Page 58 of Easy Steal

Livie raised an eyebrow at me.

“Shush,” I held up a finger. “When we were kids, she was different, okay? She wasn’t this princess that you think she is. She was kind, she was funny. We used to play mums and dads in our little cubby house. When we were in high school she would bring me little treats that she cooked after every Home-Ec class. I taught her to drive. We would go on these long drives and just talk about stuff.”

I drifted off but I could feel her eyes still on me.

“She liked me once, okay? I was good enough for her once, so if I could just show her, you know, prove to her that I’m good enough, then maybe…”

“Maybe she’ll see you like that again?” she finished my sentence.

I nodded.

“Okay,” she said slowly, “but what if she’s not that person any more? People change, you know. What if she really is this stuck-up princess thatIthink she is?”

I shook my head, “there’s more to her than that.”

“If you say so,” she mumbled.

“I just need to prove that I’m good. Prove that I’m not just a lesser version of my brother, you know-”

“Ah, so that’s what this is about.”

I frowned at her.

“This has nothing to do with her at all, it’s about Toni.”

“No, not at all.”

“Do you realise how many times you just said the word ‘prove’? You need to prove that you’re good, prove that you’re just as good and interesting and worthy as Antoni?”

I shrugged.

“You really can’t see it, can you?”

I frowned and looked down at the near empty donut box in my lap.

A pair of headlights came from the side street and we slid down further into our seats, hiding. Not a single car had passed since we had been here, so we knew it had to be him - and it was.

King was here.

“It’s the car,” Livie said in a whisper.

I nodded, “just wait.”

They pulled up into the yard and King got out, as did one other man. We ducked further as we watched them scanning their surroundings.

King twirled his keys in his hand and tucked them into his jacket after he locked the car. They headed inside and closed the door behind them. The blinds were closed, but we could see the lights inside peeking out from beneath them.

“Let’s go,” Livie said, putting on her mask.

“Wait,” I repeated.

We waited a few minutes, watching and waiting just in case it was a trap.

I started the car.

“What are you doing?” Livie hissed.

“Testing,” I said.

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