One job? But would it stop at one? I loved boosting cars, the thrill of it was like some sort of addictive high, if I started would I be able to stop? I don’t think I would.

“No, Brett. I’m sorry,” I said squeezing my eyes shut, knowing that this wasn’t going to be painless.

“You should think of your mother kid, she’s so screwed up, having her daughter murdered like that, then her son getting sent down, she kind of went off the rails. I’ve been looking after her, it’d be a shame if something bad happened to her while she’s doing so well,” he said shrugging.

Son of a bitch is threatening my Mom? I pressed my hands down on the desk shoving myself up, the two guys slammed me back down to the table.

“You leave her alone! Don’t you f**king dare!” I shouted acidly, making Brett laugh.

“Kid, I like her, honestly. I don’t want to have to break her bones or make her bleed, the choice is yours, one job and I’ll leave your mother alone,” he offered.

Damn it! As much as I hated my Mom, she was still my mother at the end of the day and I didn’t want her hurt, especially not the type of hurt I’d seen Brett inflict on so many other people.

“One job?” I asked breathlessly.

“One job,” Brett confirmed. Christ, I didn’t have a choice!

I nodded and Terry yanked me back up by the back of my shirt, he patted the top of my head,

“There’s a good boy,“ he said condescendingly, I gritted my teeth trying not to react to him.

“Great! The job is in three days, five cars. Here, take this cell and I‘ll call you with the details, I had it all set up for you and take the apartment too.” Brett smiled, sliding a phone and the keys back across the desk.

I grabbed the phone and shoved it deep into my pocket. “I’ve got a place. One job is what we’ve agreed so I don’t need the apartment, thanks anyway,” I said, trying to be polite even though I just wanted to kill him.

He nodded and smiled a sly smile, “Ok kid, whatever you want, I’ll speak to you later, and it really is good to see you,” he said affectionately.

“You too Brett, and thanks for looking after my Mom for me.”

He nodded, “Of course, you’re like family to me kid, of course I’d look after her, she was grieving,” he said, shrugging. I gulped and tried not to think about my mother grieving for her daughter, my sister, Sophie.

I turned to leave and just as I got to the door I stopped and looked at Terry, he sneered at me so I punched him as hard as I could in the face, hearing the satisfying snap of his nose as blood spurted out of his nostrils.

“Don’t ever touch me again, there’s a good boy,” I spat angrily. I turned and walked out of the door, ignoring Brett roaring with laughter behind me.

I shoved my way past Ed, who was waiting outside the office door, and stormed off down the stairs to the workshop. “Ray, I’m now leaving, I’ll call you and we’ll go out for that drink, ok?” I gave him another man hug.

“Sure, kid. You doing the order?” he asked curiously. I nodded reluctantly, “Awesome! It’s been a while since we had a pro here, most of the time the cars turn up with broken windows and scratches, it’s pathetic.” He shook his head in disapproval. Broken windows and scratches? Wow, no wonder he wanted me back if that’s how they were boosting cars now days!

“Right, well I better go, I’ll speak to you later.” I turned and headed out of the warehouse quick, before Brett could change his mind and have me killed in some brutal manner. The only thing I could hope for was that he kept his word and left it at one job, and that I didn’t get addicted to the rush.

Chapter 2

I jumped in the first cab I saw and gave the driver the address for the apartment that the parole officer had set up for me. The cab driver looked at me strangely, “You sure you want to go here?” he asked, looking at me skeptically.

Wow, that wasn’t a good sign at all.

“Yeah thanks,” I confirmed, looking out of the window not wanting to talk to him. I couldn‘t stop thinking about the job, five cars in one night was a lot, it would be hard, hopefully Brett will have scoped out the owners routines and stuff for me so they’ll be exactly where they should be.

As the cab drove, the streets outside the window got worse and worse, trash and graffiti everywhere, smashed bottles on the sidewalk, windows and doors boarded up on the houses. He pulled to a stop outside this awful looking building, there were people all milling around smoking joints and stuff in broad daylight.

“This is it,” he announced, looking around cautiously.

I handed him the money and stepped out, smelling the sweet smell of burning weed as soon as the door opened. The cab sped away as soon as I shut the door leaving me standing there amongst the scummy looking people, who were all looking at me like they wanted to beat and rape the crap out of me. Wow, nice place.

I made my way up the path and a young girl probably in her early twenties stepped forward, putting her hand on my chest. She looked awful, her eyes were bloodshot, her hair was wild and she looked like she hadn’t washed or changed her - almost non-existent - clothes in about a week.

“Hi handsome, you looking for someone?” she purred, trailing her finger down my chest.

“No thanks,” I replied quickly, trying not to turn my nose up as I shrugged away from her hand and made my way inside.

The place was even worse from the inside, and looked like it was about to fall down with all the cracks in the walls and ceiling. I made my way to the little reception and laughed quietly to myself when I saw the guy sitting there behind the big thick bars and what looked like bullet proof glass behind that. He had a hand gun sitting on the side of his desk.