Hardcore: Volume 2 (7 page)

Jace rolled his eyes. “You’re so paranoid. They agreed because they trust us.”

I laughed, the sound bitter. “Right, I bet you guys are best friends.”

“Fuck you, Cory. I’m not an idiot.”

“Debatable. What happens if your buddies cross us? What’s the backup plan? The painting is too big to just run with, and if they’re packing then there’s nowhere to go.”

“They’re not going to cross us,” Jace scoffed.

“You don’t know that. We need a plan to get the fuck out of there. I can hang back and cover you guys, or—”

“You’re not going anywhere that we can’t see you.” He huffed as a flush climbed his neck and cheeks. “Don’t even think about fucking this up.”

“How the fuck is it that you’re more worried about
me
than you are about a couple of fences overseeing a multi-million dollar deal?”
 

“Because you’re the one person who could take the whole thing down. But I just want you to remember. One phone call, and I’ve got Jill. I’m not afraid to do it, Cory.”

Fury washed over me, and I clenched my jaw as I leaned toward him. “To make a phone call? I’m sure you could handle calling in someone harder than you are to do something this fucked up, but I don’t believe for a second that you’ve got the scrote to hurt her yourself, you fucking pussy.”

“That’s enough,” Jade snapped. “Nothing’s going to happen. It’s not like we’re dealing with the mob or something. And as long as you keep your shit together, Jill will be fine. So, do you want to know how much money we’re getting or not?”

“I could really give zero fucks about a single penny that comes out of this.”

She ignored me and smiled, clearly wanting to feed her own ego. “Twelve mil. It’s worth more. Not bad for, like, two hours’ work.” She and Jace chuckled, so pleased with themselves.

“And our souls.” And my peace of mind. Not to mention my heart.

“Get over it. Van Collins is way too good for you, anyway.”

I fumed. “Are we done here?”

“Go get your shit together.” She stood, dismissing me.

I got up and walked away, not even sure why I needed to have been part of that conversation. Like she just wanted me to sit down at her bidding, listen to whatever she said. Squeeze me. But I was done being her bitch. I’d fight back where I could. When I could.

Once in my room, I shed my clothes and stepped into my standard uniform. Black jeans and tank. Black hoodie and leather jacket. Buff around my neck like a cowl. But this time, I wore a chest holster for my pistol and extra magazine.

I sat on the edge of my bed with my elbows on my knees, my gun in my palm. I was at the threshold of the end, and the weight of the gun, the chill of it against my skin sent goosebumps up my arm. Nothing sat right with me. Not a single, solitary thing. But I was on my own. We were probably walking into a trap, and I had no out, no plan.
 

They didn’t have to give us anything once we brought them the painting. I wondered again why they would bring us to the warehouse. Either they wanted to display some level of trust, or they were that confident, that unconcerned with a couple of chicks and a douchebag. They weren’t going to be afraid of us. And why should they be?
 

But I wasn’t walking in unprepared, and I wasn’t going to sacrifice any more than I already had.

I slipped the gun into my holster, zipped my hoodie and jacket, and walked out of my room to meet fate.

Erin stepped into the hallway as I approached her door. “You okay?”

“No.”

She came close and laid her hands on my arms, squeezing gently. “Please, let me come with you.”

“No, Erin.”

She shook her head and sighed, shifting her thumbs on my arms. “Swear to me you’ll be careful.”

I nodded. I couldn’t find the words.

Erin looked over me before pulling me into a tight hug. Her love and care washed over me, and when she pulled away after a moment, there were tears in her eyes.
 

She cupped my face. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

She guided my face to hers to kiss me gently, and we slipped into a final hug before I turned and walked away.

My pulse was deafening as I climbed the wall adjacent to The Kyle Building and hauled myself onto his roof. I sat on a duct near the access door and pulled out my laptop to log into the building security’s Wi-Fi. Jade watched over my shoulder as I scanned the port for the security cameras, then sent out a ping flood that knocked out all the cameras on the IP. It was a familiar setup. The cameras were unmanned in the lobby, there for checking after the fact, should something happened. They weren’t monitored by the minute. By the time anyone realized they were down, we’d be long gone.

I flipped my laptop closed and slipped my computer into my pack. “It’s done.”

Jade said nothing, just walked across to the access door and leaned against the cinderblock wall, eyeing me expectantly.

I sighed and slung on my pack before opening the door for Jade. She brushed past me into the stairwell, and I followed her down the stairs, through the hallway, numb. Jade knelt in front of his door to pick the lock and deadbolt as I waited behind her in the silent hallway. When the deadbolt clicked back, the sound was like a gunshot.
 

I stepped into the apartment behind her, not expecting the wave of pain and nausea that rolled over me. I didn’t know if it was seeing the Rothko on the wall or his jacket hanging on the back of the couch. Could have been his shoes half under the coffee table or the familiarity of his beanie that lay on the cushion of his armchair. But as I sucked in a breath, I realized it was the way the apartment smelled, some mixture of laundry detergent and soap and …
him.
It smelled like him, and that simple, unexpected assault on my senses almost doubled me over.

Jade walked toward the painting like a bug to a zapper. If she were a cartoon, her eyes would have sported dollar signs.
 

“Hurry up and let’s get the fuck out of here.” My voice was rough and raspy, my mouth dry as I checked his alarm. It wasn’t active, and I shook my head at his oversight.
   

She looked around the edge of the canvas with her flashlight, pausing near the top. “It’s wired.”

Jade moved out of the way as I approached. Behind the painting was a magnetic trigger. “Fuck,” I whispered.

“I thought you said you could handle this?” Jade snapped.

“I can,” I popped. “Just give me a second.”

“What’s the problem?”

“It’s a wireless magnetic trigger. We move the painting, and the alarm sounds. It’s connected to the alarm pad.” I slipped off my pack and found my wire cutters, then popped the face off the alarm and cut the phone line.

Jade hung a hand on her hip, and I nodded at her.

Her face twisted into a smile as she lifted the painting off the wall and set it on the ground, then reached into her pack for the black canvas case with a strap. I wasn’t allowed to touch it. Nothing would be left to chance with me, not knowing how I felt about everything, which was smart. I’d almost rather see the painting destroyed than the fate planned for it.

I watched the Rothko disappear into the case, into the dark.

Jade glanced around the apartment as she propped the painting against the wall. “Nice place. You really know how to pick them.”

“Fuck off.” I slung on my bag.

She strolled over to a vase on a shelf nearby. “So many pretty things.” She locked eyes with me and tipped it over with a single finger. It hit the ground with a smash.

My stomach rolled. “Why are you doing this?”

“That. Right there.” She pointed at me. “That look on your face.” A picture frame hit the hardwood, and the glass skittered across the floor toward me.

Rage shot through me, but I refused to be toyed with by that cunt. When I turned to leave, she laughed.

“Aw, come on, Cory. Just having a little fun,” she called after me.

I didn’t stop, just left the apartment and ran up the stairs, out to the roof, yanking my buff down so I could breathe. The cool air hit my cheeks and the wind skated across my sweaty skin as I pulled off my gloves and sat down. I hung my head, eyes between my boots, breathing deep as I tried to regain composure.

Jade walked through the door a minute later looking smug, the massive painting sideways on her back. She didn’t look in my direction as she passed. I watched her disappear over the ledge, making a million wishes as I hauled myself up and followed.

With every leap, every footstep, the dread I’d felt about breaking into Van’s morphed into something darker. I’d checked off another task on the most fucked-up to-do list of my life. It was almost done. One more step, and the whole thing was over. But that last step was the most dangerous of all.
 

I followed Jade, though it was slow going with the unwieldy painting. It would have been faster if Jade had let me help, but she wouldn’t let me touch it. She watched me like I was the criminal of the two of us throughout the long route.

When we neared the warehouse, we dropped down to the street and walked between rows of buildings on the warehouse lot, rounding a corner to a wide drive. Jace and the two thugs, Sammy and Trevor, stood at the end, the dark warehouse behind them, and a chill worked its way up my body. My buff was up, and I unzipped my jacket and hoodie with numb hands as we approached, finding comfort in the weight of my gun against my ribs.

Jace’s smile was an odd mixture of relief and uncertainty at the sight of us, and he shifted on his feet next to the two hulking men. They were too young to be considered old, with dark features and wild eyes, looking enough alike that they could have been brothers. Their weapons weren’t concealed, and the bigger of the two had his gun in his hand, hanging idly at his side as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

We stopped a dozen feet away from them, and I hung back, taking in every detail. Something wasn’t right. Tension crackled in the air, as if every molecule transmitted their intentions.
 

“Well, well, well.” The guy with the gun smiled, seeming casual, but it was absolute bullshit. I chased the fleeting thought that I might not make it through the night. Jill’s face flashed in my mind.

“See, Trevor? I told you they’d get it.” Jace was so jittery, he was almost bouncing.

“You sure did. Let’s see it.” Trevor jerked a chin at Jade, and the quiet one, Sammy I assumed, folded his meaty arms across his chest.

Jade said nothing, just took off the huge case and unzipped it, slipping it down to reveal enough of the painting for them to be sure. I could feel her fear, even though she stood tall, looking the thugs in the eye with her face drawn.

Trevor picked up the duffle bag with his free hand and extended it in invitation as Sammy held out a hand for the painting. Jade took a reluctant step toward them and handed the case to Sammy, who stepped back with it. She reached for the bag, still hanging in Trevor’s hand, and as her fingers closed over the strap, time slowed down. Trevor’s other arm shot up, the movement punctuated by the click of his safety, and Jade looked up the barrel of his gun, frozen with her hand still on the bag.

“Excellent work, kids,” he said, smiling. “Thanks for your diligence, but I have an …
amendment
to our arrangement.”

Jace stepped toward Jade fuming, and I mentally screamed at him not to move. I was frozen in place, not willing to risk making a sound.

“What the fuck, Trevor?” he yelled, his cheeks fiery. “I thought we had a deal.”

Trevor didn’t break his laser eyes on Jade. “Sammy, shut the kid up.”
 

Sammy took a single step with his fist cocked, popping Jace in the nose hard enough to send him sprawling.

Jade whipped her head around, eyes on Jace, body taught. Trevor’s gun didn’t waver.

“You pushed hard enough,
Jace
. You wanted more money. You wanted to meet in our space. Well, you got your wish. Happy?”

Jace groaned.

He addressed Jade again. “Listen, sweetheart. Don’t do anything stupid. There’s five hundred grand in this bag. Take it and get the fuck out of here. Seems like a good enough deal, doesn’t it? You get some money for your trouble,
and
you get to keep breathing. Or you can try to fight and end up in the Hudson.” He shrugged. “Your choice.”

Even from feet behind her, I could see Jade shaking, and my eyes bounced around, assessing everything, looking for a way out. We were boxed in, and I wasn’t stupid enough to pull my gun. We just had to do what they said and hope they let us go. There was only one thing to do.

“Take the bag, Jade.” My voice was far away.

She waited only a moment before nodding. Trevor’s smile stretched across his face as he let go of the bag and took a step back. “Good girl. Your friend’s pretty smart.”

Jace rolled around on the ground moaning, and Jade slung on the duffle bag as she ran to him. He caged his nose with his hand as she helped him up, leaning on her while he dripped blood all over the ground.

Trevor never lowered his gun. His smile slipped, eyes hardened as his body squared up, wiping away the illusion of levity. “Go on.”

Jade helped Jace walk away, and when they passed me, I walked backwards for a few steps with my eyes on Trevor as he lowered his gun. He knew he had us. And I knew they would let us go.
 

I turned and followed Jade in silence, my fury ratcheting tighter with every step I took. It was all for nothing, just a tiny fraction of what was promised. I was right. All the pain, all the fear, and it was for nothing. Because if they’d known, if they hadn’t been so money hungry, if they’d only been smarter, Jade never would have pushed me so far. Not over that amount of money.
 

The realization that it could have all been avoided was a sucker punch to my heart.

The second we rounded the corner into the alley, I was ready to explode. I stared at the back of Jade’s head as my face twisted.

“Goddammit, Jade,” I snarled, my hands shaking as I resisted the urge to hit her. “I knew it. I knew this was going to happen, you fucking idiots.
Idiots
.”