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Jaeger frowned “If it’s yours, then why is it going up for auction?”

Piper stared out of the custo the view “I’ve just found out it ned by h a company, and it’s now part of his estate It has to be sold to repay some of his debts”

Fair enough Jaeger picked up her glass of whiskey, drained it and stared across to New Jersey, hisEssentially, he needed those sapphs; Piper needed the money He wasn’t prepared for Ballantyne and Company to take the risk, but he could

Along with this property, Connor had also s—a beneficiary on aup the s and the money he’d inherited as his share of his parent’s estate, he had a heap of cash sitting in the bank, doing nothing

He could offer Piper a loan against the future sale of the sapphires provided she sold the sapphires to Ballantyne and Coreement, which he doubted she would, he could afford to lose the three million Hell, he could afford to lose a lot more

His offer would secure the sapphires, and it would get Piper out of a hole It was one risk he felt reasonably co for provenance, which would ensure a bigger profit for all of them

And it would keep Piper fro out of his life

It was a no-brainer

Jaeger calh Piper’s eyes He saw relief and temptation and suspicion

“You’re offering to buy the stones? Yourself?”

“I aainst the sale of the sapphires,” Jaeger replied, trying not to use the word loan He thought the ould make Piper twitchy