Steal My Heart (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 20

Dolls had tracked down a painting he wanted to a house on the outskirts of New York. Sure, NYPD could raid the property. Recover the painting. Dolls had something else in mind. This was a test to see what Nicole would do for him.

The owners were away. An easy theft for someone with experience. Hardly taxing for Nicole. Dolls had chosen this one to see Nicole in action.

Was she as good as he thought she was?

He hoped she would be. He had more elaborate projects in mind if this one was successful. He recognised they would need to build a strong working relationship if he was to trust her with those.

Waverly answered the hotel phone. Officers would arrive in one hour to escort her to the airport. Waverly began to panic. She knew she had to go with them, but she would be leaving Nicole to her fate. As Dolls explained to her, because she had been arrested, she would be deported. Re-entry to the US would not be for five years. How could she leave Nicole?

One officer took her suitcase, the other leading her out of the hotel to a waiting squad car. The drive to the airport was the most miserable she had ever experienced. She couldn't believe in the short time she had come to know Nicole she was leaving her behind. Possibly, never to see her again.

She was heartbroken.

The flight home was equally miserable. A woman sitting next to her gave her a packet of tissues, seeing the tears in her eyes. She imagined so many things with Nicole. She had been prepared to take on anything with her. Not this. She wasn't prepared to take this on. To leave her lover. It didn't matter she was free. She wasn't. Her heart wasn't. It belonged to Nicole.

She had stolen it.

Wynonna was at the airport to meet her. There were tears of joy in her eyes seeing her baby sister walk out of the security room. They turned to sadness seeing Waverly break down.

"I've lost her Wynonna."

"Hey, baby girl. It's OK. We'll figure this out. Together."

Waverly loved her sister. She never wanted to hurt her again the way she had in disappearing without a word. She was right. Together they would figure out what to do next.

Nicole handed the painting to Dolls. He was impressed. He had been after this painting for some time. Here it was in his hands. Nicole was good. No, she was very good.

"Dolls, I need to see Waverly. It was part of the deal."

Dolls was silent.

"She's in England."

Nicole had been betrayed. She trusted Dolls to keep his word. He lied to her. She kept her side of the deal. Who can you trust?" She sat silently contemplating her future in the US without ever seeing Waverly again. She couldn't stop the tears.

She was heartbroken.

"Nicole, hey. It's OK. I'm taking you back with me. To London. You'll get a chance to see Waverly very soon."

Without thinking, she hugged Dolls. He felt slightly embarrassed at their interaction, but let her hold him. He wasn't cruel.

He had one more job for her in Washington. He promised they would return to England on completion. He would arrange for Waverly to visit as soon as Nicole was settled.

She asked Dolls to make up a small business card for her. He looked confused, but obliged. Whatever turned her on he was game.

Doc was now under the protection of MI5. He knew they would keep him away from the Russians. They informed him Nicole and Waverly had been picked up at JFK Airport on arrival. Waverly's sister had alerted police to her disappearance. Waverly's passport details were flagged at Marco Polo Airport. Once they knew she was flying to New York it was simply a matter of arresting them once through passport control.

Nicole knew she was going to see Waverly soon. She was overjoyed. Best gift ever. That may have been the reason she failed to spot the trigger alarm in the basement where the artefact was kept. A simple oversight. Her mind on other things. On another person.

She made her way out, leaving her calling card: Object Removed for Cleaning. A token gesture. Her joke to say she had been there. The house was quiet as she slipped out the window.

Two guards were waiting for her.

She was trapped. There was no escape. They each had an arm, dragging her back towards the house. She heard the pop. One guard released his grip, crying out as the bullet pierced his arm. The other, realising his colleague had been shot spun round, still holding Nicole. Another pop. His shoulder. Unable to hold Nicole and his shoulder, he let her go.

She ran. Heading for the tall gates she climbed to get into the property. She was almost at the top. She felt someone holding her ankle. She looked down. Dolls was giving her a final push up. He scrambled over the gate after her, grabbing her hand, running towards the car.

He was laughing and whooping as they made their getaway. "God, I love America."

Nicole laughed, adrenaline kicking in. She was beginning to like Dolls, although slightly concerned at his obvious enjoyment at what had just happened.

She was going to see Waverly.