SAGE

by Jessica Caryn

  I was behind her.

  We hit the lobby.

  Adam came from the other side of the lobby.

  We were out the door and in the truck.

  He started the truck.

  Charlotte and Scott got in.

  The truck peeled away from the curb.

  They started to argue.

  Charlotte left two boxes behind.

  Sage glanced at me.

  I shrugged. Fuck it.

  The sirens were close.

  I told them both to shut up.

  We hit the checkpoint late.

  We got out the truck and split up.

  I called Adam from the road.

  I asked did he see what I saw.

  He said he did.

  There was an unmarked car outside of the bank.

  We both knew what it was.

  I told Adam I understood if he wanted out.

  He said he was in it until the end.

  His loyalty meant a lot.

  I was in a different space.

  I wasn’t the type to cut and run.

  I had a bad feeling about this.

  I promised Sage this would be it.

  It would be late night and slow rides.

  Sage settled in close to me as I drove.

  We would find a place to call home after this.

  I kissed her forehead. All I wanted was her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  SAGE

  New Mexico- Bank # 10

  I didn’t want to leave the desert villa.

  I loved the Mediterranean feel of it. It had wide stone steps that led up to the grand entrance. The wrought iron gates opened into a beautiful courtyard. The villa had a complete desert view with the mountains in the distance.

  The days were filled with blue sky.

  The stars at night hadn’t ever looked so bright.

  This is what I wanted.

  Ramsey was asleep next to me.

  I touched him.

  He turned over and pulled me close.

  He put his hand in my hair.

  It felt good to be loved.

  I sighed. He kissed my lips.

  I stared at him.

  His eyes were still closed.

  He always looked incredible.

  I felt how hard he was.

  I moaned.

  He touched me there.

  I lost my breath.

  He knew exactly how to touch me.

  His gentle caresses felt so good.

  My thighs trembled.

  “Sweetheart, I can hear how wet you are.”

  His voice was sexy and low.

  I was about to cum.

  I threw my legs over him.

  “Please, I need it!” I kissed him.

  He laughed against my lips.

  He held my hips and came in rough.

  The sensation made my body tingle.

  My skin felt hot and sensitive.

  He stroke was erotic.

  It was the perfect balance of pleasure and pain.

  The pressure on my clit drove me crazy.

  His strokes were rougher.

  He flipped me.

  I came down rough on him.

  I cried out as I bounced on his dick.

  I felt his hands brush my nipples.

  He squeezed my breasts.

  I arched my back as he thrust deeper.

  I needed more.

  I felt frantic to experience him.

  I was desperate

  I needed to love him.

  I reached for him.

  He sat up and I felt the tilt deep inside.

  I rode him harder. I was about to…

  He grabbed my thighs and kept me inside it.

  My body shook as I came.

  His hard thrusts made my word fall apart.

  It was the sweetest pain.

  I wanted this.

  I needed this forever.

  I confessed my love.

  We climaxed together.

  I lay in his arms for a while.

  I wanted to feel close to him.

  The guilt and the pain of the past weighed on me.

  I had a bad feeling all week.

  I couldn’t shake it.

  This was the last bank.

  We were done after this.

  I fell into a troubled sleep.

  I woke up later feeling unsettled

  Ramsey was about ready.

  I could tell he could feel it too.

  We talked about it.

  This thing with Conrad and the F.B.I was bad.

  We could cut and run but it wasn’t in us to do it.

  We would finish it out and go legit.

  I ran through my routine.

  We left the villa.

  I glanced back one last time.

  I had some great experiences.

  I turned and looked straight ahead.

  I needed to be in the right mindset.

  We drove to the checkpoint.

  Adam was there.

  Scott and Charlotte showed up a few minutes later.

  We got into the truck and drove to the bank.

  We didn’t have to run through it.

  Charlotte would be with me.

  We would secure the bank lobby. Ramsey, Scott, and Adam would hit Conrad’s private vault. I fixed my hood, pulled the bandana over my nose and mouth. I put on my gloves and checked my gun.

  I glanced at Ramsey. He nodded.

  I closed my eyes and settled in for the ride.

  The truck stopped.

  Ramsey shifted beside me.

  I opened my eyes and it was time.

  We jumped out the truck and rushed into the bank.

  I told the guards to get down on the floor.

  Charlotte rounded up the customers.

  I glanced at the main counter.

  Ramsey and Adam had the clerks.

  There was no alarm yet.

  Scott came with the bank manager.

  I told the clerks to sit against the wall.

  The guys left with the manager.

  Charlotte and I had to grab anyone who came inside.

  I glanced at my watch.

  Charlotte paced with her gun at her side.

  She looked nervous.

  I glanced out the window.

  I saw an old beat up water ice truck across the street.

  I wondered if it was surveillance.

  I scanned the street.

  A few people were out but that was it.

  I glanced at my watch again.

  We were three minutes in.

  “What’s taking them so long?”

  Charlotte pulled on her face mask.

  Yeah, she was extra with it.

  Scott came in the lobby with two duffel bags.

  I rushed to grab them.

  It was even weight.

  At twenty pounds a piece I could do the run.

  I rushed outside to the truck.

  I hit the back and it popped open.

  I put the bags in.

  Adam came with two more.

  “We have sixteen left.”

  We ran back inside.

  Scott was there with two more bags.

  I grabbed them.

  Ramsey hit the lobby with two more.

  Adam grab those.

  We made the run out to the truck again.

  I noticed the bags inside were in a different position.

  I ignored it, put the bags in, and rushed back inside.

  Adam and I made two more trips.

  Scott waited in the lobby with two more.

  I took the bags and ran them out.

  I put them in the trunk.

  Where’s Adam?

  I heard the alarm.

  I rushed back inside.

  Adam was with Charlotte in the lobby.

  Scott’s voice came on the ear piece

  He said the bank manger tripped the alarm.

  I glanced at my watch, we had two
minutes.

  Adam told me to stay with Charlotte.

  He ran down the hall.

  Ramsey and Scott came with the last two bags.

  He told me to wait for Adam.

  They ran outside.

  I heard the sirens.

  I couldn’t figure out why Charlotte was still there.

  Adam ran into the lobby.

  It was time to go.

  We heard gunshots outside.

  Adam rushed to door.

  Charlotte and I came out behind him.

  I saw the glint from the gun out the corner of my eye.

  I caught Charlotte’s wrist.

  Her gun discharged.

  She tried to push me.

  I grabbed her.

  We fell down the stone steps.

  I hit the bottom hard.

  My head hurt.

  My vision went for a second.

  I shut my eyes.

  The sound of gunfire rang in my ears.

  I felt movement next to me.

  I opened my eyes quick.

  Charlotte grabbed me.

  I punched her in the face,

  Her arm relaxed.

  I quickly grabbed her head and twisted.

  Her neck broke and she hit the ground.

  I collapsed.

  Blood was in my eyes.

  I felt weak.

  I saw Ramsey on the ground.

  The truck sped off.

  Adam came for me.

  He grabbed me. “C’mon.”

  I saw Brian and Sal.

  When did they get here?

  They had Ramsey on his feet.

  I saw the flashing lights.

  The sirens made my headache.

  We piled into the back of the water ice truck.

  Brian threw it in gear and floored it.

  I touched my head.

  Yeah it felt bad.

  Ramsey struggled to sit up.

  “Are you alright?”

  He said over his shoulder.

  “Yes.” I saw the holes in his back.

  “Ramsey…”

  “I’m good.” He took a breath

  They told me what happened.

  A car pulled up and opened fire.

  Adam returned fire.

  Scott shot Ramsey in the back.

  He took the truck and left.

  Adam said Scott probably planned this from the rip.

  He supplied the trucks.

  He would have the spare key.

  Sal gave Adam the first- aid kit.

  He ripped Ramsey’s shirt.

  There was so much blood.

  Sal cleaned my head wound. .

  I flinched. It hurt.

  She said I hit my head on the ground.

  I figured that.

  I felt like trash.

  I saw the black duffel bags. “The money…”

  “We switched the bags.” Sal told me.

  “Scott has two million not twenty.”

  Ramsey groaned.

  “We have to get him to a hospital.” Adam said.

  “We have a nurse at the hotel waiting.”

  Brian told him. “No hospitals.”

  “What about Billy?” I asked.

  “We won’t be able to get to him.”

  Brian said over his shoulder.

  “There were unmarked cars out there. They went after Scott. The F.B.I is focused on him, When the get him, we can double back for Billy.”

  I shook my head. “It will be too late.”

  Ramsey was in pain.

  Adam worked to stop the bleeding.

  Sal was changing the rags out.

  My head was fuzzy.

  Their voices sounded muffled.

  I stared at the bloody rags.

  I glanced at the duffel bags of money.

  This was the price.

  We had to give the devil his due.

  My vision blurred.

  I took a breath and pulled it t together.

  We hit the checkpoint.

  The water ice truck lurched to a stop.

  I grabbed one of the guns.

  I opened the metal doors and jumped out.

  I shot out the tire on the truck.

  I ran to the car.

  My head throbbed.

  “Stop!" Adam was behind me.

  I held the gun at my side.

  “Don’t do this!” He told me. “We’ll get Billy back.”

  I reached under the tire for the keys.

  “It’ll be too late!” I yelled. “You know that!”

  I went to the driver’s side.

  Ramsey stumbled out of the truck.

  “Take care of him.” I told Adam.

  I got in the car and sped off.

  I had to think.

  Where would Scott be?

  My pocket vibrated.

  I pulled out my phone.

  I tapped the cracked screen. “Ramsey..”

  “Turn around!”

  “I can’t..”

  “Sweetheart..” His voice filled with emotion.

  “Please come back.”

  My eyes watered.

  “I love you so much.” I sobbed.

  “We had some good times. God, you’re amazing.”

  “Don’t do this!” I heard the pain in his voice.

  The tears streamed down my face.

  “I love you Ramsey.” I held in a sob.

  He was silent.

  “Say it back.” I clutched the phone.

  Ramsey spoke in his language.

  “Sage I love you with all that I am. Please come back to me. I need you. I can’t live without you.”

  His voice broke.

  “Please forgive me.” I ended the call.

  I wiped the tears and grabbed the wheel.

  I searched my phone.

  I made the call.

  “I’m sorry I had to kill you boyfriend.”

  Scott laughed. “Billy will die too”

  “Well you won’t get far on two million dollars.”

  “What!” I heard noise and gunfire in the background.

  “The bags were switched.”

  “You’re lying!”

  “Check them.” I told him.

  There were seconds of rapid gunfire.

  “I want my fucking money!”

  “I want my brother. Let’s trade.”

  I listened to Scott’s instructions.

  I told him Billy better still be breathing, if he wasn’t the F.B.I would be the least of his concerns.

  I ended the call and hit the gas.

  I sped to the meeting point.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  RAMSEY

  Sage ended the call.

  I leaned against the truck.

  “Ramsey will have to get you looked at.”

  Sal’s voice shook.

  “Not right now.” I took a breath.

  Adam pulled up in his car.

  I glanced at my watch.

  Sage had a five minute head start.

  “Do you know where she is?”

  Adam stayed behind the wheel.

  “No. She’ll reach out.” I told him.

  “Ramsey you can’t go.”

  Sal told me. “You won’t make it.”

  “Shut up woman.”

  Brian rummaged in a bag in the truck.

  “He won’t make it there and back.”

  Sal’s voice shook.

  “Ramsey can’t live without her.”

  Brian jumped out the truck.

  “He’ll die anyway.”

  He had clean rags and duct tape.

  “This patch job will be janky as fuck but it’ll do.”

  Sal rushed to help.

  They bandaged me up.

  The pain was fucking horrible.

  The tape was tight.

  I know it had to be.

  I felt weak but I could manage.

  I got in the car with Adam.

  We went in th
e direction she left in.

  We were ten minutes behind.

  I was in a bad space.

  I need you darlin.

  I can’t live without you.

  My phone chimed.

  I glanced at the text.

  I put the directions in a search as I talked.

  Adam glanced over.

  I showed him the area.

  He told me he knew where it was.

  It was a stretch of desert filled with canyons.

  We should check the area closest to the road.

  Scott and his men wouldn’t stray far.

  I studied the map.

  I told him there’s a short cut.

  He the road is elevated.

  I told him we would use that one.

  We couldn’t beat her to the location.

  We could provide cover from above if it came to that.

  I felt better that we had a plan.

  I refused to believe it was too late.

  Sage had a quick hand.

  Scott was desperate, he had men, and he had Billy.

  It wouldn’t take long for him to realize she didn’t have the money. Sage was outnumbered and out gunned.

  She told me goodbye.

  It ripped my heart to shreds.

  This couldn’t be the end.

  Not for us.

  I couldn’t live without her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  SAGE

  I drove down the winding road.

  Scott wanted to meet in the desert.

  He watched way too many action movies.

  My head felt heavy.

  I tried to focus on the road in front of me.

  I sent the directions to Ramsey.

  He would come but this time it wouldn’t be for me.

  I wanted him to come for Billy.

  He would because he loved me that much.

  I needed another lifetime with Ramsey.

  I wiped my eyes.

  I should have loved him harder.

  In time his heart would heal.

  I saw where the road ended.

  I turned right and drove into the desert.

  The sand blew across the car.

  I hit the windshield wipers.

  I stopped the car.

  What the fuck.

  The unmarked cars and trucks looked like toys.

  They were mashed together.

  Smoke and steam rose from the twisted metal.

  There were scattered bills around the dead men.

  Scott waited in front of a truck with his men

  Billy was with them.

  I got out the car with the gun at my side.

  I coughed and covered my eyes.

  I pulled the bandana up over my nose and mouth.

  I left the car and walked across the sand.

  It was five of them.

  I was outnumbered but I had to get it done.

  “Where’s my money?” Scott yelled over the wind.

  I glanced around.

  “Shouldn’t your men pick up what’s here?”

  “Sage, I know how fast you are.”

  Scott grabbed Billy.

  “I want my money.”

  “It’s in the truck.”