 Brilliant Audio presents the unabridged recording of The Sapphire Heist by Lauren Blakely, performed by Sebastian York. CHAPTER 1. Steph wedged a fake ruby into the treasure chest, parking it next to a bright gleaming emerald. FAKE 2. Like Jake's feelings for her had been, clearly. Clenching her jaw, she fumed as she arranged the gaudy gems inside a plastic underwater treasure chest, her mind latching on to Jake's deception. She could barely believe the man had stolen so brazenly from her. She placed one remaining bobble in the chest, then stood up. It's a real pirate's bounty, are, she said, fixing on her pirate tone, trying desperately to cover up the cocktail of hurt and frustration roiling in her heart and head. She gestured to the chest, her last bit of prep for the mid-morning Stingray City Sandbar visit, to kiss and pet the sea creatures. Her deeply tanned, longtime Cayman's friend, Devon, joined her in the corner of his snorkel shop. Ah, but that's a beauty right there, worth several thousand galleons, he said in a pirate voice, too. Despite the plumes of anger licking her veins, she managed a small laugh. I'll just go bury it in the sea now, she said, then grabbed the box, hoisted it up to her hip, and pushed open the door of his shop. She walked along the dock, set the treasure chest on the worn wood, then jumped into the shallow blue waters. Ah, the ocean's caress felt good, but even it wasn't enough to numb the pain. Carefully, she tugged the chest off the dock into the water and under the placid surface. These phony gems were worth more than the contents of her hotel safe, now that Jake had pilfered her very real diamond. Handsome, charming, no-good Jake. Her blood boiled as she thought about what he'd done last night. The man had actually broken into her safe, again, and taken her precious diamond after sleeping with her. That had probably been part of his nefarious plan. Drug her up on multiple orgasms so he could make off with her big rock. Admittedly, he was a master at delivering o's. But she could not, should not, would not let that lessen his crime. He'd stolen the one thing she owned that was worth something. She'd been planning on cashing it in and using the proceeds as a thank you for her mom, who'd helped. Sample complete. Ready to continue?