Exposed Read Online Free Page B

thing around enough to bring on a seizure. Why did I always take on the underdogs? Then she aimed the beam at the living room.
    “Get what you need,” I said through my teeth, “and get out.”
    She jumped at the sound of my voice. “I thought you were keeping watch.”
    “You seem like you need supervision.” I moved to the fridge and opened the door. “Geez. There are enough meds in here to start a pharmacy.” I leaned in and read the name on a prescription label. “Dollie Sharma.”
    “Close the door—you’re letting out the light.”
    “I’m hungry.” I pulled a soda from the door. “And thirsty.”
    “Got it.” The girl stuffed a laptop into her bag as she bolted for the kitchen door.
    “All that for a laptop?” I followed.
    “It’s what’s inside that counts.”
    “According to you and Big Bird.”
    “Thanks for your help—if I can call it that…”
    “Raven. My name’s Raven. And you can call it whatever you want,” I said as I closed the refrigerator door. “Just be smarter next time.” I stopped and glanced around the kitchen. Going to a pad of paper, I scribbled my number, then handed it to her.
    She took the paper. “Yeah. Right.”
    We walked to the front of the house. I took off, heading to Salter Street to meet up with the crew.

SIX
    Diesel rode us hard the next night, and then on Friday—the best night for car nabbing because the masses were out clubbing and taking cabs so they could get completely wasted—he upped the stakes. He sent two groups of us out on a mission to up his tally. The challenge? Ten vehicles in a single night. Normally, that would be divided equally, five per team. But he’d made Supersize the other team leader.
    Even though I had said he wasn’t ready.
    All of this meant I intended my team to do the bulk of the heavy lifting and score at least seven rides so Supersize wouldn’t feel as much pressure. I’d also ranted at him before we left the warehouse. “My team takes the high ground. Don’t climb more than two stories. You may think you’re ready for more, but I promise you, when your blood is pumping and the job is live, sometimes you take risks. Things go south, and they always do, you just react instead of sticking to the plan. Those are rookie mistakes that can get you in serious trouble.” Supersize grinned up at me. “Why are you smiling?” I narrowed my eyes, hoping I looked as fierce as I felt at that moment. “Do you see me smiling? This isn’t a joke.”
    “If you could see how hot you look right now…”
    I made a face. “Seriously? You’re such a freaking boy.” I shoved the laughing Supersize out of my way and gathered the rest of my team.
    We would keep in contact via text.

    Two hours later, and so far so good. Each team had six bodies. One trailing on lookout, one scouting ahead for potential targets on street level, and four doing the actual thefts. This involved breaking into the vehicles and driving them back to the warehouse. Supersize’s crew had two cars bagged to our four. I hoped this last parkade would do the trick.
    Once I got in, I’d use one of the parked vehicles’ automatic remotes to open the bay doors and establish access for the others waiting on the ground.
    I focused on the goal, slipping easily into the zone. The scuff of my shoes on the wall and the rasp of my breath beat in time with the distant thrum of late-night traffic and the pounding of my heart. Growing louder in my ears by the second.
    This had to be quick. It had to go smoothly.
    I reached for the next handhold, and as my fingers scraped along the rough brick wall, I was thankful for the calluses that had built up on my fingertips. Sixty feet below, my team watched my progress from the ground, waiting for me to gain access from the roof and open the door from the inside, bypassing the security system. A parkade like this had no internal alarms, relying entirely on its imposing height and a token number of cameras at the entrance.
    The