by Xavier Neal
The limo takes us to his spacious condo just on the other side of the lake. We travel up a set of steep stairs towards the beautiful structure that to call a one story mansion feels like it would be an under sale. Inside he leads me to his spacious living room where he lights a fire and insists I relax on his white antique plush couch. I settle myself in the corner and lean back while he fetches two glasses of wine. Yuck. The one from dinner was hard enough to sip on. Not sure how much I can pretend to enjoy the liquid.
The entire room feels as if it's just wanting for some snooty party to begin. I guess that makes sense considering what he does for a living. While the couch I'm settled on is comfortable, the matching sets of chairs also surrounding the coffee table don't have the same feeling. There are red accent pillows in the seats that tie into the red and gold curtains that are pulled back letting in the great view. The dangling crystal chandeliers and lights, combined with the expensive artwork on the walls is giving me an anxiety that I may be in over my head.
Landon returns, sits down beside me, and stretches his arm along the back of the couch. Handing me a glass he starts, “So...”
“Now that we're having dessert.” I tilt my glass towards him. “Tell me about what's in your deposit box. The mystery object.”
His chuckle causes him to toy with his tie. “In my safety deposit box is a coin.”
Pretending to be unimpressed I roll my eyes. “What kind of coin is worth that much money? What makes it special? Was it kissed by an Angel? Did the pope bless it?”
He laughs from a deeper place, a place that sounds less superficial than it has been.
“Seriously. What makes it so special?”
Landon removes his phone from his pocket and tosses it on the coffee table in front of us. After having several long gulps of his wine he states, “Long story.”
Bringing my legs up beside me, I lean my body towards him and whisper, “I've got time...”
His eyes look down the front of my dress before dragging his attention back up. To my guess this is usually the part of the evening where girls just lie on their backs and tell him to take over, but I hope he realizes quickly I'm not that girl. Little does he know, it's not gonna be that kind of evening.
“This coin on the surface looks like any other kind of coin. However, it's a wishing coin.”
“Like toss it in a fountain kind of wish?”
“According to the legend, the coin splits in two and inside lies a magical spell.”
Knowing I need to sell my disbelief in 'nonsense' like magic, I sneer. “Magical spell? Are you serious?”
“It's the legend,” he insists. “See the paper appears blank until it comes in contact with your body heat. It is then that a word appears. You say the word and follow it with what you wish for. Afterward it's created. That simple. You only get one wish though.”
“Wait, couldn't a person just memorize the word and repeat it whenever?”
“Doesn't work that way. You have to be holding the coin in which the magic is infused and the word varies. It's a one hit wonder kind of thing.” He takes a long sip of his wine and sighs, “At least that's the tale that goes along with the heirloom being passed down.”
“So it's a family heirloom? Why keep it in a safety deposit box? Why not keep it in your home? Or homes?”
“Safety first with such priceless pieces. Apparently it is a high ticket item.”
I clink the side of my glass. “Oh?”
“There are collectors who would love to get a hold of the object. There are thieves that would love to sell it on the black market. And of course there are the thieves from a story book after it as well.”
Doing my best to not get uncomfortable, but play along I ask, “First magic, now story book thieves?”
He chuckles lifting his glass to his lips. “Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me. I hardly believe me.”
“Come on. You've got me curious. If I can listen to one crazy tale, I can listen to the other.”
With a painful sigh he says, “The Lost Boys from Peter Pan. They're after it. And it's said they've successfully captured two other items on their list of toys to play with, mine being the third of some grand treasure.”
He waits for a response from me. Now, a normal person would be fleeing from the scene and even a mildly sane person wouldn't just sit here like what he is saying is normal. In fact, just a few months ago, I would've done just that. Now I know better.
Figuring I've been quiet too long, I start giggling and giggling until Landon joins me in soft laughter.
“Sounds crazy huh?”
I smile placing the glass down on coaster upon the coffee table. “A little.”
“That's better than a lot,” he responds lifting up his empty glass. “I'm going to get a refill.”
At that moment he rises off the couch and heads back towards his kitchen behind us. It's at that moment his cell phone begins to vibrate on the table. The sound of clanking around causes him to miss it.
“You're phone went off.”
“Crap!” Landon yells from behind me. Tossing my head over my shoulder I see he has spilled a bit of wine on his shirt. “I have to get this out before it sets. Do you mind checking it for me?”
“Sure...” I reach for his phone as he heads out of the living room. “Password?”
“468792,” the words travel from what I assume is his bedroom.
Typing in the code, I open the text, and let out a small gasp. It's a message from Tim Darling. There's a photo of me with the words, 'Has she made contact yet?'
“Who's it from?”
Frazzled I chirp out. “Me.”
Landon comes around the corner, a fresh dress shirt on, and heading towards the kitchen to retrieve his drink. “What do you mean you?”
“I mean I sent it earlier today and it just now got sent.” With that said I hit the delete button on purpose and make a terrified look on my face. “Oh God! I just hit delete! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!”
“It's okay,” Landon insists coming back to me as I put his phone down. “What did it say?”
Ready to get the hell out of this place, I pretend to check my phone in my purse, but instead slyly slide the tiny pin sized pill onto the tip of my finger. Appearing to be seductive I touch my fingers to my lip, slipping onto my tongue. “That I couldn't wait for you to kiss me...”
His eyebrows rise and he places the glass down. No more words are said as he pounces my lips. I push my tongue against his transferring the remains of the dissolving pill from me to him. Praying that it works I pull back just as Landon tries to catch his breath.
“That...was...” he slowly speaks, eyes beginning to shut slowly.
Softly I nudge him away and he lands with a hard thud on the ground. Oops. I'm supposed to put him on softer surfaces. Maybe that thump to the head will give him an attitude adjustment.
Reaching for my purse I pull out the eye shadow compact and slide out the compartment. I slide my body down beside his and start yanking at his tie, which shouldn't be that hard to undo but is. Why's the world slightly swaying? Is there like a special wave machine or something in this room? My fingers fumble around the tie until I manage to get it loose and remove the necklace that holds the key fob and the key. Struggling I lay the fob on it until I hear a soft beeping sounding letting me know it copied. At that point I feel my eyes get a little heavier. Oh no...Oh no! Oh no! I have to hurry! With a shaky grip I attempt to push the physical key into the pad to create an impression of it. Unfortunately for me, it tumbles out of my grip. Reaching for it, I start seeing double of the key, unsure which is the right one to grab. I swat at what I think it is until my hand finally stops moving and the rest of my body gives out too.
Chapter 11
With a wide yawn, I roll over and do my best to pull my eyelids open. You know that's the first time I've slept without so much as a spec of a dream about anything. And while I used to love dreaming of far-away places and sights, having no dreams definit
ely beats running the risk of having more nightmares.
“Hey,” Justin coos at me from next to the dresser where he is in the process of buttoning his white shirt. “Sleep okay?”
Nodding I pull my body up against the pillows that are propping me up. Curious I look down to see me in one of his undershirts and the thong I wore last night. Doing my best not to let panic take over immediately, I cover up my lower body. “Um...where are my shorts?”
He relocates his body on the edge of the bed closest to me. “I didn't put them on. It was hard enough to get you in that.”
“You had to...what?” After a second I see that my own brain isn't going to solve the riddle. “What happened?”
“Well after my nightmare came true, Peter brought you back here. When the sleeping pill wore off, you were still a bit groggy and very tired, so I helped you into what I could and let you rest. I know you hadn't been getting much sleep. And given today's heist I knew you'd need as much rest as you could get.”
I do my best to recall what happened the night before. I remember kissing Landon and it being well to put it politely, awful. I remember reaching for his tie and then...it's all a blank. “Wait...did I-”
“You got the copies made. When Peter found you, you were laid beside him giving us all the impression nothing happened.”
Thank God. If I had done anything else with that weasel, even if it were for a job, I don't think I could forgive myself. At least not without several bleach showers and Lysol wipes. “Peter came through huh?”
“Yeah.” Justin nods in disbelief himself by the look on his face. “In fact one minute he was in the living room jabbering on about some modeling contest on T.V. the next he was gone. Before I could even take off my oven mitts to make a move he...had disappeared to go get you.”
“Wow...” I sigh impressed Peter could keep his word. There's a lot I can predict about Peter from his piss poor drinking habits to his inability to keep his tongue to himself, but one thing I never can seem to predict is his loyalty to all of us. My brain snaps back into reality and I question, “Oven mitts?”
“I was baking the coin.” I lift my eyebrows in confusion. He shrugs. “Merely following the recipe. Most magical items aren't as simple as sprinkling a little happy thoughts over something and making it do what you want.”
My giggle seems to paint a look of relief on his face.
“Peyton about what happened last night-”
“Justin-”
“No.” He stops me, placing a hand on my thigh. “You didn't deserve the way I treated you before you left. I was pissed off at the situation. Frustrated I couldn't be the one there if you needed me. Moody from lack of sleep...Those are just excuses, I know. George Washington Carver said '99% of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.' And Peyton I don't wanna fail you or us. So, my deepest apologies for my behavior.” He lifts my hand and softly places a kiss on the back of it. How can I stay mad at him? “About the kiss-”
Knowing now is probably not the best time either, after all we are robbing someone in a couple of hours, I try to stop him. “We probably don't really have time to talk about that.”
“You're probably right, we don't. But we're going to.”
I can't lie and say I'm not interested in what happened. I can't even lie and say I can wait until later to hear about it. It's all I'll be thinking about if he doesn't tell me now.
“Right after the Jones Job―” his voice pauses and I recall Lola mentioning it had something to do with pirates. “About a day or so after they realized how I had robbed them blind, they kidnapped Belle from a shopping center to hold her as leverage. Peter was out on Mermaid Island when it happened with no way to reach him, so...it was just me. When I got to her they had her tied up to a pole, outfit torn, bruises across her body, beaten half to death. I got us out of there and when we got home before I could say anything she flew her arms around me and gave me a kiss. As if the universe had some sort of sick sense of humor, that's when Peter walked in. She pulled away and rushed into their bedroom. He followed her not saying a thing to me. They were in there for hours and afterward it was like it never happened. We never talked about it. He never brought it up...or at least not until now. Peter has this tendency to wait for the perfect chance to throw something like that in your face.”
“I believe it,” I whisper out unsure if he can hear me. “So there was no...”
“No. I don't have feelings for Belle.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Never have.” His run down my cheek. “Never will.”
Our lips meet and for a brief moment it feels like time stands still. There's something magical in having his lips on mine that could probably convince me to do anything, as if he hasn't convinced me to do enough already.
The sound of the door opening pulls us out of the moment and back into reality, where time isn't waiting on us for anything. Our faces turn to see Peter dressed in what I can only describe as formal limo driving wear.
“Oh. Good. You're alive.” the lack of care in his voice causes me to roll my eyes, but not pick a fight. He saved my life. He can have a couple of free jabs.
“Thanks for saving me, Peter,” I genuinely say as Justin leans his face away from mine. “Really. Thank you.”
“Don't mention it,” he sounds like it's almost heartfelt until he finishes with, “Ever. Don't ever, ever mention it again. Deal?”
I wonder if when his eyelids pop open a switch is immediately flipped and he goes from peaceful to jackass in record timing. Not giving him the satisfaction of a witty comeback I merely bite my tongue.
“If you two could wrap up your soap opera moments that would be great. We have crimes to commit.” He waves his free hand around and then buries his mouth in his infamous plastic cup.
What would happen if I replaced all his liquor bottles with apple juice?
“We're on it.” Justin nods hopping up and giving my leg a pat staring at me in my eyes. “Hope you're ready for this...”
Am I ever?
Following behind Tammy, the sound of her fingertips flying across her cell phone as she types a message is the only thing bouncing between us. She seems in a less than pleasant mood than she has been for the last couple of days. At least I think she is. I could just be paranoid.
She snatches a coffee cup out of someone's hand who is offering it to her. “How was your date last night?”
“It was good.”
She hums between her texts and her sip. Afterward she sighs, “You know he's coming in today?”
“I do.”
“Remember to try to remain professional in the building.” The words feel odd since it was yesterday she was telling me to throw myself at him. Maybe she's just jealous.
“Of course,” I insist walking behind her up the stairs to the top and down the hallway to where Missy's office is. My eyes look down making sure not to make eye contact with the security guard walking back and forth in full effect.
Tammy struts in and like a lap dog I'm on her heels. Inside the office I admire the gorgeous, lavish, black leather chairs sitting in front of her desk, the dark blue painted walls, and the silver and glass décor.
“P.J. meet Missy Tyler,” she introduces her, her eyes actually not glued on her phone.
The lovely blonde behind the desk, leans forward, her perfect French manicured hands offering to shake mine. I gently do while taking in her low cut red business suit that reminds me of something I'd see Lola in. Hopefully she's nicer than Lola is.
“P.J.'s yours today.” Tammy points to a small corner beside a small door I can only assume leads into the vaults. She looks over at me and sighs, “Try not to be too much trouble today.”
“Yes ma'am.” I nod and hear a door closing in the hallway, which lets me know Justin is right on time.
Shuffling my body back into the corner spot, I try not to feel unwelcomed as Tammy and Missy chat as if I'm not even there. I glance at the clock on the wall knowing in just one more minut
e Justin will walk into this room, where I'm not even sure they know I'm still here.
The clock strikes and my knight in shining thief presents himself in their presence immediately capturing their attention. Never fails. I soak in the black Armani suit he's rocking, the dark blue tie accompanying it, and his trademark fedora sitting sinfully sweet on his head. Had I not seen him leave the house this morning, I would definitely be distracted by him now.
He tips his hat. “Ladies.”
“Mr. Ryan,” Tammy coos, her hands immediately wrapping around his arm. “Pleasure to see you. What can we help you with today?”