Keep Me (Rebel Hearts Heists #2) - M. Sinclair Page 0,20

explodes before even reaching the bottom of the cliff, plunging deep into the ocean and disappearing into its stormy waters.

Whatever the fire didn’t destroy, the sea and its creatures will take care of. If they ever find any remains, they might be miles away and it will be only an unidentifiable body, a John Doe. But they might never find my car or that body. I just put it there for authenticity. In reality by throwing the car in the water, there wouldn’t have been any need for a body but you know me, I like a job well done. Once I’m satisfied that the car is gone, I begin to walk to the rental car I hid in the woods nearby. Now that Pierce Hunter is officially gone, I can begin the next phase of my plan.

I dial a number on my new burner phone and wait to be connected. “Mr. Van Der Beck’s office, Amanda speaking.”

I try to sound professional and contain my excitement as I say that I have really important information about a security threat to Mr. Van Der Beck. Something related to his upcoming wedding. The secretary is obviously reluctant to put me through to her boss but I play the FBI card. I could tell Van Der Beck about Vance’s plan but what would be the fun in that? Cat and mouse, cat and mouse. I’ll play with my prey before I sink my teeth into her.

“This is Casper Van Der Beck. Who am I speaking to?”

“Hi Mr. Van Der Beck, this is Special Agent Yates Stevie …”

River

I put a finger between the collar of my shirt and my neck, tugging a little to try and loosen it up but it still feels tighter than I’d like. Royce and Blaine owe me big time for being forced to wear suits and tuxedos, I’m a jeans and t-shirt kinda guy, for fuck’s sake! But if I want out of this fucking mess we got in, if I want to provide for my niece Josie, this is a necessary evil so instead I try to not grin at my reflection in the mirror, attempting a poker face. Truth be told I’m not here just because of the deal that Kaden made with his bosses to grant us immunity.

I’m here because Sloane is here.

I run a hand through my blond hair, tousling it with my fingers: a part of me misses my long hair, that I used to wear in a bun on top of my head, but I notice that Sloan touches it a lot more since I cut it, so I have no plan to grow it back.

Sloane, my kitten. The best and the worst thing that could have happened not just to me, but to us. To all of us. Since she crossed paths with us, since Kaden took her during our last job, we’ve been in constant danger because of her.

Not that robbing banks is safe in any way, but I was right that having her in tow would get us caught. Damn, it almost cost me my life when her psycho FBI agent ex got us tied up in that boathouse. I still have the wounds to prove it, even though they looked worse than they were.

The most terrifying thing wasn’t that the motherfucker was going to kill me, it was not being able to save my kitten from him. Because despite the fact that at the beginning I wanted to get rid of her, I can’t deny that I’ve fallen for our hot, feisty, loving hostage. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her, including sharing her with the others.

Because the way I see it ... Sloane is falling for all of us. I see the way she looks at Royce, Blaine, and even at Kaden, even though right now she’s still mad at him. I’m not mad at Kaden, he had a job to do and he did it the best way he could. Ok so he wanted to get us arrested, but it’s the same thing as how I wanted to kill Sloane at first: it’s not personal. It was his job and I don’t blame him for anything he’s done. I know, way too fucking rational for my liking.

Before we met Sloane, if I’d learned about Kaden’s real identity, I would’ve put a fucking bullet in his head. None of us shared our secrets and our motives, not until we got to Seattle, including Sloane. So while I get