Cassie (The Mitchell/Healy Family #7)(12)
Little did he know I had another plan for his savings; one that wouldn’t include him at all.
Tammy approached slowly, sitting two seats down and putting in her money. She was giddy, clapping each time she made any kind of money, even if it was only five cents. People were paying attention to her, forgetting all about me, except for the gruff neighbor beside my chair. He was still eying up my breasts, probably in hopes of giving me the biggest motorboat possible after luring me to his room.
I tried to focus on the task, ignoring the inevitable truth in it all, but it was no use. No matter how I tried to spin it I would always know what I’d done. It was something I’d live with for the rest of my life. This was the moment I could have gotten up and walked away. It was the right decision, albeit I hadn’t been making them lately. Instead I’d chosen a dangerous path; one that could give me a life with the man I wanted.
My hands were shaking and sweaty. I felt like I was someone else, acting out of desperateness to fit in with the new crowd we were forced to be around.
I closed my eyes and envisioned walking away from our relationship. Even though only few could see it, we had a chance at happiness. This was just a bump in the road for us. So, I did what every person in my situation would have done, well at least I hoped. Without a single look to see if anyone was watching, I leaned over and put one arm around the perverted man with the wandering eyes. “I think I need to rub on you for some luck.” With his attention fully on me, I reached my other hand in front of my body, unclipping the chain from his pants and freeing the wallet. I rubbed his back, while tucking the wallet into the waist of my shorts. “I’ve a got a room upstairs if you need to be skin on skin, little lady.”
I pulled away and smiled, realizing I was getting away with the theft without him noticing. It surprised me how easy it had been. “I don’t think my boyfriend would like it if I came home smelling like another man, but thanks for the offer. You’re too sweet.” I stood up and patted him on the shoulder. “I think my luck is about to come back.”
“If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
I laughed while walking away, catching the eyes of Tammy as I did so. I didn’t stop to acknowledge her. I’d already gone against the rules of the plan. All I could think was how proud Brant would be that I’d pulled it off on my own.
In the closest bathroom, I went through the wallet, taking out all the cash and counting it. Three hundred and six dollars was stuffed into my short’s pocket, while I tossed the leather holder in the wastebasket. By the time the man knew it was missing I’d be long gone.
I took a different route out of the casino, not stopping to look and see if I spotted Brant or Rocky. I was sure they’d been watching from afar, and soon join me outside.
While I waited, I kept checking the exit, making sure security wasn’t coming after me. At any moment they could have spotted me lifting the wallet. For all I knew the man had gone to them with my description. Guilt and nerves sent me walking further from the establishment. I didn’t stop until I reached the next casino. Once inside, I sat down at a machine and placed five bucks inside. The person to my right was smoking a cigarette. She was blonde, and her skin had seen a little too much sun. Her wrinkles made me think she was in her fifties, maybe older. She smiled and kept pushing the buttons, ignoring my being there.
I could feel my phone vibrating in my small purse, so I answered it. “Hello?”
“Where the f*ck did you go?” It was Brant and he wasn’t happy.
“I’m down the street. I took a man’s wallet and I freaked out.”
“Damn it, Cassie. I told you to stick to the plan. Come back to the front of the casino. We’re ready to get out of here.”
“Aren’t you happy? I did the job for you?”
“No. I’m not. I told you to be the distraction. Now it’s on your hands.”
“I’ll deal with it. I did it for us. The sooner we get the money, the faster we can get out of here.”
“Just hurry up.”
When he hung up the phone I felt angry and hurt. I’d made the choice to do something reckless, but somehow he was punishing me for it. I sulked back to the front of the building, not knowing what would happen when I got there.
Even from afar, I could see Rocky and Tammy standing next to Brant. Tammy was talking with her hands, while Brant’s eyes were fixed on mine. I pulled the wad of cash out of my pocket and handed it to him, hoping it would lighten his mood. I pictured him pulling me into his arms. I imagined going back to the house and celebrating with all-night lovemaking, but that’s not what happened either.
Brant ripped the money from my hand and shoved me in the direction of where the vehicle was parked. The look on his face was something I’ll never forget. For the first time since we’d been together I felt scared, like he was unhinged. He’d never been this angry with me before.
The car ride home was dead-silent. I knew it was because I was being punished. I had no idea thieves got this touchy when it came to their crimes.
The three of them waited until they got me back at the house to chew me a new ass.
Rocky started. “I told you to keep your bitch under wraps.”
“Don’t call me that!”
“Keep your little mouth shut. This could have blown up in our faces. Do you know how long we’ve been working this scene? I’m not having some little whore come in and ruin it for us.”