Thief (16 page)

“Everybody check your weapons and make sure they’re good to go. Remember, nobody shoots. I don’t want any gunfire inside. Clear?”

I pass out the guns, making sure everyone is armed. I don’t like going in guns blazing, and the quieter we keep this, the easier our getaway. But we’ll need them inside to get everyone’s attention.

“Masks,” I say, checking my watch. It’s almost showtime.

The crew pull down their ski masks and do as they’re told. I reach up to pull mine down, but as I do, I catch Nick’s eyes. He’s giving me a cold stare as he pulls his down, and seeing him with only his eyes showing is menacing. Something is coming, I can feel it. Instinct has kept me alive all these years, and I need to watch my back today.

As I finish pulling my mask down, I see the armored car pull up. Just a few more moments and we’re in.

The guards are the same ones that come each quarter, and I know their routine. The staff inside is at a minimum, and this is the best time to do this to limit casualties.

Tessa.

I stop that thought before it starts. I can’t go there yet. Not yet. I have to get through this and then make her forgive me. I can do it. I can be strong enough to get us through this.

“Everybody on my mark. Silent, and follow the plan.”

I wait just a beat, watching from a few yards away as the guards exit the truck and put in the dual codes. Once the bay is all the way open, it begins.

I take a deep breath. “Now.”

The five of us exit the back of the van, guns held up and trained on the guards.

“Drop your weapons. Step away from the door.” The codes have been entered, and the alarms have been turned off. So far, so good.

The two guards do as we say. Two of my men approach them, take their weapons, and secure them.

One of my men goes to the armored truck and takes the driver out from behind the wheel. He secures him, taking his weapon and zip-tying him up.

When we have the three guards bound and gagged, we pull them into the bay door and off to the side. One of my men stays with them to keep guard while four of us proceed inside.

We make our way silently down the hallway to the front of the bank. It’s still just under an hour before the first customer arrives, but the vault has been opened, and the money inside is ready for shipment.

As we continue to the end of the hall, Paul, one of Heavy’s men, moves up to lead the group.

We reach the end of the hall, and he looks back to give us the signal. He holds up three fingers counting down to one, and we all rush forward.

“Hands up where we can see them. Everybody out here on the ground.”

My eyes immediately look for Tessa, and I see her in the doorway of her office. Harper lets out a scream, but other than that, it’s silent.

Tessa stands there, frozen, but after blinking a few times, she holds up her hands and lies on the ground. Harper sees her and starts crying, then follows suit. Another teller stands in shock, and one of my men goes over, pulling her out from behind the teller line and making her lie face down with the others.

Paul turns and points to me, Nick, and the other guy, Brian. He nods towards the vault, keeping his weapon trained on the three women as we carry out the rest of the plan.

So far, so good.

I take the keys to the vault door out of my pocket and let the three of us in. Brian and Nick go to the inner vault to take the cash while I stand guard and cut the lines for the alarms inside the main vault.

Or so they think.

I wait until I hear them in the back, bagging up the cash and loading it onto the dolly in the vault. We’re planning on taking this out the same way the guards were, keeping it as easy as possible.

Once I know they’re in the back, I reach over to the desk where Tessa pulled out the safety deposit box keys. I pull key number 425 out of my pocket and use it and the deposit keys to open the dual lock.

Opening the box, I don’t take a second to look at the contents. I take out the single small yellow envelope and silently close the box again.

It takes me thirty seconds, tops, and I’ve got the keys back inside the drawer, with no one the wiser. Just as the drawer rolls shut, I turn to see Nick standing there with Brian.

For a second, I see something flash in Nick’s eyes, and I think I’m busted.

“We good?” I ask, nodding at the bags of money on the dolly behind them.

“Yeah. Piece of cake,” Brian says, pushing the dolly out of the vault.

Nick grips his gun tighter, and my fingers start to tingle.

“Less than two minutes,” I say, reminding him we’re running out of time. Nick nods in acknowledgement and makes his way out of the vault behind Brian.

Just as I exit the vault, I lean over and hit the button for the police. Remember when I said criminals always play up to the job, never after? This is where my plan begins.

Brian wheels the cash out of the lobby and down the small hallway. Nick and I walk over to Paul, letting him know it’s done, so we can get the fuck out of here.

Just as I walk over, I can feel the shift in Nick. He’s just fucked up both of our plans.

Before I can blink, he’s over by Tessa and pulling her up by her hair off the floor.

“Put her down!” I shout through the room, my voice echoing off the marble. I raise my gun pointing it as his head, but he pulls Tessa closer, putting his own gun to her head.

“What do you say you tell me what was in that box, Sparrow.”

I finally make myself look at Tessa, her gold eyes terrified. I see the look on her face as she realizes who we are.

“Nick, what the fuck are you doing! Let’s go, man!” Paul shouts, clearly wanting to get the fuck out of here like Nick should, too.

“Not until pretty boy gives up what he’s really after. Because it wasn’t this piece of ass. Was it?”

He’s got his gun pressed against her head, and tears are streaming down her face. She’s terrified, and she hasn’t spoken a word. My heart is nearly beating out of my chest, but my gun is straight and my aim unwavering.

“Don’t make me do it, Nick. Let her go. Now.” I don’t want to have to kill him like this, but I will.

“Nick?” Harper says from the floor, but he doesn’t turn to acknowledge her. He shoves his gun harder against Tessa’s temple.

“You tell me what was in that box, or she’s dead. I don’t give two shits about killing this bitch.”

Rage boils inside me, but I take a breath and calm myself.

“Close your eyes, little fox.” She looks at me for a half second before doing as I ask. In that quick look, I see that the trust is still there. She may not know what’s going on, but she trusts me.

“Maybe you should close yours,” Nick says, pulling his trigger.

There’s a moment of complete silence after the sound rings out, before all the women start screaming.

The sound of a second bullet reverberates around us as I pull my trigger and land a shot right between Nick’s eyes.

Before a heartbeat has passed, I’m there in front of him, catching Tessa and holding her face to get her to look at me.

“Look at me, baby. Tessa! Open your eyes.”

She opens them, looking at me and blinking rapidly. Her ears are probably ringing from the blank going off, and I’m sure she can’t hear what I’m saying. I replaced everyone’s gun but mine with blanks, knowing some stupid shit might happen.

I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder. I turn back to look at Paul.

“Stick to the plan!” I shout at him, and he bolts out the door.

Running behind him with Tessa over my shoulder, I make my way out of the bay door in time to see three of my guys loading up the cash as the other two wait with the van.

I slip off to the right and out the side door of the bay before they spot me. Once I’m outside, I see an unmarked car waiting for me. The guys have their money, so they won’t wait around, and I hear the sirens already on their way.

I open the driver side door and help Tessa in and over to the passenger seat. When she’s there and finally looks at me, I take off my mask and reach for her.

Smack.

I feel the sting of her hand across my face, and though I know I deserve it, it doesn’t make it any easier.

Reaching into the console, I pull out the insurance I had Sal drop in here for me.

“Just relax, little fox. I’ll explain everything soon enough.”

I see the shock hit her eyes when she realizes what I’ve just done, and she looks down to see the needle in her arm.

“It will be easier this way, Tessa. I promise. I love you, baby. Just sleep.”

Chapter 19

Sean

^“
Y
ou have no idea how happy I am to see you,” I say, looking up at Dimitri, who’s standing in the doorway to his private plane. “I didn’t think you’d make the trip. I was sure I’d be having a layover somewhere to meet you.”

Dimitri just shoots me a cocky grin. “It’s my little ‘fuck you’ to the FBI, even if they never even know it. Also, I’m a little anxious to get my hands on the package.”

He steps back from the doorway, revealing a tall thin man behind him. “Get their bags. We need to get out of here.” The thin man, who looks to be in his late forties and is dressed in a relaxed suit, darts down the stairs, going straight for my vehicle.

“Bring her up already.” Dimitri waves at me and disappears into the plane.

I look down at Tessa in my arms, her head against my shoulder, her auburn hair partially covering her face, and I feel my heart clench. What if she never forgives me? I was taken aback by the smack. Not that I didn’t have it coming, but it just didn’t feel like her. Tessa doesn’t have a mean bone in her body, and I drove her to that kind of anger.

Not only that. God knows the fucking nightmares she might have because of that piece of shit Nick. Maybe his death will help ease that for her. Or maybe it will just make me more of a monster in her eyes.

There was no choice in ending his life. Nick was like a dog with a fucking bone, and once he knew I’d taken something from the safety deposit box, he would have stopped at nothing until he got his hands on whatever it was.

I didn’t want him coming after us, not that he would’ve been able to find us, but it’s better this way. I hope that Heavy thinks I got scared after popping Nick and that’s why I took off. Not coming in for my share of the take. I don’t see him searching me out to give me my cut, so I’m certain our business is finished.

I take the stairs two at a time, entering the extravagant plane. I’ve been on nice planes before, even a few private ones, but none as big as this. I knew Dimitri had money, but for fuck’s sake, this is beyond that.

“There’s a bedroom.” He points to the back of the plane. “First door on your left.”

I nod, thanking him. “I’m going to lie with her until we take off so I don’t have to buckle her in.”

Dimitri just nods in response and takes a seat in one of the comfortable-looking chairs. I make my way to the back of the plane and open the bedroom door. It’s a pretty good size, and there’s a bed right in the middle of the room

I lay her down in the center of the bed, taking off her shoes, then joining her as I start to feel the plane move.

I pull her to me, burying my face in her hair, something that I find myself always doing with her now. Just the smell of her seems to calm me. I breathe her in, telling myself she’s okay. Seeing that gun to her head, even knowing it wasn’t loaded, ripped me apart inside. I’d never felt such blind rage before in my life.

Kissing the spot under her ear, I try to enjoy this moment for a little while. I know when she finally comes to, things won’t be like this anymore. I’m going to have to fight to make her want to stay with me. I can only pray that one day she will want to stay.

“Choose me,” I whisper, knowing she can’t hear me.

And I will fight to keep her until I take my last breath. I wish I could say I was unselfish enough to let her go, but I just can’t. I don’t think I could breathe without her.

I spent so many years just drifting through life, one job after another, thinking I had things figured out. Then there she was, sitting right in the middle of my exit strategy. Plans had already been made. I’d already gotten Heavy’s attention on the bank, and before I could even try to pull out, he already had his sights set on her.
My
little fox.