Page 13 of Prettiest Little Thief
“How so?” I asked. As if I didn’t already know.
“Well, for starters, you stole and then crashed his car.” A grin kicked up at the side of Fox’s mouth.
“True.”
“Now you’re staying in his house, and it pisses him off. Lucas likes to have control over just about everything. And this morning… he’s never had someone go head-to-head with him like you did in an argument. I had to calm him down. He wasn’t going to let you go to your room, wanting to have it out with you.” My cheeks felt warm, either from the alcohol beginning to spread through me or, more likely, the conversation. “He also didn’t like it very much when I gave him shit about it.” Fox chuckled.
Evie and I both glanced at each other and giggled.
A ringtone started to play, and Fox pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It’s Lucas. I’ll be right back.” He excused himself, and Evie and I were left alone.
“He’s cute,” Evie said.
“Are you going to give him your number?”
“Duh. How can I not?” She passed me the extra shot and I downed it. It was starting to dull some of the aches and pains in my body, since the medicine had worn off.
A few minutes passed before Fox returned to the table, his face set in a hard expression.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Lucas is on one. He found out we left, and he’s demanding I bring you back right now.”
“One more drink. I think I need to be buzzed for this,” I said, grabbing the vodka cranberry Fox hadn’t touched.
Chapter Eight
Monroe
Evie did indeed give Fox her number. It put him into a slightly better mood after the phone call. Even still, the energy of the night had shifted. Tension was in the air. The shots and drink had done nothing to stop the worry about arriving back at Lucas’s.
Are we going to fight again?
Fox was quiet on the drive home, and I didn’t want him to be in trouble because I had him take me out. But I’d needed it. I could have stolen a car and taken myself; however, that would have gone over much worse than just having Fox escorting me. Who knew how long I’d be stuck here. And worse, when I was done doing this job, how was I going to finish paying off my loan? If I didn’t give them a payment soon, they’d come looking for me. The possibility of me being able to go back to stealing cars was slim. I had been lucky this time because of Lucas. Next time, not so much.
We arrived safe and sound at Lucas’s home, and I pulled my coat around my shoulders until we entered through the front doors. I had figured he’d be ready to attack on the other side as soon as I came in. But he was nowhere to be seen.
“He’s in his office.” Fox nodded toward the left. “He wants to talk to you.”
Great. I trudged into the office, where Lucas sat at his desk with papers strewn across it, not bothering to acknowledge my entrance as I sat in one of the chairs available.
After a minute, I let out an exaggerated sigh. Lucas still didn’t take his eyes from the forms on his desk. “Fox shouldn’t be in trouble. I asked him to take me,” I muttered.
His cutting gaze locked onto me. “I’m the one to decide if he’s in trouble or not. I wasn’t told about your little outing. You’re sorely mistaken if you think you can come here and do whatever the hell you want with my employees.”
“There’s no reason for me to be inside these walls twenty-four seven. You don’t own me,” I snarled. Animosity bubbled over. I wasn’t a caged animal.
Lucas let out a laugh, his head kicked back. “Again, you’re mistaken. I can send your ass back to jail with just one phone call. You will do as I say until our deal is completed. Understood?”
I wanted nothing more than to throw myself across the desk and throttle him. But I sat perfectly still, my knuckles bleached white with how hard I clutched the arms of the chair.
“Do you understand me, Monroe?” Lucas said, again.
“Fine.” I pushed to my feet and stormed to the door.
“Before you go, there’s one more thing I need to discuss with you.” He sat back in his leather chair.
I wanted to continue walking away, but he held one of the most important things over me. My freedom. So, I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him once again. With my arms crossed over my chest, I noticed Lucas’s gaze lingering on my attire. All the way to my knee-high boots and up to my hair. His lips twitched, but he seemed to remember himself and cleared his throat.
