Hiding Sparrows

8. Take a picture

I spent probably way too long the next morning getting ready. I teased my hair, did my makeup, picked out a nice outfit. Some part of me felt ridiculous for putting in so much effort, but another part of me couldn't help but want to look good for Ty. When I thought about him my heartbeat quickened.

I chalked it up to fear.

He knocked on the door at almost exactly nine, and, having not wanted to be caught off guard again, I was ready to go. When I opened the door, my breath caught in my throat.

Where I had put a weird amount of effort into my appearance that morning, it seemed that Ty hadn't put any in at all. Yet he somehow managed to look hotter than he did before. Which is to say he practically looked like a Greek god.

"Why don't you take a picture?" He said humorously. "It'll last longer."

I quickly looked away, embarrassed that I had been staring. He chuckled, squeezed my arm lightly.

"Hey, I'm only messing with you, little bird. Don't take it to heart. Now come on, Azael is waiting."

I nodded quickly and ducked out of the apartment, making sure to lock the door behind me. Then, I followed Ty down the stairs. He led me across to a black sedan parked on the street, and I paused.

"Wait, I've seen this car before..."

Then I looked across at him, confused. "You were there, the day I stole the jewellery."

He nodded, smirking. "Yeah. I was."

"Why didn't you stop me?" I asked, frowning.

He shrugged. "Like I told you already, little bird. I was curious."

I scowled, turning away. "I can't believe you wasted two hundred thousand dollars on a fucking crush."

Ty chuckled. "Ay, no one said anything about a crush. I'm not some kinda lovesick schoolboy, little bird. You just intrigued me."

I shook my head, trying not to smirk. "Yeah yeah, whatever you say."

He rolled his eyes. "Just get in the car, Robin."

I smirked at him properly for a moment before climbing in.

"For the record," Ty said, pausing at my door before he shut it, "I didn't lose two hundred thousand. I only bought the jewellery back for about twenty thousand more than you sold it."

Then, he shut the door, leaving me reeling. When he got in on the other side of the car, I snapped.

"I'm sorry, you what?" I asked, my voice rising.

"What can I say?" Ty asked, "I like to support small businesses. Besides, I wasn't exactly going to clue in the swindled shop owner into how much they were actually worth. So I offered him more than he bought them for and we called it a day."

I shook my head. "Should I even be surprised at this point? For all I know you're practically made of money."

He chuckled. "Nah, I'm not made of it. Gotta work for it just like you. The only difference is, I don't touch other people's soggy vegetables to get it."

"So what do you do then?" I asked, glancing across at him. "Accounting? Business?"

"You reckon I'm an accountant?" He asked.