Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Alaric
My skin feels alive, at war with my mind.
The hum of the car engine thrums in my ears as Sylus navigates Koen’s G-Wagon through the Vegas streets. Annabelle’s voice floats from the passenger seat as she talks animatedly with him. It’s light, easy—a perfect distraction for them.
For me? Not so much.
I drag my thumb across the corner of my mouth absentmindedly, trying to look out the window and not obsessively watch Nova’s every tremble. Her hand is clamped around mine like a vice, her breaths uneven. She’s fidgeting with the silver bracelet on her wrist, sliding it back and forth.
I should’ve noticed earlier. Should’ve seen how much she was struggling on the drive to the Plaza. She was up front then, and I’d been so busy wrestling my own demons that I didn’t see hers clawing at her. Of course, this is hard for her, being in a car after what happened to us.
For me, cars never became the enemy. I have my own shit to carry, my own scars, but Nova? It makes sense. It fucking makes sense. And it guts me that I didn’t piece it together sooner. Another thing I’ve ruined for her.
Another way her life is harder because of me.
I squeeze her hand, trying to offer her something. Her grip tightens, but she doesn’t look at me. I hate that this is one more thing she has to fight against.
Because of me.
I shift in my seat, trying to stay calm for her. Trying to channel the steady energy she gave me earlier when we were at the Plaza.
Leaving the house had been the hardest part, but my mind had screamed at me to turn back as I climbed into the car, every nerve in my body begging to bolt. Even standing in front of the hotel, I almost cracked. Almost begged them to take me home, to let me escape this. But I didn’t. I’d clung to the breathing techniques my therapist drilled into me, pulling each inhale and exhale as a lifeline.
And then Sylus placed her hand in mine.
Her small, warm hand was all it took for the world to shift. Not completely. Not enough to make the fear vanish. But enough to make it manageable. Enough to keep me standing there instead of bolting like the coward I am.
After that, it got easier. Slowly, gradually, but it was easier. There was stuff to do, things to check, places to inspect. Annabelle to evaluate.
Annabelle, who’s laughing now at some joke Sylus made, her voice spilling into the car, sounding like sunshine. I like her. I really fucking like her. She’s exactly the kind of friend Nova deserves—loyal, sharp, and unshakably in her corner.
Still, my focus is on Nova. My girl.
She’s my motivation for everything now. Every step I take, every time I push myself further than I think I can go, it’s because of her. And if she’s with me, I can do fucking anything.
The car finally comes to a stop in the garage, and I let out a quiet breath of relief, not for me, but for Nova. As much as I hate letting go of her hand, I release her grip to push the car door open and step out. The cool air of the garage hits me like a balm, but it’s nothing compared to the warmth that shoots through me when she reaches out for my hand again as soon as we’re standing side by side.
Fuck if I’d ever let this hand go.
Her fingers slip into mine as though they’re meant to be there, and together, we walk into the house, the faint smell of soy sauce and sesame oil greeting us as we step through the door. Voices come from the living room, and Nova squeezes my hand as we head toward the sound, finding the twins, Nicholas, and Ezra sprawled out on the couch and armchairs around a ridiculous amount of takeout containers.
Levi spots us first, springing up from his spot beside Ezra, the motion making Pebble flutter her wings indignantly. “Whoa there, little one,” Levi murmurs, steadying the pigeon with a practiced hand before flashing us his trademark grin. “Hey, guys! Annabelle. So good to see you again.”
Annabelle freezes, her eyes darting between Levi and Nova like she’s trying to confirm reality. Her hands fly to her cheeks, and she whisper-shouts to Nova, “Levi Lane knows my name!”
Levi chuckles. “Of course, I know my bestie’s bestie’s name.”
“Bestie, huh?” Nova arches a brow, her lips curving into an amused smirk. “What, you’re not mad at me anymore?”
I glance at Nova. I know my girl. That outburst from Levi after she got caught has been weighing on her. She’d never admit it outright, never let it show, but it’s been there. It was clear as day, at least to me.
“No.” Levi’s grin falters for half a second before he steps closer. “I was a damn dick for how I reacted. I’m sorry.”
I choke on air. “ You’re sorry?”
Levi Lane apologizing? That’s gotta be a first.
Levi’s gaze flicks to Ezra, and his grin returns, though this time it’s softer, more genuine. “Yeah. I’m pretty blissed out right now, so everything’s nice and shiny.”
Nova lets out a huff of laughter, but my focus shifts to Ezra. He’s sitting there, watching me with what I can only describe as a smile. Not his usual expression of annoyance or judgment, but an actual small, genuine smile.
What the actual fuck?
I blink at him, and he gives the barest shrug as if this is totally normal like it’s not throwing me for a goddamn loop that he’s treating me with everything other than dislike for once.
Koen stands next and walks up to us. “Hey, Annabelle. How are you?”
Annabelle’s jaw drops, and she turns to Nova with wide eyes, pointing at Koen like she needs confirmation. Nova huffs again, clearly amused. “Yeah, Koen Lane knows your fucking name too. Get over it.”
Koen chuckles, leaning down to press a quick kiss to Nova’s temple. “That’s what happens when you’re with celebrities,” he teases.
Annabelle stares at him, then at me, Sylus, and finally, Nicholas, who’s watching the whole interaction from where he’s sitting in the armchair. “Okay, seriously.” Her voice is tinged with disbelief as she looks back at Nova. “Girl, you’re hot as fuck, but they are ridiculously handsome. Like, how did you bag all four of them?”
“She didn’t bag us.” Sylus snickers. “We bagged her.”
Koen adds with a smirk, “It was a group effort.”
Nova rolls her eyes, but her lips twitch like she’s fighting back a smile. “Why are you guys all here, anyway?” She looks pointedly at Nicholas, and yes, I’d also love to know why he’s here. I don’t know him, but Koen said Nova has a crush on him, so he has to be somewhat decent. I trust her judgment.
Nicholas leans casually against the back of the armchair, his face neutral with a flicker of humor in his eyes. The fact that he didn’t protest that he wasn’t in her bag yet tells me all I need to know. “Same reason you are. Strategy talk.”
Ezra nods, finally speaking, “We’ve got a lot to go over. But first…” His gaze flicks to the pile of takeout containers. “Food. Then we plan.”
Nova’s hand tightens around mine again, and I glance down at her, her expression soft but tired. She looks at me like I’m her anchor, and fuck if I don’t feel the same about her.
We all settle down, the scent of Chinese takeout getting even stronger as the containers are passed around. Nova sits beside me, and her shoulder brushes mine occasionally. Probably not intentionally, but I don’t mind it at all.
This will work out.
The room quiets as we start eating, but it doesn’t last long.
“So,” Koen begins, setting his empty container on the table. “I saw Veronica today.”
All eyes snap to him. My hand stills mid-bite as the words sink in. He pauses for a moment, his gaze flicking to Nicholas before continuing. “She’s… playing nice. But it’s obviously calculated. She’s trying to pull us into this whole we’re - family act.”
Nicholas exhales sharply. “It’s not only about being friendly. She plans to lull you into a sense of trust and eventually get you to hand over financial control. And when she has it…”
“She plans to hurt the twins?” Nova speaks up.
Nicholas looks directly at her. “She didn’t say it outright, but yes. That’s her endgame. Build a connection, gain access, and when she’s in complete control… accidents happen .”
“Of course.” Levi huffs out a bitter laugh. “Fucking bitch.” His knuckles are white as they grip the edge of his plate. “If we don’t pull this off, Veronica won’t just get away. She’ll come after all of us. We’re not walking away from this without finishing it.”
Annabelle leans closer to Nova. “So this shit is serious, huh?”
“Pretty much, yes. Still time to pull out.”
Annabelle grins, the spark of mischief in her eyes as she whispers, “Never.”
“Wait until you hear what we need you to do,” I mutter, taking another bite of a dumpling.
“Oh, yeah? Then spill, Blondie.”
“Like I said,” I start, putting down my container. “We want to send a message that appears as though it’s from Veronica to make them attend. For that, we need access to their phones, which means we’re going to find them and act as a wire mob to pull it off.”
Nicholas raises an eyebrow, looking genuinely confused. “What’s a wire mob?”
“The oldest trick there is.” I shrug.
Ezra snorts, leaning forward. “That’s not called a trick. It’s called a felony.”
Levi fusses with Pebble, still perched on his shoulder. “Don’t be dramatic, Ezy.”
“It’s not dramatic.” Ezra crosses his arms. “It’s the law.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Levi waves him off. “Please, Ric, continue. Ignore our resident buzzkill.”
“All right.” Everyone’s eyes settle on me, which makes my skin crawl, but I ignore it, or at least try to. “Here’s how a wire mob works. It’s old-school, but it’s efficient.” I hold up a finger. “First, you’ve got The Steer. They scout the mark and figure out what we’re after.” I raise another finger. “Next is The Stick. Their job is to hold the mark in place. Usually, they ask for directions or start a casual conversation.” I raise a third finger. “Then comes The Shade. They block the mark’s eyeline to make the actual steal invisible, creating a cover.”
Nova nods knowingly. “Distraction and misdirection.”
“Now we get to The Mechanic.” Finger number four goes up. “They’re the one who does the dip, the actual steal. When they’ve got what they were after, The Duke comes in.” The last finger raises. “They take the stolen item and disappear immediately. If the authorities catch on, nobody left in the crew has the goods.”
“Damn.” Annabelle whistles low under her breath. “And here I thought pickpocketing was just… y’know, quick hands.”
“It’s an art form, babe.” Nova chuckles. “And Ace is practically the Picasso of pickpocketing.”
“It’s an art form when done right. You’ll be the Stick, our distraction, Annabelle. Nova will act as the Shade and Mechanic in one, tossing the phone to me. I’ll get it to Sylus, who will do his magic. Then I’ll bring it back to Nova, who has to plant it again while you’re still keeping the mark busy.”
“That’ll work.” Levi leans back, a lazy smirk on his face. “As if those guys could look anywhere but where these two beauties are standing right in front of them.”
“It could work with Foster and Blackwood, but this will never work with Belmont.” Nova lets out a breath. “I’ve already fucked that up.”
Sylus shakes his head, flashing her a reassuring grin. “That’s fine, baby. Thanks to you, I’ve got his private number, and I can do some different magic with that one.”
“So,” I continue. “We only need Foster and Blackwood. Now we just need to figure out where they’ll be at a specific time.”
Nicholas straightens. “Well, that’s easy.”
All eyes snap to him, and I raise an eyebrow. “You think so?”
“They play poker with Veronica on Tuesday nights. But I know for a fact that they always hang out in the casino beforehand while waiting for her. You’ll have at least an hour in The Heights with them.”
My eyes dart to Koen, who’s already smirking, clearly onboard. “It’s worth a try.”
“Risky as fuck,” I counter. We’d be in the lion’s den.
Koen shrugs. “Isn’t all of it?”
Well fuck, if that ain’t true.
Nicholas cleans his hands on a napkin. “Wouldn’t it be easier if we all helped?”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Harrington .” Sylus snorts, crossing his arms.
Nicholas opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off before they can start to bicker again. “You guys are too recognizable.”
Nicholas scoffs. “Copy and Paste over there are, but I’m not a celebrity.”
Annabelle’s laughter bubbles up, and she points between Levi and Koen. “Copy and Paste? Wait, who’s who?”
Nicholas smirks, pointing at Koen. “Copy’s the older one.”
Levi rolls his eyes, leaning back dramatically. “Yeah, by like three fucking minutes.”
Koen shrugs, smug as ever. “Older is older.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I interject, trying to keep them focused. “You’re still too recognizable, Nicholas, especially in your own damn hotel and casino.”
Nicholas argues under his breath, “It’s not mine. It’s my mother’s,” but he doesn’t push further.
“We’d be faster if we split up.” Annabelle sits forward. “If Nova took one guy, I could take the other.”
Nova’s grin is wide and teasing. “Did you ever pickpocket anyone, Belle?”
“Well, no.” Annabelle pouts. “But how hard can it be to learn?”
“It took me six months to get even decent at it.” Nova turns toward me, a mischievous glint in her eye. “And even after years of practicing, I’ve never reached Ace’s level. He’s a fucking magician.”
All eyes turn to me, and my cheeks heat under their scrutiny. “You’re exaggerating,” I mutter.
“I’m not,” Nova counters. “Show Annabelle and Nicholas.”
I shake my head with a smile. “Not happening.”
Koen chimes in, his arms crossing over his chest. “I’ve never actually seen a demonstration either.”
“Same.” Levi raises a hand lazily, smirking. “Consider this a request.”
“Guys, I haven’t done shit like that in years. Maybe I was good when we were teens, but—”
Nova cuts me off with a pout, her lips pushing out in that irresistibly cute way that absolutely wrecks me.
Today’s already been a marathon of pushing limits—leaving the house, walking through a crowded plaza. Every second had my brain screaming at me to bolt, to find safety, to shut everything out. But I stayed. I held Nova’s hand, and I stayed. For her.
And now, here with all their eyes on me. The idea of reaching out and deliberately touching someone else to demonstrate a skill I haven’t used in years, feels impossible. But there’s no time to take a breather, no room to ease into things. Not even two weeks. That’s all we’ve got, then everything comes crashing down, and every single piece of this has to be perfect.
If I’m going to do this, there’s only one way.
I press a quick kiss to Nova’s pout, unable to resist, making her eyes go wide, and my heart flutters with contentment before standing with a sigh. “All right,” I start, my voice steady despite the chaos inside me. “Let’s start with the basics. Distraction and shade.” I turn to Nova. “You’re up.”
“Me?” she asks, her tone laced with amusement.
“Yeah, you.” I gesture her forward. “Who better to test my skills on than the queen of steals herself?”
Everyone leans in, the room buzzing with anticipation as she stands in front of me. It’s like they’re expecting a magic show, and hell, maybe they’re not wrong.
“Distraction,” I teasingly say as I take a deliberate step closer to Nova. “It’s all about misdirection. Drawing the mark’s attention away from what you’re doing. Shade is what creates the cover, making the move invisible. It’s about timing, choreography, and confidence.”
I wouldn’t even consider what I’m about to do with anyone else, it wouldn’t work, not like this. Half the skill lies in knowing, or at least sizing up, your mark. And I know my girl better than anyone.
Her lips part, a flicker of curiosity in her gaze, but when I step closer, the space between us shrinks to something electric. I don’t touch her, don’t even lift a hand, but my presence alone seems to pull her focus. Her eyes dart to mine, and I see the faint rise and fall of her chest quicken.
Her throat bobs as she swallows, and I catch the slightest hitch in her breath. I shift closer still, not breaking eye contact, and her pupils dilate.
“Do you know what’s distracting me right now?” I ask.
“What?” she whispers, her voice catching as if she isn’t sure she wants to hear the answer.
“You.” My eyes flick briefly to her lips, just long enough for her to notice before returning to hers. It’s subtle, a calculated move, and I see the way she sways ever so slightly toward me, like gravity itself is shifting.
And that’s when I move.
My hand dips behind her, gliding only close enough to her back pocket without brushing her skin. She’s so focused on me, on my face, my voice, the tension between us that the phone slides free with no resistance.
I step back and hold her phone up between us like a prize. “That’s distraction.”
Sylus lets out a sharp whistle, leaning back in his chair with a laugh. “Ric, you smooth bastard. I don’t know whether to be impressed or terrified.”
Nova crosses her arms, but there’s no hiding the way her lips twitch into a reluctant smile. “You’re a jerk.”
“And you’re so easy to distract,” I counter and toss the phone back to her. She catches it mid-air.
The adrenaline of the steal hums in my chest, but it’s the way she looks at me that has my blood running hot. Damn, I was addicted to this eight years ago, and suddenly I’m right back to craving her.
“All right, what else you got?” Koen smirks, bringing me out of my head.
“Chest pocket steals,” I say, eyes still on Nova’s green ones. “They’re all about hiding the motion. Problem is, you don’t have a chest pocket.”
Nicholas stands abruptly, unbuttoning his shirt. Annabelle lets out a low whistle when he’s left bare-chested.
“Now that’s teamwork,” she teases, earning a sharp glare from Nova that only makes her chuckle.
Nicholas steps up behind Nova, draping the shirt over her shoulders. She pulls it on without hesitation, buttoning it to keep it closed. While she adjusts the shirt, her focus momentarily distracted, I slip her phone from the back pocket of her jeans again and smoothly place it into the chest pocket of Nicholas’s shirt. When she notices, her sharp look meets my grin, and I can’t help the chuckle that escapes me.
I rest a hand lightly on her shoulder, right above the chest pocket. “Do you still have your matchbox?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Let me see it, please.” I extend my free hand.
Nova reaches into her jeans pocket, pulling out the small metal matchbox I haven’t seen in years. It’s still the same. As she moves to hand it over, I let it slip from my grasp, the box tumbling to the carpeted floor.
“Oh no.” I feign exaggerated dismay.
She narrows her eyes suspiciously but leans down to retrieve it. As she does, I dip the hand I had resting on her shoulder into the chest pocket of the shirt, retrieving her phone without a hitch. When she straightens, I’m already holding it out between us with a smug grin.
“Dammit.”
Annabelle lets out a low whistle. “This time, the movement did the work, didn’t it?”
“Exactly.” I nod, handing the phone back to Nova. “Let the mark do the work. Kinetic energy does half the job for you. And timing? Timing is everything.”
“All right, Houdini, what’s next?” Sylus chimes in with a smirk.
“Well, those are probably the main ways to snag those phones.”
“But we want to see more.” Annabelle pouts, jutting out her lip in exaggerated disappointment, but it does absolutely nothing to me.
Then I glance at Nova.
She leans in, whispering, “Come on, show them.”
And that? That does everything to me.
Nicholas is back in his seat, but I’ve already clocked the hotel card badge clipped to his belt. Perfect. “Would you mind lending me the badge for a second?”
“Oh, oh!” Annabelle snickers. “Need him to lend her the pants to go with it?”
“Easy there, Blondie.” Sylus smirks, leaning back with a shake of his head. “This isn’t Euphoria , and no one wants to see that.”
Annabelle and Nova, in perfect unison, shoot back, “ Speak for yourself. ”
Pebble lets out a soft coo as if agreeing, and Levi laughs so hard he nearly dislodges the bird.
Nicholas, his cheeks tinged with a faint red, unclips the badge and tosses it over without a word. I catch it easily and reach for Nova, brushing the shirt aside to clip it onto one of the belt loops of her jeans.
When I glance up, she’s smiling at me, her eyes warm with amusement. All this proximity should send my nerves into overdrive, but with her, it doesn’t. Instead, it feels right, natural.
“Sometimes, you don’t hide what you’re stealing. You highlight it. We call this painting it red .” Pebble flutters her wings on Levi’s shoulder, drawing Nova’s gaze for a fraction of a second. By the time her focus snaps back to me, I’m already gripping the badge with deliberate flair, lifting it slightly. “Nice badge, Mr. Harrington,” I tease, shooting Nova a crooked grin.
“Thanks,” she says dryly, narrowing her eyes at me, though there’s a playful glint in them. “Got it from my mama.”
Koen snorts from behind us.
“That’s the spirit!” I snap my fingers, pointing at Koen, the sound masking the subtle click as the badge detaches. Nova’s head swivels toward Koen instinctively, and when her gaze snaps back to me, I’m holding up the badge between us. “Did you feel it?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “But I knew it was coming. I pulled that move a few days ago.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You did?”
“Told you I slipped a badge from an employee at the Heights.”
Nicholas and Koen, in perfect harmony, exclaim, “You did what ?”
I smirk, tossing the badge back to Nicholas over Nova’s head. “That’s my girl,” I say, and God, the way her smile blooms, as if I’ve handed her the world, makes every damn thing worth it.
My gaze catches the glint of the bracelet on her wrist, which she’s absently toying with. Perfect.
“Next, we’ve got bracelets.” I brush my fingers lightly against her wrist, watching her pulse quicken at her throat as they glide up her arm. “Stealing them isn’t only sleight of hand. It’s about conditioning the mark.”
Nova takes some deep breaths, her eyes locked on my face.
“You touch them a few times, get them comfortable with the sensation. Flirting works best here.” I smile at her while my fingers glide back down, tracing the bracelet. “You’re beautiful today.” She gives me a look , but there is a tint of red on her cheeks. “Once they’re used to it, their brain stops flagging the touch as unusual.” My thumb slides beneath the clasp. “Separate it just enough.” I open it with a soft press. “Then, slide it off.”
Nova’s lips curve. “I want that back, Mr. Pickpocket.”
“Of course.” I grin, holding the bracelet up before slipping it back onto her wrist. “But yeah, watches and bracelets are tricky. You have to hide everything, the steal, the motion, the intent, and the sensation, all at once.”
“Oh, she’s got plenty of practice with watches,” Levi cuts in, his tone dripping with teasing amusement. “Isn’t that right, Little Bird?”
“Is that so?” I tease, the memory of Koen looking utterly slack-jawed when she stole his watch flashing through my mind.
I will forever be grateful that happened because it brought her back to me.
She shrugs with feigned nonchalance. “Maybe.”
As if I didn’t already know. Stealing watches has been her favorite pastime since we were teenagers. Hell, she must have swiped my Rolex a thousand times.
I brush my bare wrist absentmindedly, the familiar weight long gone.
Damn, I miss that golden chunk of a watch.
But I guess they gave it to my father when I ended up in the hospital.
Nicholas holds up his wrist. “Want my watch too?”
“Smartwatch?” Nova crinkles her nose. “No thanks.”
Koen and Sylus chuckle as Nicholas mumbles defensively, “I like to track my fitness stats.”
“All right then.” Levi grins, clearly enjoying the exchange. “What’s your favorite?”
Nova doesn’t hesitate. “Rolex.”
I laugh softly, shaking my head.
“Not a Rolex, but apparently good enough since you swiped it once,” Koen pulls off his vintage Patek Philippe, which is worth more than a fucking Rolex, and tosses it to me.
I put it on Nova’s wrist before I take her hand in mine. “Traditional wristband watches are another level. It’s all about manipulating attention. Broad distractions won’t cut it. You need finesse.”
I slowly trace the edge of the watch. “You split their focus, talk to them, touch them, give them something to fixate on, or—”
“ Or …” Nova interrupts, her smirk widening into a playful challenge. “You just skip the fuss and use your thumb.”
“True, but that’s riskier.” I meet her gaze, a grin tugging at my lips. “The mark could look down at any moment.”
“Not if you’re good.” Her voice drops to a teasing lilt. “Or if you’ve got your tits in their face.”
The room erupts with laughter, but my focus stays locked on her, the way her smirk plays at the corners of her lips, daring me.
Fuck, I love this girl.
With a single fluid motion, I use my thumb as she suggested, and I release her wrist, Koen’s watch now spinning effortlessly between my fingers.
“You’re incredible, Ace,” Nova murmurs, the words hitting me harder than they should.
“Understatement of the century,” Sylus chimes in from somewhere behind her, but I barely register it.
Nova’s eyes never leave mine. “Told you he’s the best.”
Her pride in me is a weight and a gift all at once, settling in my chest and chasing away the years of feeling like a ghost, a half-formed version of myself.
With her looking at me that way, as though I’m more than my scars and my mistakes, I don’t simply feel alive again.
I feel whole.
And maybe even brave enough to become the man she already thinks I am.