Free Criminal Instinct by Kelly Lynn Parra

accompanying him. She ran a hand down the smooth line of her hip. She had to admit, after the way he’d taken control at the pier today with his demands, it would be very rewarding to have the upper hand on him this evening.
    “So what’s the game plan?” Digit asked.
    Ana smothered her anticipation. Was she enjoying the idea of this mission too much? “There are three floors. I say we work from the top down. From the looks of it, the joint’s clean. High-class. If there’s anything being passed, it’s through the crowd. Check out this bathroom—it could double for a lounge. You could fit three of my apartments in here.”
    Maroon carpet covered the floor, and the walls were painted ivory, with strategically placed art. Barriers of frosted glass separated the stalls from the rest of the room, and silver-plated sinks lined the opposite wall. A floral scent lingered in the air. Then again, maybe it was a lounge, with women sitting on sofas and whispering in corners.
    Digit ran a hair pick through her waist-length auburn waves. “Looks can be deceiving,” she murmured.
    Something odd flickered in Digit’s eyes. Ana didn’t feel comfortable asking her what she meant, but in a way she agreed with her. She’d always been judged by the ethnicity of her features. By the color of her skin, the tilt at her eyes. Reactions from others had been anywhere from negative put-downs to someone merely speaking to her in Spanish, assuming she knew the language. What everyone didn’t understand was that even though Ana was half Mexican, she hardly knew anything about her own culture. That likely wasn’t what Digit meant by her comment, though.
    Digit walked around with an Einstein brain and the kind of curves in all the right places that left men tripping over their hanging tongues. She’d been arrested for hacking into bank accounts and electronically withdrawing funds, accumulating close to quarter of a million. To say they didn’t have a lot in common would be an understatement. Truthfully, Digit’s usual flawless perfection in her appearance and life was almost intimidating to Ana. Another glaring reminder they came from different upbringings. Ana from the streets, Digit from a typical suburban family. Ana didn’t feel comfortable calling her a friend, but Digit had been nice to her in the months they’d known each other, and she was as close to a friend as Ana had.
    Giving a small smile, Ana combed her gaze down her teammate’s laser blue dress, which fit her hourglass figure like a glove. “Looks aren’t deceiving from where I’m standing.”
    Digit’s lips curved. “Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
    Ana leaned against the smooth marble counter, rubbing her fingers over the swirling dark lines. “You know, you’re more of Saven’s type. He’s been known to escort beautiful women. Maybe you should try to get close to him.”
    “Come on, he’s interested in you.”
    Ana shook her head. “There’s another reason he asked me here. I just haven’t figured it out yet.”
    “Swi—Ana,” Digit corrected, when a lady walked up beside them to fluff her hair in the mirror. “You have great eyes, fantastic hair and a pretty face. Why wouldn’t he be interested?”
    That’s the problem. He may be interested. I may be interested… “I just thought you might have a better chance.” Ana straightened. “What was up with Romeo today?”
    Digit’s blues eyes narrowed. “Typical male, thinking the helpless women need a big, strong man to protect them. He gets on my nerves.”
    Ana’s lips curved. “Don’t hold back.”
    “I mean, really. Everything out of his mouth is some dumb pick-up line. He used his looks and charms to lure older women to give him their savings.” She winced. “How gross is that?”
    Ana lifted her eyebrows. “What about the bank accounts you stole from? There could have been a few elderly folks’ life savings in the bundle you pulled in.”
    “What he did was personal.