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Prologue: Knox
48 Hours Ago…
All’s fair in love and thievery.
It’s a motto I embrace wholeheartedly, and maybe that’s why I’m so damn good at my job. Looking around the big, round table at my fellow morally ambiguous crew, I know we all excel at certain areas when it comes to the art of theft. And I can readily admit who I am and what I do—my name is Knox Beckett and I’m a thief.
No need to mince words about my occupation. I may lie to others, but I don’t lie to myself.
Right now, we’re in the office and waiting for The Man to call. Addie said he has a job for us and I’m curious what it’ll be. No one knows his true identity, but we’ve been told we can trust him by an extremely reliable source—her mother, Angel—and she’d never let us get hurt.
I hope our blind faith doesn’t come around and bite us in the ass.
Trust is a damn hard thing to nurture among people who lie, cheat and steal for a living, but I fully trust the four people sitting at this table. Without a doubt, I know they have myback, and I have theirs. We’ve learned to work together quite efficiently, and although I don’t consider myself an adrenaline junkie, I love the high I get from a successful heist. Not quite as good as sex, but a strong contender.
I glance over at Addison Mills, better known as The Boss, or simply Addie. With beachy waves the color of sand and cobalt blue eyes, she’s an all-American beauty. But she also possesses an elegance that seems rare these days. The woman is also damn smart and an expert when it comes to dusty old antiquities. If I dug a relic out of the ground, she could tell me where it most likely came from and its approximate age, along with its value. She decides on our jobs, with some general input from us and, sometimes, The Man.
Right now, Addie is talking about some new tech gadget with Ryder McKay, who we refer to as The Diamond Man. Our gem expert identifies, evaluates and analyzes gemstones using specialized tools to determine their quality, authenticity and market value. I guess when your parents own diamond mines all over the world, it’s a skill you pick up. He also handles our tech and thinks his jokes are way funnier than they actually are, but we humor him.
Sitting between me and Ryder is Lincoln Decker. I call him Deck, but the big man is also known as Linc, The Safecracker and, when needed, The Muscle. He can open anything from safes to locks, and he excels under pressure. Maybe because he’s a former fighter and loves a good challenge. Right now, he’s drumming his fingers on the table and I’m not sure how a guy with such big hands can be so dexterous and nimble. But he always gets the goods.
Rounding out our dysfunctional little crew and sitting on my other side is The Sex Bomb, better known as BrightonLeroux. If you can imagine a raven-haired Marilyn Monroe with jade-green eyes and the lightest wisp of a French accent, that’s Brighton. The woman has the power to stop traffic with a mere smile and shake of her voluptuous hips. There’s something about her that’s absolutely magnetic, and the moment she steps into a room, she draws every eye. Seduction is her weapon, and she’s unerringly effective at wielding it to distract a target while one of us is robbing him blind. But don’t underestimate her—she is wily and intelligent. She’s also our getaway driver when necessary. Her dad is a former French pro race car driver, and she picked up quite a few tricks from him. Tricks that have saved our asses on several occasions.
Together, we’re a force to be reckoned with, and these guys are my ride or die. Even though we all come from different walks of life and backgrounds, we share a similar bond—we’re damn good at pulling off cons, heists and burglaries. We get the goods and we get the hell out.
Every. Single. Time.
Well, at least for the last three years.
Is being a thief the most noble profession? Maybe not.
But ask me if I care.
After the way I grew up, I do what I have to do. No regrets.
Honestly, I’m not sure how long this gig will last. I can’t imagine myself running around the world, attempting to pull off complicated heists when I’m sixty. But, for now, I’m going to ride this crazy train and enjoy every minute of it. When the time is right, I’ll ride off into the sunset with a healthy bank account and maybe a pretty girl on my arm.
“You look deep in thought, Knox,” Deck says, brown eyes glinting. “Got a hot date lined up?”
I smirk. “Always.”
Brighton snorts. “The real question is will she last more than a night?”
“Probably not,” I admit easily, leaning back in my chair. The front legs lift off the floor and I lace my fingers behind my head. “But is it my fault I possess an excessive amount of charm?”
“Oh, God,” Addie groans and makes a gagging sound.
Brighton kicks her boot against my chair leg and it crashes down with a thunk.
“Sometimes I think you ladies don’t appreciate me,” I tell them, pretending my feelings are hurt and giving them my puppy dog eyes.
“Save it for your next mark, Knox.” Addie flutters her long lashes at me. “B and I know you too well.”
She and Brighton exchange knowing smiles, and I just grin.You can’t bullshit a bullshitter.
“Well, let’s be honest. No one at this table has a level of relationship experience conducive to giving anyone else advice,” I say.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have no problem getting a woman,” Ryder says.