Page 15 of Finish Line

Nothing, this house is massive, but surely someone heard something. Maybe that is just wishful thinking.

I slowly open the door and scan the area. With no one around, I take a step out. My body moves without having to think about it even though everything inside me wants to make as much noise as I can.

If I remember correctly, I just climbed into the guest bathroom on their parent’s side of the house.

I make my way to the main staircase to the main floor. Roger is in the back of the house, so when I reach the main floor, I go right down a hallway and open the door to the outside.

“Good work, Monkey. Now listen to me, you do as I say, or I will activate my sleeper here. He will kill your boys. Do you understand?”

I nod, unable to speak still.

“Good. Go find all the jewelry you can find.” He rubs his hands together. “I have other things I need to look for.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out gloves. I’m waiting for him to give me a pair, but he never does.

He wants them to catch me. When they figure out something’s missing, they’re going to find my fingerprints everywhere.

I walk back up the main stare case and turn left, heading to the master bedroom. All those times Roger made me steal, I found out that in most homes, jewelry is kept in the walk-in closet.

I open Mr. and Mrs. Knights’ bedroom.

Holy shit, it’s as big as an apartment. I thought my room at the Tate’s was big. This has a whole living room inside the bedroom. A white couch with two white reclining chairs on either side of it sits in one corner with a coffee table in front. They face a TV that hangs on the wall. Off to the right is a king size bed.

I move that way and open the first door I find.

It’s a massive walk-in closet. The back wall is nothing but shoes; both sides are filled with women’s clothes. On the left side, nestled in between formal dresses and suits, is what I’m looking for, a large armoire.

The first couple of drawers hold accessories, like gloves and belts. When I find the jewelry, I open the bag Roger gave me and shove in everything I can find.

Once I’m done with that, I locate a safe. I try Mav’s birthday, but nothing. Then I try Dom’s, and the lock clicks.

Inside are more jewelry and documents. I shove the papers in the bag but run out of space, so I scoop up the jewelry in my hands, making sure not to leave anything behind.

I head back to where Roger told me to meet, but this place is like a maze. I get lost. I end up in a room with expensive-looking furniture. I trip on something and fall with a loud thud.

Sprawled out on the floor, the jewelry I carried skids across the wood floor.

Exhausted, I want to curl up in a ball and sleep, but my body won’t let me do that.

I’m in the middle of gathering everything when the door opens. My head whips around, and Mav stands in the middle of the doorway with no shirt on and his sweatpants riding low enough for his Adonis belt to show.

His head jerks back, then his gaze shifts to the floor. “Shelby?”

My head throbs from the desire to run over to him, but my body remains frozen.

Dom comes up behind him, takes one look at the jewelry, and yells, “Frank!”

Mav takes a step closer to me. “Why are you doing this?”

On shaky legs, I climb to my feet. I try to fight the hypnosis, but my head pulses harder.

The sound of pounding feet grows louder until Frank comes running through the door I came through.

“Shelby, we’ve been looking for you. What are you doing here?” His eyes drop to the floor, and he sees everything I stole.

“What the hell do you think she’s here for?” Dom points to the jewelry. “For a dance? She’s robbing us!” Dom yells throwing his hands up in air.

I try like hell to say something. I picture that cage in my mind, and I see myself putting a hand outside of it.

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