Poker Face ✔

Chapter 46

I walked through the airport slowly. My months of recovery were finally over, and Aunt Kat gave me the okay to go home.

I had never gone so long without my family. I was starting to feel like I was going crazy.

Sure we had people gone for sometimes six months to over a year like Aunt Christina and her husband Shawn Parker's, but I had gone two months with only seeing Aunt Kat and Chace.

I was nervous to get back as I was certain that Uncle Nate was either suspicious or already knew where I had been.

I looked up to see two familiar boys; one whom I haven't seen in two weeks, the other two months.

"Rina!" the seventeen-year-old with dirty blond hair and hazel eyes runs into my arms. "I've missed you so much"

"Same here" I hugged him tightly "how have you been?"

"Better than ever" Chris squeezed "I'm sorry for not telling you... It's just I was so scared that they would hurt you-"

I understood that fear better then anymore. I didn't need an apology from him, I just needed him back brightening up my world again.

"I know" I stroked his hair with fingertips "...how long have you been back?"

"Two months...I came back the day you left" he pulled away "thank you for getting me home"

I nodded. "It was my pleasure" I struggled to hold back my tears.

"We've got to hurry, my tuna casserole's on the stove" Chace admitted awkwardly as scratching the back of his neck.

"God I miss your cooking" I smiled as walking towards Chace, "how you been?" I wrapped my arms around him.

"Fine" He then lowered his voice to a whisper, "how was Hawaii?"

"Pretty great" I admitted with a smile.

***

Once we arrived home it was dinner; I was in my family's mansion for less than half a second before Chace went to the kitchen to check on his Tuna casserole.

Aunt Kat approached me immediately with a smile. "How are you feeling?" She wrapped her arms around me as we stood in our mansions foyer.

"Much better" I assured her.

We entered the kitchen where I found Uncle Nate, Uncle Jason, uncle Jared, Aunt Jamie, Aunt Christina, uncle Shawn (Christina's husband), Miranda, Cotton, Michael, Rosemary, Katie Chris, and Zac sitting around the table.

"Taylor" my seventeen-year-old sister Katie stood up and hugged me. "How are you?"

"I'm great, you?" I grinned.

"Great I've been helping Chace and Vanessa with cleaning and Uncle Nate with paperwork for two months" she explained in sadness.

No one ever wanted to be stuck with the cleaning or paperwork.

"Oh I'm so so sorry, I'll never leave you again" I pulled away before making our way to the table.

"Oh Taylor I know you've just come back and all but I've got a job for you" Uncle Jared started. "Don't worry its a one-night thing"

My head shot up in excitement. I had spent the last two months bored senseless, I was ready to get out on jobs again.

"I'm listening" I smiled as Chace served dinner.

"You need to go to a party" he started "All you need to do is search someone's home for a ring"

It sounded simple enough, but I knew from experience that things were never as simple as they sounded.

"A ring?" I raised my brows.

"It's worth a half a million dollars and it was reported stolen two weeks ago"

I nodded. "And you think he stole his own ring to get the insurance money?"

"Exactly" my uncle smiled. "With the extra money, he wants to overtake us in an auction in two months"

"What auction?" Katie raised a brow curiously.

"One in New Orleans" Uncle Jared explained. "I need to attend so I can get the Roberta collection worth double of what that ring's worth"

I had to know who the guy was who Uncle Jared was trying to overtake. I never did jobs without all the facts, thats how we get ourselves into trouble.

"Who is he?" I questioned.

"That's not important" uncle Jared slowly shook his head.

"I ain't doing squat unless I know who he is" I argued.

Uncle Jared sighed. "Nick Jeremiah"

"Oh this keeps getting better and better" Katie leaned back in her chair. "He's a friend of yours, ain't he?"

"There are no friends in business" Uncle Jared clarified.

That was true. Sure we had business allies who happened to be our friends but Nick Jeremiah was not one of them.

"When's the party?" I folded my arms.

"Tomorrow" he informed "ten pm"

I was so desperate to go out on a job that I agreed. "Alright, I'm in" I nodded.

"Good to hear...I really appreciate it" he nods. "Oh there's one more thing" Uncle Jared said, "we're going into this with the Esposito's so I'll be sending you with Jack"

Jack? the guy I called a stalker at Vanessa amd John's wedding? Just great.

"Hey what about me?" Katie exclaimed.

"As in Jack Loris?" I blinked.

"Yeah, that's the one" uncle Jared ignored Katie.

"So I'm out if this one?" Katie sighed.

"Don't worry you can come with me tomorrow afternoon to pick up the money from Frank" Miranda half smiled.

"Why Jack?" I asked "I mean I'm just curious"

"He's invited to the party and around your age" Uncle Jared told me.

"I'll stick out like a sore thumb" I pointed out.

"Only Nick knows about this" Uncle Jared's wife aunt Jamie told me, "you dodge Nick and you'll be fine"

"Can't you get Penny or Jameson?" Miranda raised one of her brows.

"I need Taylors set of skills," Uncle Jared told her.

"Roasting your own kids" Miranda smirked "love it"

"So we got a deal?" Uncle Jared asked.

"As I said," I smiled mischievously, "I'm in"