Bossy Burglar: A Hero Club Novel

by A. J. Norris

No problem, boss. “Got it.”

  “Any idea when the J-Zen job is going to be pulled?”

  “Doing more casing today. I’m guessing soon. Flynn’ll tell us the exact date.” Yeah, sometimes the Cowboy killed jobs if he even thought there might be an issue. On that theory, maybe sleeping with Nora would quell any notions that something was off with me—that I might be a cop. After all, cops weren’t supposed to sex up a suspect for any reason.

  “Keep me informed, Waters.”

  “Yep.”

  Miller ended the call abruptly, which was fine by me because I needed to check in with Bandit.

  My partner’s garage door was open when I arrived. I pulled behind his junkyard motorcycle that he’d been working on for about two years and was currently tinkering with. “Are you still working on that pile of garbage?” I asked when I got out of my truck.

  “This is a classic and these things take time to perfect.”

  “Yeah, a classic waste of money.”

  He wiped his hands on an oily rag. “You mock, but when it’s done, you’ll be eating your words, my friend.”

  “Doubt it.”

  “Whatever, asshole. Did you come here just to ride my ass?”

  Leaning against his workbench, I scrubbed a hand down my face.

  “Uh-oh. What happened last night?”

  “You don’t wanna know.” I moved away from the workbench like it’d grown a mouth and bit me. That’s when the pacing started.

  “No...no, tell me you didn’t.”

  I stopped in front of him and met his eyes.

  “You’re going to have IA crawling up your ass if this comes out, followed by a suspension and most likely—”

  “Get my ass canned.”

  “If you’re lucky, that’s all you’ll get.”

  “Like what? It was consensual.”

  “You didn’t do anything stupid like forget to wear a condom, did you?”

  I glared at him.

  “No, I used a condom. I already feel like shit about this.” Except, not for the reason I should’ve. I despised myself because I couldn’t be honest with her. Not yet, anyway. Okay, how the hell did I think this would play out? I’d catch the bad guys and she and I would walk off into the sunset together?

  “You should. I got your back, though.”

  “And if the shoe were on the other—”

  “Yeah, yeah, the other foot, you’d do the same.”

  “I would.”

  “I know. Watch your back with her. We don’t know who she really is and what she’s capable of.”

  I shook my head. “She’s an amateur. Totally in over.”

  “Yeah, and so are you, totally in over.” Bandit cuffed my shoulder and went back to his never-ending project.

  “So, does this thing even start?”

  “Yeah, check it,” he said and straddled the bike.

  CHAPTER 15

  Melanie

  The first thing I did when I got home was take another quick shower. It wasn’t that I thought I was dirty after last night. Certainly, Lincoln’s bathroom was clean. Actually, it was downright spotless. Just using my own soap and shampoo made things right again. Wiped my slate. If I no longer smelled like his shampoo, then last night never happened.

  As I stepped out of the shower, my cell chimed, alerting me to an incoming text. I dried my hands and reached for my iPhone on the bathroom counter. Reading the message, I cursed. I’d asked my former boss from Starbucks to mail my last paycheck; however, I’d failed to give him a forwarding address—my P.O. Box here in Hermosa Beach. His text said I could pick up my last check at the store anytime. Fortunately, they were open until eleven tonight. I needed that paycheck.

  Running low on time for meeting Lincoln, I blow-dried my hair and got dressed quickly. Heading out the door, my stomach growled. Having not eaten since lunch yesterday, I snagged a banana, bottle of water, and granola bar for the trip.

  After parking around the corner from the pawn shop, I sat in my car. I texted Zander back to tell him that I would be by tonight. He messaged back and said he would be there till close.

  I grabbed my water and banana and headed to J-Zen, eating the fruit on the way. Lincoln ran across the street as I rounded the corner. We met in front of the store. I took a swig of water and threw the rest in a city trash bin. He eyed me with his brow furrowed. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “You’re wearing a dress?”

  Stepping closer to him, I put my hands on my hips. “Something wrong with that?” And why was I getting defensive? God, this was so awkward. Did he regret last night? He’d said it was a bad idea. I wished I could read his mind.

  He smirked and raised an eyebrow. “No, you look nice.”

  Oh. “Thanks.” I bit my lower lip.

  “You’re blushing.”

  Ignoring my angst, I grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the door. “Come on. I want to get this over with.”

  “Got somewhere to be after this?”

  I grinned. “Yeah, I got a hot date.”

  “Wait, hold up.” He hauled me to a stop by the hand, swinging me around. My hands landed on his shoulders. My eyes lingered on the center of his chest. His gaze smoldered. A slow burn settled between my legs. “Do you think you should be dating anyone new right now?”

  I giggled. “Wow. Jealous already?”

  His eyebrows popped. “I’m not jealous.”

  Eyeing him sideways, I said, “I think you are.”

  He stepped back and crossed his arms. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get mixed up with someone with so much on the line. What if they—? Never mind. Do what you want.”

  I smirked. “Okay, good. Because for a minute there, I thought you were trying to tell me what to do.”

  “You didn’t mind it last night.”

  I rolled my eyes, even though all I could think about was when we could be naked together again. “Whatever. And I was joking about the hot date.”

  “You’re lucky.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I didn’t want to have to spank you right here.”

  “Too bad. I may have liked that.”

  * * *

  Lincoln

  I rocked back and forth, shifting my weight from one leg to the other—my dick swelling. “Oh, I guarantee you’d love it.”

  She swallowed. Her tongue darted out and she licked her lips. “There you go, being a tease again.”

  “Later, sweetheart.”

  “Promise?”

  I wagged my eyebrows. “Down, girl,” I said, leading her to the entrance. Letting her go inside first, she beelined for the counter space with the engagement sets. I set my jaw, determined not to get all fucked in the head this time. Thankfully, there were only a few people in the place. A couple that looked like teenagers peered into one of the displays along the wall on the right. Clearly not interested in rings. One middle-aged man stood by the register as one of the employees inspected a ring with a loupe up to her eye.

  The sales associate from the other day came out of the back room. He went over to Nora. “You’re back,” he said. “Are you still interested in the tungsten set or can I show you something else?”

  I couldn’t hear if she responded verbally, although she nodded, and he disappeared into the back behind a door. He used a keypad to the right of the jamb, releasing the lock, and the door shut with a click.

  She wandered down the long counter, her hand sliding along the glass top. Stopping after a few feet, she leaned over the counter, nearly lying her torso flat on the smooth surface. I wondered if she was checking out what was behind the display case. My eyes feasted on her heart-shaped ass, remembering her lithe body and the way I took her from behind.

  Returning to the sales floor, the associate approached her, the rings jangling in his hand. Nora stood up. “Miss, I have the rings, when you’re ready.”

  “Mel—Nora. My name’s Nora.”

  Jesus, was she sure? As I susp
ected, her name wasn’t what she claimed. I had a sense that “Mel” was the start of something longer, though. Melinda...Melody...Melissa—Stop it! You’re supposed to be casing the store, not obsessing over a name. Or her.

  Moving my head as little as possible, I counted the number of security cameras. Last time I counted five. Today it was seven, including two pointed at the register—one above at the ceiling and the other on the adjacent wall. Had I missed them before? Given the mental spasm I experienced, it shouldn’t have been a surprise. I simply needed to stay away from the jewelry-symbolizing-a-lifelong-commitment counter. And fuck my life, I could hardly glance in that direction now.

  I blew out a breath and walked around the store, occasionally examining the wares below the glass. The door chimed when someone entered the store. Man, I couldn’t remember if I heard the alert when we came in. Was the sound motion-activated or a result of the seal being broken on the door?

  Nonchalantly, I passed by the entry. Nothing happened. I made a note to myself to check for the chime as we exited. I did another sweep of the store before forcing myself to join Nora at the counter I wanted nothing to do with. I leaned my ass against a section of the display without glass next to her, so I didn’t have to see the engagement rings. “Find anything interesting?” I wasn’t asking about the rings.

  “Uh-huh. Very interesting.” She winked at me.

  “Can I show you something else from the case?” the sales guy asked.

  “Thanks, no. I still like the ones we picked out last time. But what do you think of these?” she asked me, holding a set of silver rings in the palm of her hand. I sneered. How far was she going to take this? “They’re white gold.”

  I shook my head.

  “Yeah, you’re right, not as cool.” She set them back on a blue velvet pad. “We like the tungsten set the best.”

  We? We weren’t actually getting engaged. This was only a ruse, for fuck’s sake. I looked at her sideways and she was grinning like a virgin bride. So, she wanted to play games, did she? Even though the bile in my stomach made a bid for fresh air, I swallowed the acidic sting and faced the counter. “Do you have anything in rubber?”

  Nora choked on a gasp then mouthed, Oh, my god.

  The salesman furrowed his brow. “I’m not...quite sure what you mean.”

  “You know, rubber. They come in different types. Some vibraaa—”

  Nora elbowed me in the gut. “What my fiancé means is—”

  “Rubber rings. Got any?”

  “Silicon. He means silicon rings.”

  The man smoothed his tie and cleared his throat. “We don’t deal in silicon or rubber rings.”

  Laughter bubbled out of Nora and she waved off the salesman. “Ignore him, he thinks he’s funny.”

  I shrugged. “Admit it. I’m a little funny.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want a plastic wedding ring, boo-bear.”

  “All right, we’ll get the tungsten, but I don’t get paid for another two weeks, we’ll have to come back then.”

  “Yay!” And shit, if her excited voice wasn’t enough, she clapped her hands and did a little hop. And the Oscar goes to...

  “Anything for you, Care Bear.”

  The salesperson spoke up. “I can’t hold them that long without a deposit.”

  “Fuck me,” I muttered under my breath.

  “How much of a deposit?” she asked.

  “You seem like nice people. Twenty dollars.”

  I rubbed my forehead. What was he basing the “nice” on? I just asked the man if they sold cock rings.

  “That’ll be fine. Honey?”

  Was she serious? I fished my wallet out of my pocket and handed the man twenty bucks.

  “What name should I hold them under, in case I’m not here?”

  “Derrick,” I said.

  “Thank you, Mr. Derrick.” He took out a business card from his suit jacket and wrote on the back. “Take my card. I’m the owner, so I’m authorized to offer you a fifteen percent discount on your purchase. You can show this card to one of my sales associates if I’m not here when you come back.”

  Nora beamed, her eyes sparkling under the lights. “Oh, wow, that’s so generous. Thank you so much.”

  “You’re welcome. We’ll see you soon.”

  “Yes, you will.” She turned away and waved over her shoulder. I smiled, stifling an eye roll.

  At the exit, I paused when she opened the way to the outside. The chime sounded only as she pulled the door open. Not a motion sensor, but a broken connection caused the ding-dong.

  Nora turned right once we were out on the sidewalk. I followed her, tight on her heels. “Hey, you owe me a twenty.”

  “You think so. What was I supposed to do, blow our cover?”

  “Buy me lunch and we’re even.”

  She kept on walking, eventually rounding the corner.

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  “My car’s parked over here.”

  “You hungry? There’s a great Chinese place across the street.”

  “I could eat something.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Lincoln

  I had something she could eat. And she had something I could spank. While Nora walked ahead of me across the street, my brain fell out and rolled into the gutter. She had this slinky way of moving, part casual I-give-zero-fucks-about-traffic-I’m-walking-here and part seductress I-know-you-want-me. Yet, somehow, she had this good-girl-next-door vibe even when I was...

  I’m going straight to hell. Or more aptly, the nearest unemployment office. Why was I doing this? Was it that she was the first woman since Jennifer’s death who had lit me up on the inside?

  The hostess at Eggrolln told us to have a seat at any of the booths. I chose the one closest to the door and sat facing the exit. Nora inched over the bench seat opposite me. The restaurant was mostly empty except for a round table in the far corner with three adults and a kid in a highchair.

  “What’s your sign?” she asked, scrutinizing the paper placemat printed with the Chinese zodiac.

  “Rooster.”

  “You know without looking?”

  “This isn’t my first Chinese restaurant.”

  The hostess set two large glasses of water and menus on our table. “Can I bring you anything else to drink?”

  “No, thanks.” The woman looked at my lunch date, who was still studying the placemat like she was cramming for a test. “Nora, you want anything besides water?”

  “Oh, no,” she said, glancing up, “the water’s fine, thank you.”

  “Okay, I’ll give you a few minutes to look over the menu.” The woman whispered away.

  “Roosters are fearless people. These tenacious go-getters enjoy success in whatever they do. Bossy by nature, they require a mate who can handle their arrogant personality.” She laughed. “They got the ‘bossy’ right.”

  “Arrogant personality? It doesn’t say that.”

  “It does. You’re compatible with Tiger and Snake. Avoid Rabbit and Horse.”

  “I’m not arrogant.”

  “I didn’t say you were. It’s what the paper says.” She leaned over and pointed to the Rooster on my placemat. I removed my arms from the table.

  “Fine. I’m bossy but arrogant? No way. What’s yours say?”

  “Tigers are sensitive souls with a tendency to go overboard. Happiest when fighting for justice or a cause they believe in. Their ideal mate is someone who can put up with their moodiness. Compatible with Dragon or Rooster. Avoid Ox and Monkey.”

  “Any of that true to you?”

  “Well, I don’t think I’m moody. At least not without reason. But yeah, I guess that’s me.”

  “So, what causes do you believe in?”

  “Climate change.”

  “Oh, gawd.” I rolled my head around and cracked my neck. “Lame. That’s the best you could come up with? Of all the social injustice and inequalities in the world. In this country alone. Climate change
?”

  “It’s real, you know,” she huffed.

  “I know, but that was lame.”

  “Whatever. What do you believe in, then?”

  “Oh, I’m a Flat-Earther.”

  Shaking her head, she snorted. “That’s not a cause, it’s a conspiracy theory.”

  “You asked me what I believed in.”

  “You do not believe the world is flat.”

  “I do. There’s proof.”

  “What proof? Astronauts have taken pictures of the Earth from space. It’s round.”

  “Fake.”

  She slapped the table. “It’s not fake. Millions of people witnessed the lunar landing. There’s pictures of the Earth from the Moon.”

  “We didn’t have the technology back then.”

  Sitting back, she shook her head. “What, jet fuel and math equations?”

  Her serious, wide-eyed expression made me chuckle. “This bothers you, doesn’t it?”

  “Nope.” She averted her eyes.

  “I can tell.”

  Eventually, she looked at me again and smiled. Maybe there was some truth to being a Rooster. I wanted her hazel eyes on me. Craved her attention. No one else’s. Only hers. Picking up her water, she brought the straw to her lips and sucked. I rocked my hips, the vinyl seat creaking beneath me. “Ah, I love ice-cold water. Nothing else quite quenches the thirst.”

  I love something else more. “Depends on what you’re thirsty for.”

  The hostess, who clearly had waitress duty as well, returned to take our orders. When she left again, Nora revisited my position on the shape of the planet. “So, do you think ‘the world is round’ is a conspiracy?”

  “No. The world is round.”

  “Thank god,” she said, yawning. “Excuse me.”

  “Don’t do that, you’ll make me yawn, too.” And I did. Fucking contagious bastards. I could’ve used a nap, though.

  “Sorry, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

  “I didn’t either, not that I ever do.”

  “It might have something to do with you playing on your computer at three in the morning.”

  “I was work—I was awake anyway.”

  “Why don’t you sleep well?”

  Loss. Nightmares. Stress. Regret. Grief. Anxiety. I was a walking smorgasbord of reasons. I sighed. “Light sleeper, I guess. It takes me forever to fall asleep.”