Hustle (Book 1 in The Hunted Hearts) - SYTYCW Winner #action #comedy #romance

Heist | Chapter 2

Her heart hammered as she strolled down the corridor, pushing the cart in front of her. She forced herself not to glance up at the security cameras, which she knew were monitoring her every move. Ignoring her racing pulse, she tried to exude a calm demeanor.

She walked to the door of the penthouse. Then she knocked on it. "Housekeeping," she called out.

After a moment of no response, she swiped her card through the lock. This is where Jimmy's skills would be tested. There weren't many things that would unlock this door. She held her breath, watching the red light flicker, and then she slowly exhaled as the light turned green and the door unlocked.

"Score," she muttered.

"Who's the man?" Jimmy said.

"You don't want me to answer that," she muttered as she grabbed a couple of towels and hurried into the penthouse.

After scanning the room to ensure she was alone, she hurried inside and closed the door. This was the only room in the hotel that wasn't monitored. She stared at the opulent hotel suite. It was a massive open plan suite with a living area, a kitchen, a library and a bar inside it. There were four doors leading off to other rooms, which she suspected were bedrooms.

"You know I'm the man. Go on, admit it," Jimmy said.

She shook her head with a smile. "Fine, you're the man, a fifteen year old, foul-mouthed man. Your first mission is to tell me what I'm looking for."

"I don't fucking know. That's what surveillance is all about. You research the mark, find the skeletons in his closet, and then play on his weaknesses. Go forth and research."

"Great," she muttered as she hurried over to the large mahogany desk. She pulled open the drawers and checked inside them. She found some folders but nothing that looked confidential enough to be a hidden skeleton.

"You wanted to be in charge," Jimmy said.

She narrowed her eyes. She didn't really want to be in charge. She just didn't want to go to college. She loved her life as a hustler. She had the coolest family in the world. Her father was the Stewart Phillips. His reputation was legendary. And her brother, Jimmy, was the best hacker in existence. She just wanted to stay in the family business, doing what she loved.

Why does it have to change just because I grew up?

Shaking her head, she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. She realized that she needed to treat this just like any other job. Just because the stakes were higher, it didn't mean the rules had changed.

She flipped open the laptop on the desk, about to turn it on when she heard a cough coming from one of the bedrooms.

Shit!

She ducked down under the desk, closing her eyes as she heard a door open, followed by footsteps echoing on the marble floor.

"No. I told her I'd call her, but you know how that goes." She heard a man laugh.

Oh great, Starling was in his bedroom.

"She wanted more than that." The man laughed again.

She glanced up, rolling her eyes.

Please don't make me listen to an old man talking about sex.

She paused and frowned at the underside of the desk, tilting her head to the side. There was a portable hard drive taped under the desk.

If I was going to hide my dirt, where would I put it?

Using her thumbnail to remove the tape, she peeled it off as quietly as possible while listening to the man at the same time.