The tension in the mansion shifted the moment Thalia walked into the lounge, her authoritative presence commanding everybody's attention. Dean leaned against the wall and observed as she swept the room with those piercing blue eyes. That teasing grin in the morning was nowhere to be found—this was business."Everyone, assemble! " Her tone cut through the silly chatter like a knife.The crew quickly assembled, the atmosphere serious. Garrett stood there, arms folded, as some others lit cigarettes, leaning forward with curiosity.
Dean maintained his stoic face, though his heart was pounding.
Thalia moved forward, chain necklace against the collarbone of her leather jacket, white singlet clinging to her body—effortlessly threatening. "We have a job. An important one."Whispers went around, but she shut them up with a look.
"We're hitting the central bank," she announced, her tone stern but laced with excitement. "Tight security. Heavy risk. High reward. We need precision—no errors."
Dean's jaw tightened. A bank robbery. This was dicey business—both for the mission and his cover.
"We'll rehearse it tonight," Thalia continued. "Everyone has to be on their toes. No weak links."
Her eyes landed on Dean, just a fraction of a second longer than the rest. Probing him.
Dean nodded, going along.
But he knew—this was it. The stakes were higher than ever. And being close to Thalia was no longer part of his cover. It was his only hope for survival.