The Reluctant Thief (The Stolen Hearts #4)

by Mallory Crowe

  “We’re getting in through the smoking entrance. Should only be a few minutes.”

  “Adam,” said Scott. “I need you on the lookout for Sterling’s security team. Look for big guys without dates. They’re not having fun and they’re not drinking.”

  “I’ll look for the shoes,” said Adam.

  Jennifer frowned and Austin leaned down. “If they’re good security, they’re going to wear shoes they can run and fight in. It’s a dead giveaway.”

  “When you find them, monitor only. Hopefully Toni will break through before they even get called in. But remember, you need to stay in the populated areas. The second Sterling sees you, he’s going to send out the death order.”

  “You worry about you,” said Austin. “We got this part.”

  Just then the crowd seemed to part and Jennifer saw him. She stopped mid-step, and for a moment, the entire mission faded away. Son of a—

  Austin, with an arm around her waist, pushed her forward. “Careful,” he warned.

  She hated the condescending advice, but he was right. For a moment, she’d lost herself and her purpose. She needed to stay on top of things for this to work. “I have eyes on Sterling,” she said softly, hoping the comm would pick it up.

  “Does he see you?” asked Toni.

  “Not yet—” Just that second, Sterling’s head turned and his eyes met hers. A chill went down her spine as she met the gaze of the man who had killed her mother. “He sees me,” she said, not even bothering to hide that she was speaking into a comm.

  “Boom,” said Toni. “Countdown is on. It’s showtime, people.”

  Scott took the stairs two at a time as he ran down to the security room. Once he hit the administrative floor of the hotel, he took out the universal key and swiped it over the keypad and held his breath until the green light came on and he was able to leave the stairwell. “I’m almost to Gage. What are you doing?” he asked Toni.

  “I’m on it.”

  He took out his handgun and approached the security room carefully. If it was locked, he had no idea how he would get in. He could shoot out the lock, but that would undoubtedly draw attention. He didn’t need a bunch of cops showing up and throwing the party into chaos. Not right now when each move was so important.

  But, like he suspected, the door was already open. He pushed a foot out and swung the door in fully, looking for any sign of Gage, but the room appeared to be empty. There was a series of monitors that all showed different angles of the hotel. On the desk was a shiny laptop that didn’t seem to fit in with the other outdated computers set up. It had to be Gage’s. Which meant he wasn’t far....

  Just then, a chair was kicked out, rolling toward Scott. He looked down at the sudden movement, and that distraction was exactly what Gage needed to slam the crowbar at Scott’s face. Scott held up a hand to block the blow from hitting his face, and Gage rushed him. Even though he’d just moved his head out of the way at just the right time, his arm took the brunt of it and pain radiated out.

  Scott ignored it as Gage gripped the gun and angled it up high as they wrestled for control. With his hands unavailable, Scott slammed his head into Gage’s. The blow was damned hard and it was enough to have Gage stumbling back, but it also led to the gun falling out of Scott’s hand. Scott knew he had to take advantage while Gage was dazed, so he bent forward and ran at the man, shoving him against the corner angle of the doorjamb and eliciting a strangled gasp from Gage. Scott reared back, ready to slam his fist into Gage’s face, but the man gave an unconvincing smile. “You’re too late.”

  Scott wanted to ignore him, but couldn’t take the chance that there was something he didn’t know. “Too late for what?” he demanded.

  “To save her. Slade is on the way to your girl now. And this time, he’s not going to fail. He has more to lose than you do. So what are you gonna do, cop? Kill me or save your girl?”

  Toni stiffened as she heard the strangled words make their way through the comm. Slade.... She checked to make sure the program she set up was going, and then she ran to the back corner of the room where she’d put her gun.

  She’d just pulled it out and made sure it was loaded as the door to the room fell open. She knew Scott was too far away and her sisters were all still in the ballroom, which meant that there was only one person it could be.

  So when Slade stepped inside, she didn’t act surprised or even scared. She simply reached up to her ear and pulled out the comm. If she was about to die, she didn’t want her family or Scott to have to suffer through that.

  “I’m glad you’re not dead,” she said, which was partly true, as she aimed the gun at Slade.

  Slade considered her for a moment before he stepped into the room and kicked the door shut behind him.

  She swallowed at the sudden intimacy of being shut up in a room alone with him. Even though he didn’t have a gun—or weapon of any kind, for that matter—in his hands, he didn’t seem the slightest bit intimidated by her weapon.

  “I doubt that.” He took a few more steps.

  “Don’t come any closer,” she warned, trying to convey just how serious she was.

  But he ignored her and took another step. “You think you can use that?”

  “I’m not afraid to kill someone.”

  “But have you done it before?” Her silence must’ve answered him because he gave her a knowing smile. “It’s not easy.”

  “It’s easy when you have the right motivation.”

  “Isn’t that the truth.”

  Slade was getting so close now that she knew she was running out of time to debate. She was going to have to pull the trigger now or—

  In a flash, Slade reached her and ripped the gun out of her hand. Toni’s mouth fell open in shock as she realized her time was up. She’d failed. Toni had totally and utterly prepared herself to shoot Sterling, but Slade was.... He wasn’t good, but she couldn’t consider him her enemy. Not really. And now this not enemy was going to kill her.

  No. She wasn’t about to be done. “Get out of here,” she warned.

  He took her own gun and aimed it at her forehead, at the spot right above the center of her eyes. “I’m not going to say I’m sorry,” he said. “Stupid to do that before you do something.”

  She inched closer and pressed her forehead against the barrel of the gun, refusing to back down. “You’re under his thumb. I can help you.”

  “You think I haven’t tried to get out before? The second he dies, my entire life is going to hell.”

  “Look at me, Slade,” she said, staring past the gun and right into his eyes. “I’m not afraid of Sterling. I’m capable of so much on my own and I’m not alone. I have Scott. I have my sisters. I have an entire network of support. You have enemies you need to fight? I’ll fight them with you. If you let me take down Sterling now, I will give you anything you need. Whatever he has on you, we will be able to beat him. Do you understand?”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” he warned.

  “Don’t shoot people who can save your life,” she shot back.

  For a good ten seconds, he just stood there staring at her, trying to figure out how much of her bluster was bullshit and how much was true. Then, all of a sudden, he lowered his hand, dropping the gun. “This isn’t over,” he warned.

  She took a second to breathe a sigh of relief. “I know.”

  “If you don’t come through on your end, I’m going to finish this. And nothing you say and no Scott Hart will be able to stop me.”

  Just then the door slammed open and Scott ran in.

  Toni immediately pulled Slade behind her, signaling that he wasn’t a danger as Scott aimed his gun. “Whoa,” she said. “It’s okay.”

  Scott glared at Slade as if he was still debating pulling the trigger, but a second later he turned his attention to Toni. “No, it’s not. Sterling saw Jennifer and got freaked. He sent security to her and he’s coming back to his room. We’re out of time.”

  Scott looked ove
r to Toni and gave her a quick nod before he left the room, leaving her alone with Slade. The thought gave him a sick feeling in his gut, but it was a necessary evil. He was finally going to face down Sterling, and he would need Slade to cooperate for just a few more minutes.

  Without even stopping to take a breath, he used the key at Sterling’s room and pushed the door open. He stepped inside softly just in time to see Sterling twist around to face him, letting out a bitter laugh as he hit the Enter key on his keyboard. “You’re too late!” he exclaimed.

  Scott was getting really damn tired of people saying that.

  “I’m on this,” said Toni in his ear.

  Scott walked farther into the room and realized that Sterling wasn’t alone. Hunter stood next to him, Glock drawn and ready. But a second later, his gun lowered and Scott knew without looking that Slade was behind him. The guys were loyal to Slade, and now that Slade was working with them....

  “Checkmate, Sterling.” Scott pointed the gun right at the man’s head.

  Sterling just shook his head as though there were so many other cards that were still hidden up his sleeve. “You can’t kill me,” he said, a smile showing his crooked teeth.

  “And why is that?” Scott wondered whether he should just shoot him anyway.

  “You’re so foolish. You think I didn’t see your people downstairs? You think I don’t have a backup plan and another backup plan after that? I just sent a transfer to your little girlfriend. In a second, the FBI will be all over her. That bombing I put on you is still an open case, you know. I just fingered your girlfriend as the brains behind the entire operation.”

  Scott nodded and tried to keep his face blank. “Is that right?”

  “Yeah! So if you don’t get that fucking gun out of my face, I’m going to call the FBI right now and they’re going to drag you both out of here in chains!” he warned.

  “Funny thing about paranoia,” said Scott as he approached victory. He’d dreamed of this moment for so long. Now that it was here, he almost didn’t know what to do. “Paranoia is predictable.”

  “I’m missing the party.” Toni came into the room, stepping past Slade to stand next to Scott.

  “You didn’t hear? You’re going to be arrested,” said Scott.

  “What?” said Toni with mock shock. “You’re kidding.”

  “Apparently Sterling here just sent you a bunch of money from the account he used to set up the bombing.”

  “My account? How on earth would he get my account number?” She scrunched her face in an exaggerated manner.

  “You gave it to me!” he thundered. “You agreed to work for me, and I had you right where I wanted you!” He started forward, but Scott’s finger moved to the trigger, which was enough to stop him in his tracks.

  “Oh, that account? No, I think you’re mistaken. That was your account number.” Then she tsked her tongue and held out a hand. “I know where the confusion is coming from. You see, I set up a new account in your name. When you transferred the payment from Drake Securities, a firm you own by the way, you established a previous connection. Now that you put dirty money there, it’s only a matter of time before your name comes up in the investigation. And since that’s one of the biggest acts of terrorism in American history, I’m thinking it’s not going to be too long before people start knocking on your door.”

  “And all that protection you’ve bought yourself in the past is about to become a lot more expensive,” said Scott.

  Sterling shook his head, the denial obviously running strong through him. “No. You can’t frame me for that. I’m clean! I made sure of it.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” said Toni. “We can’t frame you for a crime you actually committed, dumb ass. Now you’re going to pay for every single person you killed. Including Catherine Hart and Isobel Murray, you son of a bitch.”

  He let out a fierce scream and charged right at Toni.

  Before Sterling ever set a dirty finger on Toni, Scott pulled the trigger.

  And for the first time since Catherine was murdered, Scott was done. Jonathan Sterling was dead.

  Toni gave Jennifer a tight hug and didn’t want to let go. “Nope. We’re just going to stay like this forever,” she said into her sister’s hair.

  Jennifer let out a laugh. “Well, in a few months, I don’t think you’ll even be able to fit your arms around me, so I think there’s a time limit.”

  “I’ll hug your ankles. I’ll figure out a way.”

  Jennifer let out a laugh. “Oh, I know you will.” When she pulled away, Toni reluctantly let her go. “You can do anything you set your mind to. Now will you promise to set your mind to staying out of trouble for a little bit?”

  Toni raised her brows and tried to think of the best way to lie to her sister. “You know I’m going to be there front and center for the birth!”

  Jennifer obviously didn’t miss the fact that she’d avoided answering the question. “Toni. Come on. You have plenty of money and things between you and Scott seem to be going good. Trust me, I know from personal experience how hard it is to slow down, but if there’s ever a good time to take a break, it’s now.”

  “I know.” And she really did know that she needed to slow down before it got her killed, but she had favors to repay and promises to keep. “Go.” She finally stepped away from her sister. “Call me as soon as you and Austin find somewhere to settle down for a bit.”

  “Will do. And we’ll be in touch. Tonihateseverything.com, right?”

  “Always,” she said.

  Jennifer nodded and then reluctantly pulled herself away.

  Toni went back inside the hotel she and Scott had been staying at. Not the same one where the terrorist Jonathan Sterling had been unfortunately murdered. The police had been unable to get any security feed from that night, and the investigation had been admittedly lackluster once it was determined that Sterling was the reason for the bombing a few weeks ago.

  So now things were going back to normal for the city, but unfortunately normal just wasn’t a setting she was used to. She was walking past the hotel bar when she saw the familiar brown hair she’d become so used to. Scott sat alone, nursing a drink. Even though they’d finally got the best of Sterling, now that they were on the other side, things were... strange. But hopefully she could fix all that.

  She chewed on her bottom lip as she made her way to the table Scott was at. “This seat taken?”

  He glanced up at her and held out a hand. “All yours.” Even though he’d seemed rather melancholy since they’d killed Sterling, his eyes still lit up when he saw her.

  She pulled out the chair and took a seat, giving Scott a soft smile. “Jennifer just left.”

  “Sorry I missed her.” He reached for his glass, seemingly belatedly realizing it was empty. He wasn’t slurring and his eyes were clear, so she guessed that it was his first drink.

  Ever since Sterling, Scott had been a contradiction. Whenever they were together, he was... fine. He was more than happy to keep up with whatever they were doing even though he’d never said the L word since that day.

  But whenever she caught a glimpse of him when he didn’t know she was looking, she saw the bit of sadness behind his eyes. For a while, it had killed her. Was he thinking about Catherine? Was he regretting firing that bullet?

  “So...” she said finally.

  “So.”

  “What now?” The question was blunt, but they were past the point of tiptoeing around the issue.

  “Are you going back to California?” he asked.

  She sat up straighter. She had kind of figured that this was all up to him. She wasn’t planning to go anywhere. “No,” she said honestly. “Are you going back to the police department?”

  “I just killed a guy,” he reminded her.

  “You did it because he was charging me.”

  He narrowed his eyes as he met her gaze. “We both know that’s not why I did it. I always figured I’d go back to the force after all this, but th
ings have changed now.”

  “What changed?”

  “I don’t feel bad about it.”

  “For what it’s worth, I think you make a pretty good criminal.”

  He let out a snort. “That’s not supposed to be a compliment.”

  “You do. You take bad people like me and put their talents to good use.”

  “You were never a bad person.”

  “Agree to disagree. What if you could do more of that? Take bad people and make them good?”

  He frowned. “Like work at a rehab or something?”

  “Or something.” Toni leaned forward and grabbed a folder out of her bag, setting it on the table. She kept her hand on it to keep Scott from reading it before she could explain. “You never used any of the money we got from the job we worked on Stranger.”

  “I don’t need a lot of cash.”

  Considering his state of employment, she disagreed, but didn’t say that. “Well, I took the liberty of putting your cash into a promising business venture.”

  She thought he’d be upset, but the corner of his mouth turned up. “You did what?”

  “I bought you a present with your own money. Because I’m a giver like that.” She then pushed the folder across the table. “I kind of figured that you wouldn’t want to go back to being a cop after you figured out that you’re such a good thief and all.”

  “I never stole anything.”

  “You helped steal a lot of things. But I happen to know about a security firm full of bad dudes that are going through a change of ownership. So I took a huge chunk of your ill-gotten gains and bought the firm.”

  He opened the folder then and scanned the first pages. “You bought Drake Securities?”

  “I never liked that name. I think Hart Securities sounds much better.”

  “What the hell am I supposed to do with a security firm?”

  “Look through the pages. These guys are from all walks of life and each were under Sterling’s thumb for a different reason. And it’s not just the guys we worked with at Slade’s. There are cells all over the world. If we don’t take over, some warlord or kingpin will put them to work. So why don’t we put them to good use? As in use them to make the world a better place?”