Trouble

By Shaw Hart

Charlee Lighton is trapped. 

She's been a thief for as long as she can remember, but she has a plan for going straight, she just needs one more job to put her over, and then she's done. 

She just needs to find the right mark...

Grayson Thorne is hooked. 

His life has become monotonous and he's looking to spice things up, to break out of the rut that he's in. His mother keeps reminding him that there's more to life than work but he can't figure out what his life is missing. 

Then a routine check at one of his sites leads him to Charlee and he knows right away that she's exactly what he's looking for.

When she steals his heart, and his wallet, and disappears into the night, he promises that he'll find her again. 

And this time, he's never going to let her go.

Most people would say Charlee is trouble. Grayson says that she's his. 

 

*Warning! This book alpha is over-the-top, head over heels in love with his girl. If you're looking for a steamy insta-love story, then this book is for you!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shaw Hart
• Release date: May 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223409816

Book preview

ONE

Charlee

I crouch behind the cracked door, the only light in the room coming from the moonlight pouring in through the window. I remain perfectly still, silent in my hiding spot as I wait for the right time. My shoulders are starting to get cramped and I can feel the pins and needles starting in my toes but I remain motionless. It’s almost time.

This is my favorite part of a heist. The quiet moments right before you strike. Your body readies itself, the adrenaline flooding your system as your muscles tense, getting ready. You become focused on the task in front of you, your heart beating faster in your chest. Dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum.

I shift as I see the shadow pass by the door. I rise from my crouch, silently moving out from behind the door. I lean against the other wall, peeking out through the crack to make sure that the coast is clear before I slowly swing the door open wider. I take precise steps, staying on the balls of my feet and walking on the Persian rug to help muffle my footsteps. I make my way down the hallway to the room at the end, slipping inside before I can be seen.

I work quickly now. I’m in the master bedroom of some rich guy’s house and I head over to the walk-in closet, pulling out my bag as I go. I walk into the closet and past the rows of clothes and the shelves of shoes to the jewelry section. I hurriedly pull out drawer after drawer, dumping the contents into my bag. In falls diamond necklaces and ruby earrings. There’s emeralds and sapphires and oh, look more diamonds.

I empty all of the drawers, double-checking that I didn’t miss anything before I creep back towards the bedroom door. I press my ear to the door and curse quietly under my breath when I hear someone coming. I guess that means I’m going with my second exit plan.

I spin on my heel, heading across the room to the double doors. They lead out to a balcony where I’ll be able to climb down from the side of the house. This is my backup plan because of a reason though and as I close the balcony doors, I look down to see that it’s farther down than I thought. It was hard to do surveillance on this house since it butts up to another property. Too many eyes to be sneaking around or taking pictures.

This is going to suck.

I swing my legs over the side of the railing, stepping down onto the ledge. I take a deep breath before I push off, immediately rolling my body to try to ease my fall. I grunt as I finally stop rolling and I push myself up quickly before sprinting around the backyard. I keep out of the surveillance camera’s view and pick my way around to the front where the dark van is waiting. I shove my hands into my pockets, trying to blend in as I make my way over to the van.

I blend in easily. I have mousy brown hair, currently braided and hanging halfway down my back. My plain brown hair and average height only help me to become invisible.

My looks would probably be upsetting to most girls but I love it. I’ve never wanted attention and ever since I became a thief, it’s only helped me further. People don’t remember the plain girl standing in the corner.

I open the back door of the van, climbing inside and tossing the bag to Rolo. Bolt is behind the wheel and he hoots when Rolo opens the bag and he sees everything inside. He slaps the steering wheel before he cranks the engine and pulls away from the curb.

Good work, Charlee. Tommy says from the passenger seat as we make our way back to the shop.

The other guy's nod and Rolo leans over, slapping my shoulder. Yeah, Charlee. Pops will be happy, he says with a grin.

I give him a forced smile in return before I settle into the back of the van. I’ve been a thief for as long as I can remember. Growing up on the streets with my mom didn’t leave me many options and I learned early on that I was good at sneaking in and out of places. We rarely had a place to call home, living with boyfriends or more likely, my mother’s pimps, or in cheap motels.

My mother was never much of a parent. She was more focused on getting her next fix to worry about looking after a kid. She overdosed when I was twelve and I’ve been in and out of foster homes ever since. I’ve never met a foster family or group home that I liked though so I ended up spending most of my time on the streets.

I used to do