"Saff, this is my partner, Adam. Adam this is Seraphina." I take the hand Adam is holding out for me before Cooper goes on. "And very much taken."
"Uh, yeah. I kind of got that seeing as I walked up with your head buried in...."
Cooper actually growls at him as my face bursts into heat. I'm sure my face is red like I swallowed the sun.
"What's the game plan here?" Adam is tall, coming in just a hair under Cooper and dark where Cooper is light. Well, lighter. Cooper carries this dark vibe about him that says he’s not afraid to fuck someone up. It's sexy as hell and apparently something I can't resist. Adam's hot but Cooper is...another level of heat that for me makes there no competition between the two men. If I saw these men across the room at the same time my eyes would still be drawn to Cooper. Every time.
"You do have a plan, right?"
"I have objectives," Cooper says like he might have had this conversation with Adam before. I think Adam's the planner of the two while Cooper goes with his gut on most things. Which explains why he grabbed me on the floor and kissed me so spontaneously. "Get the people out safely, arrest the bad guys, and keep anyone from getting shot."
"That...is not...," Adam face palms and pinches the bridge of his nose. "We need a diversion, something that will make them look one way while we take the hostages out the other." He looks over at me. "How do you feel about public nudity?"
My eyes widen and my mouth drops open.
"She's not showing anyone her tits, Adam. You bastard! Do you really want me to open fire on everyone who sees her? I understand they're bad guys but damn, that's a little dark, don't you think?"
I relax more when I realize it's just the way these two men interact and Adam’s not really thinking of me as a distraction with tits. Then a thought floats through my mind.
"No, wait!" Both men turn to me. "That's not a bad idea."
I'm met with an 'oh hell no' look from Cooper and a raised eyebrow from Adam.
"Not the boobs thing but a visual distraction. One that gives you two enough time to start getting people out."
"Oh hell no! There is no way I'm letting you anywhere near those guys."
"You don't have to." I have both their attention now. "These old houses, they all have servant’s hallways and hidden doors for the staff to come and go without being seen. You don't have to find a way out. You just have to find a way to take them somewhere safe while the rest of your friends come in and arrest the robbers."
"Take them through the servant's passage and out that way." I give Adam a smile and nod.
"That still doesn't answer the question about what kind of distraction we're going to come up with AND keep you safe." Cooper takes the conversation back to the original problem.
"Magic," I explain my plan and Adam makes sure the guys on the outside are onboard since everything has to be synchronized. Just before I take my place, I take a deep breath and try to talk myself out of doing something so stupid.
I'm not...this person. I'm not an actress or someone who can pull intricate shit like this off. But I'm the only one here so...I kind of have to just suck it up. I take another deep breath and step into the light. When I hear gasps I know it's working. One woman screams and everyone in the room starts pointing.
I'm not in the room. My image is being projected on one of the mirrors using smoke and lighting. When the robbers turn to see what everyone is getting so excited about I start.
"You've come for my heart!" I say it loud enough to make it boom throughout the house and scare the four men with guns.
"What the hell?!"
"But you can't have my heart!" Fog starts rolling through the room courtesy of the two smoke machines we have going at either entrance. "The only man who will ever have my heart is the one I give it to!"
My eyes meet Cooper's for the briefest of moments before I turn my attention back to our act. He's working with Adam to make sure everyone can make it to the back wall where the servants' passageway is. He looks up at me and gives me a crooked smile before he winks at me.
"You can't find my heart. You won’t ever find my heart! No matter how long you look for it!"
"Fuck this!" One of them shoots at the spot my image is projected but I just turn the mirror I'm standing in front of a little so my image appears right beside where they shot.
"I told you guys! I told you we shouldn't be fucking around with this shit! It's true! The murdered wife came back to keep her necklace safe!"
"Shut up, you idiot!"
The one who spoke last starts to turn towards the back.
"Stop!" I panic a little. There are still people Cooper hasn't been able to get out. Just then, a noise off to the side makes not only the men look over but me as well, like I'm really in the room. A wail goes up that sends shivers down my spine. I didn't do that one. Before I can figure out what’s really going on though the doors are flung open and police flood in. So many of them come pouring in that all four of the guys put their guns down immediately and hold up their hands.