Page 15 of Prettiest Little Thief (Band of Thieves #1)

A door slammed, and the sound of running steps thumped in the hall.

What the fuck?

I strode across my bedroom and flung open the door, immediately hearing crying.

Sarah sat in a corner, curled up in a ball. Her yellow dress was swirled out around her slim frame, bare feet visible. My brows creased as my steps quickened to get to her.

“Hey.” I kneeled down to her level and brushed back her sandy locks.

She peered up at me with icy blue eyes just like mine, mascara bleeding down her cheeks, bottom lip quivering with sorrow.

“Dad… Dad said…” she stuttered.

“Dad said what?” My jaw clenched with fury. Our father had been known to do all sorts of fucked up things. And if Sarah was crying, she was the latest victim.

“Dad’s marrying me off like cattle at a fucking auction to the highest bidder.” Her sobs grew heavier, and the rage within me rose like the tidal wave of a tsunami .

“Come on.” I helped her to her feet and gave her a quick hug. “Why don’t you go clean up, and we can watch a movie after l go talk to him.”

Her eyes widened. “No, Lucas. You know how he gets if we are defiant. He wouldn’t think twice—”

“I can take care of shit with him. He can’t be in control of us all the time. We’re old enough now that we don’t have to put up with it.” My hands clenched at my sides, veins pulsing with impending wrath.

Our father wanted to marry my little sister off to some fucking stranger.

Probably some asshole with money. That wouldn’t fly with me.

We were well off enough that this was some kind of power move.

It likely had something to do with the guy Sarah had been seeing recently.

He didn’t have money and came from a lower-class family.

Who gave a shit? If Sarah was happy, that was all that should matter.

Nothing was ever good enough for good ol’ Dad.

When I turned to stalk down the hall, Sarah’s hand shot out and gripped my arm to stop me. “Please. Don’t make it worse than it already is.”

“We can’t keep letting him do this to us, Sarah. This needs to be done. His manipulation over our lives has to stop now.”

“But—”

“No. This ends, and our life needs to begin.” My face softened, and I gave her a grin that I didn’t feel.

Sarah took a deep breath and nodded, releasing my arm.

“Give me fifteen minutes, and then we can watch that movie, okay?”

“Okay,” Sarah replied softly.

I continued my intended path to see my dad and talk him out of this bullshit he was spinning. Without a knock, I entered his room. He sat on the edge of his bed with his phone to his ear. His gaze landed on my tense form, every part of me ignited with ire, ready to fight for my sister’s freedom.

“Christian, I’ll have to call you back.” My dad hung up and tossed the phone onto the bed behind him.

“What are you doing forcing an arranged marriage on Sarah?” I seethed.

“What the fuck do you care?”

“Why do you? Are you so embarrassed that she’ll marry the wrong man that you’re going to force her to take a rich husband?” I shifted closer, but my father stayed seated.

“She isn’t going to ruin our family name by becoming some loser’s wife.” Finally, he pushed to his feet.

I scoffed. “Our family name? That’s a weak excuse and you know it. You’re punishing her for going against you.”

“The Knights will not marry below our class.” He was getting angry. But fuck it, so was I.

“We are not fucking royalty, and we are not in the fucking Middle Ages. Sarah is her own person; she can decide who she wants to be with, with or without your blessing.” I crowded my father, and he puffed out his chest. His face began to morph into the furious scowl I was so familiar with.

“Careful, Lucas or I’ll find a bride for you with one phone call.”

“Fuck you.”

He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and tried to shove me. I chuckled. That may have worked when I was a skinny teenager, but I was a man now. A man who wouldn’t budge.

It only pissed him off more, and he stormed over to his nightstand and tore open the drawer, pulling out a revolver. No time was wasted as he cocked the gun and pointed it at me .

My mother’s voice sounded from behind me. “John, what are you doing?”

My body went rigid. The need to protect her overwhelmed me as I positioned my body between her and my father. Between her and the gun.

“Mom, let me handle this. Go back downstairs.” Not even turning around to face her. She was always the peacekeeper.

But she didn’t leave. Instead, she came into the room. “This is out of hand, John. Put the gun away.”

“Shut up,” my father snarled.

My fists clenched, ready to strike with deadly force like a viper for talking to her that way.

My mom continued. “Whatever is going on, we can discuss this like adults. Let’s just take a breath.”

“Do you know what Dad has planned?” I chanced a glance at her. “With Sarah?”

Her gaze settled on her husband. “No, what is it this time?” Her lips pursed.

I answered. “He’s planning to marry her off so she can’t become an Abbott.”

“Please tell me Lucas is joking.” Mom was authentic in her surprise. No doubt just as upset as I was that he was playing with Sarah’s life.

“He isn’t. The deal is done and I’m not changing my mind.” A wicked grin pulled at his lips.

With his attention shifted on Mom, it was my chance to get closer to him. To get the gun from his hand before he hurt someone.

I struck out and grabbed the revolver, but he refused to let go. We wrestled until we fell to the floor. A tangled mess of limbs. He grunted with strain, trying to pull away from me .

BANG!

My movements stalled; time stood still as I followed in the direction of where the bullet discharged.

Stunned silence. My entire being froze over like a blizzard. Bright crimson soaked my mother’s shirt, spreading outward through the fabric.

I felt every ounce of blood drain from my face. Nausea twisted in my gut. The sound of my heart thudded loudly in my ears, and my breath caught in my throat.

Mom stared down at the wound, her mouth agape. She fell back onto the floor with a hand over the hole in her chest.

No. No. No.

My dad breathed heavily and still tried to get away from me. Either he didn’t realize what had happened, or he didn’t fucking care. I pulled back my free arm and punched him square in the face, pulling the gun from his grasp, then, pushed to my feet, staggering closer to my wounded mother.

My knees hit the carpet next to her. “Mom. Mom, you’re going to be okay.” I placed my hand over hers to add more pressure and hauled her into my lap. The faraway look in her eyes sent a bolt of panic through me. “Stay with me.”

Sarah ran in but stopped short the moment her gaze landed on the scene. Our mother in my arms and our father sprawled on the floor a few feet away. She clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Fresh tears sprang to her eyes and a scream tore from her throat.

I sat up, covered in sweat and hardly able to breathe. The thundering in my chest was loud enough that it took a moment for me to grasp my bearings. To remember where I was. A hotel room .

Fuck. I hated the nightmares. The reminder that I was the reason my mom was dead. The only woman besides Sarah that I had truly cared for and loved.

My phone lit up on the nightstand, catching my eye in the darkened room. I grabbed it, Fox’s name popping up on the screen.

“Fox,” I answered.

“Lucas, you need to get back now.” His voice was tight, worried.

My stomach tightened. “What did she do?” I put the phone on speaker and started to pull on clothes as I waited for Fox’s reply.

“She was taken.”

“What the fuck do you mean she was taken? By who?”

“The Crimson Brotherhood,” a woman said through the speaker. Evie, I assumed.

“Why would a gang take Monroe?” I picked up my phone and stalked to the bathroom to start to pack up my belongings with swift movements.

“You’re asking too many questions. Just get back right away.” Fox again.

“Before we hang up, we’re going to need backup. Call Jericho and the others. Meet at the airport in four hours, and we’ll go directly there.”

“How will we even know where to find her?” Evie asked.

“I have my ways.” With that, I hung up and opened my tracking application.