Page 36 of Bitter Arrangement

“Don’t sound too enthusiastic.”

“I’m serious, I really want to know about you.”

I hesitate, not sure if I really want to reveal much of myself to this man, but decide it can’t hurt. “My older brother. He works as part of the heist team for our family.”

“Heist team?” I can see his dark smile across from me. It’s much, much too close.

“They plan jobs and carry them out all over the country. Brenden taught me how to break locks, case a target, steal a car, basic pickpocketing, all that stuff.”

“Just like a totally normal older brother should.”

“You seriously want to judge me right now?”

“Not at all, baby, not at all. I’m only teasing.” I grind my jaw, annoyed at how amused he sounds. “It sounds like you really took to his lessons, though.”

“I was good at it. I guess I have a knack.”

“Why’s that, do you think? Stealing runs in the family?”

“No, asshole.” I nudge him with my elbow lightly. “I was a pretty good gymnast back in high school, right?”

“I’ve seen how flexible you are,” he murmurs.

I’m thankful that the lights are out because I start blushing like crazy. “Anyway, I think that helped with the dexterity stuff. You know, picking locks and lifting wallets just takes a soft touch. I learned a lot of that in gymnastics, and I just had to apply it a little differently, that’s all.”

“But why stealing? You could have taken up any hobby in the world. Why did your brother’s heist work interest you?”

I don’t answer at first. I think back to those early days when I first graduated high school but wasn’t going to college. I was lost back then, drifting around and looking for something to do, and Brenden’s the one who came along to give me purpose.

“It started small,” I say finally. “Just basic lockpicking. I was pretty good at it, so I asked him to show me more. I don’t know, but it just seemed fun.”

“It seemed fun,” he repeats like he’s tasting the words. “That’s not all of it, though.”

“Do I really need another reason? Come on, you’re the computer hacker. You basically do the same thing as me, only online.”

“That’s a fair point,” he concedes, “but my cybercrimes are for money. From what I can tell, stealing isn’t your job.”

I chew my lip, considering how much to divulge. “Living with my dad hasn’t always been easy,” I say after another pause.

“How does your father connect back to stealing?”

“He’s always made me feel like I’m not good enough.” Why am I telling him all this right now? I feel naked and vulnerable, and I’m terrified he’s going to judge me. “Brenden showed me I could take control of something for once in my life. It didn’t matter what my father thought when I was out on a job, scaling a wall, shoving my way through a window, cracking a safe, whatever. Out there, I was the one in charge, and that feels good.”

He lets out a soft grunt like he understands. “You want control.”

“Exactly. Control. I haven’t had much of that in my life.” I laugh lightly, trying to act like this is no big deal and I’m totally not baring my soul to a literal stranger. “Honestly, picking locks wasn’t that fun until Brenden let me actually break in somewhere. Then I was totally hooked. It’s never been about the money for me, and I’ll never sell anything in my collection. I steal to feel free.”

I close my eyes. It’s strange vocalizing this. I’ve always known why I steal deep down inside, but I’ve never said the words out loud before.

I’m an impulsive person, but above all, I yearn to have a sense of control over my life and my surroundings. Living under my father’s roof hasn’t always been the best for my self-esteem, but the second I started breaking into places I didn’t belong?—

Well, suddenly, I was the one in charge, and nobody could stop me.

“Thank you for sharing that with me.” He puts a hand on my thigh. It’s big and warm, and a shiver runs up my spine. “I really meant it when I said I want to know you, Riley.”

“Yeah? I’m not just some random Irish wife?”

“Well, you’re that, but we’re in this together now.” His fingers tighten their grip. “For better or worse.”

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