To Have and to Heist(86)

“Another five thousand for your continued discretion.” Mr. Angelini slid the envelope across the desk and my brain finally clicked into focus mode.

“Thank you.” I stuffed the envelopes in my purse like I accepted bribes every day. “I won’t say anything.” Had he paid off the staff at the bridal shop, too? What was the going price of silence these days?

“I know you won’t.” He folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Gino checked you out. You sell suits and candy and live with your parents. You’re a good girl, nice and squeaky clean as they come.”

“You investigated me?” Did he know about the heist? The meetings in Rose’s garage? Was he toying with me? I glanced over at the bag in the corner, wondering if I would fit, considering I’d already gained a few pounds since I’d moved back home. And then there was my candy addiction . . .

“I like to know who I’m doing business with,” he said. “If I’m happy with your work, things will go well for you.”

“And if you’re not happy?”

“You don’t want me to be unhappy.”

“No,” I said. “I don’t suppose I do.”

* * *

◆ ◆ ◆

?“How was it?” Jack asked as we drove away from the mansion.

“I’m alive. I’d call that a win.” I pulled out the envelopes and showed him the cash. “He paid me to keep my mouth shut about what happened at the wedding dress shop. I’ve never been bribed before. It was a surreal experience. I was so shocked that I didn’t answer when he asked if it was enough, so he had his bodyguard open the safe to give me more. You’ll never guess what I saw.”

“The necklace.”

I gave him the side-eye. “Way to ruin the surprise.”

“It was kind of obvious,” Jack said. “The only surprising thing is that he let you see it.”

“I saw a box; not the actual necklace. But what else could it be?”

Jack stopped at the intersection leading back to the highway. “Where to next?”

Right would take us back to Evanston—Rose, Chloe, my apartment, my family, and the garage that had become a second home for my crew. Left would take us back into the city, where I could walk into the police station and confess to the crime so Chloe could be free. She wouldn’t have to worry about lawyer’s fees or trials or prison, and she’d get my share of the wedding planning money to keep her going over the next little while. But did I really want to go to jail for something I didn’t do? Six weeks ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I’d spent most of my life struggling to prioritize my needs, thinking so little of myself that I would always give up what I wanted for the greater good.

You didn’t want anything.

My father’s voice echoed in my ears. I had wanted things, but I’d been afraid to ask—love, attention, time, even small things like age-appropriate movies on family movie nights or five minutes at dinnertime to share my day at school. I wanted things now—a wedding planning company that made me excited to get out of bed in the morning, a bestie who showed up with bleach, a bunch of oddballs who had suddenly become friends, my flawed family who loved me and was desperately trying to make up for the past, and Jack, who was so wrong for me and yet so right.

I wasn’t going to get what I wanted if I went to jail. I loved Chloe, but there had to be another way to save her besides throwing my life away. And that had to start with speaking my truth.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Jack said. “I can hear it all the way over here. Whatever you’re trying to decide, follow your heart. That’s what my grandmother always told me.”

“You hurt me when you left me to face those strangers alone,” I said, speaking up for the first time in my life. “I trusted you. I felt safe with you. I have issues with abandonment and that was pretty much the worst thing you could do. You made me feel like I wasn’t important, that I wasn’t worth protecting. I’ve been trying to fight that feeling of worthlessness all my life.”

I expected Jack’s usual evasiveness. He gave me honesty instead. “I’m sorry. I knew you could take care of yourself, and I knew they wouldn’t hurt you, but there was no excuse for leaving the way I did. You were scared, helpless, and alone—”

“I wasn’t scared,” I interjected. “They were idiots. They didn’t take my phone. I could have called 911 at any time.”

“I stand corrected,” Jack said. “Not scared, but helpless and alone, and I—”

“I wasn’t helpless, either,” I cut in. “I grabbed a rotten floorboard. It had nails in it. I could have caused them some serious damage, and as you know, I also have mad fight skills. I can take care of myself, but sometimes I would like someone to have my back.”

“Of course.” Jack nodded. “Not scared or helpless, but alone.”

“Very alone.” I gave him a stern look. “Abandoned.”

“I never meant to make you feel that way,” he said. “I’ll do what it takes to prove that to you in the hopes one day you will forgive me.”

“I forgave you when you said ‘sorry,’ but I enjoyed hearing you grovel.” I leaned over for a kiss. He was most obliging.

“You told me to listen to my heart,” I said. “My heart says I want more kisses. I want to live my life outside four cement walls. I want Olivia to have her mom and Chloe to have her freedom and Bella to marry the man she loves. I want us all to have a chance to really live our lives without struggling to keep our heads above water. I want to take risks. I want to be wild. And I want to be wicked . . . with you.”