asked me to have his baby.” A sudden blush stained her cheeks as she cleared her throat. “But enough about that. What do you think of the dress?”

Looking back to her reflection, Amber shrugged. “It’s okay, but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite.” And definitely not worth the price attached to it.

“This one?”

Lauren led the way back toward the front of the boutique where there was a selection of jewel-toned gowns, but there was another that she was focused on, this one sitting on a mannequin in the window.

The top half was made mostly of lace, sheerer around the arms, across the collarbone, and along the waistline. The skirt was full, so long that it would brush the floor, even if she was standing.

And it was blue. Such a brilliant sapphire shade that it was amazing she had missed it when they first came in.

It was a beautiful dress, that couldn’t be denied, but it was different than what she had been thinking.

“You don’t think this one is a bit … dramatic for an auction?”

“Mish once took me to an auction and they were dressed like it was the red carpet, so no, it looks fine. And while it might not be the same kind of auction, the people spending money are.” Lauren smiled wide. “So try it on and see if it works.”

It only took one glance in the mirror for her to decide that she was in love with it and couldn’t possibly say no. Bought and bagged, Amber carried it back to Lauren’s car, laying it out along the backseat.

The shopping done, they found a restaurant to eat at, Mishca’s guy remained in the background and out of sight. Though she had wondered what it would be like for him to trail them all day, she couldn’t actually remember seeing him until they were getting in the car and saw him through the rearview mirror.

By the time she got home and had the dress stashed away, she was pulling out her phone to call Kyrnon.

---

“Are you coming over later?”

Setting his mobile on the passenger seat as he reached for his gloves, Kyrnon kept his gaze set on the gallery a block down the street. As much as he would have loved to already be with her, he still had a job to do. And as of late, he had absolute shite.

During the times he picked her up and dropped her off, he still hadn’t seen anything that could remotely link him to the painting, or even just the relationship between Elliot and Gabriel. Even when he went inside there once under the guise of visiting her, he still hadn’t found anything.

It wasn’t until he noticed a reoccurring theme with her that he finally understood what he was missing. Before she went in to work, and as she was getting off, she would always send a text. So while she slept beside him one night, he checked her messages and found the number, which ultimately led him to a shipping company that Kyrnon knew Gabriel owned.

That was why he was here tonight, to figure out why she would need to contact someone about a painting she was working on.

And more curious, she never talked to him about it.

It was one of the things he liked about her, her willingness to share herself with him. She was open and honest, almost to a fault. Kyrnon was suspicious by nature, so he couldn’t ignore that she was hiding something from him.

“I’ll be there,” Kyrnon said as he carefully opened the car door. “And I’ll even bring dinner. See you soon.”

He could hear the smile in her voice as she hung up. Pocketing the device, he started for Cedar, checking the time on his watch as he went.

Rule number sixteen: Get in and get out in under six minutes.

It didn’t matter if he was only doing recon, or if he was actually taking something from the place he was breaking into, he needed to be sure it could be done in a short period time. Most days, he tried to keep that time even shorter, especially if there was a better security system.

It would only take one time to fuck up and he’d be spending some time in a federal prison, at least if they caught him first.

And that was if the Kingmaker even let it get that far. There had only been a few in all the years Kyrnon had served as a mercenary for the Den that had been caught.

They didn’t see the next sunrise.

Circling the back of the building, knowing there was another entrance that wasn’t as visible as the one on the street, he turned the dial on his watch, set his timer, and sent it off before he was crouching down to pick the lock.

Five minutes, thirty seconds …

The lock was easy enough, and since he had seen Amber enter it enough, he keyed in the security code, watching the lights flash green before he had the door open and shut behind him, and was moving down the hallway.

Though there was no one meant to be inside, Kyrnon still moved cautiously, knowing that the best planning in the world couldn’t account for human error.

It only took one person deciding to stay later, or coming back for a cell phone that would mess up his plan.

Five minutes …

He knew whatever Amber worked on wouldn’t be out in the main gallery, and he had already checked for L’amant Flétrie and found no evidence of it ever having been out there.

But there was one room he had seen her emerge from that was off the back hallway—storage, he had thought it was. Before he started for it, however, he made a spliff of the camera feed.

Despite the security measures in place, the room was fairly easy to get into. It was storage considering the crates inside the room, plus the supplies, but it was the pair of easels on the other side of the room that caught his attention.

L’amant Flétrie.

And a copy.

Fucking hell.

Had she been the one to do this? If so, she was good. Had he not studied everything he could on the original, he might not have noticed the slight differences between the two, but to the undiscerning eye, they were identical.

But that only raised another question?

Why was she making a forgery?

At least he understood why she had never mentioned it to him. Forgeries were bad business. And he doubted she was doing this on her own. Elliot probably put the deal together.

And that was how Gabriel and Elliot were connected, Kyrnon realized.

Gabriel had the painting, used Elliot to find someone to reproduce it … but that still didn’t explain why it needed to be done in the first place. If they were trying to fence it, why have another made?

Kyrnon was contemplating his next move when doors slammed shut down the hall. With no time to get out of there, he slipped around the side of a crate, still keeping a visual on the door.

Two men entered, one rolling in a dolly, the other checking their surroundings. They didn’t speak much as they made quick work of loading up both paintings, treating them quite carefully as they wheeled them out.

Keeping his steps light, Kyrnon followed behind, checking his watch as he went.

One minute …

“Where to this time?” One asked as he climbed into the passenger’s seat of the large moving truck.

“Monte’s place. They’re supposed to be getting rid of this thing soon.”

It wasn’t much later that they were pulling off, disappearing down the street. Slipping back out the way he came, Kyrnon was on his phone before he was even back at his car.

“Winter, I need a favor.”

Winter was chewing gum loudly, then asked, “What can I do for you, little Irish?”

If she didn’t stop calling him that … “Gabriel Monte. Run the name, get me everything you can. Make sure you find any property he owns.”

“Domestic or foreign?”

“Domestic. New York specifically.” He had already gone through enough trouble bringing it in under the Kingmaker’s nose, he wasn’t going to stray too far now.

“I’ll send you my bill. Ciao.”

Kyrnon didn’t doubt that by the time he got back to Amber’s, she would have everything he needed, and he needed the answer to that quick. On his way to Amber’s apartment, he stopped by a local place to grab take-out. Thirty minutes later, he was there.

Feeling around the top of the doorframe, he grabbed the key she kept hidden there, letting himself into her place. “You need to find a better spot for this, lovie.”

“Is there anything else you’re going to complain about?” she called from where she was sitting on the fire escape, a sketchbook in her lap. “First it was my windows, then it was the deadbolt, and now my spare key. I can’t win with you.”

“It’s not safe,” he said dropping the food on the counter, spotting the envelope and check sitting there. He didn’t pick it up, rather only kept his gaze on it as he pulled containers from the bag.

“It’s perfectly safe, and besides,” she continued, padding over to him. “You’re here at the moment and I’m plenty safe with you.”

That made his ego kick up a notch. “Fair enough.” Glancing back at the check, Kyrnon asked, “How was work?”

Her eyes lit up as she smiled, wrapping her arms around him from behind. “I finished this big project today. Which reminds me. I was invited to this auction and I thought maybe you could come with me.”

So Gabriel was auctioning off the painting? That wasn’t surprising. A lot of his contacts were known to attend private auctions in hopes of obtaining a rare piece, but they rarely invited outsiders … at least not ones they didn’t think they could trust.

Did they think they could trust Amber?

Just how involved was she?

And how in the hell hadn’t he seen it?

“What kind of project?” he asked, walking her back to the couch, pulling her down on his lap.

Though she stayed put, she didn’t look as at ease as she usually did. “I can’t really talk about it.”

“Now you’ve got my interest.” Grabbing her hand, he kissed her palm. “Your secrets are safe with me.”

“I signed an NDA.”

For fuck’s sake. “Why?”

The question came out sharper than he intended, and he could feel the shift in her, the way she tensed against him as she readied to push away, but he kept his hands at her waist, making sure she wouldn’t get anywhere.

“Unless you’re moving artwork on the black market,” Kyrnon said, trying to soften his words, “what in the hell do you need a nondisclosure agreement for?”

Glancing away, she bit her lip. “I can’t talk about it.”

“What’d be the harm in telling me, eh?”

Patience had never been his strong suit, particularly when it came to information he needed, but he didn’t want to push too hard too fast and make her suspicious as to why he was asking.

“Fine, but you can’t say anything, to anyone.”

He crossed his heart. “Scout’s honor.”

“I was contracted to make a reproduction of this painting—the L’amant Flétrie.”

“Aye, I’ve heard of it.” More than she knew.

“I’m not sure what all the secrecy is about, but I had to sign the NDA before I could start. The man who hired me said they wanted to have it, just in case someone tried to steal the original.”

Someone very much like him, Kyrnon thought as she explained. It was smart, he had to admit, especially given the amount of detail and the level of skill used.

“I made a slight change to the canvas though,” she continued. “I added my signature at bottom so just in case …”

She wouldn’t be held liable should it ever be sold as the original.

Smart.

“He’s putting it up for auction in a few days.”

Which would explain the invitations she had, and the fact that she had been allowed to attend in the first place. The nondisclosure agreement was enough to ensure that she wouldn’t talk to anyone about it, and if Gabriel moved it within the next few days, it would be gone with no one the wiser.

But, it also gave him time.

Now, he at least knew where the painting would be, and because of the replica she’d made, he would be able to take it without anyone realizing it was gone, at least for a time. That was the easy part though, it was trying to move it while with Amber that would be the hard part.

Not only would he have to find enough time to slip away, he would also have to make sure he kept track of her because once it was time to leave, they had to get out.

But despite the obstacles he would face, Kyrnon smiled and said, “Should be fun.”

---

After an hour and a half of getting ready, Amber was finally dressed, her clutch and heels in hand as she headed downstairs where Kyrnon was waiting. Despite the short timing, he was attending with her. If anything, he seemed more interested in going than she’d expected.

And waiting for her at the entrance to her building was Kyrnon, in all his tall, bearded glory.

He didn’t look nearly as rugged as he usually did. He was all cleaned up, and had even went as far as trimming his beard. She had to blink twice to make sure he was the same person. His vest and trousers were navy, a crisp white shirt beneath with a solid black tie that was held in place by a silver clip. For the first time since she met him, his hair was also styled, gelled back into place. The navy suit even managed to make the auburn tones of his beard stand out more.

There was just something about a man in a three-piece suit.

“I have to say,” Amber said as she looked him over. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

He smiled, touching a hand to his chest right over his heart as his gaze swept over her. “You take my breath away.”

She gave a little spin, showing him the open back. “Do you like?”

“I like it enough,” he said with a kiss to both her cheeks. “But I’ll better on my floor later.”

“If you’re lucky.”

With a gruff laugh, he urged her to the car he’d been standing in front of. And it was … well it was amazing.

Amber might not have known just how much money he possessed, but the sight of his car was just another reminder that he had to have a lot of it. A Ferrari, she believed it was, from the logo near the door, but it didn’t look like any one she had ever seen before.

“You said acquisitions, right?” she asked as he helped her into the passenger seat, the leather incredibly soft beneath her. “I didn’t know that paid so well.”

He was gone a moment as he came around the front of the car, then was in the seat next to her and pressed the start button for the car. Laying a hand on her thigh, the heat of his palm almost a little too hot, he pulled off.

“Aye, I did, and it does.” With his sunglasses in place, she couldn’t accurately read his expression. “Besides, the work I acquire is worth a hell of a lot more than what I get paid for it. People are willing to pay any price when it means something to them.”

“Really?” She didn’t doubt that, but she was curious about what he did.

He nodded, weaving effortlessly through traffic. “I was once tasked with tracking down this wee statue from the 18th century, ghastly little shite really, but the owner was willing to pay three-quarters of a million for me to return it to him.”

“Wow.” That number kind of boggled her mind, but then again, hadn’t she been paid twenty-thousand just to paint a replica? “It must have been worth a fortune.”

“It was, but I ken it had more sentimental value than anything,” Kyrnon said glancing over at her.

“Do you have anything you would pay that much for?” she asked, shifting so she was facing him.

Keeping one hand on the wheel, he pulled his glasses off, dropping them in the cupholder. “A cabin.”

She was intrigued. “A cabin? Where?”

“Near the Irish sea. Just grass and rocks and water.”

His voice had changed, dropping an octave. This meant more to him than just the money he would spend, it was something else.

“You miss Ireland,” she guessed, “and your family.”

“Both. It’s been a while since I’ve been back.” His smile turned rueful. “I’ll take you out there, see how you like the water then. Cold enough to freeze a man’s bullocks.”

“I would love that.”

“And you?”

She thought on her answer a moment before saying. “Silver Car Crash.”

“By?”

“Andy Warhol.”

Kyrnon nodded. “Fair enough. He does good work.”

Amber loved his work, and that painting was definitely her favorite. “So yeah, if I had endless amounts of money, I would buy one of his works.” She sighed. “But sadly, I’m not that rich, and even if I were, there’s not many of his works left that aren’t in galleries or lost.”

“I’ll look for it.”

Amber’s brows drew together. “What, the Warhol painting?”

“Aye.”

“It was sold in a private auction a few years ago. No one even knows the name of the buyer.”

Kyrnon shrugged like that didn’t matter at all. “I’ll find it.” This time he sounded more sure.

The rest of the ride was spent in a comfortable silence. Thirty minutes later, they had finally arrived.

The Tuscan-inspired estate they pulled into was extravagant. Unlike the concrete jungle of the city, the mansion felt more like it belonged in the hills of Italy as opposed to its current neighborhood.

As they rolled up to the gate, a man wearing a dark suit with a wire in his ear held his hand up, stepped around to Kyrnon’s window. Letting it down, he presented their invitations. It only took a moment for him to check it before he was nodding and signaling for someone to open the gate.

Rolling up the cobblestone driveway, Kyrnon pulled around toward the front doors where a podium and carpet was set up, a valet attendant standing behind it.

Placing the car in park, Kyrnon grabbed his suit jacket from the backseat, and was out and circling around until he could get the door open for her. After slipping on her heels, she accepted his hand, carefully climbing out.

As the attendant came over, Kyrnon passed him the keys. “Take good care of her. Make sure she’s in good hands, eh?”

“Yes sir,” he rushed to say. “We take them around the house for safe keeping.”

Patting the man’s shoulder, Kyrnon sent him on his way and they started toward the doors, but he lagged a bit, watching the path the man took.

If she had his car, she’d probably do the same.

“This is amazing,” she whispered once she had a foot in the door, trying to take everything in, though it was nearly impossible.

Between the varying textures, enough priceless art and fixtures to keep her eyes occupied forever, there was so much, yet it didn’t take away from the rest of the decor.

“Still not better than my cabin,” he whispered back.

“Of course not, but you have to admit, it’s pretty nice.”

Kyrnon grumbled his agreement as they followed behind a couple as they headed into another room.

Rows of chairs were set up in arcs, designed for optimal viewing of the stage up ahead. Gabriel Monte was standing at the front of the room, head bowed as he had a quiet conversation with a woman in a red dress.

Kyrnon, too, seemed to be focused on the man, his gaze unwavering, making her wonder if he knew the man, but she didn’t get the chance to ask about it before they were in their seats and the auction was starting.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Gabriel said as he stepped behind the podium, pulling on a pair of wire-rimmed reading glasses. “I would like to thank you all for attending. Please note that all bids are due in full at the completion of this auction. First up, we have a beautiful hand-carved statue from the Chechen Republic.”

With each item that was brought out, men in white gloves handled them preciously, giving the audience the opportunity to gaze upon them. As the bidding wars started, Amber was just thrilled to see it all happening.

Only once had she gone to an auction, and that was back when she was still living in California, and her father had brought her along after two minutes of pleading. Though her father hadn’t bought anything at the time, she still cherished the memory.

“Graciously provided by one of our generous benefactors is the L’amant Flétrie, a priceless work of art. We’ll start the bidding at one-million dollars.”

Amber’s brows shot up as she heard the price. Unlike the rest of the art works that were being sold all evening, this one had the highest starting asking price. Kyrnon looked to her when she sat up a little straighter, but his expression was unreadable.

Back and forth, people put in their bids, and very soon, the price was so high that she wasn’t surprised Gabriel had been able to pay her twenty-thousand for one replica. The painting was worth millions.

Finally, a man seated at the front of the room with a phone to his ear put in the winning bid: Twenty-seven million.

As the handlers came forward to remove the painting, it was Kyrnon now that was sitting up a little straighter.

“And next we have Nocturnal by Adelaide Moreau.”

Amber gasped softly as the painting was brought out, Gabriel’s words going right over her head as she stared at the painting that inspired the tattoo she had.

The painting was huge at eleven-by-fourteen feet, and needed three people just to bring it out. It was simple really, the moon’s cycle depicted in excruciating detail, balancing lights and shadows, making it look more like a photograph as opposed to a painting. Amber had fallen in love with it from the second she saw it a few years ago. Back then, it had been on loan to the Madison Institute.

Now here it was, up for auction.

It almost felt like destiny.

“The bidding will start at one-hundred thousand dollars.”

At that price, destiny could wait.

Kyrnon’s fingers danced down her spine, drawing her gaze to him. “This,” he said with a soft tap on her back, “for that?”

Of course he would get it right off. “One of my favorites.”

He nodded. “D’you want it?”

“What?”

“Yes,” Gabriel announced, pointing to a man sitting not too far from them. “I have one-hundred. Do I hear one-twenty-five?”

“If you want it, let’s get it,” Kyrnon said, even as he raised his paddle, just enough to get Gabriel’s attention.

“Kyrnon, you don’t have to buy it,” she rushed to say, even as his bid was noted.

“Why not? If you want it, it’s yours.”

“But—”

“Three-fifty? Do I hear four?” Gabriel looked back to Kyrnon expectantly.

Kyrnon nodded again, uncaring to the fact that the price was nearly double the asking price. He was too busy focusing on the man across the room that was continuously trying to outbid him.

“It’s fine. You don’t have to—”

“Now what kind of man would I be if I didn’t keep you happy?” That question was enough to shut her up. “Six-hundred-thousand,” Kyrnon suddenly announced with a wave of his paddle.

The suit he was going up against glanced back at them and whatever he saw made him smile mockingly as he said, “One million.”

Kyrnon didn’t even blink. “Two.”

Two. Two million dollars.

She was starting to realize that maybe Kyrnon was a bit crazy, but she liked it.

“Sold,” Gabriel said with a brilliant smile as he slammed the gavel down.

It was the highest bid—outside of L’amant Flétrie—so far, and from the way the soft murmurs started up, it was an impressive one. She was still reeling that he even had that much money to spend on a painting, let alone that he was doing it for her.

“Give me ten minutes,” he said in her ear as he stood, kissing her cheek as he did.

As he disappeared back out the door and down the hallway where others had gone after successfully winning their bid, she could only sit there with a smile, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.

---

“And how would you like to make your payment, sir?”

Kyrnon was rethinking his earlier worry that Amber might complicate the job—in fact, she made it easier. His buying her a painting not only made her happy, it gave him an excuse to venture back toward where they were storing the art.

Two birds, one stone.

Rattling off the series of numbers for one of his accounts in the Cayman Islands, his gaze drifted over the office he stood in, then back out the door toward the other side of the hall where workers were carefully moving in and out of the room.

The question now was how was he going to get into the room and back out without getting caught?

He needed a distraction.

Once his transaction was finished with Emanuel, Kyrnon asked, “Where can I find the facilities?”

“Down the hall and on your left.”

Back down the hall, he slipped into the restroom, grabbing one of the hand towels next to the sink, he stuffed it into one of the toilets and flushed, stepping back as the water rose and spilled onto the floor.

Just as quickly, he exited, finding one of the attendants walking by. While all of them wore suits, a badge was clipped to their waists, differentiating them from the rest of the guests.

Adopting an American accent, Kyrnon said, “Something’s wrong with the toilet in here.”

As he quickly apologized and stepped around Kyrnon to head into the room, Kyrnon slipped the badge from him with deft fingers, continuing on as if nothing had happened.

He didn’t have a lot of time, but he didn’t let that worry him.

This was what he did.

Slipping on a pair of gloves similar to those in which the others used, he flashed his badge as he entered the room where all the pieces were being held. There was one man inside with a clipboard in hand, instructing movers on where each piece was meant to be taken.

“The Withered Lover,” he said to no one in particular. “That should be stored in the observatory.”

Kyrnon had not a fucking clue where the observatory was, but he merely nodded, letting the man know he would take care of it before he was crossing the floor to find it.

He found it, and its replica, quickly assessing the differences between them. Now that the canvas was aged, it was much harder to tell them apart, but Kyrnon remembered what Amber had told him, about the signature she added. It took a bit of staring and searching on his part, but he finally found it, right there at the bottom edge where she said it would be.

Carefully moving them both, he did, in fact, find the observatory, but he left Amber’s replica there, wrapping the other and taking it out back under the guise of having it loaded for one of the buyers.

Once he had it safely stored in a hidden compartment in the trunk of his Ferrari, Kyrnon pocketed his gloves and headed back to the auction that was already ending.

He glanced down at his watch.

Five minutes, fifty-four seconds.

A personal best.

And would be a job well done once he got the hell out of there.

As he stared across the distance at the woman he had never meant to have a relationship with, he knew that even as the job was done, he wasn’t letting her go.

Not even close.