Stolen Hearts

by Karen Erickson

  But he was stuck—and he was tired of half-truths. Damn it, he couldn’t change his past…couldn’t change who he’d once been. He didn’t want to turn her away but he was sick of lying. He’d lied his entire life and look where it had gotten him.

  Absolutely nowhere.

  He’d rather take the risk and share the truth than keep lying to her and feeling like a total shit.

  “I, uh…haven’t worked since getting out of prison.” Alex spoke so softly even he could barely hear himself.

  Her brow furrowed. “Excuse me? Did you say what I think you just said?”

  With a nod, he took a step toward her, his heart cracking when she took an equal step backward. “I went in for breaking and entering, theft. My father runs that jewelry theft syndicate on the West Coast.”

  “And that’s how you know about the man who was in my store? You work with him?”

  “Yeah. Vinnie. I mean, I don’t really work with him but yes, my father sent him.” Alex nodded, his mouth tight. He could feel Celeste slipping through his fingers with every word he spoke. Didn’t know how to stop it from happening.

  “So did your father send you here?”

  His head jerked in a nod. He didn’t even bother speaking. What else could he say?

  “To steal the bracelet?”

  He nodded again. “After what happened between us last night, I wasn’t going to do it. I want you to know that.”

  “I see. So after we had sex, you decided you can’t steal from me after all. Great.” She cleared her throat, her eyes cloudy. She looked so sad, he wished he could rush to her, comfort her, but she’d probably push him away. Not that he could really blame her. “You should probably go.”

  “Listen, Celeste, I want to explain.” But how could he explain? She wouldn’t believe a word out of his mouth anyway. He was a con, a man who’d been in prison, certainly not worthy of her respect.

  She shook her head, her voice low and emotionless. “There’s really nothing you can say, Alex. You came here to steal the bracelet and I guess you failed. Using me, sleeping with me to get to the bracelet, is pretty low. I’d rather you’d just walked in and held a gun to my head.”

  It hurt that she thought he felt nothing, that what they’d experienced together meant nothing to him. What they’d shared last night, this morning in the shower, had meant everything to him. Foolish, considering they barely knew each other but the connection was there, undeniable. At least for him.

  He had to at least tell her that before he left.

  “Everything that happened between us last night was real, Celeste. I mean it. That wasn’t part of my scam, I swear. It just…happened.”

  “Right, like I can believe you!” she seethed, eyes now shining with anger. “I’m sure it was your plan from the beginning, and now I’m supposed to believe some weird sense of morality has come over you? Whatever,” she scoffed, clearly disgusted. “You need to leave. Now. Before I call the cops and have you arrested.” She waved her hand toward the door and turned, could no longer even look him in the eye.

  Alex didn’t think he’d ever felt so low. Not the night he was arrested, the day he’d been sentenced or the day he’d faced his father when he’d come to visit him in jail for the first time.

  “Please, Alex. Just go.” Her voice was strained, her expression so sad he could barely stand to look at her. He was too disgusted with himself for putting that look on her face in the first place.

  He did as she asked, heading straight through the door, not bothering to look back.

  Exiting the store, he thrust his fingers through his hair in frustration. Well shit, he’d handled that well. He wished he had something to hit, something to kick. Anything to get rid of the pain that wrapped around his heart with pinching fingers, squeezing so hard he could hardly breathe.

  He should just leave, go back to Los Angeles and tell his father he couldn’t do this shit anymore. It hurt too much, it was too dishonest and he didn’t want to be that person any longer.

  But first, he needed to make sure Vinnie wasn’t going to lift that bracelet.

  Chapter Seven

  Celeste told herself not to cry. It had been two days since she’d kicked Alex out of her store and she hadn’t seen him since. Which was perfect because she didn’t want to see him, really she didn’t. He was bad, terrible, awful…a dishonest man who’d spent time in prison. After all these years hanging out with cops in the hopes of snagging one, she ended up sleeping with a criminal within twelve hours of meeting him.

  What were the odds? It was bad enough she’d gone against her normal behavior and done something crazy like that, sleeping with a virtual stranger—albeit a sexy one. But with someone like him? Like Alex? It really didn’t make any sense.

  He’d been sent here to steal from her, for God’s sake—so why was she still weeping over him?

  Because it had hurt so badly to send him away. After all he’d confessed, it had still been the last thing she’d wanted to do. In one short day she’d started to fall for him, had wanted to spend more time with him. But when he’d suggested they go out of town, she’d known immediately something was wrong. Heck, she could tell something was off the second he’d walked through the door.

  How she hated that she’d been right. What he’d said to her had shocked her to the core, the very last thing she’d expected him to admit. He’d seemed so nice, so sweet, so honest.

  It had all been an act, a lie—and she’d fallen for it like a complete sucker.

  After Alex had left she’d called Johnny, begging him for extra patrols to drive by the store. She even agreed to go out to dinner with him when he’d asked again, setting a date for the following week.

  She could care less about going out with Johnny. Her body yearned for Alex. A man she absolutely could not have. Just the idea of never seeing him again, touching him again, never having sex with him again made her body hurt.

  Especially her heart.

  On top of her misery, business had been terrible the last two days, which came as a surprise considering the time of year. Fall was usually perfect for bringing out the tourists who wanted one last escape on the mild coast before the holidays and their impending bad weather. She’d been banking on that when she’d bought the bracelet, hoping to find some wealthy tourist willing to drop a lot of money on an expensive early Christmas gift for his wife.

  No such luck. Barely anyone had walked through the door today, let alone serious buyers, and she was an hour away from closing. The only glimmer of hope was the holiday shopping season ahead.

  The bells over the door rang and when she glanced up, dread filled her. There stood the man who’d creeped her out just a few days ago. Vinnie, the man sent by Alex’s father to steal the diamond bracelet when Alex couldn’t. He was back, this time with a voluptuous blonde on his arm and a cigar hanging out of his mouth. He was such a cliché it was almost painful.

  Just seeing the two of them in her store made her panic, and she glanced about the counter, looking for her phone. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she realized it was on her desk in the back.

  Would this man have the guts to blatantly rob her in broad daylight with his bimbo on his arm? She couldn’t even imagine it.

  “Hey, little lady, remember me? Here’s my special someone I was talking about.” He presented the tacky blonde to her with a little flourish of his chubby hand, causing the woman to giggle.

  It took everything Celeste had within her not to roll her eyes and stick her finger down her throat.

  “Of course I remember you. Nice to meet you,” she said with false politeness, nodding toward the smiling woman.

  “We want to look at that bracelet. She’s been dying to see it.” He withdrew his arm from the blonde and rubbed his hands together greedily.

  “I…I’m afraid it’s not available.” Nervous butterflies jumped in her stomach as Celeste moved toward the case where the diamond bracelet once proudly glimmered, staring down at the empty spot. Sh
e’d kept the bracelet in the safe ever since Alex confessed everything to her.

  Feeling in the pocket of her cardigan sweater, she realized she didn’t even have her cell phone on her. She was failing herself completely today.

  Vinnie eyed her closely. “Are you saying that you sold it?”

  Celeste nodded, noticed the blonde watching her with wary eyes as well. “Yes, sir, I’m sorry to disappoint you but I found a buyer for it recently. I apologize.”

  ”I don’t believe you.”

  She shook her head nervously. Of course this wouldn’t be easy. What did she expect? “I-I’m sorry, sir, but the bracelet is really gone.”

  “And I said I don’t believe you.” His hand discreetly slipped out of his pocket, a slim silver pistol clutched between his fingers.

  A shock of fear sparked down her spine at the sight of the weapon pointed her way. “You don’t want to do this, sir,” she pleaded. God, this was ridiculous! But what else could she say to a crazy man who wanted to rob her store?

  “Give me the bracelet, little lady,” he said, eyes shining. “I don’t know where you’ve got it stashed but I know you still have it. Now go get it for me—quick!”

  The bracelet was going to be stolen, even though she’d been warned. How could she have been so stupid not to prepare better for this? She should’ve told Johnny the truth from the beginning, though she hadn’t wanted to admit how she knew Alex so well. Didn’t want him to know she’d fallen into bed with a stranger and ex-convict.

  So embarrassing.

  She should have known ignoring something didn’t just make it go away. All her life she’d done that, forced unpleasant things from her mind, pretending they didn’t exist and going on with a smile on her face. It drove her sister nuts, but it was the only way she’d been able to survive. Reality hurt too much sometimes. Now reality had come back tenfold and bitten her square on the ass.

  She was a silly, stupid fool. She should’ve told Johnny immediately about Vinnie and Alex and his warning that the bracelet would be stolen. Dealing with her embarrassment would’ve been far easier than actually being robbed at gunpoint by this fat creep.

  Celeste watched as the woman stepped away from Vinnie with a little pout, her glossy lips intensely pink and covered in glitter, twinkling obscenely under the light. “Sorry honey, we hate to do this,” the woman said in a simpering voice.

  “Yeah, right,” Celeste muttered. She didn’t want to take him back to the safe. With her luck, he’d take everything in it. Hell, he might just grab everything in her store.

  His beady eyes narrowed even more. “No need for sarcasm, sweetheart. Let’s go find that bracelet and take care of this.”

  “Vinnie, this isn’t like we planned…we’ve already been here too long! Maybe we should just go.”

  “Don’t say my name, baby doll!” he barked, jerking his head in Celeste’s direction.

  “Who cares?” she shrieked. “I got a bad feelin’—I think we need to get out of here!” The blonde turned away from Celeste, looking ready to hightail it out of the store in a dead run when the ringing bells above the door sounded.

  “Drop the gun!”

  Celeste sagged in relief when she saw who stood in the doorway even though Vinnie’s gun was still trained on her.

  Vinnie rolled his eyes though his arm wavered, making the gun shake the slightest bit. He didn’t turn around to look at Johnny who stood behind him, his gun aimed at Vinnie’s back. The blonde stood paralyzed in the middle of the floor, her mouth opening and closing in shock. A pack of policemen hovered just behind Johnny, guns drawn.

  “Fuck off or I blow this chicky’s head off!” Vinnie shouted, raising the gun higher, making Celeste wince.

  “Sir, drop your weapon or we’ll be forced to take action!”

  Vinnie’s thick brows arched. “We?”

  The sound of multiple guns cocking clicked loudly and sweat immediately beaded Vinnie’s brow. The look on his face said everything.

  He was finished.

  “Drop it!” one of the cops roared and with a loud sigh, Vinnie did so, the gun falling onto the carpeted floor with a soft thud.

  “Celeste?” Johnny looked at her questioningly and she nodded. “You all right?”

  “I am, Johnny. Thanks.” She watched as two of the officers went to Vinnie and immediately cuffed him while Johnny himself grabbed the blonde accomplice. A female officer walked into the store, taking over for him and he approached her with a tentative smile on his face.

  “Are you really okay, Celeste?” Johnny stepped behind the counter, his hand resting on her shoulder and she wished she could feel something, anything for this man she’d crushed on for months.

  But there was nothing, not even a pleasant buzz at his touch. Alex had ruined her for this man, though hopefully not for all men.

  Alex. Just thinking about him made her heart ache and she wondered where he was, where he’d gone to. Was he back in L.A.? Was his father angry with him for not bringing back the bracelet? Well, his father would have more reason to be angry now that Vinnie had been caught.

  An ache bloomed in her chest and she wished she could talk to Alex. Maybe he had told her the truth and hadn’t planned on stealing the bracelet from her.

  Maybe she should’ve trusted her heart for once in her life and gone with her instincts instead of squashing them down and pretending they didn’t exist.

  “I’m fine, really,” she finally answered. “I’m just glad you… Hey—what are you all doing here?”

  “Oh, well you can thank that guy you know, the one in your store a few days ago. He called about a possible robbery, said there was a suspicious man at your store. I wonder how he knew…” Johnny gazed at her questioningly, shrugging when she remained silent. “Something we need to investigate, I think. You owe him a big thank-you, though.”

  “Thank you,” Celeste repeatedly absently, turning Johnny’s words over and over again in her mind, confusion and disbelief making her head spin.

  It had been Alex who called the police? He’d protected her and betrayed Vinnie—and ultimately his own father.

  “Where is he?”

  Johnny looked at her with confusion. “Where’s who?”

  She cleared her throat, feeling silly for asking but she needed to know. She needed to thank him. “Alex. Is he outside? I’d like to talk to him, let him know how much I appreciate what he did.”

  “I have no idea where he is. He called 9-1-1, left his name and specifically asked that I swing by and check the place out. I haven’t seen him, only got the information via the 9-1-1 operator.”

  “Oh.” Her heart dropped to her stomach and she shook her head, shocked that tears threatened to spill.

  Now she would never have a chance to thank him. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream with frustration but she held herself in check. Smiling at Johnny, she turned to face the female officer who wanted to get a statement.

  Inside though, her heart cracked.

  * * * * *

  Alex inhaled deeply as he walked down the steps of the Santa Augustina police department, relief filling him along with a healthy dose of exhaustion. After over fourteen hours of being held and lots of intense questioning, they’d finally let him go, believing his story for the most part. Vinnie’s story had corroborated enough with Alex’s that they let him leave, though they told him to stick around for a couple more days in case they needed to talk to him again.

  He had no problem with that. His plans included seeing Celeste, hoping she would hear him out one last time.

  He’d been heading to the store yesterday to try to talk to her again. After staying away for a couple days to give her space, he’d hoped she’d be open to his explanations. As he neared the shop he’d seen Vinnie and his little assistant walk inside and knew it was time. Without hesitation, he’d grabbed his cell and made the call to 9-1-1, explaining that there was a robbery in progress and specifically requesting that Johnny go to the store, accompanied by bac
kup.

  It was the least he could do for the woman who had somehow managed to change him.

  He’d been escaping town a couple hours later when a police car flashed its lights behind him, pulling him over. Big bad Johnny himself approached the driver’s side door and when he caught sight of Alex, he immediately took him to the station. He had some explaining to do.

  He came clean. Mostly.

  It had felt good. Now he only hoped Celeste would listen to him as well.

  Turning down a side street, he decided to go straight to the jewelry store. He’d been at the police station the entire night, hadn’t had a wink of sleep but it didn’t matter. He knew it was around nine o’clock, which meant Celeste should already be there.

  Maybe she wouldn’t slam the door in his face when she saw him. He hoped someone had told her he’d been the one to call in the robbery. He had a feeling she’d hear him out but shit, he didn’t know. Why would she even give him another chance?

  Alex didn’t know what else he could do, though. No way could he go back to L.A. now, not with his father thoroughly pissed at him. Not that he had anything to really go back to but still. It didn’t look like he could stick around Santa Augustina, either. Celeste would most likely kick him to the curb and what could he do for work anyway? Who would hire a man with a record?

  Nobody, that’s who. He would be royally screwed, as usual.

  Deciding to hell with it, he picked up his pace, every step bringing him closer to the truth he felt in his heart. He had to do this, couldn’t chicken out now, not when he was this close.

  Lurking outside the front, he looked through the window at the darkened store within, hoping for a glimpse of Celeste. Should he knock on the door, maybe even go across the street and wait at the coffee shop until she opened for business?

  The door swung open before he could even finish his thoughts and Celeste stood before him, clad in a red dress that emphasized her curvy form, her hands resting on her hips.

  Looking so deliciously gorgeous, he wanted to drop to his knees and worship at her feet.

  “Spying on me again?”