A Cut Above The Rest

Chapter 5: ASH POV

"Diablo's Heart?" I asked. "I have never heard of it."

"No one has," Jace said. "It's the Catholic Church's best-kept secret."

Jace smirked before taking another swig of his beer. He stretched his arm over the back of the couch. I was leaning forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and passing my beer bottle from hand to hand. A new jewel? Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad night after all.

"Tell me more," I said.

He loved tantalizing me with minimum details, and it drove me nuts.

"A cardinal in Italy accidentally mentioned Diablo's Heart," he said. "He said that it was the most valuable jewel to the Catholics. There are a bunch of theories about it, but people are thinking that it could be a Carbando."

A black diamond?

Those and emeralds were my favourite stones.

"What's with the creepy name?" I asked.

"It's supposedly cursed," he said. "Something about it being possessed by the souls people have sold to Satan. I didn't get a lot of details."

"Did you get any details?"

"I told you earlier that this jewel is a secret."

"If it is a secret then it will be worth nothing."

"The rumours are spreading fast. Everyone will know about this soon. We have to get it before everyone is searching for it. This is going to be our biggest payout yet."

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. It sure was tempting. We say every job will be our last, but we know that is never true.

"Where is it?" I asked.

Jace shrugged.

"How am I supposed to know?" he asked. "I just heard theories about this gem."

"Where are you getting these theories?" I asked. "Are they reliable?"

"I heard this all at The Cave."

I raised a brow before bringing the bottle to my lips. Jace pulled his loose tie over his head and tossed it on the couch.

"You actually went to that brothel?" I asked.

"Brothel?" Jace placed his hand on his chest. "It is an exclusive club for gentlemen."

I rolled my eyes.

"It's a place to go to have sex with prostitutes," I said.

"You say that like it is a bad thing," he said. "I had a great time with Topaz."

"Her name was Topaz?"

"Yeah, they're all named after jewels. It's perfect for us. You should really go."

"Not my scene. I don't need to pay a woman."

"So your date tonight didn't want you for your money?"

I gritted my teeth and tightened my hold on the bottle. It was a miracle that it did not shatter in my hand. What he was saying was true, but I hated to admit it.

"That is not the point," I snapped.

I took another swig of my beer. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see Abby had responded to my text complaining about Mindy.

Abby: I thought she would be a good date for my wedding!

I rolled my eyes. This was going to turn into a pointless back-and-forth. I set the phone down on the table. Jace took his feet off the coffee table and snatched my phone. I reached out for it, but he contorted his body so that I could not reach it. I could see him going into the store to download apps.