Page 11 of Broken

It was as if she were reading my movements and could sense that I wasn't fully up to par. Suddenly, I was feeling a little cold on top of having no strength left in my arms. The gun began to waver a little more. My little thief seemed to take advantage and started to move from behind the desk, still clutching the rock in her hand.

"Your hand is shaking...like you're a newborn," a frown was starting to crease her face, and she started to slowly advance on me.

"Stay the fuck back," I commanded her.

However, my little thief didn’t care about what I was saying. Suddenly, it felt like my body was giving out and my control over my hands went nonexistent. I heard her let out a yelp as I tumbled to the floor.

My body met the carpet with a hard thud, but I couldn't register too much, only that the gun was no longer in my hand. As the thief stood over me, the soft light of the lamp illuminated her features even more, I noted her eyes were almond shaped and she had a small button like nose with plump lips. She got down on her knees beside me and I watched as she pulled her hands from the gloves she wore.

Maybe she was smart, after all.

No fingerprints, no trail.

Not that I could call the police anyway, because how could I explain a lost jewel of Catherine the Great in my safe. It was valued at over thirty-two million dollars and had been in Safaryan family since before my father immigrated here. The gem was how we back our power and our money, something we could liquidate if needed. Very few people even knew that it was in our possession.

"Going to kill me?" I rasped out, realizing I was at this woman's mercy.

She squinched up her face, frowning as if in disbelief. "I steal, I don't kill."

I bit out a chuckle. "Shame, because I do the opposite."

She touched my forehead and then snatched her hand back. "Well killer boy...you're burning up."

"A thief with a conscious, I don't believe it." My breath seemed to be whistling.

I was starting to wish I'd never even gotten out of bed. Hell, she could have robbed me blind because at this moment I didn't care.

"Where's your bedroom?" she asked.

"Why...do you want to have your way with me?"

She frowned again, "As if, sir. I'm trying to do the right thing and get you to your bed. No need to add a murder charge if I get caught. You've already seen my face."

I mumbled something about where my room was. It was a struggle, especially with her slender frame, but she helped me up and got me to my feet. For a few moments, I used the wall to brace myself before stumbling to the door.

Finally, she got me to my bed.

"You know...I'm going to find you," I said after taking a sip of water.

My little thief was watching me from the bottom of the bed. We locked eyes, and I realized now that I could see her a little better. She was painstakingly beautiful.

"I'm a thief," she stated. "We tend to disappear into the night. I was never here,” she said.

I grunted, my head feeling both heavy and dizzy at the same time. "To steal from the Bratva is to wish for punishment, little thief."

The pillow beneath my head felt like a cloud. The water had soothed my throat, which had started to feel itchy and dry. A slight yawn escaped from between my lips.

"You'll never find me," I heard her state as the door closed.

“You can run, little thief, to the farthest ends of the earth, but in the end...I will punish you,” I thought as sleep came over me.

I will find you...