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“Wow, I never thought about the details of thieving. It’s as complex as killing someone.”
Otto chuckled, the sound as familiar to me as my own. I reached out, brushing my fingers through his hair, unable to stop myself this time. He froze, and I withdrew, remembering I couldn’t just go around touching people. Otto reached out, grabbing my hand before I could tuck it away.
“Don’t,” he whispered, his voice rough. He cleared his throat, lifting his eyes to mine. “You don’t have to stop.Please, don’t stop.”
He tugged my hand back, and I continued to brush my fingers through the long dark strands on top, feeling the sharp edges of the sides as they tingled my hand. After a few seconds, he focused back on the papers.
“Phoenix mentioned you were going after the other two board members.” It wasn’t a question, but I nodded in response, out of habit. His eyes had focused back on me, abandoning the papers. He swallowed, closing his eyes for a second when I pressed my nails into his scalp. “We hadn’t planned on it, but I’d like to. Maybe we could coordinate plans of attacks and see how the other works?”
His question hung in the air, the answer feeling more important than a simple yes or no. I stopped my ministrations and assessed him. His gray eyes were clear, unwavering as he watched me. I sank into his eyes, the comfort and feeling of home I’d missed for twenty years returning.
“I usually work alone,” I whispered, my heart racing. Otto didn’t respond, giving me time to process. I couldn’t figure out if I was scared they wouldn’t like the killer I became in those moments or if I was excited about not having to do it alone.
Though, if I was honest, it was the after that terrified me.
After I got used to them and they left.
After I showed them my darkness and they left.
After the novelty of me wore off and they left.
Because I was always left.
Left in a closet. Left on a street corner. Left out of the cliques. Left on the sidelines. Just plain left.
Tears I hadn’t expected welled in my eyes, threatening to fall.
Otto stood suddenly, the chair scraping back against the floor in the process. Stepping between my legs, he placed his hands on the table next to my hips, his body crowding my space. Our faces were at eye level. One of his hands lifted, softly stroking my hair back as he gripped my chin in his fingers.
“Together forever, Little Bird. Now that I’ve found you, I’m never letting you go again. Do you understand me?” Otto asked, somehow knowing what I’d been thinking. He didn’t give me time to answer before he continued. “No matter what. You don’t have to leave your life if that’s what you’re afraid of. We can still be part of it, even if we’re not together every day. I’ll hate it. All the guys will hate it, but we’ll deal if that’s what you need.”
His thumb stroked away the tears, his eyes imploring me to say something.
“What if you don’t like that version of me? What if it changes how you feel?”
“Impossible, Little Bird.”
His words were spoken with utter conviction, branding my heart with their truth. Otto loved me. I could feel it. I didn’t know what that love meant to him yet, but it was enough to soothe my fears and allow him time to figure it out. Because there was no doubt in my heart that I loved him, too.
Nodding, I took a shaky breath, letting it out slowly. “I never want to go another moment without you in my life, Otto. And I know I’ve only known the others for a day, but I feel the same way about them.”
He smiled, the tension leaving my body. “We all feel the same, Little Bird.”
Returning his smile, I threw my arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly. “Then I would love to merge our two worlds together. The Loxley Crew and the Silent Blade. It’s going to be the best thing since peanut butter and jelly.”
“I can’t wait to watch you work. But first, let me show you ours.”
* * *
Otto had spenta few hours demonstrating his process of going through the items collected, their value, and setting up drops to his fence. The whole thing fascinated me, and he’d been patient in answering my questions just like he had when we were younger.
The guys moved in the background, packing up their belongings and cleaning up areas. They’d taken showers and changed clothes, their intoxicating smells of chocolate and coffee, rain and citrus mixed together and tickled my nose every time one of them came out of the bathroom. The twins would come and sit with me for a while but eventually would get bored and get up to do something else.
“And that’s it until we hear back from my contact. Now, we usually begin planning for the next one,” Otto said, closing his laptop and arranging the papers into a stack. I bit my lip, going over my usual to-do list.
“I was headed to South Carolina next. I’m saving Jerome for last,” I admitted, sitting on my hands.
Otto looked over my shoulder, so I peeked, finding all three guys watching us. “We only had Millicent and were hoping information on the others was in her possession. You’ve saved us a day of work. So, what do you guys think? Should Loxley Crew head to South Carolina with Little Bird?”
