Wanted

by Minx Hardbringer

  When he comes around to look at my screen, I roll my chair towards the desk so that he has to position himself between me and the wall. I don’t have to try to pull his attention to my cleavage because the perv is already leering down my shirt.

  I point out the issue I’m having and ask him a few inane questions. Tom just nods his head and keeps looking down my shirt. When he licks his lips, I know he’s distracted enough, so I slip his phone off my desk and hide it under my leg.

  “So what do you think?” I say and break his concentration away from my boobs.

  “Uh. Oh, I think you can handle this on your own Lilith. I’ll let it go this time, but don’t call me in here for this stuff again.” He says and starts to leave my office. Before he makes it out, Tom pats his pockets. “Where’s my phone?”

  “I didn’t see you bring it in. Maybe you left it in your office or the executive conference room.” I say and hope he doesn’t catch me in a lie. I’d lose my job, and I wouldn’t be able to help Adam anymore.

  “Huh. Okay. Let me know if you find it.” He says and practically storms out of the room.

  I know that I may only have minutes before he gets ticked off at not being able to find it. He’ll probably come back and rifle through the stuff on top of my desk and then demand I drop what I’m doing and look for it. I pop the case off, stick the bug to the back of the phone like Adam instructed, and then put the case back on.

  In the hallway, I can hear him cursing in the executive conference room. I slip into his office and then sneak into his executive washroom. After I leave the phone on the counter next to the sink, I move back out while he’s drilling his secretary about his phone's whereabouts.

  He must find it in the washroom and figure he left it there by accident because I don’t hear from him about it again. He also doesn’t come in and demand to know what the black sticker is that’s stuck to the back, so I know he didn’t find the bug.

  I send Adam a text that the bug is in place.

   - Adam

  Meet me for dinner tonight? – Lilith

  I’ve never been bold enough to invite a man out to dinner. I typed the message and hit send before I had time to think about it. I regretted sending the message when he didn’t respond.

  “Good job, Lilith,” I whisper to myself.

  When it was almost time for me to leave for the day, my phone went off again.

  That’s actually a good idea. Call me. – Adam

  I grab my things and hurry out to my car. I don’t know what he wants to discuss, but I figure it’s better if I do it outside of Tom’s building.

  “Hey, Peaches. About dinner.” Adam says when he picks up. “I’d go with you anyway, but it’ll have to be a working dinner tonight. The bug logged some information that could help us a lot. Tom is meeting a potential buyer tonight at a restaurant. I want you to go with me and pretend to be my date so we can get some more info.”

  “Pretend?” I say crestfallen.

  “Well, I can take Becks if you don’t want to go.” He teases.

  “Not what I meant. Yes, I’ll help.”

  “Good. I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear something fancy.” I can hear his smile in his voice.

  “Will do.”

  Chapter Seven

  Lilith

  I decide to wear something that's not just fancy, but a little sexy too. Not too much, though. I still don't know why I'm trying to get Adam's attention or why I'm letting myself fall for him. There's no way we could have a future together.

  Is there?

  The dress I pick is another one purchased when I was feeling bold, but I've never worn. It's simple black cocktail dress that fits me perfectly. I wear it with red shoes and even redder lipstick.

  "Uh uh," Adam says and shakes his head no when he answers the door.

  "What, you told me to dress fancy. You don't like it?" I say sadly.

  "I do like it very much, Peaches. It's the shoes. You can't wear them on the bike. Throw on something more sensible and I'll put the pumps in my saddle bags for when we get there."

  I take my shoes off and hand them to him. He smiles and turns to take them to his motorcycle while I slip on a pair of sneakers. He's looking out for me. That makes me happy too.

  The ride to the restaurant is pleasant. I'll have to ask Adam to take me out for a ride sometime. Or maybe he'll invite me. It would be nice to have him ask me out instead of me being so forward. What am I talking about? He's a criminal, and I'm helping him bring down my boss. Leave it to me to be trying to get dates out of the worst possible situation.

  At the restaurant, I slip the host a hundred dollar bill to give us the table we want. It had to be something close enough to hear his conversation or else there was not point in being here. Well, aside from having dinner with Adam there’s no reason. Fortunately, Tom and his potential client were seated in the private booths. There were curtains drawn to hide each table, but thanks to the huge tip I gave the host, he put us in the booth behind Tom.

  I point on the menu to what I want, and then excuse myself to the restroom when our waitress comes to the table. I have to let Adam order for me, or else we risk Tom recognizing my voice.

  "Restroom," I say the one word as softly as possible after Linda the waitress introduces herself.

  When I get back, there is drinks and bread at the table. We eat quietly while we listen to Tom's conversation. I suppose we could communicate through text messages, but we're both laser focused on the exchange between Tom and the buyer.

  We're thrilled when we hear Tom and the buyer reach an agreement. I listen to the paper scrape across the table when Tom says "Here's the address and the key." It's another break for us that Tom wrote the address down instead of sending it electronically. Thank God for his paranoia. Everything we need will be physically on the man who just purchased the information.

  With nothing left to do but wait for them to finish their meal, Adam and I enjoy our steaks. It doesn't completely feel like a date since we can't talk, and we're on edge waiting for Tom's meal to be done, but it is nice considering the circumstances. I can see Adam and me on a real date, and from the look in his eyes, he can see it too.

  We hear Tom paying the check and Adam quietly says "You have to distract him while I get the paper and key."

  I nod to him and peel back the curtain covering our booth a bit. I see the buyer walk away, and Adam follows him. I get up and walk towards the restroom. I slip in and walk back out so it looks like I'm coming out of the bathroom as Tom exits the booth. He sees me and stops.

  "Oh, hi Tom," I say after I make my way over to him casually.

  "Hello, Lilith. What are you doing here?" Tom says with an edge of concern in his voice.

  "You know. I'm on a date. It's not going very well, though. I am not impressed with this guy at all." I say and sigh.

  "Where is he?" He says and narrows his eyes.

  "One of the tables downstairs. That's how bad this date is. The guy couldn't even get one of the good tables."

  "Pathetic." He says and relaxes a little bit.

  "Well, he's not you. That's for sure." I say reach out to touch his arm gently.

  "Maybe we should rectify that." He says and looks at me lecherously. My stomach turns, but I flash him a sweet smile.

  "That would be wonderful, Tom. We haven't had dinner for a while."

  "I'd ask you out for drinks now, but I've got some business I have to attend to tonight. Maybe this weekend?" He looks genuinely disappointed because he has to go.

  "Sounds good. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

  "You too, Lilith." He says and kisses me on the cheek. Gross.

  Outside I find Adam and the buyer in the alley. I gasp, but quickly stifle it, when I realize that Adam is holding the man at gunpoint.

  "Sorry, you have to see this, Peaches. This man doesn't want to give me what I need, and I'm going to have to paint the pavement with his brain matter." That should have been terrifying, but watching Adam be so ruth
less is actually exhilarating.

  "Alright, Okay. I'll give it to you." He says in a thick Italian accent. "You have no idea who you're messing with."

  "I've handled worse," Adam says and takes the paper and key.

  'What do we do now?" I ask.

  "What do you mean?" Adam asks as he slips the paper and key into his pocket with his free hand.

  "Well, this guy is going to tell Tom that someone took the paper and key he just paid for."

  "I'll shoot him."

  "You can't just..."

  My words are cut off because while he thought we were distracted, the buyer pulls a big, black gun out of his suit jacket and points it right at me.

  "Drop it now," Adam growls, but it's too late.

  Everything moves in slow motion, and I can almost feel the Italian squeezing the trigger. Before he can fire off a shot, Adam shoots him in the head, and his dead body falls to the pavement.

  "Mother fucker." Adam whispers. "Get on the bike, Lily. We gotta go."

  I put on my helmet as fast as I can and throw my leg over the motorcycle as soon as Adam is on it. He revs the engine and we peel out so fast that the tires squeal. I look back, and no one is in the alley yet. We made it out without being seen.

  We're racing through the city streets, and I pray we don't get pulled over. Adam has a gun on him. A gun he just used to kill an Italian man in the alley. He saved my life. Adam didn't hesitate for one second when my life was in danger. He fired the gun and killed the man with expert precision.

  As we weave in and out of traffic, I'm both terrified and exhilarated. This is how I imagine other people feel on roller coasters. It's how amusement park rides are supposed to feel. They usually just make me feel sick, but now I understand why people love them so much.

  I tighten my arms around Adam's waist and press my face to his back. Once we're far enough away, he slows down and stops riding so aggressively. We pull up behind the church that's the base of his operations and his current home. When we get off the bike, he rolls it through the doors into the church.

  "Too risky to leave it outside. Someone might have seen."

  "I don't think anyone did, but that's good thinking," I say trying to comfort him and myself.

  "Are you alright?" He asks and takes a step towards me.

  "I think I'm okay." I say, but then I burst into tears.

  "Shhh," Adam says and pulls me into his arms.

  I've never come that close to dying before. Well, except the time I drifted into the deep end of a wave pool at a water park without a floaty ring. I was clinging to the wall of the pool unable to climb out. I tried to time my breaths with the waves that were smashing into me. It was a losing fight, and I don't know what would have happened if a random stranger hadn't stopped and pulled me out.

  That's how I felt right now. It was like the wave of terror was trying to drown me. The initial adrenaline rush was wearing off, and I felt raw and damaged. But, Adam held me tight and stroked my hair until I was able to calm down. It helped that he smelled of soap and mint again. His scent comforted me. Home. He was starting to feel like home. That thought was almost as terrifying as having a gun pointed at me.

  "Let's go see what we've got." He says when I finally stop crying.

  "Okay."

  Chapter Eight

  Adam

  "It's not an address," I growl.

  I crumple up the paper and throw it on the floor. I thought I was going to get Sophie back tonight, and now I don't know if I ever will. Lilith bends down and picks up the paper.

  "You'll still probably need this." She says and uncrumples it.

  "I know. I'm sorry. Let's give to Becks and see what she makes of it." I say and pluck the paper from her hand gently. I need to keep my temper under control. None of this is Lilith's fault, and she' already been traumatized enough today.

  "It looks like a combination," Becks says when I hand her the paper. "Whatever the hard drive is stored in must require a combination and a key."

  "So, how did the buyer know where the safe is?" Lilith asks softly.

  "Who knows," Becks says in response.

  "Maybe Tom told him in code during dinner. Perhaps he already knew. Maybe Tom isn't so secretive about the location of the hard drive since he knows you need a key and a code to retrieve it." I say. "I need a drink."

  "Me too." Says Becks.

  "Can I join you?" Lilith asks looking defeated.

  "Of course," I answer and put my hand around her shoulder.

  The three of us go upstairs to the makeshift living area that Becks and I put together with an old couch and a chair. I grab three glasses from the church's old kitchen in the back of the building. Thanks to Becks' hacks, it still functions. I put the glasses on the coffee table in the middle of our seats and pour three shots of bourbon. I take the first shot, and then pour myself another. It's time to tell Lilith what's going on, and I need some liquid courage. Once my second shot is gone, I had the glasses to the ladies.

  "You alright?" Lilith says with concern painted on her face. It makes me feel terrible. Involving her in any of this makes me a horrible person. I try to tell myself that I've done the wrong things for the right reasons, but that doesn't help me sleep at night.

  "I wasn't always a criminal, you know?" I say and sit down on the sofa next to her. Becks is seated in the chair with one leg flung over the arm, and she's sipping her bourbon gingerly.

  "I kinda figured," Lilith says and puts a comforting hand on my knee. She takes a drink of her bourbon and winces. "Oh, that's intense."

  "Easy, now. That stuff will knock you on your butt if you're not used to it." I say, and she puts her glass down.

  "There's diet soda in the fridge," Becks says absently. "I'll get us a few." She gets up and gets the drinks quickly.

  "I was a stuntman," I tell her and pour another two fingers of whiskey in my glass. "I had a legitimate career for a while."

  "What happened?" Lilith asks as she attempts another draw of her bourbon. God her face is adorable when she scrunches up her nose at the burn of the alcohol. She's so good and pure. I'm a mess, and I've dragged her into this crap. I have to find a way to make it up to her. That's if she ever forgives me for lying to her. But, I had to lie, right? For Sophie...

  "Adam?" Becks says and reaches over with a toe to nudge me. The alcohol is taking it's toll on me.

  "Oh sorry. Spaced out for a second. Yeah, so I worked as a stuntman in Hollywood for a few years. I didn't start out as a stuntman. At first, I swept the floor and emptied the garbage. After a while, I got hired on to help build sets and break them down when the studio was done with them. That's how I landed the stuntman job." I say and pour myself another drink. I shouldn't drown my inadequacies in booze, but it's too late now.

  "Set builder to stuntman is an impressive jump," Lilith says and gives me a crooked smile. She's enjoying my story, so I go on.

  "I was on a crew with a dude named Terry. One of his relatives was a big wig at a major studio. He was such a screw-up, though, that the only job he could get was as a set builder. Even with his Uncle's name, nobody would touch him. He'd had a few parts in some pretty major movies, but he was a drunk and a lecher. Enough starlets cried foul of the way he treated him, and he was out. Beautiful face beats dumb, drunken relative I guess."

  "Go on." Becks encouraged. She loves this story.

  "So, one day we're deconstructing a cityscape facade, and Terry is drunk as usual. I don't know what he did, but the whole thing started to fall down on me. I was as good as dead, but my adrenaline kicked in, and I rolled, jumped, and parkour my way out of the way just in time. I did a lot of messing around jumping on and off stuff as a child. Parkour is what the cool kids call it now. I just called it a free way to have fun and give Mrs. Morgan a heart attack. Mrs. Morgan was my foster mom."

  "Adam," Becks warned. I was getting too close to home, and I had to bring the story back around to work. I looked at Lilith, and she caught the warning in Becks' tone,
but she didn't say anything.

  "Anyway, the whole place erupted in applause. Some big time stunt man saw the whole thing, and he took me under his wing. I have no idea why because I became his competition eventually, but sometimes good people just save your life." I say and smile at Lil.

  "So, what happened? Why are you here?" She asks and takes the last gulp of her whiskey. She must have a buzz because she barely flinches.

  "I worked my way up for a few years. Nick, the veteran stuntman, taught me increasingly complicated stunts until I was one of the most sought after stuntmen in the business. Then one day, it all came crashing down. Literally." I say and try and choke back the emotion boiling up in my throat. That day was the day that changed everything for the worse. It was the catalyst that leads to Sophie being a hostage right now.

  "You don't have to go on," Lilith says in a whisper. She doesn't want me to be upset.

  "It's okay. I was doing a stunt for a movie about a vampire-hunting priest. I had to do a dive into a flaming pool of water. Nobody knows what happened for sure, but Nick thinks someone cut part way through one of my wires. When I jumped off the platform, the cable snapped. I would have been okay since I was jumping into water, but the other wire kept me from flattening out my body. It didn't slow my fall enough, though. I hit the bottom of the pool head first. I was in a coma for a while. Nick and his wife took care of my sister, thank God."

  "You have a sister?" Lilith asks curiously, and Becks shoots me another death glare.

  "I do, but that's another story for another time. Okay, Peaches?"

  "Yeah, of course," Lilith says looking embarrassed. "Sorry."

  "It's okay. Anyway, the studio took care of my hospital bills, but I wasn't able to work again. Even after I got myself back together physically and was capable of work, no one would insure me because of the head injury. Too much risk of another fall, they said. My meager savings ran out quickly, and while I'm going to get a huge settlement eventually, the movie studio is tying up the litigation as long as possible. So, basically, I'm a penniless millionaire." I say and finish my glass of whiskey.