Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Alaric
The phone screen glows in my hand, my thumb hovering over it as I wait for Koen’s update. I lean back against the headboard with Jinx curled up at my side, her green eyes half-closed as I absentmindedly stroke her fur. The room is quiet, but my nerves aren’t. Every second feels longer than it is, time stretching like taffy while I wait for updates.
“She’s not moving.” Koen’s voice crackles through my earbuds, distorted by the background noise of the Strip, the crowd’s chatter, the distant roar of traffic, and the occasional burst of laughter. “She’s just… standing there, like she’s daydreaming.”
I frown, my fingers tapping idly against the back of my phone.
What the hell is she doing?
“You think she’s scared to cozy up to Belmont?” I ask, catching myself running my palm up and down my thigh, a nervous habit I’m far too familiar with.
“No, it literally looks like she’s deep in thought. Maybe she’s trying to figure out how to do this. ”
“Or overthinking it,” I mutter, my lips twitching as I type out a quick message to her.
Tick-tock.
I watch the screen, waiting for a response, an odd mix of amusement and irritation running through me. The damn anticipation is exhilarating and infuriating.
I don’t have all day.
Well, maybe I technically do, but she doesn’t need to know that.
The real problem is that I don’t like having Koen out there, exposed, watching her from a distance while I sit here. I know he has a black hat pulled low and sunglasses on, blending in as much as possible, but even with his best attempts at being incognito, there’s always a risk of him being recognized and harassed.
“What did you tell her?” Koen asks, a chuckle breaking through the line. “She rolled her eyes dramatically. But hey, at least she’s moving now.” I hear the smile in his voice, and a small one tugs at my own lips in response.
“Just gave her a little push,” I mutter, brushing my fingers over Jinx’s fur, and her head nudges my palm. Like a domino effect, Koen’s amusement trickled all the way to the cat.
“We’re heading toward the Plaza now,” Koen updates, the ambient sounds from his end growing more muffled as he moves.
I nod, even though he can’t see me. I won’t say it, but I’m thankful for him being out there for me, being my eyes today when I can’t be.
Because leaving the house…
The thought alone, the idea of standing in the middle of all those people, the press of bodies, the unpredictability of the crowd, people dodging around me, brushing past, I suppress a shudder imagining it, even as my skin crawls.
My phone buzzes in my hand, a message coming through. I glance at the screen, expecting her, but it’s Sylus.
The car is where you wanted it. Locked.
Thank you, Sy.
A tiny flicker of warmth flickers to life inside me that feels a little like belonging. They’ve all got me.
“Sylus parked the Mustang next to the Bellagio,” I tell Koen, leaning back and stroking Jinx again.
“Perfect. She’s spotted Belmont. He’s at the outside bar. She’s hanging back, watching him. Seems as if she’s scoping him out before making a move.”
“Good,” I murmur, more to myself than to Koen. I want her to take her time. Assess the situation, feel out the angles. That’s what I would do.
“Belmont looks pretty damn bored.”
“Bored, huh? That could work in her favor.” The guy is too used to being entertained, never having to work for anything. Maybe he’s ripe for the picking.
“Remind me why we need his number again?” Koen’s voice is edged with skepticism. “We’ve got his business line from when Levi invited him to the birthday party, right?”
“We do, but Sy wants his private one. He wants to try to track Belmont’s location. He thinks Veronica’s screwing around with Belmont. Even if she’s not, it wouldn’t hurt to know his whereabouts…” I pause, thinking it through. “Could give us leverage. A safety net.”
“He thinks they’re screwing?” Koen laughs. “She’s here, too, and right now, it looks more like he’s too afraid to even look her in the eyes. ”
“Hey, I don’t know. It’s Sylus’s theory, but getting Belmont’s number only has perks for the plan.”
Koen lets out a small hum of acknowledgment. “If we even get that far. She still has to get the damn card.”
“Well…” I sigh, tapping my thumb against my thigh, “… that’s what today’s about, isn’t it? Seeing if she’s got what it takes.”
Maybe she does.
Hope. A sliver of it.
This could actually work.
Koen goes quiet for a moment, and I know he’s watching her, analyzing her moves, reading her in the way only he can.
“She’s approaching him now,” he says eventually. “She’s got that look… that confidence. Not forced, either. Natural.”
I swallow, my grip on the phone tightening as I close my eyes, trying to picture it. Her . Even though I have no idea what she looks like.
“What’s she doing now?” I ask, perhaps too soon to come off as casual. I even consider asking him to send a photo of what’s happening, but I refrain. My curiosity is starting to get the better of me.
“She’s not overdoing it. Casual, like she’s just there for a drink. I’ll try to get closer to hear what they say when she starts talking him up.”
The sound gets muffled again, and all I can do is wait.
God, I hate waiting.
Jinx yawns, stretching one paw out, then tucks it back under herself, entirely unimpressed by the unfolding drama.
“He’s not paying her any mind yet.” Koen sucks in a breath. “Wait… there it is. Fuck me, that was a bold move. She just demanded he look at her. And he did.”
“She did what? ”
What the fuck?
Maybe she isn’t what we need after all. Can’t have her go around and fuck shit up for us with her conceitedness.
“She’s telling him what to do. And… holy shit… he’s doing it.” Koen’s voice is tinged with something that almost sounds like admiration. “His body language changed. He’s curious now, leaning in. She’s… got him . He’s standing there like a deer caught in headlights, and now I can see it too.” Koen huffs a laugh. “Oh my God, he’s into that shit.”
She figured that out before Koen did?
“Sounds like she’s better than you thought?”
“She’s better than you thought,” he retorts with a hint of amusement. “He’s giving her his card. Jesus, she’s even got him writing down another number on it. Probably his private one like you wanted.”
Impressive.
“What now? Is she leaving?”
“No, she’s… holy shit,” Koen’s voice cracks with disbelief. “She called him a good boy .”
I can’t help it. My lips twitch, and a laugh bursts free. “No way.”
“I swear to God. He’s eating it up. He handed her his card. And… yeah, she’s walking away. Ric, she’s got it.”
“Fuck.”
“Fuck indeed.” There’s a moment of static, then urgency. “Wait… she’s darting off. I gotta move, or I’ll lose her.”
“Crowded on the Strip?”
“When is it not?”
My phone buzzes in my hand, vibrating against my palm. I glance down, and the image of Belmont’s business card fills the screen, his scrawled handwriting adding a number and a hasty ‘ call me ’ on the back.
Ew .
The word slips into my mind unbidden, my lip curling.
What a desperate fuck.
I forward the image to Sylus when another message from her comes in.
Maybe you’ve got a shot with him after all, Captain Bossy.
He’s a little sub.
Captain Bossy?
I stare at the words, the corners of my lips twitching upward despite myself.
What a little brat.
The audacity of her, she’s risking everything out there, and here she is, giving me a nickname as though this is some kind of game.
I type back quickly, my fingers a blur over the keys.
Ready for the next one?
Bring it.
Good.
Belmont was only the warm-up. The real task is next. If she can’t pull a switcheroo off, she won’t be of any use to us. If she can… well, maybe she’s got a place in our plans after all.
I tap out the next set of instructions.
Switch the Elvis sunglasses with the sunglasses of one of the security guards at The Harrington Heights Casino.
You want me to flirt my way through security now ?
My eyes narrow at the message. I can almost hear the sarcasm in her voice. I type back quickly and curtly.
If that’s what it takes.
I honestly don’t care how you do it. Just do it.
I drop my phone to my lap, exhaling slowly as I lean back against the headboard.
“She’s moving again.” My earbuds crackle, and Koen’s voice filters in. “Making her way toward the Harrington Heights. You’re really going to make her steal from a security guard?”
“Yes.” My answer is immediate. She needs to prove herself. Not only to me but to the others and, most importantly, to herself. If she can’t handle this, then what the hell are we even doing here?
“You’re relentless, Ric.” There’s a chuckle in Koen’s voice, and I can tell he’s moving again, the noise of the Strip growing louder in the background. “I think she’s up for it, though. The way she handled Belmont…”
It’s true, she’s already better than I expected. I’d wanted her to succeed, sure, but there was still a part of me that doubted she would, that she’d stumble, that her cockiness would cost her.
Except she didn’t stumble.
“Yeah, well,” I mutter, trying to downplay the way my chest tightens at Koen’s words. “She’s got one more to go before we’re impressed.”
Koen hums a noncommittal sound. “This one’s riskier.” His voice has shifted, losing some of its earlier lightness. “The guards there aren’t only for show, and you know Veronica’s got them on high alert these days.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, willing away the anxiety that gnaws at the edges of my thoughts. He’s right. The Harrington Heights Casino isn’t some dime-a-dozen tourist trap. It’s Veronica’s fortress, her domain, and every inch of it is under scrutiny. However, if that girl wants to be part of our crew, she needs to prove she can handle pressure. More than that, she needs to show she’s not afraid to push boundaries.
“She’ll do it…” I say, keeping my voice steady, letting my confidence in our tests for this girl show. “Or she’s out.”
There’s no room for doubt, not for her and definitely not for me. This is the only way forward for her, the plan, all of us.
Koen doesn’t reply right away, but the shuffle of his feet, the movement of people around him echo over the line. “She’s approaching now,” he says quietly, almost as if he’s speaking more to himself than to me. “Goddamn. She’s fearless. Look at that swagger. She’s already got his attention.”
I lean forward, gripping the phone tighter, wishing, if only for a moment, that I could be there, too, watching her to see the way she moves. Apparently, she’s a force, whether she knows it or not. And maybe that’s what I’m scared of most.
Because forces like her, they’re unstoppable. They’re also unpredictable. She could make or break us. And I need to know, before anything else, which way she’s going to go.
“She’s flirting,” Koen continues. “Classic shit, really. She’s got her hand on his chest… oh, he’s folding, Ric. This guy’s melting right in front of her.” That makes me chuckle. “He’s taking the bait,” Koen murmurs, his tone growing more impressed by the second. “She’s got the glasses. And… she swapped them out without him even noticing.”
A beat of silence stretches between us, and something in my chest unclenches. Relief. Pride.
Fuck, maybe both .
That was fucking quick. “She’s done?”
“Yep. She’s walking away now, and… oh man, he put the Elvis glasses on, and she took a stealthy picture of him. He’s looking around, but she’s already gone.”
My phone buzzes with two messages from her. Two pictures. One of some aviators in her hand, and the other of the security guard wearing Elvis glasses.
A laugh bursts out of me, louder than I intended, surprising me.
“Did she send you the picture?” Koen asks.
“Yep,” I say, forwarding it to him. A few seconds later, he chuckles.
Another buzz.
You’re welcome.
Took you long enough.
I know she’s rolling her eyes at me, even without seeing her. I can almost hear the exasperated huff she’s probably making, and it’s enough to make me smile like a dork.
You could at least say thank you.
Don’t push it.
“That only leaves the last test,” I mutter, my thumb hovering over the screen. Let’s see if she’s got the nerve to do what needs to be done when it counts.
I take a breath and type.
There’s a red Mustang parked in the lot near the Bellagio, right off Las Vegas Boulevard.
I want you to steal it.
The silence stretches as I wait for her response, my throat tight with something that feels close to guilt. Jinx shifts beside me, her gaze fixed on me, unblinking as if she knows what I’m doing, what I’m asking of this stranger—stealing a car in the midst of the Strip in broad daylight?
It’s a lot.
Koen is quiet, too, the silence between us thick with tension. The seconds tick by, and I can feel my heart pounding, each beat echoing in my ears.
Then my phone vibrates.
Forget it.
Can’t do it?
Won’t.
Ah, because you can’t.
I’m pushing her, testing her limits, seeing if she’ll break. It’s cruel, maybe, but necessary.
Fuck you.
“Ric, she’s stopped.” Koen’s voice comes through. “She’s… she looks pissed.”
You’re useless to us if you can’t even steal a car.
I don’t need you. Can you say the same?
A reluctant smile pulls at my lips, even as the tension winds tighter inside me. There she is. The fire, the bite. But I need more. I need her to do this.
What I need is to know that you can steal a car.
Trust me, I can.
I don’t trust you with shit.
A beat. Silence. And then.
Test is over. Find someone else.
My stomach twists.
Shit.
“Well, I fucked up,” I mutter, and Koen lets out a sharp curse on the other end.
“She’s fucking walking away,” he spits out, clearly frustrated.
I swallow hard. “Where is she going?”
“I don’t know, on the move, heading away from the Heights. I’m trying to follow, but she’s quick. She’s… wait…”
The sound shifts abruptly like he’s shoved the phone into his pocket. The line crackles with static, and then, barely audible, her voice filters through. It’s faint, distorted, like a conversation heard underwater, but the anger in her tone is unmistakable.
“What? Are you going to make me do it? Compel me into stealing that fucking car?”
The words sting, even through the muffle. She’s seething, the heat of her fury bleeding through the crackling line.
“Fuck,” I mutter, closing my eyes, pressing the heel of my free hand to my forehead.
Did I screw this up for us?
The plan is hanging by a thread now, and that thread is her.
I replay the scene in my head, trying to pinpoint where it went wrong. Maybe it’s the risk, the demand itself .
Stealing a car in broad daylight with thousands of people around is a hell of a gamble. And truthfully, it’s not like she’d actually need to do that for the plan. It’s what I’ll have to do. This one was only to test her, see if she could break into a car, if she had the balls to do it. Maybe I pushed too hard. Maybe I’ve been too focused on the damn plan to realize I overstepped a line.
Her voice cuts through the static again, sharper now, though barely reaching me.
“I fucking dare you. Because if you do, it’ll be the last thing you ever do to me. You’ll never see me again.”
A challenge.
A threat.
A promise.
And she means every single word. She’ll leave. She’ll disappear, and there won’t be any pulling her back. No mending what I’ve broken.
Koen’s silence hangs heavy down the line. He’s probably feeling the same helplessness as me.
The phone muffles, then his voice comes through, dry and biting. “Well, that went well. See you at home.” He hangs up, pissed off.
Fuck. This is my fault.