In the past:
"My grandma is going to kill me for skipping class," I said picking at the grass on the hill of the park. Letting the blades float into the slight May breeze.
Bastian smirked at me and leaned over. Brushing his fingers over my arm. "It's the end of your senior year, you're 18, what are they going to do? Not let you graduate?" I snorted, leaning on my elbows.
"Yeah well I'm not a genius like you, I struggle." He rolled his eyes and shoved my body back into the grass climbing on top of me.
"I could have done your homework for you," he whispered, interlocking his fingers with mine. His body weight pressing against my body.
"Oh please--the best you were good for was distracting me from said homework." I scoffed.
"I like being your attractive distraction, Sexy Lexie." I groaned at his stupid nickname for me.
"You're lucky you're holding me down. I'd slap some sense into you." He leaned down--that grin plastered on his face, as he grazed his lips against mine. Fully overtaking my mouth with his tongue, eliciting moans from my throat. My hips grinding against his wanting so much more from him.
He always left me wanting…..
To me, Bastian was like a drug. A smart, tall, blonde hair, blued eyed, smart-mouthed drug. He knew how to press my buttons. He knew how to turn me on with the flick of his tongue. And at this moment? He made me want to jump his bones. But if I knew Bastian--and I did. He had something up his sleeve.
His fingers grazed across my cheeks. His eyes sparkling down at me, searching the contents of my soul.
"You're so god damn beautiful," he whispered, fingers brushing through my long brunette hair.
I smiled up at him, always mesmerized by him. Enamored with his ocean eyes gleaming in the sunlight of the beautiful spring day. The light breeze pushing his long blonde locks across his forehead, curling at the ends. And to think---he was all mine. And me? All his.
"And you're a fucker," I said rolling his body off of mine and pinning him to the ground with an umf.
"Fuck-her? Why yes--yes please." He quipped, holding my wrists before I could slap his chest.
"Why'd you bring me to the park, Prince Charming?" I asked, continuing to straddle him.
"We've got a mark, beautiful." I groaned, putting my forehead onto his shoulder, cuddling into his body. Soaking up the warmth of his skin against mine.
"I skipped school to rob someone?" I groaned into his neck, sighing contentedly. His arms wrapping around me in a tight embrace, holding me against him like he never wanted me to go.
"This is our bright future, babe. Living the high life off rich suckers money." He murmured against my hair.
"I hate when you call me babe, it's gross," I grumbled.
"I could stick to Sexy Lexie, I'm quite fond of that one." He grinned at me, making me want to slap him again.
"I'm assuming since I'm here, you need me to live up to that nickname?" He kissed my forehead.
"You're a natural. You really get those rich suckers hot under the collar."
"Ahhh--the art of distraction," I said through a sigh, pulling away from Bas, and sitting up. Eyeing the busy park visitors scurrying around like tiny ants below us on the path.
"So----who is the idiot we're robbing today?"
"Ahhh--spotted him yesterday. Nice suit, nice watch, and desperate for a companion. I'm assuming he has a load of cash in his wallet or credit cards we can use for a day."
"Mmhmm. So you bring your pretty girlfriend to the park to distract a what? A 40 something old man looking for what? Someone like me?" I looked back at him and he rolled his eyes.
"You've done this a million times before and you act appalled every time we do this. Distract him with those beautiful baby blues, laugh at his jokes, steal his watch, and we go home richer." He said softly like he was reassuring me we could do this.
And I knew we could pull it off and I knew I was good at what I did. But it still made me nervous, people were so unpredictable. Especially with how close I had to get to each mark. But as long as Bas was by my side, I'd be safe from the world.
"You're always so confident with this. But fine....you show me the way and we'll do the usual?"
"Oh yeah--you distract. And I'll do the rest. Plus---our friend Claire scoped him at the ATM about an hour ago. He's got the dolla bills, baby." I nodded looking into the crowd, really focusing in on the people around.
Children played, mother's yelled, but then I focused in on the man in the red tie. Standing next to the large fountain in the middle of the park by himself. Actively avoiding human contact.
His fingers frantically pounded into his very nice iPhone and his eyes. He couldn't focus on the screen, he kept checking around him. Looking behind him and in front of him like he was expecting someone to come and get him.
"Do we know who he's waiting for?" Bas raised a brow, focusing in on the man. And shook his head.
"Well whoever it is, he's sweating bullets. His body is trembling. He's nervous. He's about to do something really stupid. We have got to move now." Bas grinned at me, pulling my chin into his hand.
"And this---this is why I need you, my love. You have the eyes of an eagle!!" He burned my lips again with one last soft kiss, before pulling away.
"Now…..Let's go do illegal things." His eyebrows wiggled a little and he pulled me up out of the grass, immediately falling behind me. Loitering in the grass, kicking it with his shoes, but his eyes never left me. Always had a careful eye on me as I did my work. Partly because he liked to watch, but mostly he was my protector.
I immediately began my lap around the large fountain, adjusting the sundress I had put on this morning. Making sure my medium-sized assets were present and accounted for.
I walked by him once, eyeing him up and down. Catching his dark brown eyes with mine. Making sure to bat my eyelashes and sway my hips. Giving him the cute flirtatious smile I knew he wanted and he stopped typing. His eyes followed my body and I knew I had him.
Sucker.
I prowled toward him trying to not look too eager. Keeping my eyes on him, looking at his unfit body over, and it hit me what he was looking for. I knew what I had to do to distract him.
"Oh, God!" I shrieked, falling forward to my hands and knees. Groaning loudly in pain, looking at my scraped up hands. I whimpered from the pain, jutting my bottom lip forward.
Blood.
"Hey--hey are you ok?" He asked frantically bending down to me. I let a small tear fall from my eyes and shook my head. My lips quivered, as I wiped away the stray tears from my cheeks.
"I--I think I'm fine," I said in a small voice, looking up at his pudgy face through my eyelashes.
"Here, let me help you." He said in a low voice, his eyes thoroughly distracted by my assets.
I slipped my fingers around his wrist, fingers working the clasps of his Rolex, carefully undoing it without him noticing. I made sure to hold his hand for just a second longer, as Bas snuck up behind him and took his wallet while he was still crouched down.
But mister businessman was still enamored with me. Staring into my eyes. Holding my hand tighter as he pulled me to my feet.
"Thank you for your help," I said in a small, innocent voice. "You're too kind." I smiled innocently up at him, still holding his hand. Working the Rolex over his wrist and eventually getting it off completely. I held it tight in my hand, balling it up in my fist as best I could. Bringing my arm to drape over his shoulder, dangling it from my fingers for the taking. Bas quickly took it from my hands and I patted the man's shoulder in gratitude.
"I have a hotel room!" He blurted out, crimson spreading across his cheeks.
Definitely not what I expected him to say, but I could work with it. Sex sells after all. I raised a brow, looking down at my bloodied hands.
"Is that so?" I cooed, tracing a finger over his chest, going under his suit jacket. My fingers grazing against the hard outline of his fancy iPhone. I traced over it, keeping my other hand working around his shoulder.
Distracting him from the fact I was pulling his phone out of his pocket.
He swallowed hard. "It's just over there, we could...."
"So--Mr?" He swallowed hard again, my eyes momentarily looking over at Bas who twirled a finger in the air. I needed to hurry up before he noticed his things were missing.
"Doug," he said more calmly, "I'm only here until tomorrow. I can pay." Bas raised his lip in disgust and I took a step back.
"I'm so glad to know your name, Doug. I think I like it. I like it on my tongue." I purred moving closer again, but I didn't allow him to touch me ---yet. I held him there, letting his eyes--his mind wander to dangerous places.
And that. That's how I got him. He ran a hand through his horseshoe haircut. And ran it down his face. Effectively wiping away the sweat bullets pouring from him.
"The Marriot. Room 1805." He said in a rush, placing a sweaty hand onto my cheek.
My instinct was to retract from his touch, but I had to play my part. I had to pretend I wasn't as disgusted as I felt on this inside. The moisture from his hand wiping away the makeup I had applied this morning, making my stomach do flip-flops. His hand quivered as he did so and I placed my hand on it, patting it lightly. Giving him the confidence he needed.
"I'll be there, Doug." I cooed, making sure to hold out his name on my tongue. They loved it when you said their name. "Go wait for me, I'll knock three times." I smiled up at him and he took off. He was so flustered he couldn't bother to check himself.
Bastian eyed me, jealous wafting from his eyes. As he narrowed them in on me, eyeing me up in down with lust and jealousy. He stalked toward me. Putting his hands on my cheeks.
"You're too amazing at what you do. Did he touch you?" I rolled my eyes, chuckling.
"Oh--Sebastian, are you---jealous?" He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath letting his chest expand.
"I have a love/hate relationship watching you work. You're so hot when you manipulate them, but the way they look at you.....I know what they're thinking." I knew he was sincere.
I snorted, "are you starting to regret bringing your pretty girlfriend to do your dirty work? You should grow a pair of tits and then you wouldn't need me." He growled at my words, pulling me closer to him. Wrapping his arms around me in a sweet, but much needed embrace. Showing me just how much I meant to him through a powerful squeeze.
"Lexie, I need you." He whispered. "I'll always need you and not for your tits, as you say. Your mind is.....brilliant." I cuddled into his chest, sniffing the cologne he wore. Finding a brief sense of comfort in his arms
I sighed. "I can't deny my love for the thrill. I..."
"I've brought you to the dark side, then?" He smiled whole-heartedly, pulling away from me. Cupping my cheeks in his palms, a spark of life erupting in his ocean eyes.
"I've always been on your side. But we need to go before Mr. Hornipants discovers he can't get into his hotel room and that everything he holds near and dear is gone." Bas hummed against my hair, letting his lips momentarily linger.
We made our way down the busy sidewalks of the city, as I scrolled through the man's phone. Turning off location services and disabling a few things so he couldn't track us. Just to be safe.
"Well--this is gross. But I know who Mr. Hornipants was trying to meet." I showed the screen to Bas and his eyebrows rose into his hairline.
"Tsk tsk---a married man meeting her? Maybe that's why he was hanging onto 3 grand." He said with a shrug of his shoulders, continuing to pull me along. But I nearly choked on my saliva at the mention of the money hiding in his wallet.
"3 GRAND?!?!" I shouted probably too loud in my excitement, eyes widening at Bastian's sly grin.
"1500 for us, 1500 for Dave and Claire."
"Whyyyy did you bring them on again? All they do is sit behind a computer. We do the dirty work, shouldn't we get more than 50 percent??" I whined, slumping my shoulders forward.
We had become some sort of ragtag team of thieves. A weird--odd couple, kind of team. Teaming up with these two computer nerds who checked surveillance for us. Helped keep us safe in the face of danger, they were useful. But I hated splitting the money with them because that meant less for us. And the more money we got, the closer we got to be able to run away from this place to bigger and better opportunities.
"You underestimate their genius. Claire followed him to the ATM vis street camera's alone. Even spied on him through the ATM! They are our eyes in the sky...or over the net, if you will. The Hardison and Parker of our group."
I rolled my eyes, "have you been watching that stupid show for inspiration again?"
"First off--- it's not stupid. And second off---maybe. They have good ideas!" He pointed a finger at me, sincerely offended I had dissed his favorite TV show.
"For a smarty pants, you're so stupid sometimes. Don't you think the police will catch on to that? It's like a conman's guidebook and they'd have all the answers!"
"Nahh--we will always be 10 steps ahead, babe. Don't worry about the feds. We are too smart for that." He was too cocky sometimes but in this line of work. You almost had to be.
"Well if you ever think I'm going to help you in any art-related con, you're dreaming," I said flatly.
"Not even a statue of David?" He looked back at me, raising a brow. That stupid Bastian sized smirk on his face.
"Definitely not that," I said through a laugh, swatting his shoulder. We rounded a corner making our way into our safe zone. A place where no one would think to look for two teenage robbers.
A bar.
Bastian nodded at the slumped over bartender, throwing him an innocent smile. As we walked by, hiding the contents of our heist in our pockets.
"How's business, Bob?" He asked in an upbeat voice, sending him a small wink. Bob grunted in disgust, accepting a small wad of cash from Bastian's hand.
Money talks.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't see you," he grumbled, wiping down the bar top. Good ole Bob, slip him some money, and we were never there.
Perfect cover.
We walked into a secluded part of the bar through a set of swinging doors where Dave and Claire sat in front of two laptops intently watching something on their screen. Their stifled laughs echoed through the small room.
"Oh man--Doug just discovered what you did, Lexie. He is soooo pissed!" Claire howled. Pointing toward her screen, presumably watching the hotels security cameras from her chair.
"Well--don't feel bad for him at all. He's married and was going to get a hooker. Fuck him." I spat, crossing my arms over my chest.
"So, how much?" Dave asked peeking over the top of his computer.
Straight to the point, Dave.
Bas dug into his pocket, pulling out a wad of cash and placed it on the table. "1500, split right down the middle. Here you crazy hackers go." Claire squealed with delight picking the cash up and sniffing it.
"Ahhh--smells like dirty old rich man! Hail to the dirty old rich man for feeding me today!" She proclaimed, getting to her feet, holding the money in the air like Simba.
I chuckled at her reaction, as she did a little jig in place. They were good people who did their hacking well. They always watched us from a distance, signaling us if something went south. They had saved our asses more than a few times now.
"And...done!" I said pounding my finger into the phone's screen and smiled in victory.
"Let me guess--you just outed the cheating bastard, didn't you?" Bastian asked, placing his arm around my shoulder. Eyes peeking at the phone's screen as I scrolled through more of the pervs evidence.
"Mr. Hornipants has been a very, very busy perv," I said putting the phone onto the table for Dave and Claire to take. They could wipe it clean and pawn it for a good price. Something I desperately needed to learn to do.
"Ew--" Claire said scrunching her face, scrolling through the phone too. "How can someone be this disgusting?" She said curling her lip up. "He so deserved it."
I looked down at my own phone, my heart dropping. It was time. I couldn't play a thief anymore, I had to go back home and play myself. A high school student, who still lived with her overbearing grandparents.
Correction--overbearing grandmother. She meant well, but man did she hate Bastian.
"Well--it was nice working with you guys again, but if I don't get home soon, my grandma will murder me. In fact, she probably has a grave already dug for my body!" I groaned and gave a small wave to the pair, as they continued typing away on their computer.
We made our way out the door of the bar. Back into the blazing sunlight and busy sideways littered with people.
"Despite my protests, I enjoy the work we do, but do you ever feel...bad?" I intertwined my fingers into Bas's. Giving him three small squeezes as we made our way through the crowds. Bas's eyes unintentionally scoping out potential victims as they passed.
"What for the filthy rich who take advantage of young girls or steal your money?" He asked tightening his grip on me.
"The mark was a mark for a reason, wasn't he? You knew who he was and what illegal things he did, didn't you?"
He shrugged, "yes and no. I did meet him yesterday and the nerds did a little research into him. Found out what he was doing behind closed doors. So--no. I don't feel bad about what we do. We con the bad guys and they deserve it." I rolled my eyes at how sure of himself he was.
"If that gets you on your moral high ground. Then ..." I grumbled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eventually, Bas got me home just in time for school to end. Just like I had spent the whole day there, what a scheme. I grabbed my backpack from his car, pleased with our days haul secured inside. Buried beneath books and notebooks, praying my grandma would never find it.
"I can help you with your homework later," he grinned, winking at me.
"Oh, Bas, you better actually help," I warned, pointing a finger at him.
"Strip homework?" He said and I rolled my eyes in response, starting to close the car door.
"Just crawl through the window...just don't let my grandma know!" I hissed, slamming it shut.
I made my way up the block, just like I'd do if I rode the bus. And finally walked through the screened-in porch, and through the back door. My grandma was where she always was at 3:30 in the afternoon, the kitchen.
"Heya, Grandma," I greeted, a warm familiar scent filling my nostrils with its sweet scent. My stomach grumbling from the lack of food, finally realizing I hadn't eaten since breakfast.
She turned around from the kitchen sink, drying off a dish. "Good day at school?" She asked, raising a brow.
"Yeah--it was ok. Just a typical day." I said nonchalantly, grabbing a fresh cookie from a dish on the counter. Shoving the whole cookie into my mouth, savoring the dark chocolate chips on my tongue. Trying to make my getaway towards my bedroom down the long hallway.
"School called, Alexis," I stopped in my tracks, swallowing the cookie, scratching the back of my throat as it went down. I slowly turned around the burning wrath emanating from her coal eyes. She picked up a notebook from the counter and slammed it down. My body jumping in response to the loud ping.
"Sofia stopped by, brought you the homework you asked for." She folded her arms across her chest, tapping her foot against the tile floor.
I took a deep breath, trying to clear my scattered mind. I could scam men and women out of their watches and life savings. But lying to my Grandma? Now that was a different story.
"Grandma, I'm sorry, it was such a nice day…"
"So--tell me, what did you and Sebastian do today? Help him steal a car? Did you go to the park again?" Her deep smokers voice escalated with every word she said.
"What?! Grandma no! We just...hung out. That's it." Her tongue ran across her top teeth, stepping toward me with her finger pointed at my face.
"That boy doesn't just HANG OUT! He's bad for you, Alexis, the quicker you see it, the better off you'll be." She spit, gritting her teeth together.
"He is not!!" I yelled back, my heart beating hard against my chest, fingernails digging into my scratched up palms. Trying not to lunge at the woman who had fed and clothed me for years.
"Oh, you naive girl! I can see right through his lies! Someone needs to teach him a lesson! Maybe if his mother…."
"Stop it!" I yelled, breaking through her over-played rant about his lack of discipline. His mother hadn't been active in his life for years and his father? Who was he?
"There's nothing you can do to stop me from seeing him! I love him!" I yelled, my cheeks glistening with tears. The heat spreading to the tip of my ears as her jaw dropped at my admission. And mine too.
The three words I had never uttered to him, I was finally able to say out loud.
I loved Sebastian Greene.
"Love...pfft. You know what, Alexis? If you L….."
"Layla!" My grandfather's frail hand clung to my shoulder, his feet shuffling back and forth. His cane pointing in his wife's direction an angry scowl present on his face. "Leave her alone." He said in a low tone, turning his wrinkled face toward mine.
"Go to your room, pumpkinhead." He said softly and I wasn't going to argue with my peacemaker. The only man who stuck up for me against her.
I peeked through the crack of my bedroom door after dropping my backpack to the ground. I could hear every hateful word my grandma said. Every accusation she threw slandering Bastian over and over again. But what she said ...he was a liar. But not to me. He did steal cars, but I did help. He was a criminal. But I loved him. He completed me in a way no one else could compare.
"So," his breaths hit the back of my neck, startling me. His fingers swiping sway the loose hairs from my neck. His body pressed against mine possessively holding me.
"You….you love me?" He whispered in a sweet tone, swallowing hard in my ear. Lips brushing against the sensitive skin of my neck, making it hard to concentrate on my grandparent's explosive argument. My body shuddered against his touch. My brain fogging with his drug, his addictive-addictive drug.
His touch.
His breaths.
His words.
His love.
"You heard that?" I whispered, still peeking out the door. His fingers working up my arm, goosebumps erupting all over my skin. Sending chills up and down my spine.
I knew he'd climb through my window. He always did. We were addicted to each other. Utterly dependent on each other's bodies and minds. Needing to be near one another all the time, which was unhealthy, to say the least. But he was my person and I was his.
But I didn't want him to hear it like that--to my grandma. I wanted to profess it to him face to face, but I had been too scared. Too scared he didn't feel the same, because of his past. Because of his mother.
I gently closed the door, pressing the lock. In the darkness, I turned myself around. Caressing his smooth jawline with my fingertips, working my way towards his thick blonde locks.
"Sebastian," I whispered, running my fingers through his untamed hair. "I….." he took a step closer, my chest against him. His body looming over mine like a tower. "Love you." My eyes found his. His pupils dilated to almost black.
He angled my chin up, pressing my body against his and the door. Hovering his lips over mine, our breaths pouring from our nostrils wildly. My heart beat against my chest like a wild drum, his eyes boring into mine. Fingers digging into my flesh.
"Forever?" He asked brushing his lips against mine.
"And always," my tongue felt heavy with my answer.
"I love you too, Alexis Campbell." A smile broke out on my lips. What had I been so worried about?
His lips found mine in a hurry. Desperation taking him over, pushing into me. His hands grabbed my ass, kneading my cheeks in his palms. Small moans vibrating against my lips, as he picked me up into his arms. My legs wrapping around his waist. He walked us backward toward my bed, my hands working at the ends of his shirt, pulling it over his head.
"Alexis," I stopped my movements, as Bastian's lips worked down my throat. His hands still groping my body and I slapped his shoulder.
"Alexis, can you open the door, please?" My Grandma knocked again, sounding a lot calmer than she had before.
"Your grandma is the worst cockblock in history." He grumbled against my neck still biting into my flesh.
"Bas, she has a key she'll only give me a minute," I whispered, trying to shimmy out of his arms, but he kept me tight. Pressing his lips to mine one last time before dropping me to my feet.
"Alexis!" I rolled my eyes, tossing Bas's discarded shirt to him.
"Either you feel Layla's wrath or you take your swan dive," I said pointing toward the window he had entered through.
"Ah--my, Alexis, I'll return. I have to help you with your homework still." He grinned waltzing toward the window and threw himself out, just in time for my grandma to breakthrough.
●●●●●●●
And looking at him now, writhing in pain on my back porch, hurt my heart. The love I had for him never died. It may have dulled, been buried under years of resentment and doubt, but I did love him.
Once.
Forever and always?
Maybe.
So I knew I had no choice, even if he was followed. I had to save him like he had saved me.
Plus--the bastard owed me an explanation.
●●●●●●●●●●
Dear government institution looking into my internet searches, I promise I'm not hatching some elaborate plan to pickpocket people or other cons I can't discuss right now. I'm an innocent. I should just start adding I'M A WRITER to all my searches. Lol
Thanks for reading, I'm having fun with this.....probably too much fun.