Second Rate Chances

by S. C. Stephens

  Breaking off their connection, she peered down at him with furrowed brows. “What do we do about your brother? Will he leave you alone now?”

  Her eyes flashed over his chest and Chance saw the anger there. Makayla wouldn’t let Garrett get away with this. Chance was pretty sure that she’d make an anonymous tip-off to the police. That…would not be good.

  Chance cupped her cheek and shook his head. “Hey, whatever you’re thinking…don’t. I don’t want you getting all vigilante-girl with Garrett.” Chance grinned at her. “He won’t smile and ask you for a date.” Frowning, he shook his head. “Please leave this one alone, Makayla…please.”

  She sighed, searching his eyes. “He’s a menace, Chance. I can’t just let a menace walk the streets. I just…can’t let evil like that go unpunished.”

  Chance swallowed. Would she think he was evil, once all was said and done?

  Leaning over, he pressed her to her back. “Please…I love you. I don’t want to lose you.”

  Her eyes flashed over his face, at the various wounds he was still recovering from. “I don’t want to lose you either,” she murmured.

  She was exactly where he needed her to be for the con. She was practically putty in his hands right now. Chance knew that he could broach the subject of his life being in danger. He already had his lie mapped out. He would tell her that Garrett didn’t kick the shit out of him for retribution for stealing. His plan had been to tell her that Garrett had attempted to kill him because he believed that Chance had stolen more than just a gaudy watch. His master plan had been to convince Makayla that someone had taken Chance’s small theft as an opportunity to make a much larger theft. Drugs. He was going to say that Garrett assumed Chance had stolen thousands of dollars in drugs….over a quarter of a million dollars worth.

  Chance knew without a doubt that he could convince Makayla that robbing the bank to pay off Garrett was the only solution. He would have to sell her on a fancy plan to set Garrett up to take the fall—her sense of justice wouldn’t allow any other option—but he knew that he could do it. Hell, that only made the con easier. If she believed that getting Garrett convicted of a felony robbery was the only way to get Chance out from under his thumb, then she’d do it…gladly.

  Yes, the con was perfectly played out for him…he only had to say the words. Problem was, staring into her loving, trusting pale eyes, his earlier revelation socked him in the stomach. He couldn’t con her anymore. He couldn’t get the words out. He just…couldn’t.

  Instead of setting up the perfectly played out lie, Chance smiled and stroked her cheek. “He won’t touch me again. I know my brother…I need to give him a few days to cool off…which is why I came here…but then he’ll be over it, and he’ll move on like nothing happened. I’m fine…I’m safe. And I won’t ever take anything from him again, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

  Makayla frowned. “Except the fact that a psycho is free to walk the streets of Plymouth.”

  Chance shook his head. “He was only in town for a short job. He’ll head back to New York soon…then he’ll be out of our lives forever.”

  He leaned down to kiss her, to distract her from her tumbling thoughts…from his own tumbling thoughts. She eventually relaxed into his touch, opening her mouth and her body. Chance moved over the top of her, feeling his passion start to dull the pain again. Sex was much better than popping a pill… especially sex with Makayla. There was truly nothing on this earth like it. As his mouth moved down her neck, she squirmed and murmured, “Okay, I guess…”

  His lips traveled down her chest and she gasped in a breath as he took a rigid nipple in his mouth. “Don’t worry…karma has a way of providing its own form of justice. My brother won’t be able to hide from her…” Chance also knew that karma was coming for him. He wouldn’t be able to outrun her either. He didn’t mention it, though.

  “Yeah, okay…”

  Smiling, Chance worked his way over the curves of her stomach. Disappearing under the sheet, he heard her groan, felt her fingers come down to thread through his hair, encouraging him to keep going. He planned to. Wishing things were different, wishing things were simpler, Chance sighed as he felt Makayla open herself to him. She was so trusting of him now, so warm and encouraging. Chance would give anything to actually be Colton Burke. To be the man worthy of her desire…her love.

  Chance pushed the feeling aside as he drew a lazy circle with his tongue around the tattoo on her hip….her matching tattoo. He started to wonder if she’d regret that hasty decision later, but he stopped himself and instead focused on pleasing her body. Brushing his lips and tongue across her skin, he teased his way over to her core. This was all he could give her right now, and he’d do his best. As she cried out, arching against him as his tongue swirled around her, Chance felt that at least he could give her this one moment of honesty. It was more than he’d given anybody else…even himself.

  Chapter 15

  Buying Time

  After a much longer, drawn-out second session, Chance was tired. He ached, but he felt wonderful too. With Makayla’s bare body gingerly draped across his, he felt like everything was right in the world, even if everything was really, really wrong. We didn’t want to dwell on the fact that he’d backed out of the con, but he couldn’t escape it either. He didn’t know what to do with Garrett and Reggie now. They couldn’t be left to their own devices, not when Makayla’s bank was still in their vision. They had to be stopped, or distracted.

  Closing his eyes, Chance tried to forget the lie for a moment, and concentrate on the truth. He loved Makayla, and she loved him. Right now they were in sync. Right now they were perfect. But Chance knew that wouldn’t always be the case.

  “Do we have to stay here, Chance?”

  He cracked open his eyes at hearing Makayla’s voice. She propped herself up on her elbows and stared down at him. “I’d like to go home.” She smiled crookedly. “I’d like to take you home.”

  Chance grinned. He’d like that too. He nodded, stretching out his muscles in preparation for sitting. He was still a little stiff, as his body slowly mended. Hissing in a breath, he sat up. Makayla sat up beside him, the sheet falling to her waist. “No offense, but I think I hate your brother.”

  Leaning over to kiss her, Chance murmured, “None taken…I hate him too.”

  He cupped her breast while their mouths moved together and Makayla giggled. Breaking apart, she stared at him with eyes that were clearly reluctant. “Come on…we can continue this in my bed.” Her eyes flashed around the dingy room.

  Chance chuckled, then stood to get dressed. After quickly packing up anything of his in the room, they shut the motel door behind them and made their way to the parking lot. They stopped at Chance’s car and he tossed his emergency bag in the trunk. Makayla raised an eyebrow.

  “Why do you keep an overnight bag in your car?”

  Chance contained a frown. He’d never expected her to see that. Twisting back to her, he shrugged. “Doesn’t everybody?”

  She smirked. “No.”

  With a hand on her hip, she waited for an answer. Chance crooked a grin and looped an arm around her waist. “Boy scout, remember. Always be prepared.”

  Her smile widened. “Yeah, nice try, but I already busted you on that fib.”

  Chance chuckled and held her tight. It felt so nice. His natural instinct was to lie, but he wanted to be honest with her. Given his current situation, though, that meant that he had to be vague. Sighing, he shook his head. “I’ve had to make some quick getaways in my past…I guess the habit of being ready for them is still with me.”

  He looked down, hoping she’d let the vagueness slide. Luckily, she did. Kissing his jaw, she pulled on his arm. “Come on, boy scout, you can walk me to my car.”

  A few minutes later, the pair were headed back to Makayla’s place. A light April shower started up, and Chance’s windshield wipers squeaked as they swished back and forth. Watching Makayla’s headlights in his rearview mirror, C
hance decided to test her tailing skills. He made some odd moves, fast right turns, misleading lefts, but her headlights always popped back into view. Her moves were casual and she kept her distance. She really was getting good at following people. Chance smiled and shook his head. Maybe he could turn Makayla around to his way of life. It’d been a while since he’d worked with a partner, and working with her would be much more enjoyable than working with his dad had been.

  Pulling into her drive, Chance immediately let that fairy tale go. Makayla would only bend against the rules so far. A life of crime was not in her future.

  She was beaming in front of her sunny home as Chance stepped from his car. “How’d I do?”

  Chance shrugged, keeping the pride from his face. “Well, it’s kind of cheating when you know where the mark is headed.”

  Makayla scowled and patted his chest. “Yeah, but I still kept up with you.” She lifted her chin.

  Chance looked over her features for a moment, the slightly tousled honey-hair, the plump lips, the loyalty in her eyes. God, she was breathtaking. Maybe it was because he knew they were running out of time, maybe it was because he’d finally opened himself up to her, or maybe it was just the light rain dampening the exposed area of her white shirt, but he wanted her again. He didn’t think he’d get enough of her.

  Grabbing the back of her neck, Chance pulled her mouth to his. She groaned at the intensity of his kiss. Every ache in his body shifted to a much lower one as their passion seemed to sizzle in the air around them. Maybe Chance was imagining it, but he swore he could even hear the light rain hiss as it evaporated in their presence.

  The rain took a turn for the worse as their desire escalated, almost like it was escalating with them. Chance ignored the chill in it…he barely felt it…but their hair and skin were soaked through after just a few moments standing in it.

  Makayla pulled them towards the safety and shelter of her doorstep. The rain pounded around them as they leaned against the dry frame. Chance pushed her back into the door, grabbing her leg and hoisting it up his hip, so he could fully press against her. She gasped, her head falling back. With her hair dark and dripping from the rain, her lips wet with moisture, and the lacey outline of her bra showing through her shirt, she was a vision of eroticism. Chance couldn’t believe how lucky he was, that he would get to claim her again this evening.

  She fumbled with her keys, barely managing to unlock the door as Chance sucked the rain off her skin. Falling into her entryway, their hands immediately began removing articles of clothing that weren’t needed anymore. Chance barely had time to slam the front door shut before Makayla ripped his jacket off. Hers was gone a second later. Shoes and shirts were left along the hallway, jeans torn off just inside her bedroom door. Their underwear were the last survivors, but they too were ripped off and discarded, so that nothing was left between their bare bodies.

  As Chance joined with her again, he marveled at how perfectly matched they were. As her body writhed beneath him, moving with him as fiercely and passionately as he was moving within her, Chance felt an overwhelming sense of completion. This. This is what had been missing in his life.

  As his body let loose inside of her, Chance cried out with the joy of it…and the loss. He knew he couldn’t keep her forever. Her explosion of ecstasy hit his ears and Chance closed his eyes, memorizing the sound. Hers held only joy, with no underlying sorrow. Of course, she didn’t know yet. His secret wasn’t out yet. But with Garrett and Reggie loose in the city, it was only a matter of time.

  Once Makayla was passed out beside him, finally sleeping after their rigorous night, Chance sat up. Running a hand down his face, he debated what to do. There was really only one thing to do. Standing, he slipped on his underwear and made his way back to his jacket. Digging through his pockets, he found his phone and quickly typed a message to Garrett. ‘Need to meet. 10:00 AM. My place.’

  Garrett’s response was immediate. ‘Fine.’

  Hoping he knew what he was doing, Chance slinked back to Makayla’s bed and tried to stop his mind from spinning so he could finally get some much needed rest.

  He stirred when Makayla kissed him in the morning. Brushing her lips against his, she murmured, “Will I see you for lunch?”

  Chance opened his eyes, his lingering pain nothing as her angel face gazed down on him. Here is where he should have said yes. Here is where he should have continued his much needed surveillance of the bank, but fingering her golden strands, he shook his head. “I don’t want your coworkers to see me like this…”

  Her brow furrowed as she examined his face. Chance smiled at the way her lips pursed; it was adorable. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Knowing he looked worse than he felt, Chance nodded. “Yeah,” he reached out to cup her face, pulling her lips down to his, “I’m great.” They shared a light, languid kiss, until she broke away.

  Sighing, her hand ran down his bare chest. “I have to go…” She seemed really reluctant to leave him; Chance’s heart swelled. Brightening, she tilted her head and smiled. “Will you be here when I get off work?” By the way she raised her brows, Chance thought that she meant will he literally be naked in her bed when she got home.

  He smiled, then frowned. “I’ve missed a few days of work…I should really go in.” He didn’t want to, and he really didn’t need to, since he wasn’t doing the bank job anymore, but Makayla would wonder if he just up and abandoned his employment. He did have bills to pay. Well, Colton had bills to pay. Chance just didn’t want her doubting anything about him. He wanted to keep this level of trust that they had going for as long as he possibly could.

  Sighing, Makayla nodded and kissed him. Pulling back, a devilish grin lit her mouth. “Well then, I guess I’ll be waiting for you.” By the gleam in her eye, Chance was pretty sure that he’d come home to find her naked in bed. God, he could not wait for this day to be over with. Especially considering what he had to do today

  Chuckling, Chance kissed her goodbye. Once she was gone, the house felt a little emptier. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay empty for long. Chance stepped from the shower to find Makayla’s room occupied…by Adrian. He startled at seeing the man, then frowned that the ex-thief had broken into Makayla’s place. Cinching his towel around his waist, he narrowed his eyes at Adrian. “What are you doing here?”

  Adrian’s green eyes flashed over Chance’s blue and yellow chest. “Garrett and Reggie did a number on you, didn’t they?”

  Chance frowned and dug through his bag for some clean clothes. “Yeah, well, it was all part of the plan.” A defunct plan.

  Adrian shook his head and looked away while Chance slid on his underwear and jeans. “It’s reckless and brutal, just like those two.” When Chance was drying his hair with the towel, Adrian looked back at him. “Have you thought about what will happen to Makayla, after all this goes down?”

  Chance sighed as he grabbed a dark shirt from his bag. Yes, Makayla was all he’d been thinking about lately. “What do you want from me, Adrian?” He glanced up at him. “I’m just doing a job. You of all people should understand that.”

  Adrian stood up, running a hand through his jet-black hair. “I get it Chance, but you’re dealing with people I care about…that makes it impossible for me to walk away.”

  Slipping on his shirt, Chance whispered, “I care about them too.”

  Adrian heard him and grabbed his elbow. “Then stop this. Convince Garrett the target isn’t worth the effort. Get him to move on.”

  His eyes flashed between Chance’s as Chance pulled his arm free. “You already tried that, Adrian. Garrett told me how many times you gave him the runaround, sent him off on side jobs. But he always came back, didn’t he? He’s obsessive, Adrian, and I think you made him that way. If you’d just done the job months ago, Garrett would be in another state by now. It’s a point of pride with him now and he won’t let it go. You created the whale, Captain Ahab…I’m just trying to make sure no one else gets harpooned along the way
.”

  Adrian backed up, his eyes narrowing. “You can still walk away from this, Chance.”

  Chance flung his hands into the air. “No, I can’t. I’m in love with Makayla and I can’t let Garrett walk into the bank fully loaded, which is exactly what will happen if—”

  Adrian glanced at the messy bed then up at Chance. “You’re in love with her? For real?”

  Chance sighed, running a hand down his face. He hadn’t meant to admit that. “Yeah, so, you see…I can’t walk away either.”

  Adrian sat down on the edge of the bed. “So…what do we do?”

  Chance cupped his face with his hands. “I’m on my way to meet with him. I’m going to buy us some time, but not much…” Slowly exhaling, Chance dropped his hands from his face. “We need to get rid of Garrett…for good.”

  Adrian set his jaw, then stood. “Agreed.”

  Not sure how to do that yet, Chance extended his hand out to Adrian. Adrian grasped it, shaking it once. After the agreement was made, both men discussed their options. Murder was the obvious choice, if either Chance or Adrian were capable of it. They weren’t though. They weren’t thugs, they weren’t vicious. They were thieves. Chance abhorred guns, always had. Adrian felt much the same way. That dwindled their choices when it came to getting Garrett out of the area. But, they were con men, and between the two of them, they should be able to come up with something.