The Escaped Con's Hostage | ONC 2024

- NINE -

I shut my eyes the moment Nova squeals with, "I'm Oogie!"

"You betcha'," Brandon laughs. "You're Oogie. And right now, sissy is going to do your hair before we use the restrooms." He motions with his head and I go around back, quickly brushing Nova's loose curls into two braided pigtails. Then I slam her with a beanie I managed to snag before we escaped the house this morning.

"Alright Sally and Oogie," Brandon says, leading the way. "Let's make this as quick as possible."

As we head toward the restrooms, Brandon snakes an arm across my waist, keeping his head low. It's about seventy degrees out with a flesh-tickling breeze so his added warmth feels practically luscious. I can't help but focus on how his callous fingers make contact with the bit of flesh at my midriff, summoning a million goosebumps around my core.

Beside us, Nova skips and hops along, kicking at pebbles into the vast expanse of the Nevada desert. A purple mountain range surrounds the valley along with speckled patches of grass.

Soon we're standing before a refillable water station. Nova asks me to lift her so she can drink from one of the water fountains. Brandon retracts his arm from my waist and I'm left battling a lot of mixed emotions about it.

"Her," Brandon says, discreetly gesturing to a thirty-something Black woman with her young daughter. They're heading for the women's bathroom. "That's your target. We need her ID."

My mouth slightly opens as I watch her pass by with a Coach purse. It just so happens that it's already slightly unzipped and the corner of her black wallet pokes out, practically begging for us to steal it.

I whirl around on Brandon. "Look, stealing from Ken is one thing, but stealing from an innocent mom on vacation with her family is pure evil. I'm not going to do it."

Brandon shuts his eyes like he can't believe he has to put up with me. Then he reopens them, puncturing me with a stare that would quiet the most oppositional child. "That innocent mom will be just fine, Sally. She'll have a new ID within days and will still be able to enjoy her trip because she's with her husband who works for Apple. He'll drive them around Vegas in their brand new Tesla, stopping at all the pricey stores along the strip, buying his sad wife whatever her heart desires to make up for the fact that she misplaced her wallet somewhere between Exit 139 and Las Vegas."

I glance back at the parking lot. A Black man wearing an Apple logo t-shirt waves at his wife as he walks away from his Tesla, heading toward the men's restroom.

While I was busy lifting Nova to drink water, Brandon was busy reading people like a book. He chose this Black woman, because sure, she and I could maybe pass for one another, but also because stealing from her won't leave her destitute or without options.

With awe, I nod my head slowly. "Okay. I'll see what I can do."

Brandon snags my arm, rooting me to the spot. This forceful gesture should cause me to push him away and get super angry. But, of course, here I am instead feeling a wave of pleasure that deepens the dance in my belly.

Seriously, I'm becoming more like my mom each second I spend with Brandon.

"Don't get caught, Sally," he says darkly, morphing into the dangerous convict with bloodstains on his hands. "This isn't just your ass on the line. Steal like our lives depend on it because it actually does."

I swallow, unable to voice words.

Brandon lets go of me and it feels like tiny sparks erupt all over my skin.

We lock eye contact for a moment longer before Nova starts tugging me toward the bathroom, doing the potty dance. Then, Brandon disappears into the men's room.