Page 13 of Prettiest Little Thief (Band of Thieves #1)

“I have to tell Lucas,” Fox said. He stood tall in my room with his hands in the pockets of his black slacks.

“No. Please, Fox. He can’t know. He’ll ruin it with his control freak attitude.”

“You realize that I could lose my job if I don’t tell him?” he asked. A dark brow raised. “It’s important that he knows of any plans we have. I was chewed out enough after we met up with Evie.”

“Pfft. Like he would get rid of his best friend. Come on. Just this once. When I have the relic in hand, he’ll be so happy he won’t even think about being pissed off at you. Or me, for that matter.” I gave Fox a big smile that I was sure didn’t reach my eyes.

“Lucas can and he will get rid of me. Best friend or not.”

“I don’t believe that.” I tapped my fingernail on my thigh, waiting for his response.

After a moment, Fox let out a sigh and his shoulders slumped. “I don’t know what it is, but I like you, Roe. If you were anyone else, I would go straight to Lucas.”

“Yes!” I did a little fist pump and shimmied in celebration.

“Don’t make me regret this.” Fox pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes tightly. “He’s leaving in two days for a business trip. He’ll be gone for only twenty-four hours. So, whatever this plan of yours is, we need to get it straight as soon as possible.”

“Already got it written out.” Practically skipping with glee toward the side table, I opened the drawer and pulled out a notepad and handed it to Fox.”

As he scanned my notes, his eyebrows raised. “I wasn’t expecting it to be so…”

“So genius?”

“Disorganized.” His gaze slid to me. I plucked the notepad from his hands and skimmed over it.

“How? You’re the driver. Evie and I go in to get the key. And Raf is the muscle just in case.”

“And what if the security doesn’t buy your story?

” Anxiety laced his words. Which I could understand.

We were taking a big risk. Now that I was positive where Anastasia’s Keepsake was, I could get in and out easily enough.

So long as I could get close enough to one of the security guards to swipe their keys.

“Have a little faith, Fox. This isn’t my first rodeo.

” I tried to keep my voice lighthearted, but even I knew that this plan could go sideways in the blink of an eye.

But… if I didn’t take the chance, I would be even more behind on my payments to the clan.

Dealing with mobsters was scarier than dealing with Lucas or the police.

Especially considering I should have delivered a payment to them already.

Was I already on their radar? The sooner I left Lucas’s, the sooner I could get back on track to being out of debt.

That was, if I could manage to get back into stealing cars. Highly unlikely.

Tossing my notepad on the bed, I took a seat on the edge of the mattress with my hands twisting in my lap. “If you have any pointers, I am all ears, Fox. As it is, this is pretty much our only option. I’m not sure how else to go about this.”

“I think it’s a good plan. It just… needs some tuning.” He rubbed his hands together, and a glint appeared in his dark eyes, a devious grin spreading across his handsome face.

I pursed my lips, fighting my own grin. “Tuning?” I asked.

“A distraction. A big distraction.”

“I like where you’re going with this.” I leaned forward and listened as Fox went into detail about how we could divert the attention of the security guards. It might be a crazy plan, but it had to work.

***

“Fuck, it’s freezing.” Evie chattered her teeth as she wrapped her arms around herself.

It was a clear but chilly night. Stars dotted the dark backdrop of sky, our breath clouding in front of us as we exhaled.

The museum was illuminated by large spotlights, and the flags attached to the building moved lightly in the frigid breeze.

Fox had dropped us both off in front of the museum, and Raf was on the way.

We were waiting for the confirmation that the plan was ready to be set into action.

“We’ll be inside soon,” I promised, adjusting the short blonde wig I had stuffed my dark locks under. Evie had decided on a deep violet wig that was braided and hung over her shoulder.

I shifted on my feet. “How is it going with the jerk?” Evie asked, her gaze sliding from the building in front of us to me.

“Fine. I mean, okay, I guess. Nothing special. He’s just so hot and cold all the time. Before he left, he randomly gave me a cute little alien bracelet.” Rolling back my sleeve, I showed the delicate bracelet that Lucas had gifted me. It was gold with a few alien charms dangling from the chain.

Evie’s eyes widened and her mouth opened.

“Gifts, Roe? You’re taking a gift from the asshole making you do this tonight?

” She was right. While I had thought about refusing the bracelet because…

well, because Lucas wasn’t exactly the nicest person, he left it on my nightstand with a note saying he’d be back the next day.

There had to be a motive behind the small kindness.

But really, what could it be? I was already doing this job for him to make up for the accident.

Tit for tat. After this was completed, I would walk away and finish what I needed to do before hopefully moving far, far away from this town.

Shrugging my shoulders, I glanced down at the present on my wrist and toyed with one of the charms. It glinted beautifully in the soft lighting of the streetlights that lined the road. “It’s aliens. How could I say no?”

“Like this… No.” Evie arched a perfectly manicured brow at me.

I inhaled deeply before releasing it, condensation rolling into the space in front of me. “He’s complicated, but at least he’s giving me a chance. If it weren’t for him, I’d be behind bars, fighting over the last dinner roll. If he wants to give me a small gift, what’s the harm in accepting it?”

“Oh. Oh no. It’s worse than I thought.”

“What?” My spine straightened and I pulled my sleeve back down to cover my new piece of jewelry.

“You like him,” Evie accused. She pointed a gloved finger at me.

A laugh that held no humor left me. “You’re nuts. I do not.”

“You do, mija. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have taken it.

Or worn it.” She crossed her arms over her chest. The death glare she gave me would melt most people but not me.

We were like sisters. She was the closest person to family I had.

Especially now that Frankie had ditched me in my moment of need without a word since.

“Okay.” I threw up my hands. “He’s really hot. And when he isn’t being a total jerk, he’s decent.”

“You’re too good for him, Roe.” Evie clasped both of my shoulders and searched my face.

“Too good for him? How? I’m a college dropout, a car thief, and I’m just adding to my criminal record if we get caught tonight.

” I swallowed back the tears that were coming to the surface.

I wasn’t too good for anyone, let alone Lucas Knight.

Rich, handsome, and smart. I was just a crook. The villain in Lucas’s story.

Evie’s scowl softened. “You didn’t do any of this because you wanted to. You had to. You’re a good person.” A tear snuck past my lashes and rolled down my cheek. “Roe, don’t cry.” Evie wiped away the wetness from my face and wrapped me in a hug.

“Am I, though? A good person? I don’t even know who I am anymore.” I hiccupped and returned Evie’s hug; my face planted in her fake hair. She pulled back, her brown eyes sad as she tucked a piece of my platinum wig behind my ear.

“You’re Roe Whitlock. The kindest and baddest bitch I’ve ever known.

Any man would be lucky to have you as their woman.

” I giggled and sniffled, wiping a tear from my face.

“Seriously. I admire your good heart. This is all temporary, and one day, when your debt is paid, you’ll get on a real career path.

These last couple of years will be just a memory. ”

I nodded as I sniffled. “You’re right. It’s all temporary.

“And if you want to have sex with Lucas, go for it. Who am I to tell you not to? ”

“I never said I wanted to have sex with him.” I frowned.

“Don’t give me that. We both know you’re going to get in between the sheets with him eventually.” Just as I was about to deny it again, my phone vibrated in my jacket pocket. When I pulled it from my parka, a group message with Raf, Fox, and Evie lit up the screen.

Raf: We are a go.

Fox: Ready.

“Let’s go,” I said, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. Evie and I took off toward the front of the museum.

When we reached the front doors two guards were leading people out. Neither of the men were the one I had spoken to the other day. “Sorry, ladies. The museum is closing right now. We open back up tomorrow at ten.”

“I’m so sorry. I left my purse in the exhibit with the mummy and Egyptian artifacts,” I lied and glanced between the two guards.

“I can go look for you,” one of the men said.

“I’d really prefer to look for myself, if that’s okay.” Batting my lashes at him, he gave me a small, provocative grin.

“If I could, I would,” he replied.

“I don’t see the harm in my friend and I going and searching for it,” Evie chimed in, reaching out and running her hand down the other guard’s arm. He pulled back from her touch, not as flirtatious as the man I was speaking to.

“There are rules in place to protect the items in our museum. You can’t come inside,” he said with a scowl.

Evie’s frisky mask fell, and her nostrils flared with irritation. “Listen, pendejo, we were just in the exhibit. I don’t understand why you’re not allowing us to go get her purse.”

“Evie. ”

“?Qué? Es estúpido,” Evie started to ramble off in Spanish. She was going to draw more attention if she kept on.

“What did you just call me?” the grumpy security guard asked. He knew exactly what she said. She may be speaking Spanish, but she was using common words that any non-Spanish speaker would know.

“I think you know exactly what I said.” She shoved him.

“Evie—” Just as I was going to drag her away from the altercation that would ensue, a loud whistle tore through the parking structure attached to the museum.

The four of us all turned and watched as two levels of the lots lit up with fireworks.

It was so deafening, I had to cover my ears as the explosions of pyrotechnics continued, one after another. After another. After another.

“Shouldn’t you go inspect the parking structure or some shit?” Evie yelled over the bangs and pops that filled the area.

Both guards started forward. Mister grumpy guard turned and glared at the two of us. “Stay here.” They took off in a jog toward the mayhem.

With the visitors gone and the doors closed, I tugged on the door handle. It didn’t budge. “Shoot. Now how are we going to get inside?”

“You have little faith in me, Roe.” Evie held up the grumpy security guard’s badge with a wicked smile on her face.

“Have I told you how much I love you lately?” I asked.

“Not today, amore.”

“In that case, I love the heck out of you, Evie.”

Using the badge to get into the museum was a cakewalk.

Evie and I moved through the building filled with little light until we reached the door to the warehouse I had been in a couple of days before.

She pressed the keycard against the scanner.

The light on the scanner turned green, and a click sounded, letting us know we had successfully unlocked the door.

Evie pushed the door open and motioned for me to go in first. “I’ll stay here, just in case those assholes come back. ”

With a nod, I continued into the backroom filled with artifacts.

The door shut behind me, and a rush of adrenaline poured into me.

My heart hammered like a drum against my sternum, letting me know the race was on.

I ran to the end of the racks where the box with Anastasia’s Keepsake was.

It was still in the same spot and still out of reach.

In the dimly lit row, I placed my feet onto the bottom shelf and stretched up as far as possible.

A grunt surged from my lips as the pull of my muscles begged for mercy, the harsh edges of the shelves digging into my legs and ribs.

Enough pressure to cause discomfort even through my parka and jeans.

My fingers clipped the edge of the box, just unreachable. I pressed up further on my tiptoes, desperately trying to grab for it again. With one last groan of exasperation, my fingertips grazed the lip, my hand clasping onto the object before I pulled it down.

The box was surprisingly light, and when I stepped down, I peered inside. Nestled within an ivory cushion was a necklace. A bronze key attached to a lengthy chain. The head of the key had a jewel placed into the metal.

In the darkness, the exact color of the gem wasn’t identifiable.

My hands shook as I reached in and withdrew the ancient relic.

There was probably hardly any time left.

With hurried movements, I threw the box back up on the top shelf and placed the necklace around my head, tucking it in my shirt to hide it.

Quickly running back to the door, I pulled it open, and Evie’s head jerked toward me. “Did you get it? ”

“Yes. We have to get out of here.” The both of us made our way back through the museum at a swift pace until we reached the doors, pushing them open and stepping out into the bitter air. The explosions started to die down, and the security guards were still nowhere in sight.

Evie and I took off toward where we told Fox we would meet him, and she pulled her phone out and dialed Fox’s number to let him know we were finished. Even if he didn’t answer, it would ring, alerting him that we were as good as gold.

Raf would be sure to be seen in one of his stolen cars to misdirect anyone who might be on the lookout for the four of us.

We crossed the street and rounded a corner where we would wait for Fox to pick us up. Minutes passed, and Evie and I straightened when we saw headlights heading toward us. A dark car with ultra-tinted windows rolled up to the curb.

“That doesn’t look like our car.” I shook my head, my stomach dropping and breath catching in my throat.

“Maybe Rafael is getting us instead,” Evie said. It sounded more like a question, though. We moved forward, and the doors opened. Two men in black suits stepped from the car, and my steps faltered as I recognized the both of them. They were clansmen. Mobsters. From the Crimson Brotherhood.

They’d found me.