Chapter 3: 'Planning the heist'
The sun was setting and it was getting dark, she had a rain coat on and was following the chief investigator of the case across town in Damon's blue Camaro. Under her coat she had a big hoodie on. Her head down mostly so no one would catch her face. Weirdly the car she was following stopped near a restaurant, she parked the car a few blocks away and started following the suited man.
She had some money in the wallet, enough to afford an overpriced coffee at this place. She took a seat a few tables from where the man had taken a seat. Three men with their backs to her sat in front of the man, Elena tried to read the man's lips, they were definitely talking about how both the burglaries had been identical. The man in both cases had escaped. Only if they knew it wasn't a man in both cases, she looked over at the man's moving lips from her thick framed glasses over the menu book.
'We would need your help.' The man she had been following said to the man in the middle seat in front of him. 'This is no place to discuss this.' The man said after a brief pause, 'We will take this somewhere private, I just wanted everyone to be here.'
She had been following this man for the better part of three hours now, Alaric Saltzman. He seemed to know that this public place wasn't where they could discuss the details. He was pretty smart. She had to give him that. But now she somehow needed to bug his car, or him. She needed something. Like her prayers had been answered, the men rose up from their seats, probably to go somewhere else.
One of them she knew, Stefan Cooper. Or at least Katherine Peirce knew him. But she looked like a disaster right now. Oh no. She needed to do this now, getting rid of her hoodie and her glasses, she took her hair out of her pony tail and set them, thrusting everything in her bag and got up to walk in his direction, the men had luckily left and to her luck, her beautiful naive prey was busy texting on his phone like it couldn't wait, seeing the opportunity, she bumped into him.
Making it seem like a perfect accident. Like a gentleman he picked up her bag, "My apologies, Ma'am-."
Looking at her face then, an amused smile spread on his lips, "Kat. Is that you?"
Oh, she did look unrecognisable. She would have to agree, without the help of makeup she looked very teenager-ish. Not Katherine, her character was sultry, bold, familiar with all the luxury in the world, like she had never seen a bad day.
"Stefan." She tried to mimic that husky voice, "Hey, what's going on?"
"Nothing, I am just running a bit late, hey. I didn't hear back from you?" of course he was expecting something from her after she had shamelessly flirted with him the last time but she puffed out air, in her usual bratty manner, which added to her socialite appeal and saved grace because her attire wasn't there to help, "Yeah, I just came back from Europe, busiest week of my life, my Daddy made me host so many of his parties." She acted like that was the biggest struggle of her life, "I have lost all energy, even to dress up for the week." She added to answer that question that might be gnawing at him subconsciously, how does a privileged socialite afford be seen publicly like this.
However, maybe that was his type because her antics had made him forget everything. So didn't need dressing up after all.
"But." She started before he would speak, "I promise to dress up for the date you want to take me on." Throwing a dart in the dark and hoping it hit the target. She could see his brows raised in alarm, he stammered, "Date?" he struggled to find words, the fool was questioning how such a picky bombshell had picked him, "Yeah, gladly- Uh I am so sorry I have to rush, I really hate that I have to rush." He blabbed with red cheeks like he was some high school boy talking to the cheerleader, she laid her palm on his cheek, her thumb brushed against his clean cheek, "Hey it's fine, relax.'
"I am just in so much trouble right now." He muttered, relaxing to her touch.
"Oh? What might that be?" her voice as soft as her caress, she sensed he was going to blurt out everything, so close. Yet his eyes snapped to reality when they heard one of the men that had left telling him to hurry.
"Nothing that's interesting. I'd love to take you out, is tomorrow working for you?" he asked eagerly, she smiled, "Of course. Let me just give you my number." She took his phone from his hand, without him saying anything, as if she owned everything in the world, she put in a number that she had brought for this.
While under his gaze she sneakily put the bug on her finger tip and slipped into the hardcover of his phone, she stepped forward and put the phone in the pocket of his pants, rising on her heels and kissing his cheek, a perfect mix of innocence and desire, leaving him wanting more as she spun on her heels, walking out of there with a deliberate seductive swing to her hips, she knew he was watching. She was so going to get what she wanted.
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Four hours, she had been listening to Stefan's conversations with everyone and searching for Damon, it was nearing midnight and he wasn't home, she knew where he would be, not like she still didn't keep track of her 'partner'. The idea in her head was that she wasn't looking for him because of anything else but the fear that he would find out about the diamonds from the news and then she'd get an earful or he would kick her out the house.
Backtrack and want to do the plan alone.
She drove the Camaro to the club where they had met once his location had been there according to the tracker she planted in his wallet. Unless he found out and got rid of it there hours ago. She stopped the car in the parking and got out of the car, putting her hoodie on her. It was cold and she was just wearing a beige tank top with leggings.
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Damon hadn't plan coming here initially but with no place to go because his apartment was literally the last place he wanted to be, Elena shouldn't have tried to peel his layers. She had no right to try and get to know him. This was for the money so why pretend they were close and invade his peace of mind. All these years and he realized he hadn't run away at all. He was right there, on that bridge, hearing her scream over the phone.
He shook his head at the thought, ridding himself of that memory, to his right, a blonde sat a few people away. On seeing that he noticed her, she looked down as if blushing, he raised a brow at her suggestively with a grin. She took him on his offer almost instantly. The next thing he knew, they were in one of the stalls in the bathroom, she had mentioned that her name was 'Caroline' . That's all he remembered between the blabbing before he had kissed her and made her forget every past lover she might have had. It had been a while due to the new project of his and thus he wasn't particularly interested in her effort to form a connection with a one night stand.
He pressed up the blonde against the door and kissed her, pulling her up, so her legs wrapped around him. Just for a second, a tiny second. He closed his eyes thinking he wasn't ravishing this blonde but Elena and she was the one letting out those soft cries of pleasure. Then there was this loud knock on the door, he ignored thinking the person would get a hint but the knocking seemed persistent along with Caroline's hands that were undoing his belt.
"Open up!" the voice he knew. And he didn't have to 'know' many voices because he didn't know people. This was definitely the bane of his existence. Elena.
He pulled away from the blonde, glaring at her for some reason, "Do you have mace? I have to get rid of her."
The blonde moved away from him, "She's stalking you?"
"Consistently." He muttered but didn't wait for the blonde to do anything as he opened the door and walked out, every time this girl was around, a lot of bad things happened to his balls, either they were hurt or blue. "What do you want?" he said in a harsh tone, she was standing there like she was dying to tell him something but hearing his harsh voice she shivered a bit, "We need to talk, it's important."
He looked back to see Caroline peeking through the door, "Is everything okay, Sebastian?"
Before he could explain to her or dismiss her, Elena gasped, faking shock, "How can you do this to me Sebastian? And that too after you promised me, you'll be the perfect father to our baby." She looked away pretending to sob, she heard the blonde step forward, "What? You're married? Oh God that's disgusting! You're sick!" she accused and before he could register what happened the blonde slapped him across his face and walked out of there muttering a 'Dick' on her way out.
He looked at Elena who shrugged much to his annoyance, he got to give it to the blonde, the blow was pretty hard, not the kind of 'blow' he had expected from her tonight but oh well. Elena folded her arms across her chest, "The diamonds are gone."
That brought him back, his brows furrowed together, "What do you mean they are gone? What did you do?" he stepped closer in a threatening manner, that loot was his, only his. She backed away until her back touched the counter and she looked up challengingly, "I didn't do anything. Someone else tried but failed, now they have relocated."
She said keeping her hands on the counter, then she put one of them on his chest to make some distance, his body was digging into hers, her words did nothing to change his expressions, she pushed at his chest with some effort, knowing exactly what he was thinking, "I am not useless yet, I can help."
"How in the world will you help?" he said a bit condescendingly, she held his wrist and went for the door, leading him out of there, back to the car, when he saw his car keys in her hands, he snatched them from her like she had actually crossed the line, she went to the passenger side and sat down, he started the car and didn't look at her till they got out of the parking, when he did, his eyes were blazing hot with rage, "Well?" yet his tone only clipped and not growl like.
"I know someone who might know the new location." She said looking down at her lap, "Someone tried to copy my style with the pink ring in the museum, needless to say it didn't work, now they suspect both the jobs are credited to me. So the manager was called for the same investigation."
"He would know." Damon said under his breath, she nodded, "He can tell me."
"No." He snapped, "You realize what you're saying? This manager guy-,"
She shook her head, "He won't ever find out, I have him wrapped around my pinky." She said as If it didn't matter, he chuckled darkly, "Now I worry."
"Why? You don't believe I am convincing?" she sounded a bit offended, he didn't look her way, she shifted in her seat, "If I wanted, he would have stolen that ring for me, that's how much control I had." She spat.
He shook his head and laughed, finally happy that he was pissing her off. She remained quiet for a while before she decided to take her role back of making him flinch with every word she said, "So two blondes in a row? Do you have a problem with dark hair now?" she ran her fingers through her own hair with a smirk, "You try so hard to distract yourself from the memory of me, I'll take that as a compliment."
His eyes narrowed, he looked at her critically before looking back at the road, "You really shouldn't and another thing, if you ever- cockblocked me like you did tonight, I'll send both you and your imaginary baby to hell."
She let out fits of giggles like he had told her an amazing joke, he knew she was doing it to piss him off and she was doing a first-rate job at it, "Oh Damon." She said placing her hand over her heart as if it was going to stop beating from all the laughing, "You should have seen your face. Hot, Bothered, shocked, Annoyed. Nothing in the world is as entertaining as the side lines of this job which is seeing you so celibate."
He bit the inside of his cheek at her confession, she rose a brow, "Though I have a mind to offer some help time and time again." Her voice a bit husky as her hand brushed up against his, he looked at her for a moment, her eyes dark with lust. But whenever he felt anything like that, a warning ring buzzed in his head. God knows what this minx thought all the time and he wouldn't ever get caught in her games; she was way too smart.
He moved his hand out of her reach and heard her hiss, "Ouch."
"I would much rather have you use your mind for the plan." He said in a robotic tone, "I am not interested in playing your games."
Great. She rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat, not at all affected or embarrassed by rejection. That puzzled him. What was going on with her, why was it so hard to read her and predict her moves. "The manager is taking me on a date tomorrow, I'll see what I can get."
"I am going too." He said as If it weren't up for debate, though they were partners, he would never trust her, she was capable of a lot worse than she showed. "There is no need of you to be there."
"Correct but I want to hear the whole conversation, not the bits and pieces you choose to tell me." He said looking at her with a cold look. She nodded, "Okay, if you want to."
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Elena thought she looked pretty good for the part. Dressed in an almost a blackish red, blood red- velvet dress. That hugged her curves and her slender frame to perfection. The second skin ended above her knees, she had put on black pumps to go with it and a small clutch. Her hair was in waves, flowing down to her back and she had used a heavy hand for make up on her face, put on contacts to see.
She looked every bit of Katherine Pierce. Elena walked out of her room, Damon was outside in the living room, waiting for her so they could leave, he had already knocked thrice for her to hurry up so he seemed anxious. On seeing her, he froze in his place. Like he had never seen her like this and of course he had actually never seen her like this. His jaw might as well had made a sound as it dropped, she spun in place, "How do I look? Will you blurt some secrets about diamonds if you saw me like this?" she had a naughty tone to her voice, he might as well blurt every secret, "We're late."
That's all that left his mouth, she gave up with a huff. Nope, Damon was just immune. What she had missed was his struggle to find words and tell her how breath taking she looked. He had forgotten everything for a second, about five minutes ago he was going to lecture her about how unnecessary this whole thing was but now he realized the wait had definitely been worth it. Before he could blurt that secret out, the girl walked out, he followed.
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Soon they were at their destination, they had split up several blocks away, he was already at the location. Elena seemed to be fashionably late. He was watching the young manager from a few tables away, the poor bastard was so nervous, he was running his fingers through his hair over and over, fixing his tie. Like the queen was going to see him. He chuckled a bit at the view, poor guy.
Elena showed up, like she was the entire light of this place, most of the heads turned to see her but she walked as If she didn't notice to the manager's table. He could hear from the wire he put on her when she used that hoarse voice, "Stefan." Yup, it was official, she was like walking sex today. The man quickly on his feet, walked across and pulled the chair for her, taking her clutch and keeping it on the table like a pure gentleman, "Kat. I thought-"
"That I won't show up, wouldn't dream of it. I just got a bit held up." She excused in a sweet tone, leaning up to kiss his cheek, he returned the kiss and went back to his seat, "So how's everything? You looked so tensed yesterday." Fake concern in her eyes as she held both his hands in her warm ones, looking at him like she understood his every problem. He huffed, "I am legally obligated to not talk about this."
"Oh." She said and rubbed his hands, "If that's the case. We should talk about something else." Great she had to wait to go for the kill.
He ordered dinner for them and the conversation was about Katherine now, she made up a whole world of lies, Damon was impressed, she told the most believable tale of her life, if he didn't know better, he'd believe it too, Elena was good at lying, she could convince an innocent man so easily of her life as a socialite, her problems that were not really problems, her life style that Damon doubted she had lived a day of.
Yet, Stefan couldn't see through it, he listened like he believed every word, he was too swept up in her bubbly personality to notice how evil she was. "I just can't believe that a woman like you would give me the time of the day." Stefan said a bit nervous, Elena tilted her head with a smile, she knew how whipped Stefan was, for god sake he had told his mother about her last night. Her hand squeezed around his, "Why not? You're-just."
She shrugged as If she was out of words, feigning being in a state of confusion, he pressed, "What? I am what?" he was desperate to know, Damon was also curious to what she would say to nail this guy down. "You're different." She said biting her lip, "It's the first time I am not dating some spoiled millionaire. I just feel that we already have so much compatibility than I had with any of them. You are so compassionate and sweet. I am so lucky to have met you."
He gave her a sweet smile, as If that was exactly the answer he wanted just last night he had talked to his 'best friend', his mom about how he met this amazing girl but he felt like they belonged to different worlds.
"I think it's the other way around." He said with slight hesitance, "Ever since I saw you walk in the a few weeks ago, I have wondered about how someone could be so perfect like you Katherine." She blushed and looked down at her food.
Damon rolled his eyes and sat back, the sap talk needed to be over soon. He was weirdly getting angry, having no sympathies left for Stefan as he was thoroughly enjoying his own destruction, running his fingers through her soft silky hair, touching the skin of her shoulder and her neck, holding her hand like it belonged to him, kissing those knuckles. Damon felt rattled, he knew the man must have imagined doing much more to her and that made him sick for a second. But then he was the same amount of affected by her. He couldn't stop looking at her. His mind acted oblivious to what his body wanted and deep down he knew it was her. Yet he wouldn't act on desire, that's what made him different from the man sitting with her. Who was mesmerized? He realized he had missed some conversation in his musings.
"I wish I could know what's got you so worried." Her voice soft, as she tipped his chin up with her finger, "Tell me, Stefan." Her voice so soft yet it was like he couldn't refuse the order. He told her everything, how the ring was missing, how he was in trouble. How a similar burglary had taken place, "if only they catch the guy from the museum, maybe we'll get the ring back."
"So what did they say?" she acted a bit dumb so the bimbo lover would he feel like he was smart and tell her everything to explain it, "There was going to be an auction, it's a big deal so they've hired this company called Pentagon, the jewels are in their headquarters and safe, we have also kept some valuables from the collection there. It's just I have to prove that I am cooperative and there was no association."
She cupped the side of his face, "Of course not, you don't have an evil ligament let alone an evil bone in your body- so honest." She touched his hair. He nodded, holding her hand and kissing her palm, "I wish everyone could see it like you did." Only if the world would be as rose coloured as Katherine Peirce saw it.
"I wish too." She returned his smile. Soon they finished with dinner and after a long conversation of lies, he insisted to drop her home, she told him she was staying at a hotel because she had to leave soon for 'Paris'. Then he insisted he drop her there, she let him. Once in the parking, he got out of the car and opened the door for her, holding her hand and helping her out, she slightly slipped and he let his hand around her waist with a chuckle, "Careful, Kat." He said holding her up, she smiled at him and he took the opportunity leaning down and pressing his lips to her, she was a bit taken a back, because she didn't plan on kissing him but after how she had behaved the whole night, she thought he might have had the idea, she pulled back first, "Thank you, Stefan. I really had fun."
"Me too, I hope I'll see you soon." His way of saying to not ghost him, she nodded, "You will." Her eyes sparkled as he reluctantly pulled back and watched her go, she was clutching her hand at her side till she heard his car go. She turned around and wiped the sweat from her forehead, the sweat that wasn't there. And like that Damon showed up out of nowhere, he looked very – annoyed. She hadn't even done anything to motivate that yet. Clicking his fingers, he expected her to follow, she walked after him without making a protest and soon spotted his car, she sat in the seat. With Stefan being all gentleman-ish, she hissed when he didn't even close his own door softly and yet with a slam. "Pentagon, you need to gather every information you can about their security."
"Okay."
"Throw away that phone, we won't be needing the manager anymore." He said a bit agitated. She was going to, she knew that was the plan, but he added, "Unless you want to see him."
She frowned at the bitter, clipped tone. When did she imply that she wanted to see him. "What gave you that idea?"
He looked straight ahead as he drove. His demeanour so calm that anyone seeing from the outside would not know how enraged he was, she could sense it by the way he was clutching that wheel, as he spoke in a calm voice, "If I had a dollar for every time you made him think you were gonna fuck him, I won't even need the diamonds."
She raised a brow, was he jealous? She didn't see that coming, she titled her head, "Making him think and actually doing it are different." She explained even though she didn't need to, he muttered, "Didn't look like that by the way you were making out with him."
She chuckled humourlessly, "Are you jealous?"
"Why would I be jealous?" he said defensively, he snarled a bit, "Don't get any ideas, if he gets a clue, we're dead." He quickly gave her another reason.
She looked the other way; she was sure that was not the only reason he was so Infuriated. She knew better than to mix with Stefan. That was like asking for trouble, he just thought of her as some nerdy sophomore who would jump at the attention from the first boy she encountered. The thought annoyed her like nothing else.
Once the car stopped, she got out and slammed the door after herself. She went up to the apartment and when he got inside, he walked after her to her room, a bit angry, "What was that?" he referred to how she had stomped her foot. His arms across his chest like he was lecturing her, she looked up, "The plan was to make Stefan to trust me, so I did the best way I knew. "
"You were going soft." He accused, she frowned, not once did that happen, "When did that happen? I don't go soft!" she said as if the very thought was disgusting, "Maybe if you hadn't been a loner all your life, you'd know how normal people talk, you freak!"
"You aren't normal." He shouted back, "Remember? You are a liar and a thief. And if he knew what you did, he'd kill you with his own two hands." He snarled, a scowl left her mouth, "I know all that and seducing him for our benefit was all I intended, I don't know what the problem was with that? I don't even have to answer you, you have no right to be possessive and protective."
She looked around, he pursed his lips together, he didn't want her to seduce anyone for his benefit. Because this wasn't her, she wasn't the girl she had pretended to be today but she was so good at playing it that he questioned if this was also a charade, was she not Elena? Was Elena a character? He wanted to ask, who she was. But like that wasn't a warning. What was real now? "Look at me Elena."
He stepped ahead and cupped her face firmly, so he could see those almond shaped eyes, she hesitated but looked his way, his features were stony, and for a second Elena was mesmerized by his beauty- objective of course. His feeling less eyes were so blue it put the ocean to shame. The sharper than a blade jaw, his lips that looked so soft in contrast to his hard-cold eyes, "You wanted to be on this heist and you forced me into letting you be here. So if you fuck this up and make me regret relying on you, you'll deeply regret it." His voice low but it was so dangerous. Her forehead had a little crinkle now, he could see her swallow thick as he tucked a strand of her silky hair back, his lingering gaze on her lips before he pulled back, leaving her confused. Before he would leave, he heard her say, "I trust you, you have to trust me, please."
He looked over his shoulder at her, she looked so beautiful, but earlier she was this character and now she was herself and somehow that added to her beauty. He gave a light nod before going out.
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While Elena was busy searching for ways to find out the pentagon security system, he was also busy looking for the headquarters, it was impossible to locate a company which was dedicated to hiding it from people like him. He knew he would get it in some days so he wasn't impatient.
Well since they couldn't do anything right now, it was better if he started training her Up to his standards, from how he had assessed her, she was disappointing in that department. She thought of herself as the opposite of what he thought, which was weak and unimpressive.
They had been mountaineering every other day now, she had complained so much the first day. When he took her for it today, she was cursing every two seconds.
Though annoying at first, it was amusing as well, she was cute when she swore like a sailor. "You know I hate heights and you do this on purpose." She said as she held on tighter to the rope and pushed her body up on the rock, she has targeted on the hill they were climbing, they had drove an hour and half for this? He looked back smugly, so ahead of her, she took it as motivation to beat him at this game and pushed up with more force almost slipping, he pushed against the rocks and jumped down, holding on to the rope like spider man and held her by her waist, "Concentrate." He said firmly, she nodded with a shiver, he nudged her towards the rocks. She held tighter to the rope, his lips brushed against the shell of her ear, "Stop, just relax."
"Not a good place to relax." She breathed back.
"The grip is too tight; you need to push your body up without so much tension in the other direction. Trust me." He instructed in that velvety voice, Elena looked over her shoulder, their noses touching, his blue eyes just doing that magnetic pull she didn't want to lose herself in. Concern was just something she didn't want from him because it made her defenceless to him in more than one ways. She nodded and pushed her body up, for a few moments her body seemed to have remembered the pattern and she finally got the hang of it before she got a bit over confident and climbed higher resulting in falling, thankfully he was right behind her and she crushed into his hard chest, he hissed at her mistake. But held her with his free arm, it tightened around her waist, "No stunts." He ordered. She nodded but still not moving, so shaken from the fall, if he hadn't been there, she would have injured herself. "Come on, now. You're okay." His voice a bit low and dare she think- caring? She pushed up again and got back on her track. Soon they were up. Elena's cheeks were flushed as they made it up. He pat her back for the effort, "B-". She made a 'hmmph' sound in disapproval.
Next, he was making her sprint in a deserted area west of the highway, her lungs were burning with the amount of running she was doing. When she'd stop for a break, he'd clap his hand once, "Did I say you could stop?"
"I hate you, the only way I can run is imagine chasing you with a chainsaw" she snarled, she looked like a cat when she said that and he laughed briefly at her face as he looked away clicking the counter, "With your speed, I don't have to worry about dying for at least the next thirty years." She grouted her teeth at him and started running.
Later he took her water bottle, saying she only would drink when she got eight more miles. It was unfair because she had been running for hours now, at least to her. She could feel sharp pains shooting up her abs as she got done with the miles and threw herself at the rough ground, not caring that she was lying in dirt, when she opened her eyes, she saw him standing there, towering over her. He threw the water bottle, which she caught mid air and opened it, sitting up and drinking the liquid all in one go. Of course, it wasn't enough. She had just run miles in a matter of minutes.
The next day, he took her some where she had never been before, it was the back of a mid-way construction abandoned building. "We will concentrate on your running away strategy today." I'll be out there, while you escape this building. He pointed towards the gates that lead to what seemed like used to be a parking lot. "That's easy."
"yeah I know." He said going inside and then taking out a box opening the lid, it was raw meat, she scrunched up her nose at him. He grinned evilly, "Don't make that face my good girl, this is your loot." He handed her the box and tossed the lid away, "not a piece should fall off."
"Okay." She said weirdly because he was extra happy today, not the good happy, the mischievous happy. He patted her cheek, she frowned with suspicion and he turned around with a smirk as he rubbed his hands together like an excited kid. He walked to the gate and turned around, "I am going to ring the alarm, be ready."
"Okay. Do it already." She said a bit annoyed because that stupid smirk was on his face, like he was up to no good. He stood outside and locked the gate. Elena was far away. As the alarm sounded, she easily sprinted from the stairs down and when she saw there was a discontinuity in the stairs, she lunged for the window and gripped the pipe, trained enough, she pressed the box against her chest so hard that the pieces won't fall, she slipped down and kicked away from the wall but then she heard it. A bark. Oh no. She turned around to see four large dogs, bearing their horrifying teeth at her, running towards her as they barked. Elena looked at the meat in her hands. Then at Damon waving from the gate, looking like he had got her good. She cursed under breath as she started running the other way. "You sick motherfucker!" she could hear his voice in the distance, "What if they had animals? You have to be prepared." She couldn't see his face by the direction of running but she sure knew he was smirking. God, she would kill him after this. The wild animals were catching up, she jumped for a wildly growing tree and caught the branch, jumping forward, "Please, don't kill me!" her voice a small cry between their viscous barks, as they kept jumping for a shred of her.
"1 minute left." Damon's voice called. She contemplated what to do with four dogs, she couldn't give the meat, that was sharing the loot, even if she hated the loot, she wouldn't share it. With that she looked at anything else she could use, the wall. The boundary. She used the tree to get to the wall and climbed on it, ignoring the barking dogs as she carefully paced on it using her hand on the ground, the other clutching the box to her chest and feet, crawling just like her competitor predators and made it to the gate as Damon was counting "8-7-6".
She jumped down the gate, clutching the box close to her chest and then put it down on his feet giving him a deadly glare. He picked up the box and threw it inside towards the dogs, who attacked it, Elena turned around to witness just how they would have torn her up. Damon leaned down, his lips near her ear, "Good strategy, I'll give you an A."
She wanted to tell him to go fuck himself but her body was oozing adrenaline at this point. To think that something she did was Up to his standards was a bit encouraging. She looked over her shoulder to him, "Thanks the motivation was getting done and killing you in your sleep."
He grinned and pulled her up, so her knees weren't bending anymore. "Come on, enough for today." He turned around going towards the parked car.
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Damon had found a way to locate the headquarters and though the approach was desperate, it could work, basically taking out the most specific maps and checking the buildings for their names and purpose. Nothing. He was tired after two hours of searching with no outcome and went towards the kitchen to cook up something. Elena had been working all day. The thing about her was she didn't get tired and anxious as easy as him. Patience was something she knew best. Though she changed places, first her bed room, then the kitchen counter, then the balcony, the couch in front of the TV, now she was sitting down by the living room table.
Too concentrated on work, he knew the training was killing her, she would shake a little when she'd walk as the muscles cooled off after a day of training. He thought of cooking up something she would enjoy. With that mind, he made some tomato sauce with his traditional recipe. He poured the sauce on the pasta and sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top.
He put both the plates on the kitchen table and then went towards the living room. She seemed tense, biting her lip, scratching her forehead as she looked at that screen. He walked over and leaned lower, with her free hand she was clutching her sore arms, Damon had made her lift weights too.
Now feeling a bit sorry, he put his hands on her arms as If massaging them, she shivered when she felt his presence behind him, but calmed down after a second. Moving ahead so he'd have good access, his hands felt too good on her, "I told you to do some cool down stretches." His voice above a whisper accompanied by the caress of his breath on her cheek, she chuckled, "Yeah and do an extra fifteen minutes of exercise? Cool down stretch is a trap."
Hs shook his head with a smile at her words. "Obviously. The evidence is compelling." His voice playful. She giggled. As he pressed her arms both softly and firmly, he commented how tense her muscles were. She asked him if they could go out and get something to eat.
"I made us dinner." He said.
She looked over her shoulder at him, a smile on her face, "Okay, what did you make us?"
"Pasta." He said moving his hands back and off her, she immediately felt the loss but didn't comment on it. She followed him to the kitchen and sat down on the seat, he sat on the other chair, she took a bite and If he hadn't been looking for her reaction, he'd miss the way her eyes had widened, before they closed and she hummed, "Mmm" it really brushed against his heart, that she liked it. She wasn't faking that.
Once a few bites in, she looked up, "You, my Sir, need a restaurant named after this."
He rolled his eyes, "And sell what? Two kinds of pastas and a pizza?"
"You can make a pizza?" she took a big bite and asked, he nodded, "I learned from my mother, she was a great chef."
He didn't even know how he slipped out that information. She didn't focus on it knowing he would shut off and he didn't elaborate. She shifted the conversation, "I might know someone who can help us locate the headquarters."
His eyes snapped up, "Elena, stop pimping yourself out." He didn't know how that slipped out, maybe living with someone did make you possessive in a way.
She bit her lip at the term, she put the fork down, "It's nothing like that. It's a source, I've worked with him before, all he wants is some cash...for drugs unfortunately."
He shook his head, "I don't want to add another person in this."
"He doesn't care, Damon, he's a junkie and on probation for a lot of things, he doesn't want trouble as well." She tried to convince him, he turned the plan down, "It's stupid. He could out us. Where do you come up with these stupid ideas."
She reached for his hand, "He won't, he has always helped me. If it weren't for him, I'd be dead a long time ago."
He didn't know what that meant, now he had to trust more people, did he even trust the girl? He did, a part of him at least. He looked down at her small tan hand that had squeezed his. She gave him a smile, "I'll go and see him tomorrow."
"I am going too." He said firmly, she huffed, "Okay." Then reached to cup the side of his face, "Thank you, you won't regret this."
"I better not." He said a bit serious than he had been throughout this conversation. She cleaned up the dishes.
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Elena had instructed him the directions and it was not a very good-looking place, the area was congested and dirty. And if there was one thing that annoyed him more than Elena, it was dirt. They entered a very poorly maintained apartment complex. She knocked on the door, a few minutes later, the door opened and he could see the pale man that stood there, fidgeting a bit, "Hailey." He breathed out of relief and took a step forward to hug her so tightly that Damon thought he was going to crack a rib, "Thank god, you're here."
At least he didn't know Elena's name or was this her name and the one he knew wasn't the right one?
She stepped in and held Damon's wrist, gesturing for him to come in, he stepped in the mess that could be a makeshift apartment. The man moved everything from the couch, and patted the spot, "How are you Kai?" Elena asked, sounding concerned. Real concern, not the fake manager one. It was different.
"Great, just- just a bit short on money." He muttered.
Damon could see how he was a bit ashamed saying that, like he didn't want to ask for money. Then he looked at Damon as if asking who he was, Elena pursed her lips, "This is my... Friend. Brandon."
He reluctantly stood at one side, just praying he wouldn't be asked to sit anywhere in this dirty apartment. Elena seemed oddly comfortable, "Love what you've done with the place." She said to his surprise which made him almost question if it was sarcasm or not.
Kai ran a hand through his hair, being a bit sarcastic, "Yeah since the messy one moved out, I had to clean up." Elena rolled her eyes and pulled up the bag of money to her lap, "I'll give you the money, if you promise you'd stay in rehab this time."
"You know I won't." He said and went into next room, Damon walked up to her side, "You stayed here."
She nodded, "Yeah, I uh- he took me in. I hadn't eaten in days."
His hand brushed against the side of her head, in a comforting manner, he felt something for the past her, helpless her which made her the present her. she sighed and looked up at him, his knuckles gently caressed against her cheek, her eyes doe like and innocent. He asked, "What's your name?" he wished to call her with that only, she licked at her lower lip, "Elena."
Before he'd ask, she clarified with a whisper, "Only you know."
"Why me?" he asked. Somehow, he couldn't tell if she was lying, she looked absolutely honest, her eyes not leaving his, he wanted to know why she had chosen to tell him, if she was Elena. "I don't know." She answered, "I wanted you to know." Her small voice said as her hand touched his arm. Brushing her hand. Up and down his arm, suddenly the stupid apartment didn't matter, he just wanted to kiss her. Did she taste the way he thought she would? Would she kiss him back with those soft lips?
Kai walked in and Elena just turned away, sitting back down properly then her previously inclined position ready to jump into his arms. The man put a file on the table, "The address, some details. I've done it all, I wouldn't normally do it but I really have a few pending loans and rent."
She raised a brow at him and took the file putting the money down, "You say that all the time and yet whenever I leave you money, you're worse off than before."
He chuckled, "This is a lot of money." He said un-zipping the bag and then closing it up, "I am getting help. I am not even doing anything hard." He justified, she held his hand, "Please Kai, you aren't worthless. Please just get some help, I know I can't make you get help, but there is so much more you can do. You are so talented." He interrupted seeming a bit uncomfortable "Okay, don't start crying now, Hails."
She moved forward and wrapped her arms around him, "If you ever need anything, I am always here." He rubbed her back, looking up at Damon. She pulled back and viewed the file. Damon too leaned down looking at the map, "It's out of town."
"It's gated." He pointed out.
"Not only gated, it has the same system as the museum." Kai commented, they both looked at him before looking at each other, she knew he was back to doubting her skills, their moment was over, she sighed, "I need some time, it's something smarter than us."
"Smarter than you." He bit out, she was tempted to roll her eyes, "I am working on it, it's just not as easy as you dodging those laser beams and then crawling down walls like a spider." She snapped.
He raised a brow, "Oh is that the reason you suck at it? Because it's too easy?"
"you said I am an A plus." She folded her arms over her chest, "I said that to make you feel better about your shitty timing."
"Oh, bite me." She scowled.
Kai interrupted, "Okay, time out." They both looked at him as the man stood up straight with the bag of money, "And please Hails, the next time you both visit, just fuck before that okay? The sexual tension is nauseating." Elena's jaw dropped but she just looked at Damon who was frowning, he held Elena up by her arm, "We're done here."
..
..
It was late at night, about 2. He was in his room on the bed, looking at the shadow that had been casted by the window on the roof. He was thinking about Elena. He shouldn't be thinking about her, but it wasn't just lust, if it were that he'd be okay. It was something more. The way he just knew her by her fragrance, innocence, light and a blend of coconut and roses. She was so strong, she knew how to protect herself, yet he wanted to do that. Protect her from all the dangers. He wanted to see her smile. He wanted to hear her hum whenever she ate pasta that he'd make her. He looked over at his shoes that were in the corner. He got up and went towards his closet, his mind said that impulsive decisions were bad, this thrill was bad! But he realized for the first time, he wasn't doing it for the thrill.
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..
When he came back home, it was like Elena was waiting for him, his heart raced, as she jumped from the couch, he looked at the clock it was seven in the morning, he had changed back into his normal clothes. She walked over and held his arms, "Where were you? Oh, I have to tell you, I couldn't sleep all night! I have searched up every motherfucking security system and I have," her voice trailed off when she saw a gash on his neck. She touched the mark over which blood was clotted, "What happened?"
"I was out on a job." He said as he entered the house followed by her, she closed the door and walked after him as he walked to the counter, making himself a drink, "Damon it's seven in the morning."
He turned around, "Time to drink is an absurd societal construct and If you know anything about me, it's that I don't abide by the rules." He smirked toasting.
She gritted her teeth, "Okay so care to explain why your greed is insatiable, we are on a job for 250 million dollars. These small jobs don't matter."
"It was as important." He said setting the half-filled glass down and reaching into his pocket, a familiar necklace between his fingers. The upside-down crown with diamonds. She cupped her mouth as a gasp escaped her "Oh my god." She stepped ahead to take it from him, tears filled her eyes at its sight. He didn't plan on making her cry, he thought she'd smile and accept it, yet she sobbed as she reached for it and taking it from his fingers, he let go of it, she held it, "I never thought I'd see it again, How did you-"
He shrugged, "Kiddie stuff." Borrowing her vocabulary.
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, "Thank you. I will always remember this, Damon. I will always remember you." She looked up and cupped his face, every look in her eyes screamed like she wanted him to kiss her. Yet he just stared back, unmoving but so close, because if he did kiss her, there was no going back, they would erupt in the fires of passion and he would have to rethink everything.
"Did you find the security system?" he asked breaking the moment, though his heart had growled at him for it. She seemed a bit hurt at his sudden change of topic and his cold behaviour. He had stepped away, picked up the glass he had put on the counter and turned around, the message was clear as glass. "Yes, I found it."
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So what do you think about the training and planning? Are you enjoying this version of Delena.
Thank you to all reviewers for reading and reviewing, I wish I could give you all a hug. I really hope you're safe in these difficult times.
Thank you for the shoutout, Carol! (Scarlet2112)
For updates on my other stories, check my profile!
Review please!