Chapter Twenty-One Marked #2
We stand there, staring down at each other trying to see who would blink first. My breathing was erratic, my heart couldn’t possibly beat any faster. He tattooed me, something so permanent, something so visible. The entire world would be able to see it.
I felt branded. Stamped as his property. I’d never been able to get rid of him, even if he left me alone. I’d always look down at the black ink on my hand and be reminded of how dark his eyes are or the way he smells pressed against me.
That’s why he did this. So a piece of me would always belong to him.
“I’m about to go grab some lotion, this is like premium porn.” Rook announces, making it clear that we are not alone in the bottom of this mausoleum.
“I’m leaving.” I shove my shoulder into Alistair’s chest, pushing past him and towards the stairs. I’m stopped from proceeding by Silas, who doesn’t say a word to me. Only crossing his arms in front of the exit and looking down at me with a blank look.
“You walk out of here, you and your uncle can start packing your shit.”
My spine stiffens as I grind my teeth, curving my head to look over my shoulder,
“Excuse me?”
“We need someone to help us get into a safe. If you don’t want to help, that’s fine. But you can kiss that scholarship goodbye and Thomas can go ahead and start searching for another teaching job.” He says with little emotion in his tone.
Alistair was not bluffing, he could easily pull the strings needed to kick me out. His father and mother are on the school board, with a snap of his fingers not only my life, but Thomas’s life could be ruined.
He’d worked so hard to get himself out of the gutter. To go to school and better himself, only for me to come here and ruin it for him? To take away all the things he worked for within a blink of an eye?
“A safe? What makes you think I can help? I don’t even know how to do that!” I lie straight through my teeth. The only thing he knew I stole was his ring, I didn’t think he knew anything else.
“You can run from you past, but not your criminal record.” Rook says, lighting a cigarette, and releasing the smoke from his mouth.
I felt exposed. Vulnerable as they all looked at me. Every one of them knew everything about me and I only knew what the papers said about them. I was at a severe disadvantage.
“Well there is your answer. If I have a record, obviously I’m not good at stealing.” Another lie.
All of the times I’d been arrested or caught was when I was young, before I’d perfected the art of thievery.
Depending on the safe I knew I could easily crack inside of it.
I just needed time and a stethoscope. But I didn’t want to help these guys.
I didn’t want to help them with anything.
I did not want anything to do with whatever it was they had gotten themselves involved in.
Some type of gang, drugs, murder, I didn’t want any of it.
“I’m gonna have to sadly agree. How exactly do we know she can do what we need? She’s an illiterate, poorly dressed hick. Would bad be out of the realm of possibilities here?” Thatcher’s voice is starting to sound more and more annoying, the itch to punch him was building by the second.
“Steal his wallet.”
I turn to Alistair, lifting an eyebrow, “I can’t.”
“Okay then, leave. Kiss your future out of the slums goodbye. You’ll be on a plane tomorrow.”
I had to make a choice. I had to make it right now.
Help them, then be done with it. They would leave me alone because they knew I wouldn’t say anything because if I did, they would throw me under the bus with them. This was their way of dirtying my hands right along with theirs.
I would be just as guilty now.
Or I went home. I left this place and all my hopes and dreams go down the drain.
“I can’t steal his wallet right now. That’s not how it works.” I lick my bottom lip, trying to give myself some moisture, I could barely breathe without feeling like cotton balls were stuck in my throat.
“I wouldn’t just go up to a guy and say, hey I’m gonna steal your wallet. I have to catch him off guard.”
“See I told you, she’s a liar.”
Fed up with Thatcher’s mouth, I lunge at him, shoving him hard with two hands. My emotions were so high, the slightest movement would have set me off. My explosion of rage moves his tall body only a little. Pissing me off even more, but I got my message across.
“Will you just do it.” Alistair orders, ignoring my outburst.
Annoyed, tired, and wanting to get this over with. I take a breath, walking closer to him while he watches my every move like a hawk. Yeah, this is definitely the ideal situation to jack someone’s wallet.
“I just walk up to the guy, avoid eye contact, step to the side,” I act out everything I’m explaining, looking at the ground as I step across Thatcher’s body, “Look them in the eye once, then boom I’m gone,”
I stride past him, spinning on my heels to face everyone once again. Holding my hands out as if to Tada at the end of a magic trick. Thatcher reaches into his pants, pulling out his wallet, wiggling it around in the air.
“It’s still there, swine. See I told you, let’s just get rid—”
“Check the inside.” I say with a smug look on my face. I swing my arms behind myself as he does it, opening the billfold only to find it empty. Reaching carefully into my back pocket, I pull out a couple hundred-dollar bills.
“It’s all about the distraction,” I hum as the crisp bills slide along my fingers as I count them out loud.
When I shoved Thatcher I’d easily jacked the wallet. Slipping my hand into his pocket and getting the billfold before he even realized what was happening. To everyone else it just looked like I was fed up with his shit, which I was, but it also gave me a way in.
Then I’d snuck it right back inside where I found out, only empty. The money looking pretty in my hands. I toss the Benjamins into the air towards him, watching them flutter around the space, falling onto the dirty floor.
I didn’t want to do this. This was not something I imagined for myself after leaving Texas. I wanted to leave the stealing behind me and maybe I could after this. When this was all over, I could have the fresh start I needed.
I just had to make a deal with a group of devils first.
“So, what safe am I breaking into?”