Chapter Three

Faith

I sucked his cock. I did it. I pulled that man’s dick straight from his pants and put it in my mouth.

I’m losing my mind. Who does stuff like that? Not real people. People on TV do stuff like that. It’s where I got the idea, actually. Television writers should be careful. They give people steps on how to commit crimes all the time. I watched an entire season of this bank heist show before I started robbing. They had a lot of good ideas.

That said, none of them discussed the downfall of being real life turned on by the man you’re trying to seduce into letting you go. My panties are soaked and I’m desperate for more of him.

“You have five minutes,” he groans, readjusting in the chair. He seemed turned on. I wonder if he wants more too.

“I told you. My name is Faith Olivia Landry. I was born in the outskirts of New Orleans, and I lived there until six months ago. I moved to Montana because there’s so much space and I wanted to rob a bank that was in the middle of nowhere. When I got the money, I started laundering it through my Airbnb in Utah.”

“What?”

“It’s the easiest way. There’s not actually an Airbnb, but I list it like one. Then I hired a guy who steals credit cards to book fake nights under various different names. I give him a portion of the money, I keep the rest, and I report it as income as Tilly Scott from Lancaster, PA.”

“Who lives in Lancaster?”

I shrug. “Not sure. The guy that gave me the social security number is pretty professional. I won’t know until tax time if he is any good, but by then what I needed the money for should be handled.”

“What do you need the money for?” His tone is gruff. I can’t tell if he’s empathizing with me or recording everything I’m saying. Either way, I’m probably not getting away.

I look away and back again. “Can I show you something?”

He nods.

I pull out a cell phone. It’s a burner I grabbed out at the Springs. The only person that knows my number is my mom. I pull up a picture of her with my nephew. Tubes string out of his nose and monitors hook to his chest. He’s seven. “This is Danny. He’s my sister’s son.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He was born with a congenital heart defect. This was his last chance.”

“Last chance for what?” he groans.

“A new heart.” I take my phone back. “Do you know how much new hearts cost? Assume we don’t have insurance helping us because we don’t. Between my mom and I, we have next to nothing.”

The giant shrugs. “If you’re about to tell me some sob story about a kid needing a heart transplant, you should assume I’m going to fact check you.”

“I can take you there right now. His surgery cost nearly a million dollars. Doctors wouldn’t even look at us without a down payment. I flew him and my mom out to California a few months ago and now he’s got a heart.” I laugh. “Funny what money can do. That transplant list was two years long. I gave the guy an extra hundred thousand and suddenly… heart.”

“What hospital?” The man clearly doesn’t believe me.

“St. Michael’s Hospital in Sacramento. Second Floor, room two twenty-eight. He’s got brown hair, green eyes, and he loves baseball.” I bite back a tear. “All he likes to eat is chicken nuggets and strawberries. His favorite color is blue and the thing he loves most is drawing pictures. Pictures of me, his grandma, and his dead mom.” Tears fall heavy and my voice raises as I say, “So, if you want to sit there and act like you wouldn’t do the same damn thing, you can, but we both know it’s a lie.”

Outlaw crosses his arm and stares at me. I can’t read him. I doubt anyone can.

“I promised him that when all this was over, we’d go wherever he wanted to.”

“Where’s he want to go?” His tone is so flat and emotionless. This isn’t about getting to know me. This is about gathering information.

Of course it is.

I glance up and laugh under my breath. “I figured he’d pick Disney. All kids like Disney, but he chose Yellowstone. He said he wanted to see the buffalos and watch the water spray.” I wipe away a quick succession of tears that roll off my face. “I have to take him to see the water spray. So… if you need to turn me in, I get it. I did something wrong. I took that money. But I’m begging you, please, let me finish this first. You can do whatever you want to me afterward.”

He drags in a deep breath, lets it out slowly, and the silence goes on forever. I don’t expect him to have mercy for me. Why would he? We don’t know each other. I’m a paycheck to him.

“How long do you need?” he groans.

Wait… is he actually having empathy for me?

My heart squeezes. “Hard to say. The transplant just went through so we have to see if his body accepts it before he can travel.”

He pulls out his phone and scrolls through, typing something in before glancing again. “The internet says eight weeks.”

“Okay…”

“So, if I give you eight weeks, you can take this kid to the Grand Canyon—”

“Yellowstone.”

“Whatever… then I can bring you in.”

Dear God, is he actually going to let me go? My heart slams against my chest and my throat goes dry.

He growls under his breath. “I can’t believe I’m fucking doing this.” His large body lifts from the couch and he pushes it away from the door. His tone is deep and commanding as he says, “You’ll live with me. You don’t leave unless I tell you to leave. You don’t eat unless I tell you to eat. You don’t sleep unless I tell you to sleep. And if you even think about disobeying even once… this is over.” He rolls his eyes. “And if I call St. Michael’s and find out this is all bullshit, I’ll tie you up and spank your ass all the way to the police station. Do you understand me?”

Tying me up and spanking my ass doesn’t sound all that bad. In fact, my clit is rumbling at the thought of his big hands all over me, but that’s not what we’re doing here.

“What about work?” I ask.

“I drive you there, I pick you up, and you’ll wear a tracker at all times. You tell anyone about this…”

“Why would I tell anyone? I’m the criminal.”

“Tell anyone and this will end ugly.” His tone darkens as he says, “I won’t have any mercy for you.”

I nod and walk toward him, reaching my arms up for a hug.

He stares at me, solid and stoic. “What are you doing?”

“I’m thanking you. You don’t have to do this.”

He grumbles under his breath. “It’s for the kid. You’re a criminal.”

“Okay, well… what can I do for you in the meantime? I have to repay you somehow.” I wonder if I should go back into seductress mode. That had to have had some effect on him, and I wouldn’t mind finishing him off.

“You don’t owe me anything. Your bounty will be enough for the trouble.”

Oh right, I’m still a paycheck.

I don’t know why, but I grin. “How much am I worth?”

“A hundred grand. It’s the biggest I’ve seen in a while. You crossed state lines, so you really shot yourself in the foot.”

“I hadn’t thought about state lines or federal implications. I was only thinking about Danny.”

“What do we tell people around town? I mean, you noticed me. Won’t they?”

“Doubt it. You’re my case. I’ve studied you most. As far as anyone knows, you’re my girlfriend.” He sighs. “You hold my hand, and you go with the flow. I don’t have many visitors so I’m not expecting much hoopla. That, or you can be my prisoner. I keep you locked in the basement and let you out when it’s time to satisfy me.”

He doesn’t laugh, but I think he’s joking. My clit throbs either way.

Why would being held prisoner make me horny? Maybe it’s not the prisoner part. Maybe it’s the part where this big, rough, rugged dude ties me up and does dirty things to me.

My panties soak instantly. Yup, that’s it. Clearly, this is the fantasy I didn’t know I was looking for.

Too bad I had to rob a bank to realize it.

I glare up at Outlaw, feeling playfully devious given the freedom high I’m on. “That was like my first blow job. So, how was it?”

He rolls his eyes and opens the door to the bar, bringing with it a rush of cool air. Summer in the mountains is the perfect temperature. Low seventies with a light breeze. “Move.”

I don’t have much at my new place, but still, I wonder if I should ask to stop and grab some things. As we move out of the bar, I decide against it. I’ve already asked for enough tonight. If I can get through the next few months without an issue, it’ll be a miracle.

We walk down the street, brushing against each other side by side against the backdrop of the small town. Since I left home, I hadn’t stopped to think how unsafe I felt. I was too busy running. But right here, next to this giant, I feel… warm. Warm and safe. Next to him, no one and nothing could hurt me. I guess my brain glazes over the fact that he himself could turn me in, but even in that, there’s comfort. He knows me… all of me… and he still chose to help.

We round the corner to the back parking lot and head toward a Harley parked on the far right.

I forgot about the bike.

My heart picks up. I’ve never ridden before. And while I realize robbing banks should be scarier than getting on a motorcycle, I’m frozen in fear.

“Climb on behind and hold on. You’ll be fine. We aren’t going far.” His tone is low and demanding, but for some reason, it further adds to my comfort. All decisions have been stripped from my brain. Whatever he tells me to do, I’ll do… blindly. And for some reason, I kind of believe he has my best interest at heart.

Maybe I’m terribly na?ve. He did mention how much my payout was… like forty times.

He climbs onto the bike, and I follow behind, clinging to his back, dragging in the scent of leather and exhaust. I can’t remember the last time I had a hug. This feels good. Really, really good. The bike rumbles between my legs and vibrates against my already soaked pussy. And though I have no right to enjoy this ride, I have a feeling I just might.