Page 70 of Easy Steal

“I’m sorry that I haven’t been here.”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” she scoffed.

“Yeah, but I should’ve been here helping with this.”

“I’ve managed okay.”

“I’ve been wasting my fucking time,” I sighed, putting my head in my hands.

I heard her walking towards me, and felt her hand on my back momentarily - which was a big thing for Rome. She wasn’t a hugger, or physically affectionate, but the small contact of her hand broke something in me and a tear escaped.

“You haven’t wasted time, Livie. You’ve been helping Sam. And Toni. And me. The sooner these Redliners are dealt with, the sooner I can stop worrying that my husband is going to die every time he leaves the house.”

I looked up at her and she smiled for a split second.

“I didn’t realise it was that bad. You never said-”

“I know that Toni can handle it,” she cut me off, “but I would be lying if I said it didn’t make me nervous. And I don’t lie to you.”

I smiled at her, shaking my head, wiping away the single tear that escaped.

Even the release of that one tear made me feel a little better, a little less like I was choking. Even if I knew that things with Sam were fake from the start, it didn’t mean that I wasn’t allowed to feel hurt.

Now that I had acknowledged that, I could move on with my life.

“Well,” I straightened, “you won’t have to worry long. Everything is in place.”

“So, what’s next?”

“We just wait. I’ve been watching their movements, listening into their phone calls. They’re not as old school as The Family, they seem to use a lot of tech in their deals, so I don’t think it’ll be too long before I get something we can use.”

She nodded once.

“I’m sorry if I was harsh before,” she said.

I shook my head, and patted her on the arm, “no, thank you Rome. You never bullshit me, and I need that.”

“Come on,” she gestured with her head towards the door. “I’ve cued up your song.”

18

Chapter 18

Sammy

Iwore the navy shirt, just like Livie suggested.

And yes, I washed my hair.

I thought that I would be more nervous, but I wasn’t at all. I drove to Larissa’s house and arrived on time, 8pm - just like we agreed.

I went up to her apartment, and knocked on the door.

When she answered the door, I smiled, looking her up and down. She wore a dress that hung just below her knees, in a shade of red that matched the colour of her lipstick.

Her tanned skin almost shone in the light - Larissa was, as usual, gorgeous.

“Wow,” I said, clearing my throat. “You look beautiful.”

---