I laced my hands in his and accepted his gentle kisses against my cheek. “I love you. Thanks again for breakfast. As long as this is just a pit stop, I’ll do my best to keep the peace. If that bitch so much as rubs against you, it’s not going to be pretty.”
He smirked at my threat. “I like it when you’re overprotective.”
“Don’t make me get physical. She’s got nothing on a country girl like me. I’ll rip out every damn extension she’s got in that pretty head.”
“Good to know. Good to know,” he repeated.
After breakfast we dressed and prepared to go out on the town with our new roommates. Tammy had picked my outfit, insisting I needed to look the part. She chose a pair of cut off jeans with a tank top and a tied thin flannel shirt overtop. I looked like Daisy Duke, especially when she told me not to wear flip-flops, but my winter cowgirl boots. “Is she for real?” I asked Brant.
“With your southern drawl you’ll have every old man in there not needing Viagra, that’s for sure. I could bend you over and fuck you right now if we had the time. You better save that ass for me tonight, or I’m going to take it from you anyway. Damn, woman, you make me insane.”
I gave him a quick cackle and checked my makeup in the mirror. I did feel sexy, although it was probably the most inappropriate way to go about it.
For the ride there, I kept to myself, sitting in the back of the car with Brant without saying much. My boyfriend was the only one in the car to know how much I loved to talk, yet refused to carry on a conversation with people I didn’t care for. He fidgeted with my hands, running his over my palms. When they started on me about the plan, I knew I couldn’t back out. It was now or never, and as I looked into my boyfriend’s eyes, I knew I was doing this for an important purpose. Morals were going to have to be thrown out the window. My innocence was about to disappear, and what came next would be nothing but regrettable.
Chapter 5
Cassie
“Do you understand the plan, Cass?” Brant’s question went in one ear and out the other. I thought I’d mentally prepared for this, but in all honesty I was petrified, mostly of being caught.
“Yeah,” I exclaimed while nodding. “I get it. I’m to go over and play the slots near several elderly people. I’m to bet the minimum so I can keep playing for a while. Each time they hit for whatever amount I’m to congratulate them, befriend them even. I’m the distraction, right?”
Brant patted me on the shoulder. “You got it, baby. See, I told you it wouldn’t be hard. All you have to do is be yourself.”
He made it sound easy, legal even. Little did the elderly people know, he planned on robbing them of their wallets that sat next to or beneath their chairs in bags. He made it seem simple, even though I doubted it to be true.
“Good. Now, once we’ve made the pickup, you need to remain seated. Remember, do not acknowledge we know each other. Once you walk into the casino we’re strangers. Do you understand?”
I nodded again. A voice from the front seat gained my immediate attention. “Tonight is just little stuff. We need to know you can be undetected before we get into the bigger stakes.”
If they thought I was going to do this long-term they had another thing coming. I didn’t want to steal from people. In fact, I wanted to call the cops and turn them in, except I’d be ratting on the man I loved, and I was stuck right in the middle to protect him; to protect the future I longed for us to have.
“I understand. So where will we meet?”
“You’ll get a cab and meet us down the road. I’ll text you the location. Remember, no contact once we’re inside. None of us can be seen together.”
I wanted to cry. Bile rose to the top of my throat when I imagined people working hard for a trip to Vegas, then to have it cut short when they lost everything to a thief. My family would be appalled I was a part of such acts. While determined to do what was necessary, I held back the tears, hoping I could manage and make it out with my conscience intact.
I was dropped off a block away from the casino. Tammy got out at the front door, while the guys took the car to park it somewhere close. I adjusted my clothes, strapping my little purse around my shoulder. I most definitely deserved to be robbed for doing it to other people.
Walking inside was like stepping off a high cliff to my death. That’s how unnerved I felt. Right away I could smell the cloud of cigarette smoke looming inside of the establishment. People all ages, sizes and races were crowded in rows of machines, gambling their hearts out in hopes of a payout. The fancy designed carpet led the way in all directions, and as I scoped out a place where I’d do my job, I wondered if there was someone present who deserved it more than another. Maybe I could steal from a criminal, so that it wouldn’t hurt so much afterwards.
I’d never been much of a gambler. My father was too frugal to condone it. The most I’d bet in my life was a few bucks on a friendly game of family cards. My sister Cammie was always better, so I didn’t play much. My other sister Callie and brother Josh liked to cheat, so I refused to play anything they were a part of.
I thought about Cammie, and the fact that she was in California studying to be a doctor. She’d chosen to attend college. I was too caught up in love to worry about a future education. I wished I could be more like her; studious, admired, trusted. I wished we were closer. Perhaps we could stay with her for a little while instead of doing illegal acts to get by.
My mother was probably praying for my return, all while I was struggling but too ashamed to admit they may have been right. I suppose since I was the second child I was a pretty big disappointment to my parents. They never acted like they favored Cammie any more than the rest of us kids, but you could tell they were super proud of her. I was the one they worried about; the one all bets were on to fail. The more they smothered me, the further from them I pulled. Now I was about to do things that would make them disown me. Even though I argued with Brant about them, I knew it was our only choice. We couldn’t wait for a job to fall into his lap. More than ever we needed to keep moving and we couldn’t do it unless we had enough funds available. We’d have to go to extremes, even when I knew we’d have to break the law to do it.
In a corner of the casino I found a crowded area of people playing a popular machine. Some were even cheering as I sat down and placed forty dollars into the device. A jingle let me know my funds had been accepted, and with a deep breath I sat there pretending I was there to hit a jackpot, the legal way of course.
Twenty minutes went by. I’d ordered a cocktail, nothing too strong so I’d be able keep up with the plan easily. The older woman next to me had won a hundred, while the man to my left was down a significant amount. He was chain smoking, coughing and gagging all at the same time. His bushy beard hadn’t been groomed in God only knew how long, and the way he was staring at my breasts when I wasn’t looking was disgusting to me. That’s when I knew I was looking for reasons to make him my mark. The only problem was that instead of an easy grab, someone was going to have to unchain his wallet from his pants loop.
Then he hit for a large amount. After giving a celebratory shimmy, he stood and walked away. For a moment I thought I’d have to scope out another victim. Then, as I reached over to hit the cash out button, I saw him sit back down, flashing a wad of cash around in my face. He placed the money in the chained wallet and went back to gambling, stating this was how he always stayed up. He knew he’d spend if he didn’t put the cash away to save it.
Little did he know I had another plan for his savings; one that wouldn’t include him at all.
Tammy approached slowly, sitting two seats down and putting in her money. She was giddy, clapping each time she made any kind of money, even if it was only five cents. People were paying attention to her, forgetting all about me, except for the gruff neighbor beside my chair. He was still eying up my breasts, probably in hopes of giving me the biggest motorboat possible after luring me to his room.
I tried to focus on the task, ignoring
the inevitable truth in it all, but it was no use. No matter how I tried to spin it I would always know what I’d done. It was something I’d live with for the rest of my life. This was the moment I could have gotten up and walked away. It was the right decision, albeit I hadn’t been making them lately. Instead I’d chosen a dangerous path; one that could give me a life with the man I wanted.
My hands were shaking and sweaty. I felt like I was someone else, acting out of desperateness to fit in with the new crowd we were forced to be around.
I closed my eyes and envisioned walking away from our relationship. Even though only few could see it, we had a chance at happiness. This was just a bump in the road for us. So, I did what every person in my situation would have done, well at least I hoped. Without a single look to see if anyone was watching, I leaned over and put one arm around the perverted man with the wandering eyes. “I think I need to rub on you for some luck.” With his attention fully on me, I reached my other hand in front of my body, unclipping the chain from his pants and freeing the wallet. I rubbed his back, while tucking the wallet into the waist of my shorts. “I’ve a got a room upstairs if you need to be skin on skin, little lady.”
I pulled away and smiled, realizing I was getting away with the theft without him noticing. It surprised me how easy it had been. “I don’t think my boyfriend would like it if I came home smelling like another man, but thanks for the offer. You’re too sweet.” I stood up and patted him on the shoulder. “I think my luck is about to come back.”
“If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
I laughed while walking away, catching the eyes of Tammy as I did so. I didn’t stop to acknowledge her. I’d already gone against the rules of the plan. All I could think was how proud Brant would be that I’d pulled it off on my own.
In the closest bathroom, I went through the wallet, taking out all the cash and counting it. Three hundred and six dollars was stuffed into my short’s pocket, while I tossed the leather holder in the wastebasket. By the time the man knew it was missing I’d be long gone.
I took a different route out of the casino, not stopping to look and see if I spotted Brant or Rocky. I was sure they’d been watching from afar, and soon join me outside.
While I waited, I kept checking the exit, making sure security wasn’t coming after me. At any moment they could have spotted me lifting the wallet. For all I knew the man had gone to them with my description. Guilt and nerves sent me walking further from the establishment. I didn’t stop until I reached the next casino. Once inside, I sat down at a machine and placed five bucks inside. The person to my right was smoking a cigarette. She was blonde, and her skin had seen a little too much sun. Her wrinkles made me think she was in her fifties, maybe older. She smiled and kept pushing the buttons, ignoring my being there.
I could feel my phone vibrating in my small purse, so I answered it. “Hello?”
“Where the fuck did you go?” It was Brant and he wasn’t happy.
“I’m down the street. I took a man’s wallet and I freaked out.”
“Damn it, Cassie. I told you to stick to the plan. Come back to the front of the casino. We’re ready to get out of here.”
“Aren’t you happy? I did the job for you?”
“No. I’m not. I told you to be the distraction. Now it’s on your hands.”
“I’ll deal with it. I did it for us. The sooner we get the money, the faster we can get out of here.”
“Just hurry up.”
When he hung up the phone I felt angry and hurt. I’d made the choice to do something reckless, but somehow he was punishing me for it. I sulked back to the front of the building, not knowing what would happen when I got there.
Even from afar, I could see Rocky and Tammy standing next to Brant. Tammy was talking with her hands, while Brant’s eyes were fixed on mine. I pulled the wad of cash out of my pocket and handed it to him, hoping it would lighten his mood. I pictured him pulling me into his arms. I imagined going back to the house and celebrating with all-night lovemaking, but that’s not what happened either.
Brant ripped the money from my hand and shoved me in the direction of where the vehicle was parked. The look on his face was something I’ll never forget. For the first time since we’d been together I felt scared, like he was unhinged. He’d never been this angry with me before.
The car ride home was dead-silent. I knew it was because I was being punished. I had no idea thieves got this touchy when it came to their crimes.
The three of them waited until they got me back at the house to chew me a new ass.
Rocky started. “I told you to keep your bitch under wraps.”
“Don’t call me that!”
“Keep your little mouth shut. This could have blown up in our faces. Do you know how long we’ve been working this scene? I’m not having some little whore come in and ruin it for us.”
I turned to Brant, waiting for him to take up for me. I could tell he didn’t exactly want to speak his opinion, so I nudged him. “Look, man, she didn’t know. We still scored, so let’s give her a pass on the bullshit threats. She won’t do it again.”
Rocky ran his hand through his thick, greasy looking hair. “It better not. There’s plenty of other people I could have given this job to. If she fucks it up again, you’re both out of here.”
They said a few other things, but I didn’t stick around to hear them. I was too upset. After rushing into the bedroom, I flopped on the bed and began to bawl. When the door creaked open I knew it was Brant. I didn’t budge.
His voice was stern, causing me to spin around and face him. “What were you thinking? You could have blown this for us, Cass.”
“Don’t start on me, and don’t you dare let them call me those things. I’m not a bitch, and I’m certainly not a fucking whore.”
He waved his hands around. “Calm down and hear me out. You can’t make the decisions yourself. This isn’t our score. We only get a cut. These people aren’t the kind you want to piss off.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh give me a break. It’s not like they murder people. They’re petty thieves, Brant.”
His grimace was serious. “Baby, listen to me…”
I had to interrupt, because in that moment I knew he was keeping something from me. “Whoa. I’m not staying here.” I whispered so they wouldn’t hear. “You’ve got me staying here with murderers?”
“No, but I wouldn’t put it past them to start. Look, when Rocky tells you something just listen. Don’t argue or go against him. Three hundred bucks means nothing to him. While you were busy doing something on your own, we managed to score a grand and a gold watch. Do what you’re told, Cassie. It keeps you safe. Now I’m not sure he’ll trust us.”
I shoved him away from me. “I hate you for this. I never should have agreed to run away with you. You’re going to get us killed, and for what, a few lousy dollars?”
“Today was a test, which you failed by the way. The scores will be bigger. My buddy made a lot of money when he came here last year. We just need to stick around until we have what we need.”
“I don’t like this at all. You understand this is wrong, right? You get we’re risking our lives to make a few bucks?”
He ran his hands on my shoulders. “Cass, it’s a couple of months. We’re not going to die. Let’s do what we need to and stick to our plan. It’s for our future. Don’t you want that?”
I shrugged. “Honestly, right now I don’t know what I want.”
He leaned forward, placing his lips against my forehead. “I need you to trust me. Then I need you to get changed. We’re going out to scope a new target tonight. Wear a dress. I hear it’s a party.”
“I’m not going out tonight, especially with them.” Was he crazy? I didn’t want to be anywhere near either of them.
“You’re coming. They’ll know something is up if you don’t. I’ve already had to jump through hoops to calm them down. Can’t you pretend to be grateful?”
; “Grateful? Do you hear yourself?” Every second I was getting more furious. “I can’t believe you got us into this shit, Brant. I should have known.”
“Cass, please. Don’t you love me?”
“This has nothing to do with love, you idiot! These people are fucking crazy. I’m afraid for my safety. You expect me to live under the same roof as them, and go out in public as if nothing is wrong? Are you delusional?”
It took a lot for Brant to get angry, but when he did, he was out of control. I watched his phone fly across the room and hit the wall. It smashed into several pieces on the floor. He screamed at the top of his lungs. “FUCK! You’re ruining everything. Why don’t you just call your daddy and go home. It’s obvious you don’t want to be with me, Cass.”
Figuring it was best to calm him down, I rushed behind him and held my arms around the front of his body. “Don’t say that. It’s not true. I’m here with you now. I’m just scared.”
He turned and forced me to look into his bloodshot eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear. Please trust me. I’ll keep you safe, or I’ll die trying.”
I smiled, well at least tried to. “Ok. I’ll do what you want, but when this is over, we’re out of here. I mean it, Brant.”
Later, when I finally got into the shower, I let the water fall over me. To be honest, I wasn’t in any shape to party. I felt horrible for stealing, guilty for playing that man a fool, and angry I’d been able to pull it off so easily. Before I got in over my head I needed to find a way out. The problem was figuring out how to do it.
Chapter 6
Cassie
The party – that’s what they were calling it. I would have used another term. Half naked people were scattered around the first dark lit room we stepped foot in.
Even before going inside, I knew it wasn’t going to be that enticing. The building, and old warehouse looking structure, hadn’t been kept up. Parts of the exterior were cracking, and the paint had mostly chipped off. We could hear the music as we pulled into the crowded parking lot, and before entering got our hands stamped like it was a secret club. I think I had high hopes that’s what it was. A rave would have been fun at least. Maybe, in some ways it was private, per se. According to Tammy only few people knew it existed. She’d insisted I wear a tight black dress and high heels, and now I understood why. The few people fully clothed left nothing to the imagination. This was indeed a swingers club.
Cassie (The Mitchell/Healy Family #6) Page 4
