The Con Artist: (Formally Published as Playing The Millionaire)

by Lynn, Sandi

  Know your mark.

  Listen and never look bored.

  Never reveal your true self.

  Never stay in one place too long.

  Exit as smoothly as you entered.

  Never fall in love.

  Everything I did, I did alone. I didn’t trust anyone. How could I when I couldn’t even trust myself? This wasn’t going to be my life. Just long enough until I paid off his debt. I visited my dad once a month, no matter where I was. It was important to me and to him. He was all I had left in this world. I lived out of hotels most of the time and some of the time I rented an apartment week to week, depending on how long I was going to be in one place.

  I had been lying to him for the past six years. He believed I had been living in Chicago working as a waitress in an upscale restaurant and paying my way through college taking part time classes. If he knew the truth, he’d be disappointed, and he was the last person I wanted to disappoint.

  * * *

  One Month Later

  I placed the long burgundy-colored wig with the loose curls on my head and secured it in place. After popping the emerald green contacts into my eyes, I dressed in a low cut, short black sleeveless dress and slipped my feet into a pair of Jimmy Choo peep toe black heels with red bottoms. Grabbing my red evening bag from the dresser, I hailed a cab over to The Plaza Hotel where Samuel Coldwater was picking me up. He believed I was staying there until I found a permanent place to live. I waited inside and watched out the lobby doors for his limo to pull up to the curb. Once I saw him climb out, I met him on the sidewalk.

  “Amy, you look simply stunning.” He smiled as he took hold of my hand and brought it up to his lips.

  “So do you, darling,” I spoke as he helped me into the car.

  “I was going to come up and get you. You didn’t have to wait in the lobby.”

  “I was ready earlier than planned, so I thought I’d save you the trip up.” I smiled.

  We were on our way to the Champagne & Diamonds Winter Gala at the Mandarin Oriental that his company, Coldwater Enterprises, was hosting. It was a charity event for the support and development of a women’s center for specialty care. It was to be named the Celeste Coldwater Center after his wife, who passed away over a year ago.

  “I want to give you something.” He smiled as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small blue box from Tiffany.

  “Samuel, you shouldn’t have.”

  “Just open it, darling.”

  I untied the white ribbon and opened the box. Reaching inside, I pulled out a velvet blue ring box and slowly lifted the lid.

  “Samuel. Oh my god. It’s beautiful.”

  He took the white gold, round-cut pink diamond—encased with smaller pink diamonds—ring out of the box and placed it on my right ring finger.

  “It looks gorgeous on you, Amy.” He brought my hand to his lips.

  “Samuel, I can’t accept this. It’s too much. We haven’t known each other that long.” Tears sprang to my eyes. On command tears that I had mastered over the years. The same tears I used to use on my father when it suited the situation.

  “Nothing is too much for you, darling. You’re very special to me and I want you to know just how much.” He caressed my cheek.

  Leaning in, I brushed my lips against his.

  “You’re special to me too. Thank you.”

  The limo pulled up to the Mandarin Oriental and we stepped inside and headed to the grand ballroom where the event was taking place. Guests had already started to fill the room. All of the Manhattan upper class society was there. Women were dripping in diamonds and men reeked of Cartier, Rolex, and diamond cuff links.

  “May I get you a glass of champagne?” Samuel asked.

  “A glass of champagne would be nice. Thank you.” I smiled.

  Samuel Coldwater, founder and CEO of Coldwater Enterprises, was worth millions. He was a fifty-five-year-old man who stood approximately six feet two with salt and pepper hair. He was in great shape for his age and a man who took his looks very seriously. I wasn’t the first woman he’d dated since his wife passed, but I was the youngest.

  I walked around the room and mingled with Samuel’s guests, accidentally bumping into men who quickly forgave me with a glorious “I would love to fuck you” smile. A smile that would quickly turn to frustration once they discovered their wallet, watches, and other valuables were missing in the morning.

  Chapter 6

  Gabriel

  I was standing by the bar talking to a friend of mine, Owen Gray, when a woman with curly brown hair in a red low-cut dress invaded our space.

  “Hey there, handsome.” She smiled.

  “Hello.” I smiled back.

  “Is that bourbon you’re drinking?”

  “It is. Would you like one?”

  “I’d love one.” She batted her eyes. “I’m Tash Cummings.” She held out her hand with her well-manicured fingers.

  “Gabriel Quinn,” I politely spoke as I placed my hand in hers.

  Owen excused himself to the restroom and left me and Tash to talk alone. As she was going on about her ex-boyfriend, my eyes glanced around the ballroom in boredom. I needed to find a way to politely escape this woman. That was when I noticed a woman with long burgundy-colored hair in an elegant black dress headed towards the bar. She captivated me.

  “Excuse me, Gabriel. Are you even listening to me?” Tash asked with irritation.

  My eyes snapped back to hers. “Yes. I’m sorry. Please excuse me for a moment. A friend of mine just walked in that I haven’t seen in a very long time. We’ll catch up later.” I smiled as I placed my hand on her arm and walked away.

  As I was walking towards her, she was stopped by another woman and they began to have a conversation. I halted a few feet back. That smile. I gulped. It couldn’t be. She finished her conversation and I followed behind her to the bar.

  “What can I get you, miss?” the bartender asked.

  “Tequila with a splash of lime, please.”

  I could feel the anger rise through my body as I clenched my fists. I couldn’t let her see me. Not yet. Not here in front of all these people. I’d follow her and wait until she was alone before I confronted her and possibly killed her. I walked away to the other side of the ballroom, never taking my eyes off her, watching her every move. Samuel walked up to her and kissed her cheek. What the fuck? Was she with him? She hooked her arm in his as he led her to their table for dinner. I took a seat at a table with some friends of mine across the room, far enough away but close enough to keep an eye on her.

  “No date tonight, Gabriel?” my friend Jordan asked.

  “Actually, the woman I was supposed to bring has the flu. And speaking of dates, who is that woman with Samuel?”

  “I have no clue, but he’s sure one lucky bastard. She’s gorgeous. I’d fuck her until my dick went numb.” Jordan grinned.

  “All I know is her name is Amy and he’s head over heels for her,” Owen chimed in. “He bought her this gorgeous twenty-thousand-dollar pink diamond ring at Tiffany.”

  “He told you that?” I asked.

  “I was in there buying a bracelet for Kitty’s birthday and I ran into him. He was really excited to give it to her.”

  “I see,” I spoke as I stared across the room at her.

  Samuel got up and exited the ballroom. I suspected he was headed to the men’s room, so I followed him.

  “Hello there, Samuel,” I spoke as I took the urinal next to him.

  “Good to see you, Gabriel. Thank you for coming.”

  “No problem. Anything for a good cause. I couldn’t help but admire your date tonight.”

  “Ah, yes. That’s Amy. Isn’t she a beauty? She’s so smart and elegant. She’s a keeper, that one. I haven’t been this happy since before Celeste passed away.”

  “Yes. She is very beautiful. You’re a lucky man, Samuel.” I smiled.

  “I sure am, Gabriel.” He winked.

  * * *

&nb
sp; Kate

  I was eating dinner, and when Samuel got up and excused himself to the restroom, I glanced across the room and saw a gorgeous-looking man in a black tux heading out the ballroom doors. What the hell? Shit. It couldn’t be. A nervousness settled inside me. What was he doing here? I needed to remain calm. There was no way he could recognize me. I looked totally different from that day on the plane. Different hair, different color eyes, and a different nose. But I couldn’t take the chance, so I needed to make an escape and get the hell out of there. I waited and watched as Gabriel and Samuel walked back into the ballroom together. Shit. What if Samuel brought him over and introduced us? I started to feel sick. I wasn’t just a fuck at the airport. I was the fuck who stole his thirty-thousand-dollar Cartier watch. Samuel took his seat next to mine and I gently placed my hand on his.

  “I’m not feeling well. If it’s okay with you, I’m going to head back to the hotel.”

  “What’s wrong, darling?” he asked with concern.

  “Just a little lightheaded and my stomach doesn’t feel very good. I’m worried I may be coming down with something.”

  “Then let’s go. You need to lie down and rest.”

  “You stay,” I spoke. “This is your event and you’re the host. You just can’t leave.”

  “But I’m worried about you.”

  “Thank you, Samuel. I appreciate it, but I’ll be fine. If I need anything, I’ll call you.” I gently smiled.

  “Alright. I’ll have Bruno bring the limo around.” He kissed my cheek.

  * * *

  Gabriel

  I saw her get up from her seat and head out the doors of the ballroom, so I followed her. I assumed she was heading to the restroom, but she went outside the hotel doors and stood at the curb. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called Carl to bring the limo around. I waited inside and watched as a different limo pulled up and she climbed inside, alone. As the limo was pulling away, Carl pulled up. I hurried and climbed inside, telling him to follow that limo but to be discreet about it.

  Her limo pulled up to The Plaza Hotel and she climbed out and went inside. I needed to get her alone, so I planned to follow her up to her room. But before I could even get out of the limo, she came back outside and hailed a cab. What the hell was she doing?

  “Follow that cab, Carl.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The cab pulled up alongside the curb of an apartment building and she climbed out.

  “Carl, follow her and grab the door when she opens it.”

  Carl did as I asked and as soon as she entered the building, I stepped out of the limo and followed her inside to the elevator. This was my chance. The doors began to close, so I stuck my hand in between to stop them. When they opened, our eyes locked on each other’s. Emerald green instead of brown. It had to be her and if it wasn’t, I was in deep shit.

  “Hello.” I smiled as I played it off as if I didn’t know her.

  “Hello.” She looked away from me.

  I stepped inside the elevator and noticed she pushed the button to the fifth floor.

  “Which floor?” she asked.

  “Same as you.”

  She was nervous. I could smell it and I could tell by the way she stared straight ahead and lightly tapped her foot on the ground.

  “You’re very beautiful,” I spoke.

  “If you’re thinking about trying something, you better think twice,” she replied.

  I silently laughed to myself. That fucking attitude. It was her all right. The second the doors shut, I placed my hand around her neck and pushed her up against the elevator wall.

  “You have something of mine, and I want it back!” I spoke through gritted teeth as I stared into her calm eyes.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  My grip around her tightened. “I think you do, Hannah.” I cocked my head.

  “The name is Amy. You obviously have the wrong person.”

  The elevator doors opened, and I released her but quickly grabbed hold of her arm with a tight grip.

  “Let go of me, you psychotic asshole!” She struggled to get away from me.

  “This is what we’re going to do. We’re going to your apartment and you’re going to tell me exactly who you are.”

  She turned her head, spit in my face, broke free from my grip, kneed me in the balls, and ran down the hallway.

  “Fuck!” I grabbed my crotch and threw my head back.

  I ran after her just as she made it inside her apartment, and as she tried to close the door, I pushed it harder and she fell back. Stepping inside, I closed the door and locked it.

  “What do you want, Gabriel? You want to fuck me again?” she asked in anger as she crawled backwards on the floor away from me.

  “No, sweetheart. I don’t. I want my watch back. As soon as I get it, I’ll leave.”

  She took in a deep breath and got up from the floor. She appeared to have calmed down. I couldn’t stop staring at her long lean legs and her killer body as she took off her shoes.

  Chapter 7

  Kate

  “Listen, I’m sorry about your watch,” I spoke as I took my shoes to my bedroom and threw them in the closet.

  “Sorry? You’re sorry? Is that all you can say? I want my fucking watch back!” he shouted.

  “I wish I could give it to you, but I can’t.”

  “What do you mean you can’t?” he spoke through gritted teeth.

  I went to leave the bedroom, and as I walked past him, he grabbed my arm.

  “Again. What do you mean you can’t?”

  “I sold it. Okay?”

  He let go of my arm and placed his hands on his head.

  “You sold it?” he spoke in a calm tone. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “Someone you never should have trusted,” I replied as I walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen for a glass of wine.

  He didn’t follow me out of the bedroom and that concerned me. I needed him out of my apartment. As I was pouring a glass of wine, I heard all kinds of noises coming from the bedroom. When I ran to see what was going on, he was in the middle of ransacking my room. All my dresser drawers were opened, and my lingerie and clothes were all over the floor.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I yelled when I found him in my closet grabbing the black leather briefcase I had hidden on a shelf behind my long dresses.

  “What’s with all the wigs, Hannah?”

  “Give me that!” I tried to grab the briefcase from his hand as he pushed me back and I fell against the closet door.

  He threw it on the bed and opened it.

  “What the fuck?” He turned his head and looked at me. “Hannah Greaves. Amy Frankel, Becca Wright, Thea Turner, Gizelle Carrington.” He rattled off each name as he threw my passports one by one on the bed. “Jenny Smith, Briana Holmes, Diana Vermander, Nicole Potts. My god. I can’t believe this.”

  “I’m calling the police,” I spoke as I got up. “And I’m pressing charges against you for assault.”

  “Go ahead. I won’t be the only one going to jail.” He glared at me as he sat down on the bed and folded his hands.

  I stood there with my back up against the wall, plotting my next move. There had to be a way out of this. Suddenly, he jumped up from the bed and hastily walked to the hallway where I had my purse sitting on the table. I chased him and tried to grab it, but it was too late.

  “You’re just a common little thief. Did you take all of this tonight?” His eyes narrowed at me as he dumped the contents of my purse on the floor.

  I looked away as I stood there with my arms crossed.

  “And Samuel?” he asked. “What were you hoping to get out of him? Did he give you that ring you’re wearing? Is that what you do? You find rich men, get them to fall in love with you, and then rip them off?” he shouted. “Answer me!”

  I remained calm. I could get out of this situation because I was good. He wanted me once before and I knew he wouldn’t be able to
resist me now. Walking over to him, I ran my finger down his chest.

  “We can work this out,” I spoke in a seductive voice.

  I leaned in and attempted to brush my lips against his, but he grabbed hold of both my arms and pushed me away.

  “You bet we’re going to work this out. Pack a bag; you’re coming with me.”

  “Excuse me? Where?”

  “To my house.”

  “You’re crazy. I’m not leaving with you.”

  “One night. That’s all I ask.” His demeanor and tone of voice changed. “One night for thirty thousand dollars. If you agree to sleep with me, I will forget all of this and we’ll part ways and never see each other again.”

  “Why?” I asked suspiciously.

  “Because you look incredible in that dress, it’s a miracle that I’m seeing you again, and I never once stopped thinking about our encounter at the airport.”

  He slowly walked towards me and ran the back of his hand down my cheek.

  “I want you to stay with me for the night. It’s the least you can do to repay me for the watch you stole.”

  “Then you can stay here at my place tonight,” I spoke.

  “I’m more comfortable at my place. Plus, I have a couple things there I would like to try with you. After all, I need to make sure I get my thirty-thousand dollars’ worth.” He smirked.

  I gulped. He was kinky and I found myself turned on. I hadn’t stopped thinking about him since that day and I couldn’t even say why.