Chapter One
Mackenzie
The night was so clear the stars lit the street with a soft glow. The moon hung low in the sky, seeming close enough to touch. There had always been something about the moon that made me feel safe and secure. Cloaked in its light, you could always find your way both into and out of trouble.
The breeze felt cool against my bare skin, and I closed my eyes briefly as if meditating. I was completely at ease. Most people would be nervous and sweating, but this was my moment. I breathed deeply and remained calm the entire time. This wasn’t the time to panic and lose control. I was composed, and I knew what I was doing. Staying relaxed and focused was the key to staying alive.
I positioned myself behind a box on the cargo hold. There were containers of all shapes and sizes scattered over the dock, and they made for good cover, which was probably why the kidnappers had chosen the spot as well. Peering over one of the crates, I scanned the area. Nothing moved. Not even a rat scurried in the shadows. Where were they?
I looked into every shadowy crevice I could find, seeking the holes. Plans always had holes, and I suspected we were most likely dealing with amateurs. There were definite signs that amateurs were involved. Maybe the people who had Janelle were dangerous and violent people with the ability to kill, but there was no doubt in my mind that this was their first kidnapping, possibly even their first major crime.
Jason hadn’t liked my suggestion that Brett was in some way a part of his sister’s kidnapping, but this situation had betrayal written all over it. I hoped for Jason’s sake that I was wrong about Brett, but I knew deep down in my gut I was right. I knew people, and I knew crime even better, and Brett had been up to his eyeballs in this deception. His first mistake had been showing up at Jason’s place covered in blood. He had no reason to be involved at all, and yet he had put himself right in the center of it. Talk about suspicious—and amateurish.
I felt bad for Jason. I knew what it was like to be betrayed by someone close to you. My whole life had been about that. That’s why I had trusted only Lexy with my life up until this point. Jason was learning a hard lesson about who you should trust. A best friend is only your best friend until he wants something from you that he can’t have, and then the loyalty shifts big time. I wasn’t sure what had motivated Brett to betray his friend, but whatever it was, it was enough that he would also risk Jason’s safety—and Janelle’s—to get it. There were lives at stake here, and Brett was the cause of it. He wasn’t the one in charge, though—that much I knew for sure. He was the one making the mistakes, and he’d made too many rookie errors to be the one running the show. No, there were more people behind the scenes.
I listened quietly to the night air for any sound that would alert me to where the kidnappers might be. It was all about sneaking in and getting Janelle out before the kidnappers were aware there was no money coming. Once they realized their demand was denied, they’d be pissed, and then the killing would start. They’d try to take down as many people as they could.
There was nothing discernible at my location, so I moved to another position and listened and watched for movement. This was one of the most exciting parts of my job, and I thrived on it. I loved the moment just before sneaking into a place where I wasn’t supposed to be. By moving quickly and being ninja-quiet, I’d be able to slip in without the kidnappers having any idea I was even there. And tonight especially, no one was going to bring me down, least of all some amateur.
Darting into the shadows, I moved to a spot near the office area. It was the only place that made any sense for them to be holding Janelle. The room was dark, but I knew that’s where I would find the girl. They wouldn’t leave her out in the open just in case things went sideways. The kidnappers would be outside somewhere as well, waiting for the money drop. They were most definitely watching for movement, but they wouldn’t see me. I hoped Jason felt as confident about that as I did.
Waiting to make my move, I couldn’t help but smile. These moments always brought me peace and serenity. I didn’t know why, but I reveled in it. It gave me the strength and confidence I needed to get the job done. You needed self-belief to be a thief. You needed to believe that nothing could bring you down, that it was impossible to fail. Otherwise, you’d never have the guts to go in and do the job.
It was funny how fate worked. I never made mistakes—ever—and yet I had bumbled through my thievery at Jason’s mansion. Was it because he was supposed to be a part of my life? Had I been able to get in and out unscathed, I would never have met him. And because I never return to the same place twice, our connection would have been lost forever. So it must have been fate’s desire that we were brought together in that moment. I’d like to believe that something intentional united us, and that it was all for a reason.
I’d had very little control over my life when I was growing up, and bad things had happened to me. Someone in my family betrayed me in the vilest of ways. That person stole my innocence and continued to do so for years on end. Everything good about my life was taken away, and I turned into someone I didn’t even recognize. It had taken me many years to fight my way out of that pain to become the person I now was. It was no easy battle, but at some point, I realized I was worth something, and I refused to let anyone beat me down. I think the reason I loved thievery so much was that it was an attempt—albeit feeble—to steal control from someone else and make it my own.
It was very different this time, though. I had to share this moment. Jason was out there somewhere, watching my back, and I would need to watch his as well. I was part of a team this time, and that didn’t sit well with me at all. It used to be just about taking care of myself and getting quickly and safely out of a situation. With Jason, I had to worry about another person. I had always been a loner, and that had kept me alive. Having to worry about someone else could get you killed. I worried less about myself than I did about Jason. He might run into a situation where he felt he had to save me, and as a result, he might get himself killed. That was the last thing I wanted.
It wasn’t all bad, though. There was a good side to having an accomplice. Knowing Jason was out there watching me and caring for me felt good. I didn’t feel so alone. We were a team, and there was something very comforting about that. There was also something about his presence that made the moment even more electrifying and exciting.