I forward the image to Sylus when another message from her comes in.
Maybe you’ve got a shot with him after all, Captain Bossy.
He’s a little sub.
Captain Bossy?
I stare at the words, the corners of my lips twitching upward despite myself.
What a little brat.
The audacity of her, she’s risking everything out there, and here she is, giving me a nickname as though this is some kind of game.
I type back quickly, my fingers a blur over the keys.
Ready for the next one?
Bring it.
Good.
Belmont was only the warm-up. The real task is next. If she can’t pull a switcheroo off, she won’t be of any use to us. If she can… well, maybe she’s got a place in our plans after all.
I tap out the next set of instructions.
Switch the Elvis sunglasses with the sunglasses of one of the security guards at The Harrington Heights Casino.
You want me to flirt my way through security now?
My eyes narrow at the message. I can almost hear the sarcasm in her voice. I type back quickly and curtly.
If that’s what it takes.
I honestly don’t care how you do it. Just do it.
I drop my phone to my lap, exhaling slowly as I lean back against the headboard.
“She’s moving again.” My earbuds crackle, and Koen’s voice filters in. “Making her way toward the Harrington Heights. You’re really going to make her steal from a security guard?”
“Yes.” My answer is immediate. She needs to prove herself. Not only to me but to the others and, most importantly, to herself. If she can’t handle this, then what the hell are we even doing here?
“You’re relentless, Ric.” There’s a chuckle in Koen’s voice, and I can tell he’s moving again, the noise of the Strip growing louder in the background. “I think she’s up for it, though. The way she handled Belmont…”
It’s true, she’s already better than I expected. I’d wanted her to succeed, sure, but there was still a part of me that doubted she would, that she’d stumble, that her cockiness would cost her.
Except she didn’t stumble.
“Yeah, well,” I mutter, trying to downplay the way my chest tightens at Koen’s words. “She’s got one more to go before we’re impressed.”
Koen hums a noncommittal sound. “This one’s riskier.” His voice has shifted, losing some of its earlier lightness. “The guards there aren’t only for show, and you know Veronica’s got them on high alert these days.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, willing away the anxiety that gnaws at the edges of my thoughts. He’s right. The Harrington Heights Casino isn’t some dime-a-dozen tourist trap. It’s Veronica’sfortress, her domain, and every inch of it is under scrutiny. However, if that girl wants to be part of our crew, she needs to prove she can handle pressure. More than that, she needs to show she’s not afraid to push boundaries.
“She’ll do it…” I say, keeping my voice steady, letting my confidence in our tests for this girl show. “Or she’s out.”
There’s no room for doubt, not for her and definitely not for me. This is the only way forward for her, the plan, all of us.
Koen doesn’t reply right away, but the shuffle of his feet, the movement of people around him echo over the line. “She’s approaching now,” he says quietly, almost as if he’s speaking more to himself than to me. “Goddamn. She’s fearless. Look at that swagger. She’s already got his attention.”
