Twisted Hate: An Enemies with Benefits Romance

“They’ll be back soon.” I glanced around my stepfather’s office, my
anxiety a tight knot in my chest. “We have to go now.”
We already had what we came for. Fifty thousand dollars in cash, which
Alastair kept in his “secret” safe. He thought no one knew about it, but I’d
made a point of exploring every nook and cranny of the mansion when I lived
here. That included any places where Alastair may have stashed his secrets. I
even figured out his safe combination—0495, the month and year he founded
his textile company. 
Cracking his safe wasn’t rocket science, and fifty grand wasn’t a secret,
but it was a helluva lot of money, even after Max and I split it in half.
That was, if we stayed out of jail. We’d yet to get caught after seven
months of pulling jobs in Columbus, but lingering here was just asking for
trouble.
“Hold on. I...almost...got it.” Max grunted as he pried open the custom-
made lock of the small metal box attached to the safe’s interior. It served as a
second layer of security for Alastair’s most prized item: an antique diamond
necklace he’d won at an auction several years ago after bidding over a
hundred thousand dollars for it.
I already regretted telling Max about the necklace. I should’ve known
fifty grand wouldn’t be enough for him. Nothing was enough for him. He
always wanted more money, more clout. More, more, more, even if it got him
into trouble.
“Leave it,” I hissed. “We can’t even pawn it without leading the
authorities right to us. We have to—” 
The bright beam of headlights filled the windows and threw a spotlight on
our frozen forms. It was followed by the slam of a car door and Alastair’s
deep, distinctive voice.
He and my mom went to dinner in the city every Friday, but they usually
didn’t return home until ten. It was only nine-thirty.
“Shit!” Panic climbed up my throat. “Leave the fucking necklace, Max.
We need to go!”
“I’m almost done. This baby will have us set for years.” Max wrenched
the lock off with a triumphant smile and snatched the diamonds out. “Got
it!” 

---

I didn’t bother responding. I was already halfway out the door,
adrenaline propelling me down the hall and toward the back exit. The duffel
bag of cash banged against my hip with each step.
However, I skidded to a stop when I heard the front door open, causing
Max to nearly crash into me.
“That was a terrible restaurant, Alastair.” My mom sniffed. “The duck
was cold, and the wine was awful. We need to choose a better option next
week.”
My fingers tightened around my bag strap at the sound of Adeline’s voice.
I hadn’t spoken to her since she kicked me out a year ago, right after my
seventeenth birthday. Despite the awful way we’d parted, her familiar dulcet
tones caused tears to sting my eyes. 
My stepfather murmured something I couldn’t hear.
They were close. Too close. Just a wall separated the foyer from the
hallway, and Max and I had to pass through the open arch connecting the
two spaces to reach the exit. If my mom or Alastair turned into the hall
instead of walking straight toward the living room, we were screwed.
My mom continued complaining about the restaurant, but her voice
gradually faded.
They’d gone to the living room.
Instead of relief, old hurt crowded my chest. I was her only daughter, yet