The Cocky Thief (Stolen Hearts Book 1)

by Mallory Crowe

  “How did you find me?” she asked suddenly.

  “What?”

  “At the airport. I know it wasn’t the best disguise, but you found me immediately. How?”

  He let out a laugh. “You’re not going to be happy.”

  “Just tell me.”

  “It was your walk.”

  “My walk was different. I was in tennis shoes and I wore heels all weekend at the vineyard.”

  “Yeah, but I’d recognize your ass anywhere.”

  She glanced over to see whether he was joking, but his face was straight. Her idea of having a quick fling had been so sound and somehow it had gotten so messed up. And now he was sucked into her family’s drama and all she could feel was grateful.

  They’d made a ten-minute stop for supplies before leaving. She knew it was ten minutes because that was the time limit she’d given him. It gave her enough time to pick up some drinks and snacks for the road while Austin picked up a few more burner phones and a change of clothes.

  He was in a gray t-shirt and jeans now. The first time since they’d met that he’d been in jeans. She wondered whether that was the real him or just another face he wore. Maybe he was wondering the same thing about her.

  She knew she should’ve been polite and continued the conversation while they were driving, but she couldn’t bring herself to commit to small talk. Not when so many things were up in the air.

  But there was another reason. She’d tried small talk with Austin before. It always devolved into flirting or banter. Could she forgive herself for flirting with someone while her sister suffered?

  So instead she stayed quiet, continually flipping through the music stations whenever commercials came on so there was never chance for Austin to start in.

  But now that the sparse bushes of the Great Basin Desert stretched before them and they were off the main freeway, music stations were fewer and further between. After she’d spent five minutes flipping through the static, Austin reached forward and slammed the power button. “I think we can give up on that.”

  “Sorry,” muttered Jennifer as she sat back in her seat and folded her legs under her. She’d long since flipped the sneakers off so at least her shoes weren’t destroying the seat.

  “It’s fine. If you don’t want to talk, we don’t have to talk.”

  She sighed. It bothered her that he knew what she was avoiding. They’d only met a few days ago. He shouldn’t know her at all. She made a living of people not being able to guess her motives and now he could read her like a book. It might be convenient but it was damn frustrating.

  “Do you think my family is crazy?” she asked finally.

  He raised a brow. “Crazy? I don’t know. I think your mother is terrifying.”

  She laughed at that. “She has her moments, that’s for sure. She likes you, though.”

  “That’s a lie. I could tell back at the vineyard that she didn’t want me touching you with a ten-foot pole.”

  Well, there was that. “I think that’s back when she thought you were a lawyer. She likes you more now that you’re one of us.”

  “Really? Your mom might not be crazy, but she is strange.”

  That was right.

  “You sister seemed cool, though.”

  A sharp bolt of guilt hit her at the mention of Mel. “She is cool. She didn’t want this life.”

  “Yeah?”

  “She quit six years ago. Found a former football star to marry and settle down with.”

  “I’m assuming that didn’t work out as planned.”

  “Ben was an asshole. I think she knew that for a long time. She didn’t talk to me much after the marriage, but I think that was because she was distancing herself from everything I represent. Ben was ‘normal.’ He was supposed to be ‘nice.’ It took her a long time to see that there are snakes in all walks of life.” And if Jennifer had been around during the divorce, she would’ve made sure that no matter what the courts said, he would’ve walked away with nothing. But she didn’t want to talk about her family anymore. “What about you? Any crazy relatives in your past?”

  Austin shrugged. “I don’t really have any family.”

  “By circumstance or choice?” It was a personal question, but at this point Jennifer felt as if she could ask.

  “Both. Daddy was a mean son of a bitch and my mom took off with all the money out of the mattress when I was still too much of a burden to take with her. As soon as I was old enough, I got the hell out of there too. Started picking pockets and never looked back.”

  “A runaway picking pockets? I never thought you’d be a cliché.”

  “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

  True. And that distance was good. The distance was keeping her safe. “Going from picking pockets to big jewelry heists is a big deal. What changed?”

  “Nothing changed. I was damn good at what I did and I never got caught.”

  Jennifer snorted. “BS. Everyone gets caught.”

  “Not me.”

  “Not one shoplifting charge? One angry glance? Nothing? I can understand not getting arrested—you can always talk your way out of a charge—but, like I said, everyone gets caught at least once.”

  “Not me,” he said again. “Why do you think I was so pissed when you got the Dragon Heart? I don’t fail. Ever.”

  She rolled her eyes, but didn’t fight with him. If he wanted to protect his sterling reputation, she wouldn’t fight with him. He was the type who got jobs based off his reputation for being amazing. She got jobs by having no reputation at all. If no one knew her, no one could be coming after her. She never took jobs on commission. She did cons and heists for herself. Minimal risk and maximum profit.

  “Here we are.” He turned onto a road that didn’t even look like a road. More like a slightly smoother patch of desert.

  “How do you know this guy again?”

  “I was paid to nab some blueprints for some new skyscraper in Dubai so a competing architect could make sure his building was better. Walked in on Weston while his mark was running. I tripped the mark and we each got our jobs done. Now he owes me a favor.”

  Jennifer frowned. “He wouldn’t have just caught up with the guy on his own?”

  “I’m sure he would’ve, but I like when guys like Weston owe me.”

  “Favors don’t mean much when you’re the mark,” she pointed out.

  “Avoiding being the mark is a different skill entirely.”

  “And now you’re putting yourself right in the line of fire.” And she had no idea why.

  “Well, I hear that Dragon Heart is worth a lot of money.”

  “No one offered you a cut of it.”

  “Your mother seems reasonable. I’m sure we can work out terms.”

  She was sure he was right, but why would he agree to help without working out those terms in advance? No, he was working another angle. But one for her? It seemed too self-centered to think that she was the reason for this sudden bout of helpfulness, but nothing else seemed to make sense. Before she could allow herself to dwell on it too much, he stopped the car. But when she looked out the window, there was no house or anything besides the sporadic dry desert bushes and sand. “What are we doing?”

  “We’re waiting. Get out of the car.” He took his own orders and got out while she looked around questioningly. He came around to her side and opened her door. “Sooner rather than later.”

  “Why are we getting out? There’s no one here.”

  He held out a hand to her. “Trust me, he knows we’re here. Now we just have to let him know we aren’t a threat and he’ll come to us.”

  She took his hand and stepped out of the car. Even though it was the desert, the breeze kept the summer heat from being too much. The loose strands that had fallen from her ponytail whipped around her face and the open flannel shirt flew back. She squinted in the wind as she looked around for any sign of a camera or looking post, but from here it just looked deserted.

  “Wha
t are we doing here? We don’t have time for this.”

  “Just...trust me. Give it a few minutes.”

  She tightened her lips and set her hands on her hips as she slowly turned in a circle, looking for any sign of life. Except when she got proof that they truly weren’t alone, it wasn’t what she wanted. It was a red dot that appeared on Austin’s t-shirt.

  “How sure are you that this guy likes you?”

  “Pretty sure. Why?”

  “Because there’s a laser right over your heart.” She pointed to his chest.

  He frowned as he craned his neck to look down. “Nah, that’s a good sign. If he was really mad, I’d be dead already.” Austin held up his hands and waved. “Hey, James! It’s me, Austin Miles. Remember Dubai?”

  Three loud bangs echoed in the desert and Jennifer jumped away from the plumes of dust that erupted just a few inches from her. “I don’t think he remembers Dubai!” she shouted as she ran for the car.

  Austin stayed firm. “Just give it a minute.”

  “In a minute, you’re going to be missing a few pints of blood!”

  “I got this! Come on, Weston. I get it, you’re in charge. We need to talk. I have a job for you.”

  Jennifer covered her ears as she waited for another bang, but instead the only thing she heard was the high-pitched tones of a cell phone. Austin turned around as he looked for the source of the sound. She stood up and they each approached the ringing rock together.

  Austin tipped the rock over, revealing the false bottom where the phone was waiting. “I guess that’s for us.” He bent down to pick it up.

  Jennifer shook her head. “I already don’t like this guy.”

  “Hello?” said Austin. “We’ll be here.”

  “What did he say?” asked Jennifer.

  “He said he’s going to pick us up.”

  Considering the shots that had just rang out, Jennifer expected this James Weston to magically appear on the horizon, but it was three minutes before the Jeep rolled up to where they stood.

  “Get in,” said the driver when he stopped next to them.

  As much as Jennifer hated to be ordered around, it made sense. He wanted to separate Jennifer and Austin from their vehicle. In this desert wilderness, you needed a car to get anywhere and guys like Weston were always thinking about where weapons could be hidden. That big SUV could hide a lot of weapons.

  Austin got into the front seat and she climbed into the back.

  “How did you know about this place?” asked Weston, surprising Jennifer. She’d assumed that Weston had told Austin how to find him.

  “I like to know where different players are,” said Austin evasively. “I have a job for you. A recovery.”

  James Weston was intimidating, even sitting down. He wore olive-green utility pants and a light beige t-shirt that was tight enough to show off his impressive biceps, with the hint of a black tattoo sticking out. His hair was a sandy brown and the rough stubble on the verge of being a beard covered his bottom jaw. He could probably blend right into the desert background if he wanted. No wonder he lived out here.

  It was interesting to see him sitting next to Austin. Both were attractive but where Austin was lean and smooth, Weston seemed to have a more brute strength. She couldn’t imagine Weston walking into a high-society soirée and talking his way past the guards.

  “What’s the duration and payout?”

  “Duration is unknown. Hopefully no longer than a week. Payout is six figures.”

  Well, Jennifer had never discussed terms with Isobel but she was sure her mother would pay whatever was necessary to get Mel back safe and sound.

  “Time is important,” said Jennifer loudly to make up for the noise from the wind passing them by as Weston drove farther from the main road. “My sister was taken this morning and we haven’t received a call yet.”

  “A lot of factors are still variable at this point,” said Austin.

  “Would I be taking point on the job?”

  “No. We already have a point man. Jennifer, her mother, and I all have skills, but our faces have been seen. We’re bringing in a computer hacker; you and then the point man are all fresh faces.”

  She noticed he didn’t say what Hart was. Made sense considering she wasn’t sure what the ex-cop’s purpose was either, but he seemed to be on her side so she was just happy he was there.

  They finally approached a building. It was like a house, but all the windows seemed to be walled over and the door was covered with reinforced bars. This guy did not live in a relaxing desert getaway. He lived in a fortress.

  The Jeep stopped and all three of them got out. Weston led the way to the door, where he entered in a code, held his thumb to a print scanner and unlocked the door using three different keys. It all seemed like overkill to her but she needed his help, so she kept quiet.

  “Where is the job?” asked Weston.

  The inside of his fortress was surprisingly normal. There was a sofa, big-screen television on the wall, and plenty of lighting that almost made up for the lack of windows. Maybe this guy wasn’t full commando after all. “My sister was abducted in a suburb of San Francisco. We don’t have any reason to believe she’d be taken far.”

  “I’ll need time to get my gear ready. I can meet you in the city by ten p.m. sharp.”

  Jennifer’s eyes darted between Weston and Austin. “That’s it? You don’t need a deposit or anything?”

  Weston smiled, but it was anything but comforting. “I think Miles here knows exactly how serious I am about my money.”

  Scott Hart looked at his GPS and at the building in front of them. “I don’t think this is right.”

  “These are the coordinates she sent,” said Isobel. “That means it’s right.” She hopped out of the car and walked right for the convenience store without a second thought.

  Scott groaned. He hated variables and right now that’s all he had. But Isobel had gone to the website listed on the card that Jennifer had found. All the page had was a basic contact form. Almost as soon as Isobel had entered in her name and an email address, she’d gotten an email with these coordinates.

  Even though he knew better than to go blind into situations like this, there wasn’t much choice. If they wanted to find this Toni chick, this was the best option. He got out of the car and felt for the appendix holster. He didn’t have a lot of ammunition, but the gun that Austin had picked up from the vineyard might prove useful yet.

  He locked the car and then followed Isobel inside. She strolled along the back of the store as if she owned the place. She walked most places like that. Even though her daughter was missing without a word, she acted as though there wasn’t a care in the world.

  But he’d seen a few cracks in that armor that let him know things weren’t quite so simple for her. When he’d caught her at the train station, there had been a look of panic in her eyes that told him she wasn’t as confident as she projected about their escape plan. And the crestfallen descent of her shoulders when she hadn’t been able to reach Melody had told him a hell of a lot more.

  That split second was what had him sticking around. It was easy to say that he was there on a mission of vengeance and that was all he cared about, but Catherine was still with him. Catherine would never sit back while someone, innocent or not, suffered. In fact, that was why she was gone in the first place.

  The rush of happy memories was quickly replaced with a burning anger that he was all too familiar with. He reached out and grabbed Isobel’s arm. “What do you think you’re doing?” he bit out in a low whisper.

  She glanced down where he held her arm and then back at his face, her disapproval evident. “I’m looking for Toni.”

  “In the soda section?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Obviously not there. But she sent us these coordinates for a reason. I’m betting she’s going to let us know where she is any minute now.” She pointed to a spot behind him.

  Scott looked over his shoulder to the camera that was
aimed directly at them.

  “That little guy has been following my every move since I walked in.”

  Right then, the door on the far end of the refrigerator popped open.

  “And there she is,” said Isobel triumphantly as she went right for the door.

  Scott cursed under his breath and followed her through. He wanted to have a hand on his gun and ready, but he knew the camera was on him, so he didn’t want to telegraph where his one and only weapon was.

  The door led directly to some stairs and he was only on the first one when he heard the door slam shut behind him. And now they were trapped with the person who may or may not be Isobel’s daughter. It wasn’t as if Toni was all that uncommon of a name. It could be some fat dude smoking a joint and laughing at the two suckers dumb enough to go to random coordinates sent by a stranger.

  Except he knew he was wrong the second they got to the basement. This wasn’t the lair of some loner computer nerd. The walls were a light purple and the soft glow of the lights kept it from feeling like a basement.

  The feminine touches were nice, but there was one very obvious reason for this place. The far wall was dominated by computers. There were eight different monitors, four mounted and four resting on the desk that ran the length of the wall.

  And then someone stepped out from the shadows and leaned against the desk. Definitely not a guy and definitely not fat.

  Considering he’d seen Jennifer and Isobel, he didn’t know why he expected Toni to be any different. Even though her hair was a bright blonde, she had the same grace and confident expression that the rest of her family seemed to be blessed with. She wore a baby-blue tank top and tight black leggings, letting him know that even down here she’d been keeping up with her workout routine. There were women on the force who weren’t nearly as fit as this girl was. Not in a bulky, steroid, protein shake kind of way. The kind of fit that had his eyes going right to her—

  “Why are you here?” she asked without any formal greeting. He didn’t know what happened between Isobel and Toni, but there must’ve been a reason Isobel had no way of contacting her.