The Nymph's Curse: The Collection

by Danica Winters

  The man led them to an office where a black man sat behind a desk, typing away on his computer. “Devon, sir? We have a young lady here who needs to get into her safe deposit box.”

  “Thanks, Jim. I’ll take care of her.” Devon looked up from his work and smiled at Starling, but as he noticed Jasper, his expression faded and annoyance took its place. “Do you have your key?”

  Starling jingled the ring. “Right here.” She flashed Devon a flirtatious glance, one that Jasper recognized from their time in Vegas, one that made whispers of jealousy creep through him.

  “Great,” the man said. He stood up and straightened his suit jacket. The employee glanced up at Starling before his gaze wandered down to her chest and lingered a moment too long. “Just need to take care of a few things and you can get just what you need.”

  The man’s words made the hairs on the back of Jasper’s neck stand on end. “Yeah, we just need to take care of a few things before we get married.”

  “Married,” the man said with a raised eyebrow. “Congratulations.” He finally turned his gaze away from Starling. “I just love to see happy couples.”

  Starling shot Jasper a look, but he pretended not to notice. It had been her idea that they run under the cover of a relationship. It wasn’t his fault if it was inconvenient.

  “Follow me,” Devon said, walking past them and out to the elevator. They waited in silence as the ancient elevator whirred and buzzed to a stop in front of them.

  He hated elevators. People were too close. There were too many possibilities for attack. Not that the bank manager would attack. No. There was no bulge at his ankle or hip. He wasn’t carrying a gun, but he had to weigh about two-fifty. In an enclosed space, Devon had the size, but Jasper had the experience.

  The doors slid open. “Ladies first,” Devon said, motioning for Starling to step through. Before Jasper could take a step, the manager shoved his way in next, making his percolating anger roil.

  Jasper wedged his body between Starling and the man, and she shot him another sharp glance. “Small elevator, eh?”

  Devon answered with a grunt and pushed the button for the lower floor. “Miss, I’m going to need your box number, your signature, and your key when we get down there. Then we can get out of these small elevators.” He eyed Jasper.

  “The less time we spend here, the better.” Starling’s elbow connected with the middle of his ribs, but he bit back a grimace of pain. “Lots of wedding plans to take care of. Isn’t that right, honey?” he asked, forcing a smile.

  The door to the elevator opened and Devon led the way out. When he was about ten steps ahead, Starling turned to Jasper and put her hand on his arm to stop him. “You. Stay. Here.” She pointed to a spot outside of the elevator’s doors.

  “No. I’m not leaving you with that guy. No way.”

  “Look, I don’t know the box number. I don’t have a chance in hell of convincing him I know my shit if you’re constantly acting like my over protective boyfriend. Just give me five minutes. If I’m not back with the box, then you have my permission to act out whatever macho fantasy thing you have going on in your head right now.”

  “I’m here to take care of you. If I let you walk into that room with a man I don’t know, I might as well go back to the Sisterhood.”

  “Jasper, it’s not like some bank manager is going to be gunning for me. Really. He is just some stranger at a bank. Big whoop. Now quit being so paranoid. I’ve got this. If nothing else, I can send my ghost friends after him, right?” She sent him a wilting smile, but it did little to quell his apprehension.

  “Five minutes.”

  Starling turned. Devon stood at the end of the hall, waiting. “Not coming?” the manager asked with a wide smile that made Jasper want to punch his teeth down his throat.

  “I’ll be right out here.”

  Devon stuck out his arm for Starling to take. Starling looked over her shoulder and mouthed the words “Be good” before accepting it.

  She was just lucky that Jasper wasn’t the kind to kill out of jealousy.

  He started to take a step after the couple but stopped. The bank manager wasn’t a danger, only an annoyance. He couldn’t act like this. He couldn’t act like he cared.

  • • •

  Devon turned to the computer. “It says that the safe deposit box is located here after being moved from the First National Bank. What did you say the box number was?”

  Starling smiled. “Well, the thing is that I don’t actually know.” She pulled the keys from her purse and laid them on the table. “But here is the key.”

  “The keys they used didn’t come stamped with a vault number.” He tapped a few keys. “What is your full name?”

  “Starling Jackson, but the box is under the name Jenna Cygnini.”

  He looked up from the screen. “And you are Jenna?”

  “Can I pretend that I am?” she asked, trying to use the most seductive voice that she could muster.

  Devon’s rich, chocolaty skin looked so soft, but his biceps pulled dangerously against the seams of his suit jacket as she moved in closer. She had told herself she wouldn’t seduce a man to get what she wanted, but standing here now, staring at Devon’s tiger-like eyes, it was hard not to give in to her whim.

  He cleared his throat, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to catch his gaze. “Are you saying that you are not the owner of the safe deposit box?”

  “Not exactly. My aunt, Jenna Cygnini, passed away a few months ago. I’m just here to collect her things.”

  “Do you have her will stating that you are her benefactor?”

  “Yep.” Sweat started to collect in her palms as she reached into her purse and pulled out the folder she’d carefully put together over the last six months. “I think you will find all the documents you need inside.”

  Devon took the file folder and laid it out on the desk. He scanned over the will. She wiped her hands against the legs of her jeans, doing anything to calm her nerves.

  He looked up, a frown on his face. “It says here that one Harper Cygnini is the will’s benefactor.”

  “I know, but keep reading. It says that I’m supposed to get a collection of hers, a collection that resides in one of your safe deposit boxes.” She glanced up at Devon, who was still frowning. In a desperate attempt, she bent over, making sure to squeeze her perky breasts so that they just peeked over the neckline of her v-cut shirt. “See,” she said, pointing at the clause, “right here.”

  She could feel his gaze brush over her bare skin.

  “I don’t know about it,” he said, but his voice was weak. One little sexy nudge and he would be in her pocket.

  “I completely understand. But if you notice, all the other documents are in order. I have the probate court’s signatures stating that I have submitted the will and they have approved for me to open the box.” She pushed the will aside, so the probate court’s order came into view. It was amazing what a person could get online.

  She gathered the fake paperwork. “And here is Jenna’s deed to her burial plot.”

  That had been a little tougher to gain access to. But now all Starling had to do was provide a fake signature. As long as he didn’t look too closely, her ruse would work.

  Devon glanced over the burial deed. He flipped the will back over. The sweat pooled in her palms and she wiped her hands over her jeans a second time. Chance would have been ashamed at her obvious tell, but hopefully the manager wasn’t much of a poker player.

  Devon pointed at the will. “I can’t help but notice that there’s no notary seal.”

  Crap.

  “What?” she asked in a strangled voice. “That’s weird. It came from our lawyer.”

  “Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t allow you access without first checking the authenticity.” He picked up the papers and arranged them back in the file. “But if you make a deal with me, I would be willing to overlook any issues.”

  Starling’s throat tighte
ned. She was desperate to get into the safe deposit box, but was she willing to do anything? What if he asked her for sex?

  Some prices were too high.

  “What do you want?” she asked, her voice seductive but guarded.

  “Before I ask, you need to tell me about your fiancé.”

  “Who?”

  Devon’s full lips pulled into a handsome but unnatural smile. “The man you came here with.”

  Double crap. How could she have forgotten about Jasper?

  “He’s not really your fiancé, is he?”

  “What gave it away?”

  Reaching over, he took her hand. “You aren’t wearing a ring. I’ve learned that women love to show off their rings.” Her fingers slid into his enormous palm, like he was a duke from one of her romance novels and he was asking her to dance. She’d never felt so much like a princess. Then again, she’d not had the full attention of a real man before—boys, yes, but never a man—except for her brief moment with Jasper in Vegas. “Is he even your boyfriend?”

  She shook her head.

  “I would love to go on a date with you, Miss Starling.”

  “Isn’t that blackmail or fraud or something? Couldn’t you get into trouble?” She stared down at her fingers. Her skin was milky and pale against his.

  “Oh, we don’t need to look at it like that, do we? Besides, it’s not like your aunt is going to come after the bank for letting you into the safe deposit box. At least this way we both will get something we want.”

  She nibbled at her lip. Jasper was going to have a holy fit if she told him she had arranged for a date with the bank manager. It was a wonder he hadn’t had a stroke in the elevator when he pushed his way in between them. He would never agree to her seeing Devon. Then again, she didn’t need his permission.

  “Okay. One date.”

  “Only one?” Devon’s eyes sparked with devilishness. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

  “Not much of an ego, I see,” Starling countered.

  “No ego. I just know that after one night out with me, you will be begging for more.”

  Her laugh echoed out into the concrete halls. “No ego my ass.”

  Devon leaned to the side, his suit jacket pulling tightly, only further defining his well-toned muscles. “Oh, I would love to get another look at your ass all right.”

  She turned slightly, just to give her duke a glance of what he wanted. “One date. You have to prove to me that you’re a gentleman.”

  He stood up straight and wiped the confident smile from his face. “If it’s a gentleman you want, I’m your man. I know exactly how to treat a lady, Miss Starling.”

  “Safe deposit box first.” She motioned toward the vault.

  “Where are you staying?”

  “The Bohemian.”

  “All right, the Bohemian at seven.”

  “While I’m looking through the safe deposit box, you can decide where we’ll go this evening.”

  “Done.” He clicked a few buttons on his computer screen and then, using a set of keys from his pocket, unlocked the vault. “I’ll be waiting out here. When you’re done, just knock on the door and I’ll let you out. And take as long as you need. I’m going to need a while to plan something … unforgettable.”

  Chapter Four

  The inner doors of the vault closed and Starling waited for the sound of the gates. After a second, the haunting clank of the metal closing filled the room, reverberating off the thousands of green metal boxes that lined the walls. On the table in front of her was a large, rectangular box. It sat unlocked but unopened.

  What if the spirits had done nothing but led her on a dead-end journey? What if they had been wrong? She had spent almost all of her money getting down here and had only a small supply of her medication to keep away the spirits. Her only hope was that the Libros Umbrarum would be inside or she would have nothing left. No hope. No chance for recovering from her affliction. She would be left to the mercy of the dead.

  Trying to rid herself of her nerves, she gave one long exhale. She’d come so far in her quest for the books, now wasn’t the moment to be weak. The metal was cold and unyielding under her fingertips. The green box was the color of vomit, and merely the thought made her stomach turn.

  Don’t worry. The books will be inside. Don’t worry. She repeated her mantra over and over in her head.

  She lifted the lid.

  The air in her lungs escaped in one long wheeze. Sitting in the bottom of the box was a lone, black feather.

  The Catharterians had beaten her there.

  • • •

  He couldn’t stand it any longer. She’d been inside the vault for too long. Jasper made his way down the hall from the elevator and stopped at the entrance to the small office that led to the safe deposit box area. Another minute and Jasper would break the gates down and go after Starling. The only thing stopping him was that asshat, Devon, working away at his computer, no doubt trying to make himself look busy so he wouldn’t have to face the fact that Jasper stood just a few feet away.

  Jasper clicked away on his phone as he looked through the emails the Sisterhood had sent him. He tapped nervously, the sound filling the small space as he attempted to think about anything other than Starling and all the things that could go wrong. He didn’t trust Devon. Something about the asshat’s face made his skin crawl. Sure, she was enclosed in a bank vault, but what if she wasn’t really alone? What if a Catharterian was waiting for her? What if there was a fake exit?

  He tried to quell his fears. It was just a bank. He was overreacting.

  “Hey, man, can you keep it down?” Devon asked with a look of annoyance.

  The floodgates opened at the sound of the asshat’s voice, and Jasper shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Open the door,” he ordered. “It’s been long enough.”

  “Look, man. From the way you are acting, it’s no wonder she wanted a little break.”

  “I’m allowed to worry. She’s my fiancé,” Jasper said, but he could feel his entire body twitch as he said the word. The first time it had been amusing, but something about repeating it made him uncomfortable.

  “Funny,” Devon answered, as he looked back down at his computer screen.

  “What’s so goddamned funny?”

  “That you are still lying about your relationship with her. Starling told me the truth.”

  He imagined grabbing Devon by the throat and slamming his face into the computer’s monitor.

  “And to be honest,” Devon continued, “she seemed more than happy to agree to go on a date with me.”

  “Bullshit.” He focused on keeping his body still, anything to stop himself from lashing out at the prick.

  “No bullshit, man.” Devon stapled a stack of papers together and laid them on the desk. “My guess is that a guy like you couldn’t do anything to please a woman as beautiful as her.” He looked up. “It’s a good thing she found me.”

  “If you don’t shut the fuck up and stop calling me man, man, the only thing you’re going to find is my foot in your ass.”

  “I see you’re a sorry loser, man.” Devon looked up, a condescending sneer on his face. “What do you think you are going to do? There are security cameras everywhere here. If you lay one single finger on me, you will find your ass behind bars.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “What was I thinking? At least if you are behind bars, your little fiancé and I won’t have to worry about you hovering over us.” Devon leaned over forward. “What’s your thing with her, anyway? If you’re not her fiancé, what are you?”

  “That’s not any of your goddamned business. You don’t need to worry about anything to do with her or us. You won’t be seeing her again.”

  “Wanna make a bet?”

  There was a tap from the other side of the doors. Devon stared him down as he walked over and unlocked the vault. Starling came into view; her black hair was disheveled and a few strands were stuck to the side of her face. Her eyes w
ere red and bloodshot, there were no books in her hands, and her purse hung limply on her arm.

  “Starling,” Jasper said, racing to reach her before Devon even had the time to respond. “Are you okay? What was in the box?”

  “I’m fine. They weren’t there,” she replied. “Let’s just go.” She passed Devon a weak smile.

  “Are you okay?” Devon asked. “If you’re not feeling well, we can postpone our dinner. I’d understand.”

  Jasper clenched his jaw. He didn’t need a fight right now. First things first—he needed to get Starling back to the hotel. Then he needed to find out exactly what had been in the box that rattled her.

  “It’s going to be okay, Starling. We’ll go pack up our stuff and catch the next flight out.”

  “No,” she said, but she couldn’t raise her gaze from the floor. “I have to find … ” She glanced up at Devon and then back down at the floor. “I have to find what I need. Besides, I promised Devon I would go out with him. If nothing else, I’m good to my word.”

  He wanted to grab her by the shoulders and tell her exactly what a prick Devon was, but now wasn’t the time—at least not in front of the banker. Jasper had the upper hand; all he had to do was get her out of the building and away from the creeper, and if he played his cards right, neither of them would have to see Devon again.

  Chapter Five

  When she’d left Vegas, Starling whole-heartedly believed that things would go her way. Everything in her life had been turned upside down in the last few months since she had been uprooted from her deceased mother’s apartment and moved halfway across country with a father she barely knew and his new wife. It only seemed fair that the fates would eventually be on her side. What a naïve fool she had been. Why had she even bothered to hope? Life was never fair.

  She buried her face into her pillow.

  “Why did you agree to go on a date with Devon?” Jasper asked, pulling her attention away from her wallowing and back to him.