Chapter Two- The Lovers and The Kid

You didn't just walk into the front door of Jason Morgan's home without knocking. Not if you wanted to live.

But that is just what Robert did. He picked the lock on the room above Jake's, knowing full well Jason would hear him doing it, and then kicked the door open.

Jason was about to squeeze the trigger of the glock he held when he saw it was his old boss. He spit out a curse word.

"You ever gonna stop pushing your luck?" Jason questioned him, without any real anger.

"What fun would there be in that?" Robert grinned.

Jason shoved the gun back in the holster he wore.

He rolled his head from shoulder to shoulder and stretched. He looked exhausted, a ghost of a man.

"Still sleeping like crap?" Robert asked

Jason ignored him.

"Well, I am glad to see you, at least, still have your instincts. There's a job."

"Yeah?" Jason's eyes lit up for the first time in months.

Being alone in this room was starting to wear on him.

Being without her was starting to feel like normal and he hated that more than he hated being out of the life.

Their last big score was supposed to have been enough to make them all wealthy for life. And it was. All eight of the crew could retire to sunny Florida any time they wanted.

Too bad they weren't the retiring types.

"When?" Jason asked

"First meeting, tomorrow at noon. The usual place." Robert said

Jason nodded. Then smiled. It would be good to get back to work.

He couldn't help but wonder if this new gig would be enough to lure her back home, finally.

LUKE watched her shooting pool in the dive bar in Hell's Kitchen. She was hustling two college guys. Fish in a barrel, it was beneath her reallyto take them.

But she would anyway.

The juke box played the Red Hot Chili Pepper song Dani California, "She's a runner, rebel and a stunner.
On her merry way saying, Baby what you gonna?

Looking down the barrel of a

hot metal 45, just another way to survive..."

Luke sidled up to her and said, "Miss me?"

She narrowed her eyes, showing no surprise. She had saw him come in twenty minutes before.

"Not in the least." she told him.

She pulled back the stick and then jabbed the eight ball, sending it shooting across the table and into the corner pocket.

The college kids grumbled but paid up, 500 bucks.

"Thanks, fellas." Carly said, smiling. Her voice was filled with innocence when she said, "I can't believe I was so good. And the first time I ever played, too."

After they walked away, Luke said, "Caroline, this is pathetic. You don't need the money and what thrill could there be in this small time short con?"

"Got to get your kicks where you can sometimes."

Luke told her, "I got something much more high caliber you could use your skills on."

"No." Carly tossed the stick onto the table and turned to grab her purse.

Softly Luke taunted her, "You gonna let that man chase you out of town? Keep you from ever going back?"

"There is nothing to go back for," Carly said, walking away. She weaved through the crowd in the bar and out the front door.

Luke caught up to her outside.

He leaned close and said, " One share of 15 million and a chance to pay back an old enemy, that mobster with the heart of coal. Sound like a good enough reason to face Jason again?"

ROBERT walked into the gym. The Kid was making quite a name for himself. And it something legit, too. Robert almost hated taking him away from it, when this could lead to something respectable for him.

But boxing wouldn't pay the bills as easy as stealing.

And The Kid was great at stealing.

Robert watched as his former employee plummeted the body of his sparring partner. Then he threw a beautiful right hook and the guy hit the mat, out cold, that's all they wrote, folks.

The coach lifted the ropes and climbed into the ring. He said, "Smith, I told you to take it easy during sparring matches. You gonna put all my other boxers in the hospital you keep this up."

Zander shrugged. He only had two modes- full out and completely full out. Taking it easy had never been his strong suit.

Robert called out, "Hey, Kid, you got any vacation time due you?"

Zander turned and met his eyes.

The coach said, "We have a strict training schedule he needs to keep to. Who you? His pops or something?"

"Something," Robert said. His eyes stayed on Zander, " You coming, Kid?"

The gloves came off, Zander tossed them on the floor of the ring, each one hitting with a thud.

He left the building without another word.

NOTE- Love the song Dani California but I am not sure about the lyrics. There must be a thousand versions on the net. The song shows up in later chapters so bear with me on the exact wording.