Eye of the Beholder

By J. Margot Critch

She’s leading the straight life now. He’s the reminder she doesn’t need. Their kiss will ruin everything she’s worked for...or will it?

Former jewel thief, Isla Turner, now works as a museum security consultant. She’s living the straight life, no longer interested in a life of crime. When Jared, her former partner—and ex-lover—returns to ask for her help in one last score, she tells him she isn’t interested. But the thrill that comes along with the job, and being with Jared again, is too much to resist.

Isla is determined not to cross the lines between love and her old profession. She enjoys the best of both worlds, her passion with Jared igniting. But it’s not long before she finds out why he’s really at the museum, and worse, the theft he’s planning reveals that a big deal is about to go down—the theft of the most prized Alexandria’s Eye Diamond itself. Worse, her boss is in the know, and indifferent. Doing the right thing might mean crossing the line not only to forbidden love, but to the past she’s tried to leave behind. If she gets this wrong, she’ll lose everything...

Eye of the Beholder is a 25,200-word action erotic romance novella. If you enjoy fun, sexy romance and erotica, sprinkled with high suspense, you’ll love this story of one woman fighting her true nature and how it leads to adventure and hot sex in a high-stakes setting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Deep Desires Press
• Release date: Jun 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463936726

J. Margot Critch

J. Margot Critch graduated from Memorial University with a BA in Religious Studies and Folklore. She currently lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her own romance hero, Brian, and their little fur buddy, Chibs. A self-professed Parrothead, when she isn't writing steamy contemporary romance and romantic suspense, she spends her time listening to Jimmy Buffett music and watching the ocean, all the while trying to decide if it's too early to make margaritas.

Book preview

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Eye of the Beholder

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

About J. Margot Critch

Don’t Miss These Great Titles From Deep Desires Press

Eye of the Beholder

J. Margot Critch

Copyright © 2018 by J. Margot Critch

All characters are age 18 and over.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Cover design copyright © 2018 by Story Perfect Dreamscape

Visit http://www.deepdesirespress.com for more scorching hot erotica and erotic romance.

WIN FREE BOOKS!

Subscribe to our email newsletter to get notified of all our hot new releases, sales, and giveaways! Visit deepdesirespress.com/newsletter to sign up today!

Chapter One

Isla Turner tucked an errant copper curl into the tight bun at the top of her head. The short walk from the air-conditioned haven of her car to the foyer of The Miami Museum of Antiquities had left her black blouse clinging to her back. Even though she loved the heat of the city, she often cursed the museum’s decision to dress its staff in black uniforms.

There you are! She looked up and saw her boss, Clive, stride toward her. He already looked stressed, and the workday hadn’t even started yet. Finally! He reached out and pulled her arm, ushering her into the nearby conference room.

Isla went along with him, shifting the coffee cup in her right hand to her left, and withdrew a pocket watch from the back pocket of her black jeans. She consulted the time on the watch — a relic of her past life, a reminder of the woman she used to be and the man who gave it to her.

Clive, it’s eight thirty. I’m not late and it’s far too early for you to be this frazzled, she told him as she approached the conference room. Have you thought about switching to decaf? She sat at the large table with the rest of the security team, and looked around, noting some new faces in the room. About five of them, all big and strong men, flanking one smaller man, whose gelled-back hair and expensive clothes held an air of luxuriant wealth.

When Clive and the men at the front of the room began talking among themselves, Isla leaned over to her co-worker, Edward. What’s going on? she whispered.

Edward shrugged his shoulders and leaned in. Apparently there’s some big news, he whispered.

Isla nodded. I guess that would explain why Clive is in such a tizzy this morning.

Yeah, apparently he’s been here since six thirty this morning, getting prepared for whatever is going on.

Isla drank her coffee, and sat back, watching Clive over the lid of her cup as he closed the door before walking back to the center of the room to stand next to the older man. Team, Clive addressed those at the table. This is Mr. Andrew Daniels. He is here to talk about our museum’s newest short-term acquisition, a two-week exhibit of The Alexandria’s Eye diamond.

She turned her now-rapt attention to the sharply-dressed, silver-haired man in front of them. Her eyes widened and the coffee in her mouth burned her tongue as her throat constricted; she had to force her coffee down before she choked on it. She’d heard about the diamond before, when the people she used to know would tell tall tales about it. But they amounted to urban legends, really, as she knew that no one had actually gotten close to The Eye. It had been kept out of the public eye for decades since its disappearance during World War II.

Isla watched, holding her breath, as Mr. Daniels put a black attaché case on table in front of her. He unlocked a series of clasps, and then withdrew a large velvet bag. He pulled the drawstring on the top and then she saw it: The world’s largest, most precious diamond — The Alexandria’s Eye.

She could barely hear what Clive and Mr. Daniels were saying; she was completely transfixed by the flawless, thirty-five-million-dollar stone in front of her. Her fingers flexed and clenched as her skin tingled. The familiar feeling of desire overtook her, the way it would whenever she’d done a job in the past — in her old life. But, presently, as Isla looked at the jewel in front of her, she could almost feel the cool diamond, all two pounds of it, heavy in her hands. She envisioned the one hundred ways she could take it, to make it hers. Isla’s breathing shallowed, and her pulse thundered in her ears.

Clive cleared his throat, catching her attention, and she shot her head up and looked around the room to see that everyone was looking at her. Are you with us, Isla? Clive asked her.

Yeah, she nodded, embarrassed that she’d been caught daydreaming, and disappointed with herself that she’d allowed the old Isla take over, however momentarily. Sorry, she muttered and turned her attention back to the men in front. She didn’t miss the disapproving frowns and scowls from Daniels and the big men standing behind him — his own security team, apparently.

It’s alright, Clive told her gently, then he looked over the others in the room. But we all need to have our heads in the game on this one. Mr. Daniels is generously letting us exhibit his diamond for a two-week engagement. So our job here today is to devise a plan to keep it safe, but also accessible to audiences.

Isla focussed on the presentation in front of her. And then the security team got to work to devise their plan, using the most high-tech systems at their disposal. Within an hour, they created a formidable system, one that would trip up anyone who might be tempted to steal it.

While she tried her hardest to make the exhibits at the museum completely impenetrable, Isla knew one person who might be able to get past it. That was what made her good at her current job in security. Isla knew how to identify weaknesses in security systems, ones that most people might not see.

Identifying those weaknesses and bypassing them had been Isla’s specialty early in her adult life. Her old career as a jewel thief, even though it felt like a lifetime ago, had given her many of the skills which she’d adapted to suit her current assignment at the museum.

Satisfied with what they’d accomplished and excited about the new exhibit, Isla started her shift as she always did, doing her rounds by walking each of the rooms to make sure nothing was out-of-order. Everything was normal, just as it should be until she entered the precious jewels room where they would be keeping The Alexandria’s Eye, the most secure room in the building.

Isla imagined how the exhibit would look. The diamond on the pedestal on the middle of the room, a queue would usher guests around it, letting them bask in its glory, without letting them get too close. Today, the room was mostly empty, there were just a few patrons milling about, checking out some of the exhibits. Isla yawned. There hadn’t been much going on there as of late, as the museum wasn’t normally a big tourist draw, especially in comparison with the beach, and restaurants, and nearby nightlife of South Beach. But she knew the pace would increase when The Alexandria’s Eye exhibit started. She was looking forward to it.

Isla stopped and again retrieved her pocket watch from the back of her pants. She brushed her thumb over the glass, she saw her own reflection in it, but as the second hand ticked