Chapter 2

*16 years later...*

"Lyra!" my brother called as he walked into our roomy two bedroom apartment on the upper Eastside of New York. Kristen got it from a rich woman he married without a pre-nup. He took half of everything from that poor, rich woman, but it kept us comfortable. Our father was dead, but Kristen saw it as an opportunity to do the bigger cons he'd always dreamed about. Such as the marriage and divorce to the heiress of Chevron Corp, Katherine McFens. It worked out well for him, but I still stuck to the smaller cons, such as grabbing cash out of someone's wallet when they weren't looking.

My brother found me in the living room, relaxing on the couch, watching the latest of Incorporated on demand. I smiled at him expectantly.

"Hey, Kris, what did you do today?" I asked. He smiled with the glint in his eye that was only there when he thought he had a brilliant idea for his next con. That face could either be good or bad, depending on who the idea was for.

"I went out exploring the city after signing a few final papers and found the perfect mark," he explained excitedly.

"Oh? What are you going to run on them this time?" I asked, averting my eyes back to the 60" TV courtesy of Katherine. He shook his head quickly as he sat next to me and pulled the laptop into his lap.

"Not me, you. Remember how I told you I was practicing to find the perfect game that would set you up for the rest o your life?" he said. Katherine had been that con for him. He ended up with 40% in her father's company's stock that was steady on the rise. He wouldn't have to work another day in his life. I was just mooching off of him. I hesitantly nodded as he moved the computer onto my lap.

"Arlo Mason, heir to the fortune-500 company Tech-com Global. He just hit 29 years old. His father also just died, leaving the entire company to him," he explained. Seeing the picture, I saw why Kris chose him. His wiki page was pulled up.

Arlo Mason.

Age: 29 years old

Height: 6'3"

Born: July 5th, 1986 in Manchester, England to Clara Rory Mason and Mateo James Mason...

It went on to talk about his life and his father's company and how he took over and what he was doing with it. It mentioned his upbringing, his college years in Cambridge, and his current girlfriend of six months, Gwendolyn Anne Hughes. I sighed and shook my head.

"He has a girlfriend," I noted.

"It's not called a long con for nothing. She's a leggy blonde his mother set him up with, you've got the contrasting thing with the blue eyes and dark hair the same as him. Before Gwendolyn, he stuck with Italian girls. You have the look, and I know you could fake the class that Gwendolyn has. The innocence comes naturally to you," he explained. I moved the laptop onto the coffee table and stood quickly.

"This wouldn't work. How am I supposed to get close to him anyway? I can't work people as well as you," I argued. He stopped my pacing by my shoulders and bent to look me in the eyes. I was kind of leggy myself standing at 5'6" but I also had curves Kristen said guys would die for if put in the right clothing. Still, Kristen was taller.

"Katherine was my ticket out. Arlo can be yours. No more pickpocketing, or hustling the streets. You can retire with more than I got," he persuaded. I had to admit, it sounded appealing. I didn't want to end up like Dad, conning until it eventually killed me. I wanted to stop, but I wasn't sure how to work an honest job. It wasn't in my DNA.

"Who would I be? How would I get close?" I asked. He smirked as his hands fell from my shoulders.

"The marriage has to be binding, completely legal for it to work. It's you. You're going as you, I just... 'scrubbed' some of our history. It's been scrubbed since my run with Katherine. Dad is listed as a marketing expert for his entire life before he died a year ago from cancer. Mom's history stays the same. Remember that. The marketing bit can give you more of an in once you're at the company. I can feed you marketing tidbits I learned from the Katherine job. Get close first, and then slip into Gwendolyn's spot. Same as the Katherine job. Get in, marry, and then divorce and take everything," he explained excitedly. I sighed and looked at the blank computer before I gave in.

"Okay fine, what's the profile," I asked. He smiled before he went to his room and came back with a rack of conservative but sensual office clothes.

"You, my dear Lyra, will become his dream girl. Arlo, chases a challenge. The girl who is just out of reach. Someone who seems like the wildest ride who's never been ridden. Someone sensual enough to catch his attention, but innocent enough to bring home to mommy," he said. "And I'm glad you said yes, because you start as a temp in his building tomorrow. From there, you'll use skill to move into the position of his secretary. You should get there in about a month, from there, to his bed, and into his heart," he explained. That was my brother, ambitious as always.

"So I've got the innocent part down but not sure about the sensuality," I joked. He rolled his eyes but he knew I was right.

"That comes in the clothes and the silences. Be confident in your roll. Remember, it's just a roll. You're a good actress... play the part," he advised. I felt like he was playing me, but he was also right. I was 24. It was time for me to stop. I knew I couldn't do this forever, and it wasn't like I was getting any younger. This was a one time, last stop con. One that would set me up for the rest of my life.