The back room at Luke's Bar was crowded with Scorpio's Eight, minus the outcast, Mac.
Luke and Robert were at the front of the room in front of a dry erase board.
Carly sat on a desk, her legs crossed, her black leather skirt resting high on her thigh.
Around a nearby table sat Lucky, Spinelli and Jason.
Zander leaned against a wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
"All right, here's the set up. Ned has his knickers in a bunch over Lois taking up with Corinthos." Robert said "And our client seems to think the most hurtful thing he can do to pay our mark back is steal this painting called The Ever Faithful. It's by some obscure artist out of Spain. The thing looks like a naked women with paint splotches all over the good parts."
"Is the painting one of a kind? Gonna fetch top dollar on the black market?" Zander asked
Luke told them, "That's the strange thing. Street value of this baby runs about 1 and half K."
"He's going pay millions for something worth thousands ," Zander said "Makes no sense."
"Doesn't have to." Robert said " This is about honor, not bank. If Quatermaine is foolish enough to invest the family fortune in a vendetta, then we will get him his merchandise and relieve him of his 15 million. "
"I agree with Kid," Jason said "The angles don't add up."
"Wouldn't be the first time they didn't." Carly said "Doesn't mean the job ain't legit."
Carly glared at Jason. He enjoyed it, the fire in her look sent one rushing through his body.
Spinelli yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Just tell me my deal in all this. Let me know what you need hacked, jacked or forged so I can catch some sleep before this all goes down. Your buddy from Nashville," he looked at Robert "pulled me out of the bed of a very frisky kitty. An Angelina look alike with bigger ya yas and moves that Brad has ever seen. Then put me on the first plane back here. Commercial. Didn't we move beyond that years ago?"
"We did." Luke said "You wasted all your cash on that pyramid scheme."
"Thank God crime pays so well that I can earn it all back." Spinelli said.
Lucky crossed his arms over his broad chest, stretching the fabric of his black t-shirt taut.
Lucky asked , with a nod of his head that said get on with it already, "We stealing or chatting?"
"Lay it out for them, Luke," Robert said.
Luke started drawing on the board, where Greystone was already sketched out.
"It is a straight drop in," Luke said referring to the fact it would be easy money.
Lucky chuckled, "Heard that one before."
Nothing was ever easy in the Art of the Long Con.
Lucky knew that the odds started off against them and only got worse as time went on, the lies and cover-ups threatening to fold the whole house of cards at anytime.
But Romeo, as they called him, was still young and all of this getting away with heists had left him cocky. The last six months of unemployment, and the trying to settle down with the girl who thought he could be a better man, had left him bored and hungry for some excitement.
Robbing the local mob boss would fit the bill just fine.
Luke ignored his son and kept going, " We will hit Corinthos with a Houdini," meaning an illusion to make him look away "by having Caroline renew their old affair. Lure him away from home, the painting, and Lois all at the same time. While she is convincing him the lust is still alive we will be sneaking into the compound."
Carly said, "In other words, you got the simple part and I get the scuzz ball."
Luke said, " You liked that scuzz ball well enough last time you were in town."
Jason butted in, "Can we get to the specifics now or we gonna putz around for a few more hours?"
Robert studied Jason's face while Luke laid out the rest of the plan. The best thing about Morgan was that he was ice cold in the crunch. He could drop a guy with a submission hold or a bullet, tranquilize him or send him back to God, made no difference to The Hitter.
Until he fell in love for the first time.
Sure over the years there was always a crazy vibe between him and Carly. Everyone figured they were sleeping together on the side. But something changed right before the group broke up.
Jason had strolled into Carly's cottage in the woods, the story went he was there to finally say those three little words she had given up on hearing from him ever, and found her in the act with Sonny.
Saw more than he wanted to, right with his own blue eyes.
And though none of Scorpio's Eight knew all the real details, it had changed the man, softened The Hitter, almost as if he just realized in that moment what a heart could feel. And that was not a good thing.
Not good at all. Not when their lives depended on him not feeling anything.
You didn't want your muscle crying over some woman who did him wrong right when the bullets started flying.
The team had to work as a unit. Spinelli had understood that. He walked away from Lulu after Luke told him it was the crew or the girl.
But no one had the guts to tell The Hitter, years ago, that Sweet Caroline, as they called her sometimes, used to go by another name when she was grifting in Florida as a teenager.
They called her The Heart Breaker.
"One thing I don't get about this," Jason said when Luke finished talking. "and correct me if I am wrong. But this job breaks Rule Number One and Rule Number Two."
Jason looked at the other guys at the table. "Am I right or am I right?"
"If I don't think of a heist, I don't do a heist," Lucky said the first one.
"Never steal from your lover or your neighbors." Zander said the second rule. Then added, "Both will rat your ass out." he snapped his fingers " like that."
"It's too close to home for too small of pay out," Jason said, standing up.
"Yeah, but none of us have anything better to do." Luke said "And playing shuffle board ain't never been my forte. I'm a grifter. So are you. You want to work? Or you have some more moping left to do?"
Carly looked at Jason, trying to gauge his reaction. She saw in his face the moment he made his decision.
"I don't mope." Jason said
"Yeah, and you don't sit out the chance to make a cool 2 mill either." Luke said "So, you in?"
Jason nodded, once.
"Everyone else ready to do this thing?" Robert asked
Everyone nodded.
"Then lets rob a mob boss." Robert said, smiling.
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ACROSS TOWN, Lois knocked once on the door to the hotel room. The man opened it, his face as handsome now as all the years ago when she first fell in love with him.
They were doomed from the start though. Still were.
She married someone else, he slept his way through all the major metropolitan cities of the world. And still the connection between them lingered on.
He yanked her inside, slammed the door, and pushed her against it. His lips were on her mouth, engaging her in a sensual kiss as his hands unbutton her shirt.
Lois moaned, and as her skirt fell to the floor thought "Sonny would kill us both... if he only knew.