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“What?” Confusion echoed in her green eyes.
“I need to tell you something.” He clutched her hand, knowing as soon as he told her, she’d pull it back.
“Okay?” Hesitance hung in her tone.
He wished with all his being he could just put a pin in it like he had thus far, but it was time for that pin to come out. She was worth it, even if it meant nothing continued to grow between them. She’d been betrayed by so many, he couldn’t betray her trust too.
He swallowed again. “Deck—” He cleared his throat.
“What is it?” Her fingers caressed his.
He looked her in the eye and exhaled. He owed her this. “Deck ended up in juvie for a con.”
She straightened. “But I thought...”
“He got saved by a guy who spoke on Sundays at the juvie center and led Bible studies, but that’s Deck’s story to tell. Mine...the reason I’m so good at beating heists is because ...” He cleared his throat. “Because I used to pull them off.”
She stiffened in his hold. “I’m sorry. What?”
Pain raked through him as she pulled back.
“I don’t understand.”
“After Deck went into juvie, I met a guy, and we ended up gettinga run-down place together. And after working crummy jobs that we got ‘off the books,’ we came up with the idea to plan the perfect heist. I’d...” He shifted his jaw, the muscle inside quivering. “Stuff my parents had me do, people we interacted with ... it all gave me skills at pulling off a heist.”
“Wait.” She pulled back as far as she could go. “You’re saying you actually pulled off a heist?”
“Two, actually. Out in Cali. Two art galleries.”
She didn’t need to say anything, the turmoil brewing in her eyes said it all. He’d lost any chance with her. But he needed to finish it all. He wouldn’t leave anything on the table.
“We got caught and went to juvie. At first my buddy and I started planning another set of heists for when we got out, but Deck came to see me. Every week. Bringing his Bible. Witnessing to me.”
She shifted to face him better.
“When we got out, I told Ethan I couldn’t do it, that Christ got ahold of me and I couldn’t turn my back on Him. I tried sharing Jesus with him, but he wanted nothing to do with Him. I tried to warn him off the heist. He was good, but not good enough. He couldn’t do it without me. I warned him he’d get caught.”
“And?”
On a sharp swallow, he nodded. “He did. I tried to visit him afterward. Knowing how Jesus transformed me, I thought ... I prayed ... But he refused to see me. After a while I gave up.”
“And Ethan?”
“Still serving time.”
“And you?” she asked, her voice quivering.
“Deckard had been waiting for me all along. After getting out of juvie, he’d started working at Greyson’s PI firm in Tucson, then bought it from him after he moved it to Santa Fe, and then bought the ranch here in Jeopardy Falls. I went to school in Albuquerque. Got my degree and came to work for Deckard. Trying to...” He shrugged at how stupid it probably sounded.
“Trying to make up for what you did by stopping or solving other heists?” she asked.
“Yeah.” He raked a hand through his hair, the heat from the fire warm on his skin—a stark contrast to the chill he felt inside, the fear she’d never look at him the same.
Her eyes softened. “I’m so glad you found Jesus.”
“Me too.” A hollowness tore at his gut. He wanted so desperately to pull her into his arms, but he had to respect her space, her timing. And the fact she may not ever want to pick back up on the feelings growing between them.
“I...” she started.
