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“Out cold in the bushes. Maybe we should finish him off.” The brute’s expression lacked all traces of empathy when he looked directly at Liam. “I could use the target practice.”
“I’m finished with the both of you,” Liam said furiously. “Leave now, or I’ll—”
“Come, let’s not fight,” Boyd said in a placating tone. “We’ve just landed our biggest haul yet. We should all be celebrating. Let it go for tonight, Liam. The lads didn’t do any real harm.”
Liam clutched the box of gold coins, staring at Boyd as if he’d never seen him before. Boyd was slapping the twins on the back, visibly thrilled with the treasure they’d just acquired. For the first time Liam felt like an outsider as he watched them. Had Cora changed him so much that he could see just how far they’d all fallen?
“Let’s get out of here before anyone else comes along,” Boyd said.
Later, they’d divided the treasure among them in tense silence, and each gone their separate ways. Liam walked home in the dead of night, his pockets heavy with gold. He tried to feel optimistic about his future with Cora. He was glad they now had enough money to run away together, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the two injured footmen. If they even survived the trek out of the forest, their lives would never be the same. The Bricks had gone too far this time. It was only by God’s grace that they missed their targets, and the men still lived. But even if their injuries weren’t fatal, they could die later if they weren’t able to work again. The rift between Liam and the Bricks was as vast as the ocean now, though Boyd was pretending like everything would go back to normal. It was just as good Liam was leaving. He never wanted to see any of their faces again.
Liam slid his hands into his pockets, rubbing one of the smooth coins between his fingers. With stone-cold clarity, he suddenly realized that he and Boyd were no longer as close as they’d once been. They’d been stealing ever since they were lads, and they’d stayed together out of necessity. The friendship was based on their shared struggle to survive, but when it came down to character, they weren’t the same anymore. Maybe they never had been. Seeing Boyd flippantly dismiss the Bricks’ actions tonight made Liam realize just how much they’d grown apart. Boyd had become harder and more bitter over the years. More mercenary. What would happen when the twins got better at shooting and they actually killed someone? Would Boyd be there to witness it, and would he care? The fact that Liam couldn’t answer that weighed heavily on his mind.
When he reached the field near his brother’s tiny cottage, he stopped at the low stone wall dividing the land. Kneeling in the dirt, Liam felt around for the loose stone he’d pried free years ago. Inside was a small hollow where he kept his secret stash. He placed the gold coins in the hole and replaced the stone, then sat with his back against the wall.
God, if Cora had any idea of all the sins he’d committed over the years, she’d never love him. But he could change, dammit. Hewouldchange. With a weary sigh, Liam stared up at the bleak night sky. A million stars shimmered above him like tiny beacons of hope, and he found himself saying a silent prayer for the future. Maybe somewhere up there, someone would have pity on him for Cora’s sake. Because even though he knew he was just a common thief who didn’t deserve her, it didn’t stop him from wanting to be a man whocould.
6
Providence Falls,
Present Day
“You gotta give her the illusion of freedom, so she thinks she’s in control,” Magnus said from the passenger seat of the Mustang GTI on Sunday afternoon. “She’ll be feisty on those turns, and she’ll want to skid out, so watch your speed until you get to the straightaway. Then when you’ve got her purring for you just right, take over and show her who’s boss.” He patted the leather dashboard with a chuckle. “Cars aren’t any different than women, when it comes down to it. You get me?”
Liam nodded, eyeing the racetrack with the enthusiasm of a conquering warlord heading into battle. The car was a sleek, magnificent beast with an intoxicating amount of horsepower. He could feel the engine thrumming with unleashed fury, the car champing at the bit to break free and fly down the track. It was his second day at the Extreme Precision and Stunt Driving School, and so far he’d mastered every challenge. Yesterday’s class had focused on proximity work, grid work, various braking methods and Liam’s favorite—the ninety-and one hundred eighty–degree turns. After only a few hours of practice, Liam had perfected each lesson as if he’d been doing it for years. While he suspected his skill had something to do with the ability the angels had bestowed upon him, he still felt a satisfying prickle of pride when Magnus had called him a “natural” at the end of the day.
“So we’ll be doing high speed lane changes for the first six circuits over there,” Magnus said, pointing to the course ahead of them. White lines on the tarmac ran parallel to each other down the mile-long track, with markers showing where to change lanes. “And on the final lap we’re going straight into skid turns over there on the right. See that center wall? The car’s going to fishtail out of the high-speed turn, and she’s going to want to head straight for the wall, but you’re not going to let her.”
“Right,” Liam said, adjusting the mirror. The centerwallwas just a visual barrier made up of empty plastic barrels, but the drivers knew to treat it like a solid block of concrete.
“She’s all yours, man.” Magnus relaxed into his seat like he was settling in to watch a TV show. “Take her out.”
Liam stomped on the gas. The car shot off like a rocket, speeding down the course and eating up the track until the world outside streaked past in a blur. He loved the feel of the engine accelerating at his command. The squeal of the tires. The burning scent of rubber on the hot asphalt. Gripping the wheel, knuckles white with wild anticipation, he switched lanes at each designated mark. With every successful maneuver, his wicked smile grew until he felt as though he was one with the machine. No thoughts. No worries. Just the sensation of soaring across the earth with nothing weighing him down. It was pure freedom.
“I think you were born to fly,” Magnus said with a chuckle on the fifth lap around. “Now, don’t brake into that turn up ahead. When she loses traction—and she will—it’s going to feel like we’re heading straight into the wall, but remember what we talked about yesterday. Focus your energy on where youwantto go, not where it looks like you’re headed. If you focus on the wall, then all your immediate thoughts are given over to that wall, and what happens?”
Liam’s fingers tightened on the wheel. “You crash into it.”
“Exactly. So when you’re spinning out at a hundred miles per hour, your gut’s going to tell you to look at the looming danger ahead, but you’re going to need to override that feeling. Don’t focus on that wall.”
“Got it,” Liam said, keeping the speed steady as they neared the mark. Three...two...one. He jerked the wheel into the left turn. The car slid sideways, and the tires skipped across the asphalt, screaming in protest. Liam felt the sharp snap of the seat belt across his chest as they spun out. The car careened toward the wall of barrels.
“Focus,”Magnus said sharply.
Liam tried, but the wall was coming at them fast. It rushed toward them like a bad omen, and he couldn’t look away. All he could see was their inevitable collision. He gripped the wheel and spun it as hard as he could, but it was too late. With a jarring crash, they hit the barrels, skidded past the barricade and came to a screeching halt.
Adrenaline surged. Liam’s heart thumped against his rib cage. He grimaced at the mess of orange barrels scattered around them. Disgusted with himself for failing so spectacularly, he slapped his hands against the steering wheel and swore like an angry sailor.
A choked sound drew his attention to Magnus, who was slouched in the passenger seat, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. “Well, that’s a relief.”
Liam scowled. “What?”
“You’re a mere mortal, after all,” Magnus said with a smirk. “I think I was beginning to hate you a little. Ever since you got here yesterday, you’ve mastered each test with a skill that most people take months to hone. I’ve never seen anyone learn as quickly as you. But now that you’ve gone and crashed into the wall, my pride has been restored.” Magnus waved a hand at the track. “Let’s go again. Unless...you need a break?”
“No,” Liam said with grim determination. “I’m not stopping until I get it right.”
“Good man.” Magnus thumped a fist against the dashboard as Liam backed onto the track. Two men in blue jumpsuits rushed to reassemble the wall of barrels.
