by Hart, Gemma
“So now all we need is a good look at the interior,” I said, leaning on the back of one of the dining room chairs. I looked around, noticing for the first time the chairs, the decorations of the room. Halle had quietly filled the house into a home.
A pang hit my heart before it was replaced with cold, hard determination.
Zeke leaned back in his seat, fixing his large eyes on me. He pushed his heavy glasses back up his nose as he sniffed, “Now I have a thought about that.”
I couldn’t help but smirk. Of course he did. The guy did not stop moving or thinking.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “You know, you can’t go on that tour, right?”
I furrowed my brows. “Why not?”
Zeke stared at me through his thick glasses. “Because you look like an American mobster hitman,” he replied flatly.
“No one can tell that from looking at me,” I argued.
“No, but there’s an energy about you that will make more than one security guard watch you,” he said. “Plus, it’s never good for single men to just show up to things like that.”
“Then what?” I said. “You’re going to go on the tour instead?”
Zeke shrugged. “Well, yes, but again, I’d be a single guy as well,” he said. “Not good.”
“Then what?” I said, starting to get frustrated. “You gonna hire a random girl to pose as your girlfriend on a covert reconnaissance mission to steal something that is internationally coveted right now?”
“No,” Zeke said, not in the least perturbed by my sarcasm. “Not a girl. A girl would be best, of course, but we don't have one. But what’s even better than a girl is someone handicapped.”
I stared at him, daring him to say the idea aloud. He had to be out of his goddamned fucking mind right now.
Zeke made a casual gesture with his hand. “You know, if a handicapped person had his wheelchair stall in front of strategic points of security, no one could really say anything about that,” he said. “And who would shoo away a helpful brother standing by to help? No one. Which would conveniently allow me to take pictures and closer looks on some of the security that they have.”
“Zeke—” I started in a warning tone.
Zeke shrugged. “Honestly, if you or I went on our own, we’d either get thrown out or come back with very little to no extra information. You say we are pressed for time. Your woman is in trouble.” Zeke shrugged again, pausing. “You shouldn’t underestimate him. He’s more resilient than you think.”
I pressed my lips, not liking this turn of events but realizing that Zeke was right.
“Goddamn it,” I cursed fiercely under my breath.
Zeke gave a faint smile, recognizing victory. “I’ll give him a call.”
***
I watched silently as the view on the computer screen moved away from a man’s bald head to a sleek silver door. The silver door lead into the server room. As far as we had counted, there were only two doors that lead to the server room. The view shook a little and I couldn’t make out what was next to the door. Was it a fingerprint scanner? A card scanner? Both?
“Goddamn it, Zeke,” I muttered to myself. “Keep your head straight.”
Zeke was wearing his thicker framed glasses which had a hidden camera. But with his glasses already being so heavy, the thick frames only made them slide down his nose more often.
But with the camera, he could take pictures of the layout and security during the tour while simultaneously broadcasting the whole thing back to the house and his computer, where I sat watching.
I took in a breath when I saw the camera flick over Jamie’s blonde head. God, I really did not like having him be a part of this plan.
Zeke was one of the few people out of the inner Desmond circle who knew of Jamie’s existence. In fact, Zeke had been instrumental in helping set Jamie up in England and making sure he was okay.
Sure, Zeke had made a fair argument in using Jamie but that didn’t mean I had to like it. Even though Jamie had been practically thrilled at being called on.
Jamie had come to the house, unable to stop grinning as I gave him last minute reminders on acting casual. He was squirming in his chair, literally itching to go.
“Stop looking so damn happy about this,” I retorted, annoyed.
Jamie’s grin widened. “I can’t help it!” he exclaimed. “I’ve just always dreamed about helping you somehow. I knew it could never happen.” He made a gesture towards his wheelchair. “But I always imagined it.” He bit his lip. “And now I can actually help!”
His eagerness and sincerity melted my stoniness but it also pulled me up short. I was really putting Jamie into a line of danger that I thought I would never cross for him.
Sure, he wasn’t going on a hit or meeting with some shady dealer. He was going on a public tour of a tech facility that would be peopled with tourists and computer fanatics. But he was part of our team. He was helping us compile information so we could steal something incredibly dangerous.
I pulled down the cap on his head even lower, wanting to obscure as much of his features as possible.
“Once you’re inside, don’t look around too much,” I said.
Jamie gave me a look of consternation. “I’m on a tour,” he argued. “I’m supposed to look.”
I shook my head. “Most people, even on tours, don’t look much. They see the big key points and then move on. They don’t lean in for details or note how many windows there are or how many doors. So look but don’t look too much.”
Jamie rolled his eyes. “Right. I’ll do just the appropriate amount of looking. I’ll resist the urge to go look crazy.”
I cuffed him on the head.
And before I knew it, Zeke had come out with his special glasses, ready to head off.
And I had to take my seat in front of the computers and wait.
My least favorite thing to do.
Zeke had gone over the map with Jamie and shown him where he would need him to pretend like something had gotten caught in his wheelchair.
“I’ll give you a tap to remind you but it’d be good if you could just remember,” Zeke said bluntly in that casual bland voice of his.
Jamie nodded, memorizing the entire map, eager to prove himself. “I’ll remember.”
And as I watched the computer screen, I saw the tour director gesture behind him towards the second door to the server. I couldn’t hear what he was saying but by the bored expression on his face, I could tell that it wasn’t too thrilling.
As the tour group began to move on, I saw the camera halt a little as Jamie jerked his wheelchair right in front of the server door, like we had planned. I saw a glimpse of Jamie’s head turning around, looking down at his chair as if he was confused.
Zeke stood next to him but his gaze was focused on the server door. I knew the camera was taking several hundred photos per minute. All Zeke had to do was aim carefully at each feature. And to do that, he needed time which was what Jamie was buying him.
I breathed out slowly. So far, so good. With these photos, we could make a more accurate plan of attack.
Suddenly a black shadow crossed the computer screen.
I tensed.
A security guard came into view. I could see him eyeing Zeke suspiciously. No matter how he dressed or what he did, Zeke was always a character who caught the eye.
I’m too obvious for the tour? I immediately thought in satisfaction but then immediately was too tense to care who was right or wrong.
The security guard was not moving away. I could still see Jamie’s head in the corner of the screen, moving around as if to lean over and check the wheels.
The guard made no move to help. He said something to Zeke and pointed at Jamie.
“Get the fuck out now,” I said to the screen tightly. We got our photos. Just get out as best you can. But get out now.
Zeke bent down in a motion to help Jamie free up his wheels. I watched through the camera as Zeke took hol
d of the back of Jamie’s chair and began pushing, showing that they had fixed whatever had been wrong.
The guard eyed them both suspiciously. He held out his hand and asked for something.
Fuck.
Jamie, with his angelic face, could hardly raise suspicion. Or at least we thought. Perhaps Turn Tech was more paranoid than we thought.
I was about ready to bolt out of the house towards Turn Tech when I saw Zeke hand him something. His visitor’s pass.
The guard plucked it from his hands and waved it at Zeke’s face. My heart was racing as I watched what I hope was not a train wreck unfold before me.
But all the guard did was grab the visitor’s pass and peel the backing off of it, thrusting the pass back to Zeke with a firm remark.
It had been a sticker. The visitor’s pass had been a sticker and fucking Zeke hadn’t stuck it on himself. He had probably just stuffed it into his pocket, not thinking anything of it.
The guard gave a satisfied nod at seeing Zeke stick the sticker on. He said a final word before waving them off.
I breathed out the air I hadn’t realized I had been holding.
The man who had analyzed the blueprints of a whole building, hacked into emails of top security personnel, and had brought over what looked like the computers from NASA hadn’t fucking realized that his pass had been a sticker.
“Fuckshitgoddamnmotherfuckerfuck,” I said in one long breath, glad to know that Zeke and Jamie were safely out of the building and on their way back home. Human error. That’s where things always went wrong. We had to be better than that. We had to be above that.
I had to be above that. Because everything I loved and cared for in this world was riding on my success.
I stared at the computer screen where it now showed Jamie’s glowing face as he whooped silently in the car at the close call and success. He had clearly had the time of his life.
My heart was just barely resuming its normal pace.
“Cock,” I added in annoyed relief.
Chapter Ten
Halle
My room was definitely not small. I had a large bed, a plush chair with a vanity table, and an en suite bathroom. Everything was decked out in the finest sheets and décor. If you were to look around quickly, you probably wouldn’t even realize that there were no windows.
There was a curtain rod with curtains next to the left of my bed but they were covering a false window, just a painted shadowbox.
Sit around in a place like this long enough by yourself, with no information on what was happening outside to the ones you loved, and you can definitely go a little crazy.
I had been scoping out the area for the last couple days. To use the elevator, you needed to verify your thumbprint. That was the only way down. Clearly the Black Saints did not worry about fire exits.
My room opened up onto the hallway and also had another set of doors that opened onto the shared sitting room. The only men who I had seen go up and down the elevators were Tobias and the various men who brought me my meals.
I sighed, siting on the bed.
I missed Marco fiercely. And I was worried about him.
I had dreamed about him every night. There was nothing I wanted to do more than run into his warm and strong arms and bury my head against his broad chest. There was no feeling safer and warmer than the feeling of having your lover’s arms about you, holding you tight and close.
I needed to take a breather. Being closeted in here was making me stir crazy with worries and questions and fears. With no other place I could go, I opened the door to the sitting room.
Peeking out, I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized no one was in there. I never knew where Tobias was going when he left but I was just glad he wasn’t here tonight.
I quickly took a seat in one of the large wingback chairs, already feeling a little less claustrophobic from changing scenery.
The fire was always lit in the room but it never got unbearably hot. It was just always pleasantly warm. I curled up in my seat, drawing my legs to my chest, as I stared into the dancing flames.
I don’t know how long I had been sitting like that, letting my mind go blank. I only woke out of my reverie when I heard glass clinking.
I turned and found Tobias standing in the doorway that connected to his room, leaning against the doorjamb. His shirt was casually unbuttoned by his throat and he was holding a whiskey tumbler in one hand.
It was the most casual I’d seen him. He had no jacket on and his sleeves were rolled up halfway, revealing his large forearms.
There was a half lidded look to his face that told me that he was not on his first whiskey. Probably even past his second.
“How long have you been standing there?” I asked.
“How long have you been sitting there?” he countered.
I had no answer and I supposed he didn’t either.
I let the silence fall between us, unsure what I should be saying anyway. It was an odd relationship we had…if you could even call it a relationship. I never thought kidnappers could be so…civil.
But that was Tobias, I supposed. He always seemed very in control, very precise.
Well, except for tonight, it seemed. Tonight he seemed a little less wound up.
“Thinking about your gangster hitman boyfriend, are you?” Tobias inquired casually from the doorway.
I gave an irritable sigh, annoyed with his phrasing but not feeling like arguing. “Yes, I am,” I replied shortly.
Tobias nodded and took a solemn sip of his drink. “He’s a clever one, I’ll give you that,” he said.
My shoulders tensed. Was he about to give me some information at last? Would I finally be able to find out what Marco was doing?
“Is he?” I answered faintly, not wanting to lose my chance.
Tobias took another sip. “I thought for sure he would do the hit first. Get his feet wet by starting off with his strong point. And Copper is a man worth getting rid of—to anyone. But no, he knew that would cause too much chaos and that could potentially throw off the security at Turn Tech, making it impossible to break in. So he’s being careful. He’s being methodical.” Tobias nodded to himself. “He’s clever.”
I tried to process what he had said. I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Turn Tech sounded familiar. And a hit? So Marco had been assigned a hit? There definitely wasn’t anyone more skilled for a hit than Marco but that also depended on who the mark was.
Copper…Copper. God the named sounded so familiar. Everything sounded familiar, like it was all on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t pull up the right images or information to get the full picture.
Black Saints wasn’t a mob family. Like Tobias said, they dealt with higher powers. So if nothing else, I knew Copper was part of the highest echelon of society.
And breaking in? Breaking in to where? For what?
“How do we know that you’ll leave us alone after all of this?” I asked, turning around.
Tobias raised a brow. “After all of this? You have some solid faith in your man, don’t you?” he said. “Are you so sure he’ll come out of this successful?”
“How?” I persisted. “How will we know?”
“You won’t,” he replied shortly, taking another sip. “You’ll just have to take me at my word.”
I sighed and turned back towards the fire. What good was his word to me—the word of a kidnapper?
Another beat fell between us. I heard Tobias walk over to the drinks cart near the back of the room and pour himself another whiskey. The man was clearly in a mood to relax tonight.
“You want me to tell you what’s going to happen to you in the next five years?” he said as he walked over towards the fireplace. He leaned one arm over the mantle, fixing me with those gleaming green eyes.
“So now you’re a psychic,” I said uninterestedly, keeping my head on my knees, worried even more now for Marco.
Tobias shrugged, unfazed by my disinterest. “Let’s say Marco
pulls off this job,” he started. “Even with the Black Saints out of the picture, there are several other crime Families out there who will soon learn about Marco Desmond living in London. The Desmond Mafia reach was wide and there are several people out here that I know for a fact would love to get their hands on that man.”
He took a sip of his drink. “But of course, Marco Desmond is not the kind of man that you can put your hands on. At least not if you don’t want them broken.”