Gangster in Love - Camren

35

Lauren was awake before me. It surprises me every time it happens, and so I blink at her slowly, soaking it in. She strokes my cheek with the back of her hand, not saying a word until I do.

"I'm still mad at you."

Her face falls, almost comical, but it's true. Lingering resentment still boils in my chest whenever I look at her. "That's fair, I guess." Lauren says, turning to face me, a smile is creeping up on her face. "Can I distract you with some breakfast in bed?"

I sit up in bed, kissing her until she rolls us over, eyelashes fluttering in a dozen butterfly kisses. The pressure of her hands holds a sinful promise, even when she keeps it chaste, and I have to pull away first.

"I did some thinking." Lauren starts. "I gotta tell Chris what I did." Sharp white teeth nip my bare shoulder, but not hard enough to leave a mark.

I squeak anyway, rubbing at it and distracted enough that I don't immediately respond. I stand up and face her "That's probably for the best..." I say and walk away.

When we came downstairs we found them all in the dining room, a rare feat. It looks like they just got done having breakfast together.

Lauren shouts for Chris's attention, throwing a thumb drive at him. He catches it and tosses it up in the air once before catching it again. "What's this?" he asks.

"Austin's whereabouts, who he's dealing with, and what he's trying to sell. But this info might not be good anymore." She pauses. "Before I roughed him up again."

Chris narrows his eyes. He takes a sharp breath, ready to launch into a lecture when I stop him with a hand. "We know, we know."

"Since you insist you're protecting me out of brotherly love, I'll stay out of this from now on. But you need to PROMISE me you'll get that necklace back." Prancing forward, Lauren's voice suddenly sounds twice as sweet, dipped in sugar. She pivots on one heel, quickly circling Chris and walking her fingers over his shoulders. "Won't you pretty please do that for me? Out of loooove?" She squishes his face between her palms. "Isn't that what family is for?"

Chris bumps her out of his personal space. "I'm going to retch."

Lauren's facade snaps in half, her laugh sharp and cackling. I can see the other guys rolling their eyes but Zayn actually looks sort of pleased.

"But even if I can't be in the center of the action, I do need to be clued in on the plans. Otherwise, I'll get all itchy and restless and nobody wants that." Lauren says.

"Fair enough." Chris answers.

"Austin's boss is out of reach, so we can't negotiate." Liam speaks up.

"And Austin himself keeps slipping out of our net." Chris finishes Liam.

"So where do we start? Any leads?" I ask.

Chris taps the table's surface with his fingernails, a short, impatient rhythm. "Besides who he works for, we've learned almost nothing.

That's when Thunder comes barreling in, nails clicking on the tiles. He jams his head up under Lauren's palm, nosing her hand until she pays attention to him. He does an excited little dance, but not the usual I-must-go shimmy. He keeps woofing and whining until I get up and follow him.

"What's got him so excited?" Lauren asks as they all follow.

Thunder leads us to the garage. He starts snuffling around Lauren's car, tail pointed straight up.

"Something in there is making him go nuts."

"Maybe a coyote pissed on it." Zayn says with a smirk."