Thief (7 page)

“Okay. I’ll go.”

Chapter 7

Sean

I
ended up walking with Tessa to the place she was headed to for lunch. She could hardly look at me the whole way, but I did make her hold my hand. I could feel her nervous twitches as we walked, but I didn’t let go. I wanted anyone watching to know she was mine. I’m sure we looked a little odd together. Me with my tattoos and rough facial hair and her looking like a prim and proper angel. I didn’t want anyone thinking she isn’t taken. Because she is.

When we went to order at the counter I could see her blush again but I didn’t understand why. I ordered four times what she did. I even made sure she got a chocolate chip cookie when she said she didn’t want it. Who doesn’t want a chocolate chip cookie?

After we got our orders, I walked her back to work. She said she needed to get some work done and would just eat there. I made sure to tell her that our quick lunch didn’t count as a date, and that got me a genuine smile from her, which went all the way to her eyes.

Standing just inches from her, I touched her bottom lip with my thumb, thinking about how sweet her kiss was and what it did to me.

I’ve never been so consumed by someone before. I don’t even know the last time I looked at a woman. That’s how I knew she was different. She called to me from the very beginning. She was meant to be mine. I’d been waiting for her. Like a little gift for the hell I had to work my way through growing up. Now I got this angel and she and I will make a family together, like I’ve always desired. We just have to make it through one last hell.

She’s so ingrained inside my mind that she’s my only memory of anything good and perfect. My need is so far beyond comprehension, I don’t think I could describe to her exactly why it is I crave her, even if she asked me to. I just need to make her crave me, too. Dig myself deep into her, so when all the truths come to light, I’ll be in too deep for her to try and push me away.

I kiss her lips lightly, and her blush returns to her cheeks. I’m ripped in two as I watch her walk back inside the bank. Not having her within reach is starting to become a problem. Now that I know what she tastes like, feels like. The reality was tenfold what my fantasies were.

When I get back in my Chevelle, I try to take a few deep breaths to keep from rushing back into the bank and carrying her out. I’m inches away from calling this whole thing off, but I keep cool, knowing that if I stick to the plan, everything will work out.

It’s too late now. She would probably go run to the police, and I could never have her. She wouldn't believe a word of what I would tell her. And I can’t just walk away, because Heavy would send in someone else.

The plan is in motion, and it will be perfect. It has to be or I’ll lose everything.

Leaving the bank, I head over to Heavy’s strip club. It shouldn’t be too bad on a Friday during the day, but with the way he runs his shit, I’m sure it will be just as gross.

Heavy texted me this morning after my incident with Nick. No doubt he wants to talk about it. He says this meeting is for everyone to finalize plans for Monday morning, but it’s directed at me. He wants to make sure I’ve secured Tessa, while making sure I’m not a threat.

Heavy isn’t dumb; he knows something is going on, but I don’t think he’s figured out what my real goal is for this job.

I send a text to Tessa as I pull up to the front of the club.

Me:
My cookie wasn’t half as sweet as your lips.

Tessa:
Thank you for getting me one, but I’ll have to take your word for it.

Me:
Trust me, little fox.

Tessa:
Stop making me blush!

Me:
Never. Get back to work, and think about where I’m taking you tonight.

I slip my phone into my jeans and try to wipe the smile off my face as I get out of the car and head into the club.

I walk through the double doors and make my way past the front bar and beyond the stage. There are a few girls dancing for a couple of guys. The loud music thumping through the room makes a knot form in my stomach, and I just keep reminding myself,
only a few more days
.

As I open the door to the private room, I see Heavy sitting in one of the armchairs, getting sucked off by one of the strippers. Jesus, can I walk in here once without someone’s dick out?

Two of his men are tag-teaming another dancer in the back corner, while two more play cards off to the side like nothing is happening.

I stand there and cross my arms, waiting for this to end so we can get to business. At least this made the hard-on I’d had in my jeans since being with Tessa finally go away.

As I scan the room, I see the bathroom door is open. Nick walks out, rubbing his nose, trying to wipe away the white powder. He looks at me and leers. He’s jealous of me and the fact that I don’t have to do any of this shit to do what I do. I may be a criminal, but I don’t have to be a piece of shit. Somehow the concept of breaking the law and still being somewhat a decent human being is incomprehensible to him.

I raise my chin, letting him know I’m here and I’m waiting. Just then, Heavy grunts and holds the stripper’s head back while he cums on her face. The sight of his tiny dick getting off is embarrassing, but for some reason, he thinks this makes him look powerful.

Needing to look away, I turn my body around and pull out my phone. A text from Tessa makes me warm inside and washes away some of the dirty filth surrounding me. When I read her text, though, my heart drops a little.

Tessa:
I can’t tonight. I’m sorry. I have plans already and can’t break them. Tomorrow?

Me:
You know how to keep a guy begging. You working tomorrow?

Tessa:
Nope. Off all day.

Me:
Then I want you for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

“That fat chick playing hard to get?”

I turn around to see Nick leaning against the table as everybody finishes up with the strippers and sends them out of the room. He didn’t see my messages, so he must just assume she turned me down like she turned him down. I think it burns him that Tessa would never give him the time of day. He’ll take any hit at her to make himself feel better.

I don’t respond; I just stare him down. It’s the fool in the room who speaks most often, and I’m going to let Nick prove to the group just what a fucking idiot he is. I take a seat at the table next to the guys playing cards and wait for Heavy to join us.

“It’s okay if she turned you down, Sparrow. Girl like that doesn't know how to act when someone talks to her. Bet that pussy hasn’t even had a good fucking yet.”

My hands are resting on my legs, and I lean back in my chair, as cool as I could possibly be. Inside is another story, though. Inside, I’m ripping his flesh from his bones, and his screams are a beautiful melody to my ears. But on the outside, I don’t so much as flinch as he talks about my girl. He knows my warning earlier was good, but I’m not stupid enough to make a move with five of his guys in the room willing to take his back. Even if they know he’s wrong, they wouldn’t take my side.

“Makes my dick hard just thinking about it. Hey, maybe I’ll offer to fuck her tonight when we’re out for drinks. Break her in a little bit for you.”

He rubs his hand over his crotch and gives me a disgusting smirk.

Placing my hand on the table in front of me, I lean forward on my forearms and let out a little laugh. It’s bitter and clipped, but he’s pissed I’m mocking him.

“Really, Nick? Because from what I heard from her friend, she said all that shit you’re putting up your nose is causing a few
problems
in the bedroom.” I have no idea if I’m right, but by the look on his face, and the laughter through the room, I’ve hit my target.

Nick is embarrassed in front of his crew, and I can see how angry that makes him. His pride is his weakness, and it’s going to be his downfall. He reaches into his jacket—for a weapon, I assume— but I just lean back in my chair, smiling, as Heavy approaches us and takes the head of the table.

“Sit down, Nick. We’ve got business.”

Heavy looks me over and then looks at Nick, and I see that he decides to go ahead and not bring up the situation earlier today, no doubt thinking that his side of the story was probably less than truthful.

I just keep still and sit back, letting the rage boil inside me. Before this is all over, I’m going to take care of Nick. That little motherfucker doesn’t get to talk about my girl like that and live.

Heavy rolls out the blueprint I provided him of the bank, and we go over the plan for Monday once more. There are a couple of last-minute changes, but nothing on my end to worry about.

We spend the next few hours checking and rechecking the plan.

What most petty criminals don’t understand is that a plan to break the law is the easy part. Anybody can walk into a bank and hold it up. It’s what happens after that, that’s where the work begins. These fuckers have no clue. This is how you get caught, worrying about the details on how to get in but never thinking about getting away and what comes after. They have every second of every minute of this job planned out until the money is in hand. Then they’ve sort of got an exit strategy. It goes beyond that. We have to study this further and map out all possibilities of things going wrong.

I’m sitting back and listening to all of it, knowing that once I’ve secured my package, step two commences.

After hours have gone by, I check my watch and see that Tessa should home by now. I pull out my phone and look at her tracker movements, and I see it’s moving away from her house.

My heart starts to beat faster, but I can’t just get up and bolt out of the room.

“Sparrow.” Heavy says my name like he’s said it a few times, and I turn my eyes to him. “We keeping you from something?”

Slipping my phone back into my jeans, I lean back in my seat and wait for him to continue. I’m going to kill all these cocksuckers by the time this job is done.

Chapter 8

Tessa

I
run my fingers across my lips for the twentieth time since lunch. With every touch I can’t help but smile. I keep licking them like there still might be a trace of him left to taste. Who knew a kiss could be so—