CHAPTER 1
RYAN

 

Here we go.

The buzz of the door made me jerk as the guard ushered us into the room.

Plastic seats with phones on the right sat against a thick wall of plexiglass.

This was how Jason and I had seen our father since we were little boys. No hugs or pats on the back, as physical contact was prohibited. I’d forgotten what he even smelled like.

I pulled up another chair as Jason sat down. My brother was only sixteen and I hated bringing him to see our father this way. Jason had only been eight when our father was hauled away for armed robbery. Most of his memories of our father were of seeing him in prison.

But I was old enough to remember those days before.

The days where Dad would come home with sacks full of money.

We didn’t question what was going on, and no one around us did, either. Food was on the table, clothes were on our backs, and our shoes never had holes in them. My father was a single dad who took us in when our mother chose drugs over her family. He did the best he could, but he knew it was never enough. And when a parent needs to provide for their children, they get desperate.

Like my father had.

In the neighborhood where we grew up, good clothes were more than anyone could ask for. Our roof never leaked so our carpets never molded, which meant we were living the good life. We didn’t live off rice and bread, which meant we ate like kings. It was a life meant for good and honest people, those who did right by society and contributed the way a person should.

But that wasn’t what my father was.

He was good man, but not an honest one.

The guard opened the door and the inmates began to file in. One by one, they sat down in front of the family members who had taken the time to come see them. I put my hand on my brother’s shoulder, feeling him trembling as I tried to comfort him.

I hated putting him in this position.

Our father was the last to emerge and the smile that crossed my brother’s face made my heart ache. He grabbed the phone and waited for my father to pick up, then instantly began filling him in on his life.

He had gotten used to trimming down his life to seven minutes.

“Highlights. I aced my science exam and they bumped me up to A.P. Chemistry. I’m still struggling with history, but Ryan’s helping me with flashcards. I haven’t talked to that girl yet, but I’m trying to get to it. Every time she looks at me it’s like I freeze.”

“Pretty girls’ll do that to ya,” my father said with a grin.

“I still want to do Forensic Psychology in college, especially since I’m good at the science. I hear that’s the hard part for most. Oh! And I got my first suit yesterday. Ryan took me to get it.”

“Any special occasion?” my father asked.

“Ryan says any guy worth his salt needs a good suit,” Jason said.

“Then you should listen to your brother. He’s always had your back.”

“Your turn,” my brother said.

I took the phone and held it up to my ear as my father smiled at me.

“A suit, huh?” he asked.

“I’m not one to wear them, but Jason gawks at every guy who has one on. Figured it would be a good early birthday present,” I said.

“You can afford to buy your sixteen-year old brother a suit?” he asked.

“It’s not a fitted Gucci suit or anything. Off the rack plus about thirty bucks for alterations. Totally doable on a construction salary.”

“How’s that coming along, by the way?” my father asked.

“I’m looking to branch out. Thinking about heading back to the old hometown and seeing what they have for me there,” I said.

“You wanna go back to Tell City? You couldn't wait to get outta that place.”

“I guess home always calls us eventually. So, are you going to tell me why you’re trying to cover up bruises on your neck?” I asked.

I watched my father tug at his jumpsuit, revealing the discolored marks on his skin.

“Just a petty fight. You know how those get,” he said.

“Did you start it this time?”

“Nope. Learned the first time when it landed me here. I was the target,” he said.

“Do the guards know that?”

“There’s a reason my face isn’t any more busted up than it is.”

“What was the fight about?” I asked.

“Pudding, if you can believe it,” he said.

“In a place like this? Doesn’t shock me a bit.”

“I’ve got four more minutes and I don’t wanna waste it on me. You boys gonna be able to come see me if ya go all the way back to Indiana?” he asked.

“You know we’ll always get up here to see you,” I said.

“The winters are harsh. I didn’t see you boys at all last winter.”

“We couldn’t get into the city. Damn snowstorms kept the roads blocked off,” I said.

“Don’t cuss in front of your brother.”

“Nothing he hasn’t heard before,” I said.

“You need to be better than me. You don’t need to be wasting your life away in a place like this like I am. I’ve been here for ten years, and I got three times that on my ledger to ride out. I’ll die in this place before I set my feet on ground outside of these walls. But how you show yourself to society begins with how you talk.”

“I’m in construction, Dad. I’m not a businessman,” I said.

“Don’t matter. Do better than I did, son. Make your brother do better than I did, too.”

“You did the best you could, Dad. It wasn't your fault Mom chose what she did over us.”

“Your mother went through a hell of a life,” he said. “Cut her some slack.”

“A shitty childhood doesn’t excuse shitty decisions as an adult.”

“Quit with that mouth,” he said.

“Sorry.”

“No matter how rough things got with us, your mother was the love of my life. I tried to do my best by you boys, but I ain’t got a college education. Hell, I didn’t even graduate high school.”

“Language,” I said, with a grin.

“You listen to me, boy. Your brother’s gonna need you. I’m proud of you for finding a job in construction. Hard work and getting your hands dirty ain’t nothing to swat at. Earning an honest paycheck was something I couldn’t seem to do. Pass that down to your brother. Push him toward a better life.”

“I am, Dad. I promise.”

“He’s all you got, and you’re all he’s got.”

“We got you,” I said.

“It’ll be nice to have you closer now. I worried about you two living in the harshness of Detroit.”

“Figured you wouldn’t be getting transferred anytime soon with the stunt you pulled at the other facility. So hopefully Indiana pans out,” I said.

“You worry about you and Jason. I’ll be okay no matter where you boys go,” he said.

“Time’s up,” the guard said.

The buzz of the door opening grated against my ears.

“I love you boys,” my father said.

My brother pressed his hand to the plexiglass, trying to feel my father’s warmth. Tears lined his eyes as my father pressed his hand to my brother’s and I gritted my teeth. What a fucking way to see your dad. A guard yanked him up from his chair and shoved him toward the door.

“Come on, Jason. Let’s go get some lunch,” I said.

As we were walking through the parking lot, my phone rang. I saw who was calling and ushered my brother quickly into the car. Kenneth was the last fucking person I needed to be talking to.

“What?” I asked. “I told you I’d call when we were done.”

“You need to get to the warehouse now,” Kenneth said.

“I got Jason with me. I’m dropping him off, then I’ll be on my way,” I said.

“No time. Get here now. We’re waiting for you.”

“I’m not bringing my damn brother to this thing.”

“Then you better run, boy. Because time’s ticking and we’ll replace you if you can’t meet the demands,” he said.

“Fine, you little fucker. I’ll be there,” I said.

I hopped into the car and took great care to make sure I wasn’t followed. Jason was silent, his eyes staring out the window as the world passed us by. I took the battery out of my cell phone and shoved it back into my pocket, taking advantage of the fact that Jason was zoned out.

“I thought we were going to get lunch?” he asked.

“I got a stop to make, and then we will. Promise,” I said.

I pulled up to the abandoned warehouse and Jason furrowed his brow at me. I told him to stay put in the car and not to go anywhere, no matter what happened. He looked at me with a puzzled expression, but I shrugged him off.

No time to explain.

“What the fuck?” I asked, as I walked into the warehouse. “This couldn’t wait five fucking minutes?”

“How was Daddy dearest?” Kenneth asked.

“Beat to hell over snack food. Now what gives?” I asked.

“We got a job,” Jesse said.

“Okay,” I said. “And you couldn’t wait to tell me about it until after I dropped Jason off?”

“What’re you guys doing?”

I whipped around at the sound of Jason’s voice.

“Boy, I told you to stay in the car. What the hell are you doing?” I asked.

“I got bored. Plus, I’m not a kid anymore. Maybe I can help,” he said.

“Get back in the car,” I said.

“Hey Kenneth.”

“Hey buddy,” Kenneth said.

“Talking about another heist?” Jason asked.

I felt Kenneth and Jesse burrow their gazes into my back as my face turned red.

“What?” I asked.

“Come on. I’m not an idiot. You’re not a construction worker like you always tell Dad. We were raised by a heister. You think I didn’t know what you were doing?” Jason asked.

“You were eight!” I said.

“Can we get on with this?” Kenneth asked.

“No. Not until Jason gets back in the car,” I said.

“You gonna keep your mouth shut?” Jesse asked.

“I always do,” Jason said.

I groaned as Jason walked up to the table where we were all standing.

Now, more than ever, I wanted out of this lifestyle. I was done robbing banks and coordinating heists. I had invested some of what I’d taken after cleaning it thoroughly and that was going to get us by for a while. But eventually I would need to find a job in order to keep supporting Jason and me.

Especially if Jason was going to college.

I wanted him to have a good start. I never had the damn option of going to college, but he did.

If I had any say about it, he would.

He was intelligent, and he deserved the opportunity.

One more successful heist would not only give him money for college, it would set me up to live minimally for the rest of my life. I could hunker down, live off a budget, find some small ass town to call home.

No more robbing banks, no more threat of prison, and my brother could go to college without worrying about all that fucking debt.

“Dad’s gonna kill me thanks to my smart ass brother,” I said.

“Not from jail, he’s not,” Kenneth said. “Okay. There’s a local bank that services a hell of a lot more than just this town.”

“City Central?” I asked.

“That’s the one.”

“That place is massive,” I said.

“Which is why you’re gonna have to take the time to case it,” Kenneth said. “I’ve got blueprints Jesse and I can study, but we’ll need some solid recon to figure out where the hell the cameras are.”

“Shit. You’re really going for the big one here, aren’t you?” I asked.

“Hell yeah. One good score and we could all live a good life for a couple more years,” he said.

“The usual cover?” I asked.

“Yeah. Opening an account works the best. I did enough research to know they have a new teller, so if you get in his line he’ll be slower and it’ll give you more time to look around. You can be exasperated, looking around in frustration. Shit like that,” he said.

“I’ve done this before, Kenneth. You don’t have to give me pointers. I know what I’m doing,” I said, annoyed.

“Could I say something?” Jason asked.

“No,” I said. “You don’t wanna sit in the car, that’s fine. But you don’t have any input here.”

“I’m with Ryan,” Kenneth said. “Just hang tight, kid.”

Jason sighed and pouted, like I’d just taken away his Xbox. It was too bad because I wasn’t letting him get caught up in this lifestyle. I did this to provide for him like my father provided for me, but the cycle stopped there.
Jason would do better.

Be better.

I wasn't letting him travel this same fucking road.

“When do you want me to case this place?” I asked.

“Today,” Kenneth said.

“Fucking great. You got money I can walk in there with?” I asked.

“Dad wouldn’t like your language,” Jason asked.

Jesse snickered as a smile broke out on Kenneth’s face.

“No, he wouldn’t,” I said. “Sorry. Kenneth, do you have money I’m going to do this with?”

“I do. Got a thousand dollars you can use to open Jason a savings account or something.”

“We’re not putting his name anywhere near this,” I said.

“Fine. You a savings account. I don’t give a shit. But open a damn account with this and get on with it,” Kenneth said.

My crew was fairly tight-knit like most good crews were. We’d worked several jobs together and knew we could trust one another if the plan went to shit. But Kenneth was a bit of a hot-head, and that always made me nervous.

He tossed a bank bag of money at me as our eyes connected. Kenneth was being more aggressive than usual and I didn’t like it. None of our heists had ever been this hurried, and Jesse had looked as caught off guard as I had been. Why had he been doing all this preparation behind our backs?

“Fine,” I said. “Jason, I’m taking you home first.”

“Go to the damn bank,” Kenneth said.

“I’m taking my fucking brother home before I go and do anything else,” I said. “Don’t like it? Do this shit yourself.”

I walked out with the money clutched in my hand and Jason hot on my heels. We got in the car and I drove him home, lecturing him on how he didn’t need to be going anywhere. He had homework that needed to get done and extra studying for the history class he was struggling with. I made him promise me that he’d stay put this time and threw him a few bills to order us a pizza for dinner. Then I traveled into town to look for our target.

City Central was the biggest bank in Tell City, which wasn’t saying much since the town’s population was only seventy-five hundred. Luckily, it was surrounded by long roads that led far across the flatlands. Getting in and out with the money would be the hardest part of the job. Once we were clear of the bank and on the road, we should be able to get away to our stash spot without much trouble.

I parked the car and took a deep breath before I walked on in. I spotted the teller Kenneth was talking about and I walked straight to him. I should spell his first week nerves from a mile away. No one was in his line and he looked like a fucking deer in headlights.

My head was on a swivel as I clocked where all the cameras in the place were, without being too obvious about it.

“Hello, sir. My name is Trevor. How may I assist you today?”

“I’ve got some money I’d like to use to open a savings account for myself,” I said.

“That’s a very smart financial move. Have you thought about investing it? Making your money work for you?” Trevor asked.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself Trevor, just start with opening the savings account.”

My head whipped up at the sound of a familiar voice, sultry and commanding, with rumbling tones that clenched my gut.

I saw her walk behind my teller and our eyes connected instantly.

I’d never forget those seafoam eyes. Grace and I dated years ago in high school, we had a hot and heavy relationship. I took her virginity, and then I fucked it all up. I was a reckless kid from the wrong side of town. Always getting into trouble. She broke up with me when I wouldn’t drop my self-destructive ways.

She was waiting for me to change, but I didn’t.

Not because I didn’t want her.

She was and always would be the girl. No one ever came close to Grace.

Grace had big dreams and I knew that having me around her life would be nothing but bad news.

She deserved more. Better.

And now, here she was. Working at the fucking bank my crew and I were planning to raid.

Fuck.

Fuck!

Fuck you Kenneth!

I should have put my foot down and done my due diligence before walking in this place.

“Ryan?” she asked. “Is that you?”

“Long time no see,” I said, with a grin.

“You look good,” she said.

Her eyes ran down my form and I felt my cock stiffen against my jeans. Damn it, she’d always had that effect on me.

“A savings account it is, then,” Trevor said.

“Actually, I’ll help him in my office,” Grace said. “Follow me?”

She lead the way back to her office and I couldn’t help but enjoy the view as I watched her pace to her desk, in a sexy black pair of heals.

By some fucking miracle, I also managed to case the back of the bank.

They didn’t have many cameras despite the money they supposedly kept in this place. One security guard at the main door and no one at the back door. There was a black door that looked to have some sort of keypad someone had to use in order to gain entrance, and I assumed that was where the vault was.

“Come on in,” Grace said. “Have a seat.”

My cocked stiffened even more hearing her taking charge. We were now alone in her office. Just me and the women whose virginity I’d take years ago. I returned the favor by giving her my heart and soul, before I royally fucked it all up.

I had a criminal mind, so I couldn’t help but look at Grace’s desk and see a small lock down button at her side. That would be a bit harder to get past. That meant I had to assume all of these back offices had lockdown buttons, which meant our timing had to be perfect. If one person pressed that button, it was game-fucking-over.

“You look good too, Grace,” I said, sitting across from her.

“It’s been what, eight years?” she asked.

“Sounds about right,” I said.

My eyes scanned her desk and it fell to a picture of her and a cute little girl who looked just like her, right down to the damn dimples. Light green eyes, dark brown hair, a broad smile and chubby little cheeks.

“She’s beautiful,” I said, motioning toward the picture. “Yours?”

Grace nodded, a brief flash of something I couldn’t quite name registering in her eyes and fleeing again just as quickly. “She’s five,” Grace said.

“She must not look a thing like her father,” I said.

“She doesn’t. Not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse.”

“Rough marriage?”

“I’m not married,” she said.

Her answer was curt and I didn’t press the subject.

She was as beautiful as the day I laid eyes on her in high school. Her body had more curves now than she had back then, which only added to her beauty

Part of me wanted to lock her office door and take her on her fucking desk, even knowing that was a ridiculous idea. A man like me would never be worth her time, especially now that she had a kid. I had no desire to fuck their lives up.

And, it had been way too long since we’d been in one another’s orbits.

Even so, it was a good surprise to run into Grace after all this time. Of course, the conditions of our reunion left much to be desired.

“I wasn’t aware that you were back in town,” Grace said, looking me in the eye.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I was feeling hot under her scrutiny, and not necessarily in a bad way.

“I haven’t been for very long. Just moved Jason and I back here from Detroit a few months ago. Been keeping my head down,” I said.

She nodded, understanding my implication. She, like everyone else in town, knew my father had gone to prison. She cleared her throat and I could tell she was going to change the subject, for which I was grateful. She always knew how to put me at ease.

“So, like Trevor said, investing your money would work better in your favor in the long run,” Grace said.

“A simple savings account will do for now, thanks,” I said.

“Direct and to the point. I’ve always liked that about you Ryan. Anyway, I’ll get that started for you,” she said.

I looked out the door and kept scanning the room as she typed away. I answered her questions as quickly as I could while I took everything in. This would take some plotting and we would need contingencies for our contingencies.

Kenneth would eat shit for the position he was putting me in.

It would probably be our biggest score to date, and I could set myself and Jason up for good.

But as I sat there, I really felt uneasy about the whole thing. Not because I didn’t think we could do it, but because this was where Grace worked.

Our crew had a no violence rule because shoving a pistol in someone’s face pretty much did the job, but what if something got screwed up and she was caught in the middle?

I’d never forgive myself.

I tried to shake away those thoughts as her voice reached my ears.

“If you want to take this ticket back up to Trevor, he’ll take your money and get it deposited,” Grace said.

“Thanks for your help,” I said.

“Ryan?”

I turned toward her from the doorway as I clutched the bag of money close to me.

“It was good seeing you,” she said.

She smiled and those cute little dimples shone against her skin. I used to kiss those dimples while she rode my cock in the backseat of my car. I buried the memory as I nodded my head, then resisted the urge to ask for her number.

I couldn’t rope her into my lawless world.

I couldn’t rob her of a good life.

That was my past and this was my present.

And after this job, I was done. With all of it.

That was my brain talking.

My heart and my cock was a completely different story.