The Heart Heist Read Online Free Page B

chance, a slim one, that Kerrin wouldn't even have to work to convince him, that he'd decided on his own not to cooperate. She took a deep breath. "Are you taking it?"
    For one unbearably long moment he simply looked at her. His dark eyes were completely unreadable as they focused on her face. "Yes," he said at last. "I'm taking it."
    Marty stirred in his seat and Gary spared him a brief, quelling regard.
    Kerrin barely noticed this little exchange as the floor seemed to drop out from under her. She hadn't realized how much she'd been counting on his refusal, ridiculous as that hope had been. Oh, good Lord, what am I supposed to do now ? She felt herself sway.
    "Sit down."
    Kerrin blinked at the softly given command. Gary Sullivan was watching her with a frown. "Sit down. Marty won't be any good if you faint on him."
    "Oh, dear me, do sit down," Marty put in, half rising from his chair. "Do you need something to drink? Are you all right?"
    "I'm all right," Kerrin claimed. She moved forward to take one of the metal chairs, blinking at the tone she'd just heard in the convict's voice. Had that been concern ?
    "Frankly, I don't see why it's such a big surprise to you," Gary said. Whatever caring emotion Kerrin might have heard in his voice was gone. Carefully gone, as though he hadn't meant her to hear it in the first place. "Didn't they tell you the deal?" Glancing away, he knocked some ash to the floor.
    "Deal?" Kerrin repeated stupidly. "What deal?"
    His eyes shot to hers. "Ten years."
    "I'm sorry. Ten -- ?"
    "Ten years off my sentence."
    Kerrin had to lick lips that had suddenly gone dry. "Ahem. Ten years off of what , Mr. Sullivan?"
    He raised his brows. "Life."
    She stared at him. Life ? This man had committed a deed worthy of life in prison?!
    "That means twenty-five years," Marty put in. He threw a scowl Gary's way. "On his third felony conviction the judge didn't have a choice."
    "Yeah," Gary drawled. "It's called 'three strikes you're out.' Cute, huh?"
    There was no real answer to that.
    "So, I'm 'out,'" he went on, leaning back. "I'm staring another twenty years in the face here. 'Cuz Marty won't put in a good word for me with the parole board a minute before then." He tilted his head toward his parole officer. "Would you, Marty?"
    "Well, I -- " Marty's face went red. "No."
    "So you see how this job makes sense to me. A lot of sense." His eyes were dark on hers. "Wouldn't it make sense to you?"
    Ten years. Kerrin had no idea what ten years would be like in a place like this. Even ten minutes seemed like forever. She knew this man was an incorrigible thief. She knew the warden thought he had remarkably low potential for rehabilitation. But in that moment of holding his eyes she also knew that even to a man like this, twenty years in prison seemed a harsh and unusual punishment.
    "I think you understand," he softly stated.
    Kerrin didn't say a word.
    "Now, I've answered your question," Gary went on. "It's only fair you answer one of mine."
    Kerrin blinked in surprise. "You have a question for me?"
    He leaned his elbows on the chair back, his bound wrists over his chest. The ghost of a smile hovered over his lips. "Sure."
    "All right." Kerrin had to clear her throat. "I suppose that's fair."
    "I should warn you." The smile became less of an illusion. "This isn't a question most women want to answer."
    Dismay curled within her. There were an awful lot of questions that, as a woman, she wouldn't care to answer. But she'd promised, and she wasn't going to show him weakness -- or at least, not much of it. "Go on."
    "Fine. I'll ask." The smile completely faded. His gaze narrowed. "Ms. Horton. Lady Mayor. How the hell old are you?"
    Kerrin stared at him, utterly confused, both by the question and by the belligerent tone in which it was uttered. "I'm twenty-seven."
    He stared right back at her, apparently shocked, himself. Kerrin knew her answer would have been more believable had she knocked six or eight years off the