Chapter 2

When she and Nicky had come to New Orleans three years ago, Raven had learned everything she could about the city and who actually ran it. After what happened with Carlos, trapping her into a life of thievery, she had learned to be very careful. She’d gotten a job at the hotel/restaurant in housekeeping and worked her way up to being a hostess in the restaurant.

To most women, it would have seemed like an ordinary job with little advantage but to Raven it was a top notch job, a place of responsible position. After what she’d done in the past, she felt good for the first time in a long time. Her and Nicky had been trapped into that existence. They had been forced to steal. So Nicky hadn’t known any other kind of living really. She had been so glad to escape that world and now she could feel some pride when she got paid for a legitimate job. She also hoped that Nicky would see that this was the best way to live. To have some honor and live honestly.

After taking her tenspeed across town, she made her way to the backside of the hotel/restaurant. Parking it in her usual spot, she pulled her hoodie up to cover as much of her face and hair as possible. Pulling on her gloves, she opened her pack and brought out her small crossbow. A slight, specially made handheld unit with special bolts and they were nothing more than grappling hooks. Loading it up so that it would feed a rope to the top of the building, she released it and watched as the bolt bit into the roof. Flexing the rope, she felt it tighten.

Gathering her equipment and slinging her pack over her shoulder, she slowly moved up the outside wall. She scrambled up the wall quickly, pausing only briefly when she got up to the penthouse windows. Peeking inside, she noted no one was home. The entire penthouse looked quiet and dark.

When she got to the roof, she wrapped the rope around her arms and left it in a neat pile for her return. Stepping over to the door leading inside, she pulled her lock picks out of her bag and knelt to work the lock. When the tumblers fell into place, the door popped free and she made her way inside.

Her feet didn’t make any sound as she made her way down to the penthouse floor. Peeking through the window, she didn’t see anyone in the hall. Careful of the cameras, she opened the door and slipped into the hallway. Here she had to move carefully as the monitors were motion censored. The lighting was low and she didn’t want to trip the brighter lights.

When she got to the door of Yuri’s penthouse, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Carefully sliding into a crouch with her picks in her hands, she worked the locks on the door and soon, she slid inside of the apartment. She could have used the key card in Yuri’s wallet to gain access but she didn’t want any proof to be gained of her visit and she knew each time Yuri used the card, it left an electronic record.

Pausing, she closed her eyes as she adjusted to her environment. One of the lessons she’d learned from her time with Carlos was to sense danger and to feel what couldn’t be seen. To use her instincts and be vigilant in not getting caught. Back then, had she gotten busted, Nicky would have  been left alone to survive and that she could not allow. This trait had saved her neck more than once. It had warned her in time for her to hide when someone came upon her.

Now, as she stood here and let her senses take over, she found herself alone. When she opened her eyes, she moved through the rooms carefully and slowly. The whole apartment looked pristine, Yuri liked his order. Raven smiled as she ran her fingers along the table top. Glancing at her gloved hand, she noted not one speck of dust marred the soft leather material.

The man was sexy, scary and neat as a freaking pin. Too bad, he was also her boss and dangerous as all hell.