The Lost Girls || Bbangsaz

XXI

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Frankie had told Gwen that he planned to break into the bank and pick the lock on Dani's box at two in the morning, so we'd planned to meet at the bank at one. Just in case Gwen got any ideas about tagging along. There was always the chance Frankie could've been playing us, setting us up to walk into a trap, but we didn't have much of a choice with the box scheduled to be drilled. Made all the more urgent now that Elton knew I had my heirloom.

We decided Hyein would stay out front and alert us if Gwen showed up. Dani, Haerin, and I would accompany Frankie into the vault, since we'd likely need all three of us to take him down if he turned on us. Hurt flashed in his eyes when we stated as much, but he had to understand why we'd be nervous after the graveyard.

We'd be in and out in minutes. So we hoped.

With only a half hour left before our meet up
with Frankie, we left Hyein house. We moved like shadows in the street. Passing cars and families with open windows were oblivious to us as we avoided streetlamps and wound our way through yards and alleys on the way to the bank. We were invisible in the night. Lucky for us, Hyein had a ton of black clothes on hand.

Dani hooked her arm through mine, separating us from Hyein and Haerin as we continued walking a bit farther back. "You haven't said much about when you went to the apartment."

"It was fine." I had to tell them about running into Elton because they needed to know he'd seen my locket. We all had to be on our guard now. I didn't tell them he'd only seen my locket because I'd been toying with him. Then I would've had to explain why I'd wanted to stall him, and I really wasn't prepared to talk about Hanni.

"Aside from running into Elton."

"You were gone a long time."

"Mmm-hmm." I didn't tell them about going to see my mom, either. I wasn't sure how I felt about that yet, and I didn't want to have to explain what I couldn't even explain to myself.

"What's going on with you and Hanni?" Dani lowered her voice and kept us even farther back from the group. "You don't have to give me details, I just want to make sure you're being careful. Getting mixed up with her right now is trouble we don't need. I'm not against it after we finish this, but we can't risk Elton finding out before then."

"I know the risks." I swallowed the guilt of Elton wrapping his hand around my locket, so close to ripping it from my neck, and put up my walls. "I'm being careful."

I couldn't help my defensive tone when Dani acted like I couldn't separate my feelings from reality. Hanni was mortal. I was not. We wouldn't be going anywhere. I fully understood that. Having Dani poke at me like I was unaware of the stakes only increased my agitation. I should've made Hanni leave the apartment sooner, and we definitely should've kept our clothes on, but I couldn't bring myself to regret it.

"I just wanted to make sure." Her expression went soft and hazy. "I meant what I said before, about not being mad if you turned her once Elton is gone. When this is all over, you can keep her if you want."

"She's not an animal that followed me home," I bit out. "Leave it alone."

"Message received. I won't keep pushing it." She gave me a knowing smile, like she'd been baiting me on purpose. Bad timing for it, all around.