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My muscles stiffened as I heard the echo of voices, then a moment later the crew all filed inside, heading toward the bar. I lifted the shot glass and promptly downed the Tequila, wincing at the burn as it slid down my throat. I tapped my closed fist on my chest twice, closed my eyes briefly, then turned to face Jared who had stepped behind the bar and poured himself a drink.
“What’s the deal?” Jared asked, leaning forward.
“With what?” I asked, knowing there could have been several things he was talking about. I still hadn’t contacted Ronnie—I’d effectively put him in a time out—I’d randomly called them to do a hit two days ago, and I still hadn’t told them when the next heist would be.
“With the hit,” he said, his voice deepening. Jared was a happy-go-lucky type of guy, but his patience was wearing thin.
“I needed to do a test,'' I explained, pushing my shoulders back. “The heist is in five days. We’re a man down.”
“Ronnie still not back?” Leroy asked from a few seats back.
I shook my head. “Ronnie is out of this one. It’s his punishment. He doesn’t get a cut.” I paused, letting that sink in. “But I found a replacement…Lena.”
A few groans rang out, but Jared’s lips lifted into a smile. “Since when do we bring the women we’re fucking into our jobs?” He may have looked and sounded like he was joking, but both he and I knew he was being deadly serious.
And I didn’t blame him. Before Lena, this never would have happened. But there was something about her—something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on—that called to me, that demanded my attention.
“She’s good with a gun,” I told him. “And she’s calm.” I held up two fingers. “That’s two traits that Ronnie didn’t have. And besides,” I shrugged as I pushed off the bar stool. “I trust her.”
The murmurs around me quietened, the silence deafening.
“You trust her?” Leroy asked, sounding dazed.
“I do.” I cracked my neck side-to-side. I didn’t trust many people, but what I’d said was the truth. I trusted her. I didn’t know why, I just did. “Meet here in two days to go over the plans.” I didn’t say another word as I spun around and headed out of the door they’d come through. Lena had no idea that the other day was a test—one that she’d passed with flying colors. She hadn’t hesitated. She’d done as she was told, and that was exactly what we needed for this next job.
All I had to do now was tell her.
Chapter Eleven
LENA
“Wait…” I stood in front of him, blinking rapidly, not quite believing what he was saying. “You tested me?” I shouldn’t have acted so aghast, but damn, he should have known I had excellent aim after seeing the aftermath of the man I’d shot in my bathroom doorway.
“Yeah.” He leaned back on my sofa, his lips curving in amusement. “You passed by the way.”
“I…passed?” I pursed my lips at him.
“Mmhmm.” He was holding back his laughter, I could tell by the creases at the edge of his eyes and the way his shoulders rounded in on themselves. “Now you get to go on the big job. The one that makes the money.”
My annoyance dissipated in an instant, but I couldn’t let that show. When he’d told me that me guarding the black door at that industrial estate was a test, I’d been genuinely pissed off. Too many times over the last month I’d forgotten who I really was—forgotten what I was here to do.
The problem was, it was so easy to do that with Theo. I saw a side of him that I was sure no one else got to see. So it was easy to lose myself in all of it…and him.
“What's the big job?” I asked.
His lips lifted into a grin this time as he slowly stood and wrapped his arms around my waist. It was becoming his signature move, one that I’d miss when he was no longer free.
Dammit. I couldn’t think like that. I couldn’t acknowledge the pit in the bottom of my stomach when I thought about him locked up in a six by six cell.
“Come to the club at eleven on Wednesday.” He planted a quick kiss on my lips then pulled back, letting me go completely.
“Wait…where are you going?” I frowned as he walked toward my apartment door.
“I gotta make all the plans, Lena.” He winked at me. “See you on Wednesday.”
“But…” I glanced around my apartment. I couldn't remember the last time I’d been here alone at night. “You’re not staying over.”
“Can’t.” His clipped one word answer was enough for me to know not to push it, so I simply nodded and watched as he shut the door behind him, leaving me standing in the middle of my living room trying to process what had just happened.
