Page 99 of Bitter Arrangement

“The perfect what now?”

“Nothing, never mind.” I go to her and pull her into my arms. “Trust me, baby. This can work. It’s going to work.”

She sags into me. “I just don’t like it, that’s all. Just feels like too much can go wrong. You could get hurt, or Brenden could get targeted, and I just don’t know what I’ll do if it blows up in our face.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

She leans back and a little smile slips onto her face. “Does this mean you need me to pick some locks?”

“Absolutely fuckingnot.”

She pouts and pulls back. “Why? Come on, I did great last time. You said yourself, you’re the one that screwed up.”

“Riley, there’s no way I’m letting you get anywhere near this job.”

“What, you’re going to pull it off? The computer nerd?”

“I can do a lot more than break into security networks.”

“Can you pick a lock?”

I hesitate, then glare at her. “Can’t be that hard.”

“God, you’re clueless.” She chews a thumbnail like she’s thinking. “Fine, you convinced me. I’ll teach you.”

“What now?”

“You need my help, right? I can teach you.”

“I never said I needed your help.”

“Sure you do.” She waves a hand and starts pacing again. “You don’t want me going near that house, right? Well, I can accept that, so long as you let me contribute in other ways.”

“That’s almost like real growth.”

“I know, right? I’m really amazed with myself. I’m not impulsively running off to break a window!”

“It’s incredible. I’m so proud. But you’re not teaching me anything.”

“Don’t be such a big baby.” She pats my cheek, beaming. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”

She walks off, already making plans for how she’s going to torture me, and I am very sure that it’s going to be anything but fun.

Only the plan’s taking shape, and maybe it’s not perfect and there’s a lot that could go wrong, but it’s a genuine path forward.

I just have to hope that Mantis is as bloodthirsty as I think they are.

Chapter37

Riley

“You’re about as nimble as a pirate with two peg legs.”

“Any pirate still alive after losing both legs is probably pretty dexterous.” Alexan glares at me as he wiggles the lock picks. “And you’re a terrible teacher.”

“You’re a terrible student!” I pace around the living room, glaring at him as he works. He curses and gives up, throwing the practice lock into the pillows.

“I’m a fucking systems engineer, not a thief. This is bullshit.”

---