DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., are the intellectual property of the respective author. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

-Chapter Thirty-Seven-

Emmett and Jasper had been outside on the balcony for about ten minutes, arguing with Edward. The guys disapproved of the last thrill robbery and said it was a mistake and it wasn't wise to press our luck. The cops were everywhere and would catch us.

Jasper said he was crazy.

Emmett said he was stupid.

But they both agreed that Edward lacked any form of rational judgment.

He listened to their reasoning and nodded, smoking casually on his cigarette.

My eyes honed in on his full, bite-worthy lips wrapped around the filter. The pure sex that Edward exuded was maddening. It captivated me, and it was hard to look away, so I watched from inside, peering out the window by pushing the curtains aside.

It wasn't enough to be seen, but it did afford me a decent view of the object of my desire.

Edward knew that I was watching.

He was always aware of me.

His eyes met mine with a sideways glance, giving me a sly and knowing smirk. It was the slightest upturn of the corner of his mouth, genuine and sweet, yet all too brief. It only lasted a millisecond before he wiped all emotion from his face, feigning indifference.

It would be impossible for anyone to notice, even if they were looking directly at him, but I was acutely in tune with Edward.

I knew every smile and frown on my old man's face better than I knew my own.

Turning his attention away from me, he stared impassively at Jasper, who continued to speak in low and neutral tones.

Emmett had foregone trying to talk him out of it. The conversation was going nowhere.

I shook my head, wanting to laugh. What did they expect? They should've known there was no talking him out of something once Edward set his mind.

He was a stubborn jackass.

Somewhere behind me, I knew that Alice and Rose were watching me, making fun of my snooping and how I just had to be involved in everything. They even said I couldn't bear to let Edward out of my sight.

I was used to being teased, especially today. The not-so-quiet morning sex was talked about on several occasions, mainly by Emmett. Every minute he was thinking of something new and embarrassing to say, trying to get me to blush deeper scarlet color than the last—and he didn't give a shit how uncomfortable it made everyone in the room. On the contrary, it just fueled him more.

The only thing that shut him up was Edward's right hook, which immediately led to a massive wrestling match on the floor with all the guys joining in, aside from Caius.

He was the outsider, sitting quietly and observing from the corner.

It made me nervous.

"Bella, you're like a sad little pup waiting at the door for your master to come home." Rose cackled.

My face got hot with embarrassment, and I shook my head, hiding behind the thick layers of my brown hair. I pulled away from the window and let the thin polyester curtain slip through my fingers. It fell against the glass, blocking the view of my sun, and I sat back in my seat, glancing over at two sets of eyes. I tried to sell an air of innocence, but they weren't buying it.

"Give it up, girl. It's obvious that you and Edward got some separation issues going on," Rose said.

Alice snorted, shaking her head.

"No, we don't!" I glared, regaining some backbone. "I was just being nosy. That's all. Come on, you guys, I'm not that crazy."

Technically, I was—obviously—but they didn't need to know that.

"Yeah, okay, whatever," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"No, she's right," Alice intervened, coming to my defense. "I mean, when it comes to having separation anxiety, I would have to say that Edward is worse than she is."

Rose scoffed. "Ain't that the fucking truth? I heard about the whole Mexico fiasco and how manic he got..."

"Wait? What Mexico fiasco?" I interrupted.

I knew Edward had come home early, but I didn't bother to find out why. He had been holding and kissing me that night, and anything beyond that was inconsequential.

Rose shot her eyes at me and smiled deviously, obviously feeding into my curiosity.

"Well, Emmett told me that they had to end the trip early and screw over a lot of people because Edward simply," she flailed her hands around her for a dramatic effect, "couldn't handle being away from you."

Now that got everybody's attention—Caius especially. He sat straight in his chair from across the room, his presence hidden by a darkened corner, and tilted his head to the side. He assessed me more thoroughly now. Speculating how my mere existence could affect Edward in such a way that business no longer came first.

The sudden scrutiny was uncomfortable, and my face got hot. I tried to dodge that fixed gaze of Caius by sinking in my chair, hoping to disappear from his view.

I was unsuccessful.

"Rose," Alice said, trying to keep her tone light and upbeat as her wide and cautionary eyes conveyed a different sediment. "You know that's not what happened. It's not nice to mess with Bella like that."

"Huh?" Rose replied, dumbfounded and slightly offended by being reprimanded by Alice. "What are you..." She paused, finally catching a glimpse of Caius in the corner, looking like he wanted to skin me alive. Then, like a light switch, her expression turned into one of ease, and she faced me, gently slapping my knee. "You know I'm just fucking with you, kid."

"Of course," I replied, playing along, but it was too late.

The damage had been done.

Caius stood up from his seat and gave us a terse nod as he walked casually toward the door.

I watched him.

He watched me.

Neither of us broke eye contact in that tense ten seconds.

I held my breath the entire time.

When the door closed behind him, Alice punched Rosalie in the leg. "God damn it! You got a big mouth!"

"Bitch!" she hissed, forcefully shoving Alice away from her. "Fuck! That really hurt."

"Good! Do you realize what you've just done?" Alice whispered, her head snapping towards Charlotte and Peter, who were taking a silent cue and excusing themselves by escaping into the bathroom. "I can't believe you did that."

"It was an accident," Rose snapped. "Shit happens."

I leaned back in my chair, gingerly opening the curtains and glancing outside. The balcony was empty. Everyone was gone.

"Why was he looking at me like that?" I asked.

"Like what?" Rose asked, still rubbing out the knot where Alice knuckled her.

"I don't know...like he wanted to kill me."

Alice groaned. "This is not good."

Something changed in Rose, and her face went pale, ghostly even. "Oh, shit...I fucked up."

"What do you mean?" I asked, replaying the last two minutes, trying to pinpoint the exact origin of the sudden conflict. Then it hit me, and I gasped, realizing the seriousness of the situation. "Caius didn't know why the guys left early, did he?"

Alice shook her head, furiously pulling out her phone and texting away on her keyboard. "All they told Caius was that they got pulled over by Mexican police and promptly escorted back to the border. They were supposed to meet in Tucson later that week, but Edward never showed up."

"That's because we took off."

"Right, and Caius was already pissed off about Mexico, and when Edward didn't show up in Tucson with Emmett and Jasper, it just added insult to injury."

There was so much behind-the-scenes shit that Edward never told me.

He kept me wrapped up and snug in his bubble of protection.

"So what did Caius do?" I asked.

"He went on a rage, and told the guys if Edward didn't show his face soon that things were going to be very bad for him…like, really bad." Alice made the 'slit the throat' gesture with her finger.

All air left my lungs, and I fell back into my chair. "Oh, no…"

"Yeah, exactly, and if Rose hadn't—"

"Jesus, Ally, I forgot he was here, alright?" Rose interjected with an exasperated huff. "That fucking beaner just sits there in that corner and doesn't say shit to anyone."

Alice tightened her jaw, trying to stay calmed and composed, seemingly annoyed with all of Rose's excuses. "Anyway," she continued, opening her eyes and looking over at me. "Edward had to do a lot of ass-kissing and making a shit load of promises to Caius to get back into his good graces…But now?"

"It's all for nothing?" I asked, glancing back and forth between a nodding Alice and a guilt-ridden Rose. I shook my head, hoping to rationalize this impossible situation. "Yeah, alright, so Caius knows that Edward bailed out on Mexico early, why does it even matter? He's getting a big cut of the senator's money now; it should be forgiven and forgotten."

"That's very true, but Caius sees Edward as unreliable …" Alice paused, eyes moving from her phone and up at me, filled with sympathy, "and it makes you a huge liability—a threat to him, even."

"A threat? Me?" I asked, shocked. "To what?"

"His livelihood, cartel...just everything," Alice answered with a depleted sigh. "Men in love..."

"Make for bad business partners," Edward finished, appearing in front of me out of nowhere, grabbing me by the arm, and helping me to my feet. He spun around to Rose and shook his head in disappointment. "Thanks a lot for stirring up some shit for me. That was the last fucking thing I needed today."

"I'm sorry, Edward," she said, shrugging. "I forgot he was here, and it just came out. I didn't mean for it to—"

"Yeah, yeah, I don't fucking want to hear it," he said, waving her off and turning back towards me. "Is all our stuff packed and ready to go?"

I nodded, glancing down at the side of the bed where our black duffel bags were zipped and ready.

"Good," Edward said, narrowing his eyes and assessing the vexed look on my face. Then, finally, he smiled weakly, pressing his thumb to my furrowed brow and smoothing it out. The anger he expressed moments ago was slowly dissipating from his hardened features. "Don't worry. Everything is fine."

I trusted him more than anything and wanted to believe him, but he had a bad habit of downplaying shit.

"You're just saying that, aren't you?"

"Yes," he said, giving me an uneven and self-satisfying smile.

"Oh, well, that's just great."

"But it's nothing that we can't handle." He glanced down and pulled out his phone. He flipped it open to check the time. He snapped it shut, shooting his eyes back up at me. "We gotta go."

Edward bent down, picking both duffel bags off the floor and throwing them over his shoulder. He searched the room for his other friends, Peter and Charlotte, who felt it was safe enough to come out of hiding. I passed them to the bathroom sink to pack up my scarce supply of makeup and hair products.

They smiled when they saw me, eyes filled with sympathy. But, as much as I tried to ignore their pity, I couldn't stop the anger from rising to the surface of my skin and flushing my neck and face with this intense heat.

It annoyed me how everyone treated me like some fragile fucking flower.

My age and size served me well on occasions, making me look innocent and unassuming, but I often found it to be a considerable hindrance. All of Edward's friends: crooks, drug dealers, and thieves alike, saw me as this defenseless girl, one who needed to be protected and coddled—which was the furthest thing from the truth.

I was tough and resilient.

If pushed up against a wall, I wouldn't lie down and let the world dissolve me. No, I would fight back, kicking and screaming, busting a fucking skull open with a vase.

"In about an hour or so, I need you guys to pick up Bella and me at the border line. I'll text you. After that, we'll all drive down to Rockford with Caius." At the sound of that man's name, I opened my eyes and looked into the mirror, watching Edward's reflection as he talked with Charlotte and Peter.

"Caius?" Peter asked, skepticism in his voice, and I would have to agree.

"Yeah, I know, he's a fucking wild card, but we need him. Don't worry, Peter, he's not going to be a problem…but just in case, keep your eyes open and your Glock loaded. You got me?"

"I believe it was me who taught you that." Peter laughed.

"It's good advice." Edward chuckled, glancing over at me. "You about ready, kid?"

"Yup," I said, zipping up my makeup bag and throwing it in my purse. I walked up to Edward and grabbed his hand, securely interlocking our fingers.

"Now, about this job," Peter started.

"We'll discuss all the paperwork and our disguises in Rockford," Edward said, gesturing towards the brown suitcase in Peter's closed fist. "In the meantime, I want you guys to prepare everything. The grunt work, if you will."

"How long do we have to get the paperwork together?" he asked.

"The senator is scheduled to make an appearance in Springfield this coming Saturday. He'll bring my mother with him, and the only people that will be at the mansion are their housekeepers. We'll have about three days to organize everything before we have to be in Chicago. Is that enough time?"

Charlotte smiled in a tranquil way, almost blissful. "It's more than enough. God speed, Edward and Bella, and we'll see you both soon."

Her tone was soothing. I knew the hippie twins were off their rockers by looking at them, but I didn't expect them to be so cult-like.

Edward nodded and smiled politely, reaching out to shake Peter's free hand. "Likewise."

After a brief and uncomfortable hug from the blond-haired pair, Edward said his goodbyes and pulled me towards the door. The pace in his step, fast and urgent, told me that time was necessary, and whatever destination he planned for our robbery, it seemed as though we were already running late—which was why Rose, jumping up from the bed and blocking our path, was bad timing on her part.

The way she sprung into action at the last possible moment surprised me. She had been quiet for so long, looking disinterested in everything, but now, there was genuine concern behind those clear blue eyes.

"Before you leave, Edward, I just need to ask one thing."

Cursing under his breath, he closed his eyes and rubbed his brow roughly. "What do you want?"

Rose was hesitant, shifting nervously from foot to foot. Edward tried to be patient, but I could feel him slowly losing his temper as he squeezed the hell out of my hand.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace," I said.

"How bad is it?" she blurted out, seeing her window of opportunity closing rapidly.

"How bad is it?" He mulled over her simple statement, raising his eyebrow at her. She nodded. "Well, let's just say that you're fucking lucky that Jazz was able to convince Caius that you were a typical una pollita, talking out of your ass."

I'm not sure what that word meant, but it didn't sound complimentary.

She looked relieved, letting out a small swoosh of air. "That's good though, right? I mean, it could've been worse."

"Yeah, sure, whatever helps you fucking sleep at night," Edward said, towing me towards the door again. Rose, bolder than before, reached out and gripped his arm, stopping us both in mid-stride. Edward clenched his jaw and ground his teeth, making this awful noise. "What?!"

"What…what would he have done...you know, if Jazz hadn't talked him down?"

"You gotta be fucking kidding me?" He laughed dryly, jerking his arm away. "Just be thankful, Rose, that you'll never have to find out, alright? Now leave me alone. I'm fucking busy."

"Yeah, sure," Rose complied, stumbling back a few steps and giving Edward and me a wide berth to pass.

Rose was remorseful and kept mouthing an apology to me as I walked out the door.

Things were bad.

Granted, Edward said things were fine, but he also admitted to lying to me about it in the same sentence. I didn't know what to expect, and with Alice's cautionary words flooding my thoughts, I knew nothing good would come from having an 'alliance' with that man.

There was something not right about him.

I had to know.

"Be truthful with me. How serious is it?" I asked, glancing over the balcony and down at the parking lot. Jasper and Emmett huddled around Caius. They looked to be talking casually from a distance, but upon closer inspection, I saw how tense all of their bodies were.

"It's not good, but I can handle Caius. He's all fucking talk. It's his brother I'm worried about."

"Brother? What brother?"

"Marc—"

"BELLA!" Alice called out suddenly, jogging up behind us.

I released Edward's hand, nodding towards the stairs. "I'll be down in a sec."

"Fine," he said, kissing me on the forehead. "But make it quick."

He took my bag from me and headed down the steps, glancing back at me every few seconds. It was that separation issue again, and I realized how badly I had it as his head disappeared from my view.

Rolling my eyes at my apparent dependency, I turned and came face to head with a panting Alice.

"What's up?" I asked.

"You almost forgot this," she said, holding up my gun.

"Oh, shit!" I winced, snatching it from her open palm. "Edward would have killed me."

She snorted. "That's doubtful."

"Well, maybe not kill, but he would throw a decent temper tantrum." I tucked the gun in my back waistband.

Alice laughed, nodding. "Ain't that the truth?"

My smile faded, and concern swept over me. "Is Rose going to be okay? She seemed pretty...upset."

"Yeah, she'll be fine. She just hates disappointing Edward. Hell, we all do. He's kind of the center of this whole gang of ours."

"Yeah, I've kind of noticed that."

There was a certain amount of pride in my boyfriend for commanding that respect, but it also stunned me to see his friends care that much about what he thought.

It would kill me if he ever looked at me the way he looked at Rose.

"But trust me, you will never have to ever worry about disappointing Edward," Alice said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What? Of course I can. Why would you say that?"

"Oh, please, Bella, that boy thinks you walk on water. You're the only one in Edward's world that can do no wrong in his eyes, and furthermore, you're probably the only one who could actually get away with bloody murder with him—and he would most likely love you more for it."

Only you, kid…Only you.

She tilted her head to the side, scanning my face. "Don't tell me that you're so dense that you actually hadn't noticed."

"No," I smiled smugly, "I've noticed."

"KID! MOVE YOUR ASS!" Edward yelled from downstairs.

"That's my cue. I gotta go," I said, leaning over and giving Alice a tight hug.

"He's an impatient asshole," Alice said, and I chuckled. "Be careful out there, baby Bella. I'll see ya in Mexico."

I jerked away, eyeing her skeptically. "Mexico?"

"Yeah…that's where we are meeting up after this thing is over. How else are we supposed to split the score? We're all going to retire from a life of crime and go legit."

I pouted. "Well, now, that's no fun."

She shook her head. "Yeah, that's what Edward said."

It felt like I was walking the green mile toward my execution. The day started nice, and the morning sun was still low in the eastern sky. However, there was a chill in the air that I couldn't shake off, and it lingered, giving me a sense of doom.

Perhaps, I was overreacting, letting the circumstances get to me.

Edward greeted me as I came down the steps. "You okay?"

I nodded despite the tight knot that was materializing in my stomach.

"You got your gun now?" he asked, reaching behind me and gripping the handle.

"How?"

"If shit happens, not saying it will, but if it does, I want you to pull out your gun." He paused, pushing me back towards the stairwell and out of view. He pulled the Glock out from my pants and checked the clip for bullets. He jammed it back into place with his palm and cocked it, slipping it back into my waistband. "Now you're ready to blow off a fucker's head."

"You tell me not to worry, Edward, but then you say you want me to kill someone if shit should happen?"

"It's better to be prepared for the unexpected than to be wishing you had a fucking gun to shoot." He gripped the back of my neck and pulled me to his lips, kissing me briefly. "Jesus Christ, kid, haven't I taught you anything?"

"Yes, you have, and those are some wise words, Cullen," I teased.

He glared, putting both hands around my neck and squeezing tightly, but never enough to constrict my airway fully. "It's not smart to mock me, woman."

"What are you going to do about it? Shoot me?" I shifted my body into him as my eyes zeroed in on his mouth—and that ring his teeth kept grazing. I bit my lip in anticipation, begging him to kiss me.

Lowering his head, he grazed his lips along my neck, breathing deeply and tickling my skin. He was teasing me. The closeness of his body, warm and hard, drove me mad. I was lost in him, lifting my leg and wrapping it tightly around his waist, drawing him into me.

"Yo, assholes, stop trying to fuck up against the wall!" Emmett yelled, and I vaguely heard him snickering to Jasper about how screwing in a room full of people wasn't risqué enough and how we had to resort to public banging.

I groaned, burying my head in Edward's chest.

"I'm going to kill him," he said, kissing me on top of the head. "Yup, Rose is a widow now because that fucker is dead."

He pulled away from our embrace and grabbed a fistful of my shirt, tugging me towards the car. Emmett looked smug and clever, and Jasper was smiling, but he kept his distance from the fury that Edward would unleash. The only thing that sobered him up quickly was the callous stare Caius was giving me as we approached. It was the same hateful expression he had upstairs that Edward hadn't seen.

That was what changed everything.

Before Edward blew it off, seeing it as nothing more than an inconvenience to his plans, but now it was clear to him. Caius was an actual threat to me.

He stopped and gripped my shirt tighter, pulling me close to his back. "You guys might want to go pack up your shit now. Check-out is in twenty minutes."

Jasper and Emmett nodded, vacating their spots by the car, giving me a reassuring smile as they climbed the stairs.

Caius, however, stayed put.

"That means you, too," Edward said, his hand slowly moving down to my gun.

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not. We've discussed this, Caius. It's me and my girl's final run. You're riding with Peter and Charlotte, and then we're all meeting back up in an hour."

"Okay, Cuate," he said, pushing himself off the driver's side door, making a grand gesture with his hand, and waving Edward forward.

I was still distrustful of his motives, and he was like a venomous snake to me, just waiting to strike.

Edward watched Caius closely as he moved around toward the front of the car. He was blocking my path to the passenger door, so I followed Edward to his side. If it kept me far from that man, I was willing to climb over a center console with no problem. But all it took was for me to be within grabbing range of Caius, and he took that opportunity to grip my arm and yank me away from Edward.

It all happened so fast, and I'd seen him at the last second, unable to avoid his grip. He was surprisingly strong and had yanked me back with little effort, my body colliding hard against his chest.

"The girl stays here with me,Cabrón," Caius said, wrapping his dry and calloused hands tightly around my upper arms.

"What are you doing? We're all friends here," Edward said in a diplomatic tone, cautiously approaching us.

"Friends?" Caius scoffed, lowering his head to my neck and taking a big whiff of my hair. "Mmm, she smells so sweet."

"Get off me," I spat, jerking my face away. Caius seized a firmer and more secure hold of me, digging his dirty nails into my skin, causing me to yelp out in pain.

That was the catalyst, and Edward's green eyes narrowed and darkened. The tendons in his hands bulged as they tightened into fists at his side. He took a step in our direction, broader and closing the gap. "You fucking let her go—right now, Caius! Don't push me."

This hostile situation was one of those times where Edward advised me to blow a fucker's head off, but Caius had my hands immobilized at my sides, and it didn't matter how much I wiggled. As a result, I wouldn't be able to reach my gun.

"No, I don't think so. You do whatever it is that you are going to do. Bonita stays here with me as an insurance policy. This way, I know you will return," he said, squeezing my arms to an excruciating degree, bringing my valiant struggle to a halt. He took a step backward, edging us toward the staircase.

I couldn't think.

"No deal," Edward said, following suit and keeping his steps in line with ours. "She leaves with me. There is no exception. So here's the way I see it, you fucking asshole. You've got two options: One, you let her go willingly, or two, I shoot you right between those beady fucking eyes of yours, and you still let her go willingly. Either way, you will let her go and she will leave with me. ¿Comprende?"

"You can't kill me. You need me."

"Yeah, I do," Edward said, slowly easing his hand down to the shiny handle of the Colt. It had been on full display the entire time, "but you know me well enough to know that I protect what's mine first and then think about the consequences later."

"Do it then. Shoot me." Caius was using me as a human shield, keeping me close, and his grasp getting tighter and more pronounced with every tense second. Finally, he said something in Spanish that made Edward's eyes bulge out of his skull.

"What did you just fucking say?" he growled.

"You heard me," Caius said, placing his lips on my cheek and kissing me. I shuddered from the contact, pulling away as much as I could.

But that was all it took for Edward to lose his composure.

"You fucking…" he stormed up to Caius and me, kicking up dirt and pulling out his gun. My eyes widened, glancing around the empty parking lot, ensuring no one was around. He was going to shoot him. "I don't want to kill you today, but I can't keep letting you touch what is mine. So, this is the last time I will ask you nicely. Let her go."

I closed my eyes, knowing that in two seconds, blood would be sprayed all over my face.

"Okay," Caius said, shoving me in the back towards Edward. I fell into his awaiting arms face first. Caius spat on the ground, glaring at the both of us. "Enjoy her, but you better keep that gun close. Next time, I won't give her back so easily."

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Edward said, keeping his gun pointed, following Caius as he leisurely scaled the stairs.

It wasn't until he was gone and out of our sight that Edward eased his finger off the trigger.

Swearing under his breath, he gazed down at me and brushed scattered strands away from my face with Colt's muzzle. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm…fine," I said in a steady voice.

"I wish you didn't struggle, baby."

"I was trying to get to my gun, Edward."

He bit his lip, trying not to smile. He groaned, tapping me lightly on the ass. "Come on, get in the car."

But unbeknownst to him, walking wasn't a problem. I reached my side of the car just fine, but my hands were uncooperative. They were still shaking with adrenaline as I struggled with the door handle, yanking and pulling at it, trying to get the fucker to open, but it refused to budge.

"Jesus," Edward hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he came over to my side and lifted the door handle. He helped me into the car, reaching over my body and buckling my seat belt.

"Thanks, baby," I said.

"Stay," Edward said before slamming the car door. He tucked his gun in his pants and circled the front of the car, keeping his eyes glued on the third-floor balcony.

Leaning forward in my seat, I gazed out the windshield and looked up but saw no one there. The door to our hotel room was closed, and I felt immense guilt leaving everyone there with that crazy psychopath.

"Maybe we shouldn't go…you know?" I said once Edward joined me in the car.

He looked over at me with a cocked eyebrow as he inserted the key into the ignition, starting the engine.

"Well, I just…feel…."

"He's not going to do anything, Bella. There are six against one. Besides, that little prick is all fucking talk." He peeled out of the parking lot, screeching and spinning the tires.

It was classic Edward, leaving his fucking mark on the pavement.

I sighed, lifting my arm and inspecting the bruises. It still burned and stung from Caius' grip. "Well, it sure as shit felt real to me."

"Fuck, I'm sorry, baby. That should've never happened, and I didn't expect him to fucking grab you like that, especially with him being unarmed."

"Expect the unexpected," I said, raising my hips and pulling my gun out, stroking the fine lines of the barrel.

We flew down the deserted highway surrounded by wheat fields and headed for God knows where.

"He was fucking with us!" he said, snapping his head over at me, giving my heart a start. "Testing my feelings for you, pushing me to the brink, and seeing how far I would go." His thoughts were sporadic and chaotic, jumping from one thing to another, and it was hard for me to keep up.

"What? Why?" I asked, blinking up at him, confused.

"Fuck it! None of that matters. I'll deal with that asshole later. Right now, I just gotta keep my head in the game. Free of all the outside distractions." He looked over at me and then down at my gun. "Are you okay? Do think you can do this robbery with me?"

"You mean our last job?" I asked, hoping to keep my sulking to a minimum.

"Bella, you should know by now, when it comes to us, there is no such thing as a last job."