Page 49 of Steal Me (Rebel Hearts Heists 1)
Chapter 18
Best Laid Plans
Kaden
My mind is in complete turmoil. What can I say? Royce and Blaine had mentioned a few times that their family used to have money but then something happened and it was all taken away. So I really thought that they started robbing banks to get back the lavish lifestyle they were used to.
The reason why they’ve been doing it changes everything in my eyes. No one can understand their motivation better than me, as I joined the FBI and applied for the bank robbery division for personal reasons.
My dad was a security guard at a bank and was killed during a robbery gone wrong when I was sixteen. From that day onward, I’ve worked to get where I am now. To catch guys like the ones who shot my dad.
I despise the idea that someone might even consider taking a life just because of their greed, just for money. This is why at the beginning, when I was asked to go under cover after the first two robberies went unsolved, I had a serious problem with it. They were asking me to become the very thing I despised. Even if it was to catch the robbers at the end. They chose me because I was attending UCLA part time for a masters degree, when a batch of marked cash that had been taken during the first robbery had surfaced on campus. There was no way to determine who it had come from but it was obvious that the robbers were on campus. So the FBI changed my student ID, making me attend undergrad classes and giving me a spot on the football team, to make me visible and give me the chance to meet all sorts of people. When I actually landed the starting QB spot, that was definitely a plus because I was invited to every party, every event, everything noteworthy that happened on campus.
And at first when I realized that Blaine and Royce were the robbers I was looking for, I despised them too. River? I mean, you’ve seen the motherfucker, he’s totally crazy! So this whole thing began and the only reason we let it continue this long, was because I still needed to find irrefutable proof that they were robbing those banks on behalf of someone else.
What I know now, changes everything and in a way puts me at peace with myself, after I spent many sleepless nights trying to reconcile my feelings of friendship toward two men who were the incarnation of everything I stood against.
So, while I don’t approve of the way Royce and Blaine have chosen to get their revenge, now I understand their motivation. I try to call Agent Walker from my burner phone: if I could get more time, we could prove who was the real culprit for that massive fraud that ruined the lives of thousands of people who lost all their money.
And if we could uncover the money laundering scheme, we could dismantle a whole criminal organization that has been supplying our enemies around the world with nuclear weapons. This would obviously mean involving Interpol because this chase could take us anywhere in the world. Walker doesn’t answer and I leave him a voicemail on a protected network, asking him to call me urgently.
A knock on the door interrupts my planning and I quickly hide the phone in my pocket when I see Royce at the door of the bedroom I chose to occupy. We look at each other for a long moment, assessing one another like we’ve done countless times in the past when we’ve had to make important decisions. I know that Royce and Blaine respect me and I have to say that while until a few minutes ago, I couldn’t say that the respect was mutual, now things have definitely changed in the way I look at the brothers.
There’s also a new feeling in the array of emotions that are going through me right now: guilt is definitely rearing its ugly head, making me avert my gaze. Because Royce put all his cards on the table a minute ago and I can’t do the same. Not yet, not until I hear from my boss.
I can’t blow my cover yet and when it happens, I need to make sure that I’m not outnumbered, because I know that the other three won’t take it well that I’ve been lying to them for almost two years. Especially when I’ve been working to get them locked up. And that still might happen, because I don’t know how valuable the information that Royce might have will be for the FBI. When this is all over, my friends might still end up in a federal prison.
“Hey Kaden. I wanted to say thank you for sticking with me and Blaine. You don’t have to, you know that, right? You could take your cut and walk away.”
I nod.
“Yeah, shit. I mean, we kinda started this thing together and I think you guys have a fucking good reason to want that motherfucker to pay. Also there’s—”
Royce’s eyes flash with understanding. “Sloane.”
We don’t say anything for a moment and Royce is the one who breaks the silence. “Look, about Sloane … it’s a little messed up, isn’t it?”
I bark out a laugh.
“A little? Try a whole lot of a sticky mess. From the way things began to the fact that we all want her. I don’t even know where to start analyzing my feelings about it all. But yeah, she’s a huge part of why I decided to stick around. Just so you know, I won’t back off from pursuing her. Unless she tells me that she doesn’t want me.”
Royce’s jaw clenches at my words and I see his shoulders becoming more rigid but he keeps it under control and his voice is even when he speaks next. “I thought so. I’d be lying if I said that it doesn’t piss me off, man. Because it fucking does. I want Sloane to myself, even sharing her with Blaine is far from ideal but he’s my brother, so it’s easier to make peace with it. You and River …”
Right. I thought so, I didn’t miss the murderous look in Royce’s eyes whenever one of us touched Sloane in front of him. Especially since in the last few days, since that big blow out with River at the side of the highway, things have gotten odd.
We all hold her and kiss her in front of one another. It’s chaste kisses but none of us has shied away from showing Sloane how we feel about her. And we all know that at this point, she’s been with each of us.
“Dude, I understand. I want her for myself too. The issue is, what does Sloane want? She doesn’t seem to be intentioned to choose. At least not right now.”
Royce nods in agreement.
I continue, “Yeah. So for now, I propose that we all respect each other and make sure that our priority is to keep her safe and happy. At the end of the day, we all put our cards on the table that we want her and now it’s up to her.”
I’ve always admired Royce’s quiet determination but what I think he isn’t considering is what would happen if Sloane really didn’t want to choose? Would any of us walk away? I guess it’s early days, I know that feelings are starting to emerge for everyone. And for as much as it’s crazy because it’s been only a couple of weeks since this ordeal began, I also understand how being in constant danger could have accelerated and intensified things between us all.
“Sure. For now we keep things how they are.” Royce clears his voice.
“Talking about Sloane isn’t the only reason why I came to see you, Kaden.” I encourage Royce to tell me what’s up.
