The Unicorn Heist

By Skye McNeil

He’s a Brit, I’m a Scot,
Be careful sexy lion
Or you’ll get caught.
We’re friends at odds,
Lovers in secret.
But I won’t back down,
I’ll beat that man all over town.

To inherit a fortune, Theo James must settle down. Unfortunately, he’s in love with the girl next door and she has no clue. To make matters worse, she’s a thief. The perfect ruse will surely snare Lilabeth Bronson.

After searching for the priceless Unicorn of Perth, Lilabeth Bronson finds it through the man she secretly loves: Theo James. Over the years, their cat and mouse game never changed the fact that he was wealthy, and she a Scottish criminal. When Theo suggests a heist, she can’t possibly turn him down.

Theo and Lila join forces, but more than love is on the line. Will England’s lion prevail, or will Scotland’s unicorn take home the prize?

Welcome to Nursery Crimes, where tales are twisted and happily ever afters are not always guaranteed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skye McNeil
• Release date: Jan 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215939918

Skye McNeil

Skye McNeil began writing at the age of seventeen and has been lost in a love affair ever since. Each year capable, she participates in NaNoWriMo. Skye enjoys writing contemporary and historical romance novels ranging from sweet and sassy to steamy and sultry. She loves spending time with her family, including her two cats and two dogs. When she is not writing, Skye enjoys photography, volleyball, meeting new people, traveling, and curling up with a cup of coffee and a good book.

Book preview

The Unicorn Heist

Skye McNeil

To inherit a fortune, Theo James must settle down. Unfortunately, he’s in love with the girl next door and she has no clue. To make matters worse, she’s a thief. The perfect ruse will surely snare Lilabeth Bronson.

After searching for the priceless Unicorn of Perth, Lilabeth Bronson finds it through the man she secretly loves: Theo James. Over the years, their cat and mouse game never changed the fact that he was wealthy, and she a Scottish criminal. When Theo suggests a heist, she can’t possibly turn him down.

Theo and Lila join forces, but more than love is on the line. Will England’s lion prevail, or will Scotland’s unicorn take home the prize?

Welcome to Nursery Crimes, where tales are twisted and happily ever afters are not always guaranteed.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved.

The Unicorn Heist

Copyright 2022 © Skye McNeil

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.

The Lion and the Unicorn

The Lion and the Unicorn

Were fighting for the Crown

The Lion beat the Unicorn

All around the town.

Some gave them white bread,

And some gave them brown;

Some gave them plum cake

And drummed them out of town.

And when he had beat him out,

He beat him in again;

He beat him three times over,

His power to maintain.

Heels, Rhymes, and Nursery Crimes

He's a Brit, I'm a Scot,

Be careful sexy lion

Or you'll get caught.

We're friends at odds,

Lovers in secret.

But I won’t back down;

I'll beat that man

All over town.

Chapter One

Theo

You need to settle down. I won’t live forever, and neither will you. You can’t keep gallivanting around the globe.

Theo James slouched in his chair. His father had been saying those exact words since he turned eighteen. I’m working on it.

Archibald lifted his brow. You’re thirty-five. I’ve given you long enough to be a free spirit. It’s time you took over the family business.

I’d rather rot in a cell.

You’re ungrateful. Your mother let you run rampant and now look at you. No wife. No career despite a costly law degree. All you do is paint and attend parties. He pointed a thin finger at his son. You have one week to get your act together or I’ll do it for you.

Theo watched his father walk out of the room and winced when the door slammed shut. They’d discussed the situation over the years, but today it felt real. He either had to join the family’s firm or he’d lose his inheritance.

He couldn’t afford to be cut off. He had plenty on his own, sure, but he traveled more than worked. Unless he gave in as his father so bluntly stated, he’d be out on all accounts.

Rain drizzled down the window while pedestrians hurried beneath their umbrellas. The gray sky reminded him of the upcoming trip to Lisbon. What he needed was a stiff drink and a nap.

His blue eyes swiveled from the window to the door. The impromptu visit from his father couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Checking his phone, a message from his childhood friend shone back at him.

Lilabeth: First round’s on you.

Lilabeth Bronson. Even thinking her name made him smile. She was his oldest friend. Up until she moved to New York, they met for drinks on a monthly basis. She was also his first crush. He shook his head. He shouldn’t think of Lilabeth in that way. Unfortunately, that wasn’t how things worked in his devious mind.

Theo sat up a bit straighter in the chair, his pants seemingly smaller when he imagined Lilabeth’s stunning pale green eyes. A crack of lightning crossed the sky, lighting up the dark room. Lilabeth’s reddish-brown curls made him smirk. He couldn’t help but pull on the corkscrews whenever he got the chance. He was still in love with her, even after all these years. She didn’t know of course. She was much too sensible for that.

Standing, he buttoned his suit coat. The wedding invitation sitting on his desk caught his eye. Grabbing it, he read the contents. His old university chum was getting married. He smirked. And he knew exactly how to make his week better.

Theo made his way down the stairs, the townhouse one of many owned by the James family.

Straightening his shoulders, Theo took a deep breath. The front door swung open, and he pasted on the debonair smile he was known for around town. Being raised in a wealthy family, he learned how to entertain himself. His favorite being rubbing elbows with the less than kosher civilians in town. From petty theft to forged art, he was a lion on the prowl in these streets. He needed a distraction from his father’s ultimatum and knew the perfect person who could give it to him.

Lilabeth was as competitive as him, though her life veered in the opposite direction. Despite being half American and half Scottish, Lila was the best fence this side of London. He didn’t stand a chance against her, but together they could be great. Surely, she’d be up for a new challenge. His Scottish unicorn loved to play games.

Chapter Two

Lilabeth

By the end of the day, the sun poked out from behind the dismal clouds and shone down on Lilabeth Bronson as she popped into the local pub. It was down the street from the small pawn shop she recently purchased with her best gal friend, Daisey Moffit. Saying their business was altogether legal would be a stretch. She and Daisey were known for less than savory deals. Daisey was the best cat burglar Lilabeth had ever met. On the other hand, she was better in the jewels realm. She could spot a fake from a mile away Thankfully, Daisey’s cousin was local police so they never worried about their unusual methods of