Page 56 of Brazen Mistakes

What he needs is what everyone tells me I’m the best at—paying attention, learning the rhythm of a place, of the people that inhabit it, and then creating the opening I need to slip in and steal what I want. What Trips needs.

The freedom we all seek.

He clears his throat, then slumps back into his chair. “Do I need to quiz you?”

“No. It’s seared in my mind.”

Nostrils flaring, he twists back to the TV. “Same. Do you get how serious this is?”

“Yes.”

“The goal will be for you to blend in, for both of us to be boring and unremarkable, make our little curtsies to the king, then disappear before he decides to take a closer look at you.”

“How bad is the level of interest he’s shown so far?”

His lids press closed, not able to look at me. “Bad. He told me all about a knee injury you had in high school. That’s why you don’t run track, right?”

“It didn’t heal correctly. There was a specialist that the GP recommended, but we couldn’t afford to go to her. We went with what we had, and even after months of physical therapy, when I go all out for too long, my knee locks and down I go.”

“That sucks.”

“It did. It killed my chance at a free ride.”

The hint of a grin creases his cheek as he opens his eyes. “At least that’s not a problem anymore.”

“Trading a sports scholarship for a criminal apprenticeship—exactly the solution I was looking for as a confused and demoralized high schooler.”

He huffs out a laugh, forcing himself to his feet and stretching. “Recap: what new skills have you tried out?”

“I can almost lift a wallet with a strong dose of distraction, I’ve watched a few poker tutorials, I am a solid liar and solid lie detector, I can throw a rudimentary punch, I understand the basics of social media data scraping, and I guess I’m lifting cars with Jansen tonight, so we’ll see how I do at that later. And you know, I know more about your family, too.”

“Okay. I’ll get RJ to bring you to the gym soon to learn basic self-defense. We need to brush up your surveillance skills, although that will probably be close to natural for you, then teach you etiquette and waltzing. Picking locks can wait for now. And we have to get you a socialite’s wardrobe for the party. Unfortunately, we have game prep taking up all of Monday, so that day will be a wash for new skills.”

“Still, that’s not so terrible.”

“It wouldn’t be if you were sleeping and eating.”

It’s my turn to stare at the TV, a hard tackle making me twitch. “I’m working on that.”

“You’re not fooling anyone, Crash.” He pulls out his phone, and the sound of rustling starts upstairs.

Walker is the first to arrive, and the way he comes straight to me, kissing me like it’s been days rather than hours since we were last together, it feels too real in the haze of my mind created through too little sleep, too much sex, and too much fucking trauma. It blisters when it should simmer, and I’m pathetically glad when he pulls away. “I’ll see what I can makehappen,” he says to Trips before pushing through the door into the kitchen, the sound of banging pots echoing moments later.

Jansen and RJ stumble down together, Jansen swooping me into his arms before carrying me to the couch, holding me tight to his chest. RJ smiles, and it’s warmer than usual, glowing with secrets and revelations. “What’s up?” he asks, folding himself onto the couch beside us, pulling my legs across his lap.

“Can you bring her to the dojo sometime soon and get her going on basic self-defense? Running is always going to be the best choice for her, but that’s not always an option.”

“They’re closed for the holidays, but I’m sure I can get the key.”

“Make it happen. Jansen, you’re taking her tonight, right?”

“I was planning on it.”

“Anything she needs to practice before you guys leave?”

Jansen tickles me and I squeal, diving to the other side of the couch and into RJ’s lap. He bundles me away from the threatening fingers, leaving Jansen no choice but to answer Trips. “I don’t know. How are your sneaking skills, beautiful? Can you drive stick?”

I lean into RJ, needing his calm more than Jansen’s humor or Walker’s passion right now. I hope they understand. My moody-ass, exhausted brain is running the show right now. “I have no idea if I’m good at sneaking, but I’m excellent at driving stick.”

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