Nicholas opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off before they can start to bicker again. “You guys are too recognizable.”
Nicholas scoffs. “Copy and Paste over there are, but I’m not a celebrity.”
Annabelle’s laughter bubbles up, and she points between Levi and Koen. “Copy and Paste? Wait, who’s who?”
Nicholas smirks, pointing at Koen. “Copy’s the older one.”
Levi rolls his eyes, leaning back dramatically. “Yeah, by like three fucking minutes.”
Koen shrugs, smug as ever. “Older is older.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I interject, trying to keep them focused. “You’re still too recognizable, Nicholas, especially in your own damn hotel and casino.”
Nicholas argues under his breath, “It’s not mine. It’s my mother’s,” but he doesn’t push further.
“We’d be faster if we split up.” Annabelle sits forward. “If Nova took one guy, I could take the other.”
Nova’s grin is wide and teasing. “Did you ever pickpocket anyone, Belle?”
“Well, no.” Annabelle pouts. “But how hard can it be to learn?”
“It took me six months to get even decent at it.” Nova turns toward me, a mischievous glint in her eye. “And even afteryears of practicing, I’ve never reached Ace’s level. He’s a fucking magician.”
All eyes turn to me, and my cheeks heat under their scrutiny. “You’re exaggerating,” I mutter.
“I’m not,” Nova counters. “Show Annabelle and Nicholas.”
I shake my head with a smile. “Not happening.”
Koen chimes in, his arms crossing over his chest. “I’ve never actually seen a demonstration either.”
“Same.” Levi raises a hand lazily, smirking. “Consider this a request.”
“Guys, I haven’t done shit like that in years. Maybe I was good when we were teens, but?—”
Nova cuts me off with a pout, her lips pushing out in that irresistibly cute way that absolutely wrecks me.
Today’s already been a marathon of pushing limits—leaving the house, walking through a crowded plaza. Every second had my brain screaming at me to bolt, to find safety, to shut everything out. But I stayed. I held Nova’s hand, and I stayed.For her.
And now, here with all their eyes on me. The idea of reaching out and deliberately touching someone else to demonstrate a skill I haven’t used in years, feels impossible. But there’s no time to take a breather, no room to ease into things. Not even two weeks. That’s all we’ve got, then everything comes crashing down, and every single piece of this has to be perfect.
If I’m going to do this, there’s only one way.
I press a quick kiss to Nova’s pout, unable to resist, making her eyes go wide, and my heart flutters with contentment before standing with a sigh. “All right,” I start, my voice steady despite the chaos inside me. “Let’s start with the basics. Distraction and shade.” I turn to Nova. “You’re up.”
“Me?” she asks, her tone laced with amusement.
“Yeah, you.” I gesture her forward. “Who better to test my skills on than the queen of steals herself?”
Everyone leans in, the room buzzing with anticipation as she stands in front of me. It’s like they’re expecting a magic show, and hell, maybe they’re not wrong.
“Distraction,” I teasingly say as I take a deliberate step closer to Nova. “It’s all about misdirection. Drawing the mark’s attention away from what you’re doing. Shade is what creates the cover, making the move invisible. It’s about timing, choreography, and confidence.”
I wouldn’t even consider what I’m about to do with anyone else, it wouldn’t work, not like this. Half the skill lies in knowing, or at least sizing up, your mark. And I know my girl better than anyone.
Her lips part, a flicker of curiosity in her gaze, but when I step closer, the space between us shrinks to something electric. I don’t touch her, don’t even lift a hand, but my presence alone seems to pull her focus. Her eyes dart to mine, and I see the faint rise and fall of her chest quicken.
Her throat bobs as she swallows, and I catch the slightest hitch in her breath. I shift closer still, not breaking eye contact, and her pupils dilate.
