Page 58 of Bad Attitude
“No…” he continues, thoughtful, “…both. First one, then the other.”
Blood courses through my body, tightening my nipples, rushing straight to my clit. I can’t breathe, and I’m trembling. The only part of me that isn’t is the hand pressed over his heart.
“Then why didn’t you?” It comes out as a squeak.Soembarrassing.
“Because I wasn’t there.”
No, he wasn’t. And I still don’t know why he left, not really.
I’m also wondering if it even matters.
He brought me breakfast. It wasn’thisfault I’d left, it was mine. He could’vesaidsomething, though.
“Why didn’t you leave a note?”
He laughs ruefully and shakes his head. “You have any idea how many times I’ve asked myself that this past week?” His pale blue eyes bore into mine. “I hurt you, and I didn’t mean to. I want to make it up to you. Dinner? Tonight? Or… skip dinner, and we go forfourorgasms?”
“Not…”A chance. That stupid. Gonna happen.“…hungry.”
One side of his mouth curls at the corner, a hint of a dimple appearing. “I am,” he murmurs, and I’m certain my ovaries just spasmed.
He breaks eye contact, looking past me, and releases my hand. “Coffee’s ready.”
“What? Oh.” My hand is still pressed to his chest, and nothing is keeping it there. I yank it back, like it’s being burned. The machine is assuring me that I’ll enjoy my drink, but I’m absolutely certain I’m not going to even taste it. There’s only one thing I want to taste right now.
“Don’t leave without me tonight,” he whispers, mouth only inches from my ear. “Please?”
I say nothing but take my cup, making my way back into the room. Everyone avoids making eye contact, save Cammy, who gives me a bright smile. I take a seat on the couch Declan was sitting on, and a moment later he walks in too, coffee cup in hand, sitting down close enough that our knees touch. I can feel him, even through both our leathers.
“All done?” Kurt asks dryly.
My cheeks heat, and I scowl to offset it. No one in this room has seen me blush before, save the man sitting really damn close to me.
Thankfully, Kurt doesn’t wait for an answer. “We have another job to do,” he begins without preamble. “The last one netted three-fifty profit after your shares. The problem is, we need half a million capital to equip for a big job I want to pull. So, we’re short.”He nods to Tasha.
“I’ve found a jewelry store in Beverly Hills,” she says. “It’s a block from Rodeo Drive. I have enough info to take the cameras down, and we’ll hit it this Sunday night, around ten. Late enough to be quiet, early enough that our presence won’t raise questions if we’re seen. There’s an alley at the back for the van, plenty of access North to Mulholland Drive or Coldwater Canyon, West to PCH via Sunset.” She pauses. “Private security respond fast around there, and we need to be gone before police helicopters show up. So we’re on a three-minute clock.”
Dario stirs at that. “Three minutes? To get what, three hundred grand’s worth of jewelry, assuming fifty cents to the dollar at the fence?”
“And that’s the problem,” Kurt says. “We won’t get paid on this one, unless you want to push it to four minutes, which Tasha doesn’t recommend. Instead, think of it as a downpayment on the next job.” He meets our eyes, one by one. “Anyone got a problem with that?”
I don’t care. I’m doing it because Kurt’s calling in a favor. I know we’ll get paid eventually.
“Fine by me,” Cole says. “You’ve always done right by us.”
Dario murmurs his agreement.
“Forgive me for being the voice of dissent,” Declan begins, then spreads his hands, his left one almost touching me. “New boy. I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask what the big job is, and what payoff there will be?”
I look at Kurt, expecting himto do his scary-cold thing that halves Declan’s life expectancy. But he doesn’t, he nods as if conceding the point.
“I’m not telling you the details right now,” Kurt says flatly. “Let’s just say the payoff will hit seven figures, for each of us.”
“Consider me intrigued,” Declan says. He tilts his head. “This your job, Kurt? Or is it someone else’s?”
Cole goes still. Dario’s head comes up. Tasha regards him over the top of her laptop, the screen reflecting in her eyes.
“What do you mean?” Kurt asks.
