Between Us

Chapter 1 : Sins of the Night

I was just slipping out of the jewelry store, adrenaline coursing through my veins like a drug high. Another successful heist under my belt. The thrill of the steal never got old, especially when you were as good at it as I was. Engfa Waraha, that's me, a master of the art of thievery. Some people call it a crime, I call it survival.

The night air was cool against my skin as I made my way down the dimly lit alley. My heart was still racing from the rush of the theft, but there was no time to bask in the glory of my accomplishment. I had bills to pay, mouths to feed back home.

As I turned the corner, I nearly collided with a figure looming in the shadows. My instincts kicked in, ready to fight or flee, but then I recognized the silhouette. It was Jax, one of my fellow hustlers.

"Whoa there, Engfa, you nearly gave me a heart attack," Jax chuckled, his voice low and gravelly.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Sorry, Jax, didn't see you there. What brings you out this late?"

Jax smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Same thing that brings you out, I reckon. Looking for a little action, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes. Jax always had a way of making everything sound like a grand adventure. "Something like that. Got any leads?"

He nodded, motioning for me to follow him deeper into the alley. "There's a fancy shindig happening uptown tonight. Heard there were all kinds of rich people there, so I figured it might be worth checking out."

A grin spread across my face. "Sounds like my kind of party. Lead the way, Jax."

As we approached the venue, the scene was straight out of a Hollywood movie. Luxe cars lined the street, their polished exteriors gleaming under the soft glow of streetlights. Valets scurried about, their crisp uniforms a stark contrast to the gritty alley we had just come from.

"Damn, would you look at all this," Jax muttered, his eyes scanning the opulent display before us. "Remind me again why we weren't born into this kinda life?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Because then we wouldn't know the thrill of living on the edge, Jax. Now, how do we get in without tripping every security measure in the book?"

Jax rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Well, there's always the front door, but that's a one-way ticket to getting caught. We need something a bit more... creative."

I grinned, already formulating a plan in my mind. "Follow my lead."

We circled around the perimeter, searching for any weak spots in the fortress-like security. And then, like a stroke of luck, we found it-a maintenance entrance left unguarded.

"Score," Jax whispered, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

With practiced ease, we slipped through the door and into the belly of the beast. The interior was just as lavish as the exterior, all marble floors and crystal chandeliers. It was a far cry from the dingy alleys we called home.

"Alright, let's get down to business," I said, scanning the room for our target.

Jax nodded, his gaze sweeping over the glittering crowd. "We're looking for the big fish, right? The ones dripping in diamonds and gold?"

I nodded, my eyes locking onto a group of socialites clustered near the bar. "Bingo. Let's see what they've got."

We moved through the crowd like shadows, sticking to the shadows and avoiding the gaze of the security guards. Every now and then, we'd catch sight of a sparkling necklace or a shimmering bracelet, but nothing that caught our eye.