Hustle Me (Bank Shot Romance #1)(11)
Author: Jennifer Foor

"Who the f**k are you?" One of them asked.

"Let’s just say I’m not someone you want to cross."

They looked at each other and started laughing. "Unless your last name is Thomas, we don’t have to do shit."

This was it. This was exactly what I didn’t want to do. Admitting who I was would for sure get back to my father and he would then know I was back in town. Still, I owed Joker and dead or not, this was what he built. "Then I guess you better start running, because my last name is Thomas. In fact, I believe you might know my father, Vincent Thomas."

Their eyes got real big in the pale moonlight. "You’re Vince’s son?"

I held out my palms. "Yep. So, I suggest you get your asses out of here and don’t come back."

"Well, that might be a problem, since your dad is the one who ordered us to do this."

I held my composure but both of my hands went into a fist. My f**king father had ordered this break in and probably the thugs that came to threaten Joker’s daughter. "You tell my father to back the f**k off. Now, get the hell out of here, before the police arrive."

I watched them walk around the corner, before I started walking back to the other bar. I wasn’t sure why they were there, but one thing I did know was that they were going to keep coming back and I was the only person that could do something to prevent it.

Chapter 7

Charlie

I went from being in college and starting my new independent life, to raising a four year old and running a bar. I was in so far over my head I didn’t know what to do.

I had to admit that the kid was easy to fall in love with. I was shocked when I first met him and realized how much he resembled me. Now, whenever we went somewhere he was always mistaken for being my son instead of my little brother.

It was still hard for me to call him that sometimes. For so long I never had family and then all of the sudden I found out that I had a real half sibling out there.

Ryan was smart and, aside from losing both of his parents, he always seemed to be brave and happy. Some of my greatest memories were being his age and being with my mom and dad. Sure, he hadn’t been my biological father, but the man loved me and protected me. I still wasn’t totally over the whole secret thing, but my mother was dead and couldn’t explain herself to me. Besides, I knew why she did it, even if I didn’t agree with her. I wouldn’t want my child thinking she was crazy in the head and imagining a man that didn’t exist, when he really did.

Running a bar wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. My hours sucked and I barely made enough to pay my vendors. Mr. Bo, the old man who still worked occasionally, said that times were tough for people and eventually it would pick back up. Without a cook to fill short orders, I relied mostly on the weekly pool leaguers to come in and run up high bar tabs while they played. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a great place to raise a kid, but with no other options and not enough money to afford another place, we had to make due. The best thing was that I could check on him frequently and he went to preschool every day from twelve to three.

Once I dropped out of school, it was easier to start getting the hang of the bar, although I was still failing often.

After the two men came to collect the money that I knew nothing about, I closed up the bar early and made sure all the doors were secure. I’d lived in bad conditions, but I wasn’t about to bring Ryan up where he had to be afraid every day of his life. I wanted him to have the life I would have had, if my parents didn’t die. Maybe I never would have known about my father, but meeting my brother made me happy, even if I couldn’t admit it out loud yet.

It was around one in the morning when I heard people talking. I cracked open the window and saw the two men, I ran toward the kitchen and started dialing the police. I knew they would never make it to us in time, not unless they were already somewhere close. Ryan was asleep, and I didn’t want to scare him.

They could break into the bar and bust it to hell, but getting into the upstairs wouldn’t be so easy. It had a metal door that happened to have three chain locks on the inside. I didn’t get the need for the protection, but seeing the goons outside of my window made me appreciate them being there.

I kept trying to peek out the window without being spotted when I noticed someone down the road getting out of a car. All I could think of was that there were more people coming to help them break in. If the cops didn’t arrive soon, I was in real trouble.

As the guy got close, I recognized his face. He was the same guy that had made the goons leave earlier in the day. At first, I thought he was in on their scam. I tried to hear what they were saying, but the siren in the distance was making it impossible. Joe made pool sticks in a back room of the apartment, so I ran back and grabbed half of a stick to use in case they got upstairs and I had to try and defend us. Joe also kept a gun in the safe, and even though I knew the combination, I wasn’t comfortable using it.

When I got back to the window, I saw the two men walking back to their car, while the guy stood there watching them. After they drove away, he started to walk away from the bar.

I wanted to stop him and ask why he was helping me but, soon after he disappeared into the darkness, the police car showed up and I had to go down and let them in.

An hour later, the officers were leaving with nothing to go on other than me claiming someone was trying to break in. Finding two men wearing black hoodies wasn’t exactly easy to do. It was how everyone dressed on a cool night.

I didn’t sleep much that night and got a first morning call saying that Bo couldn’t come in all week because he had the flu. Without help, there was no way I could manage everything myself. I made a help wanted sign and put it in the window, desperate for someone to help. While I started my daily routine, Ryan helped me clean the beer mugs and make sure all the lights were turned on.

“What’s wrong Charlie?” I still loved the way he said my name.

"Nothing’s wrong Ry. I’m just trying to get everything ready." I scratched his little head and kissed it. I loved the way he smelled and how he always made me feel like I was never going to be alone again. We were a team now and no matter what happened with the stupid bar, I knew we would always be family.

While trying to get ready for the lunch rush, without a cook, I heard the bell jingle on the front door and wiped my hands off before seeing who it was. I swear, every single time I heard it open I feared those guys were back to threaten me. If I had the damn money they were asking for, I’d gladly give it to them so they could leave me alone.