Sylus and Annabelle join us, and Sylus gestures toward a cluster of cactus plants a few feet away. “Let’s see if they’re still there.” He crouches down to peek behind the prickly greenery before he straightens again with a satisfied nod. “Yep, still right where we left them.”
“Good,” Ace replies.
“What’s still there?” Annabelle asks, her curiosity now mirroring my own.
Sylus steps back, allowing us a clear view. Hidden beneath the cactuses are several wooden planks stacked haphazardly yet carefully enough to remain out of sight.
“Planks?”
“For the ramp,” Sylus explains, brushing his hands together. “Ric will have to set them up on the railing to create the angle Koen needs.”
“What the fuck are you guys up to?” Annabelle exclaims, her tone caught between incredulity and amazement.
Right.Koen can’t just drive straight into the railing.
Annabelle raises an eyebrow at Sylus. “And how exactly did you get those up here? Pretty sure wooden planks aren’t standard rooftop décor.”
“People don’t ask questions when you’re wearing a neon vest. Walk around like you own the place, and everyone assumes you’re supposed to be there.”
Annabelle snorts, shaking her head. “You guys are unbelievable.”
“And you’re sure this will work?”
Fuck, the more I get to know about the plan, the more hesitant I get.
“It’ll work,” Ace reassures me. “We measured everything. Calculated every angle. This spot is perfect.”
Sylus pulls a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tapping one.
“No blunt today?” Annabelle asks him with a smirk.
“Nope, I stopped.”
I don’t even think as I reach for my matchbox and light it for him.
“Oh?” Annabelle raises an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I’m high on glitter these days,” he deadpans, making her laugh. “See that?” He exhales, then hands the cigarette to me before he points to a faint, almost imperceptible mark etched into the concrete near the railing. “We made it three months ago. This is the exact spot the ramp has to go.”
I take a drag as I look from the mark to the planks, then to the distant rooftop of Harrington Heights. “You guys are either brilliant or completely insane.”
“Both,” Sylus replies with a wink, taking the cigarette back for another slow drag.
“Well.” Annabelle folds her arms. “I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of excited to see how this all plays out. Whatever the hell it is.”
Ace’s lips twitch into a faint smile. “You won’t have to wait long.”
The wind howls around us, tugging at my hair and making the planks rattle faintly against one another. My heart beats louder in my chest as I glance again at the gap between the buildings. It’s wide. Too wide. Koen’s going to have to defy gravity to pull this off.
This isn’t reckless.
It’s borderline impossible.
But that’s the thing about these men, they thrive in the space where others would fold.
I exhale, the wind stealing the sound from my lips as I let my eyes drift back to Ace. He has to be terrified, but he handled this outing so well.
I can keep my shit together if he can.
