Page 34 of The Thief
I blew out a breath and closed my eyes, imagining Dad in front of me. I imagined his face and the way his eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. How just his presence, his comforting smell could put me at ease. Whenever he was in a room, the whole building lit up. He had a way of making everyone feel special, important, worthwhile. And I knew right then what he’d say.
“I’m glad you’re with Tyler, that’s what he’d say.” I kept my eyes closed as I spoke. “I’m glad it’s Tyler sitting on that floor next to you, because if there’s anyone I’d trust to take care of my girls...” My voice started to break with the emotions I was drowning in, but I carried on. “It’d be him.”
I took a moment, then opened my eyes to find Tyler looking right at me, raw emotion that cut me to the bone staring back at me in his eyes. Those words had meant more to him than I’d realised. And looking at him now, I could see a vulnerability in him, an openness and sensitivity that was evident for just a littlewhile as he accepted what I’d said.
“It’s true,” I added quietly. “He thought the world of you. He spoke about you all the time. Even days before he died, he told me how he’d seen something in the newspaper about your club. He was so proud of you and everything you’d achieved.”
He nodded, his throat bobbing as he swallowed before speaking. Then with a gruff voice he said, “He was...”
He couldn’t finish his sentence, so I replied, “I know.”
The air felt heavy around us, the past lingering like a ghost, willing us to survive the present and see us into a future we knew we both deserved. And then, with a quiet determination, Tyler stated, “I will get you out of here. You and Ava. Nothing’s going to happen to you while there’s still breath in my body.” He turned his head towards me. “You know that, right?”
I nodded.
I knew he meant it.
But the words he’d used felt like knives piercing my heart. Because I didn’t want it to ever come to that.
No one can prepare you for anything like this. A life-or-death situation. And the thought that life might not be waiting at the end, for all of us, made the fear sparking inside my gut burn even stronger.
How would we ever get over this?
What was life going to be like on the other side?
Chapter Thirteen
TYLER
Jessica Porter.
I couldn’t believe it.
That after all this time, fate had brought us back together like this.
It was as if karma was giving me a chance at redemption. A chance to prove I was a better man than the one she’d met all those years ago.
Time was moving on in this pressure cooker of a room, and yet it stood still as we talked about the past. I watched Ava sleeping in her mum’s arms as Jess told me little stories she remembered about her dad back when he worked at the unit. Each story, every anecdote sparked a little warmth into my heart, and I found myself getting lost in her world. A world that back then had been filled with love, safety, and security. A childhood that was so very different to mine.
But then, the voice of our present cut through it all, making us turn to face the doorway where one of the gunmen, I was pretty sure it was Number Two, came strolling through.
“Ask and you shall receive,” he announced proudly. “Or rather, point the gun and take what you fucking want.” He smirked, then glanced behind him, where the rest of the group were busy loading up their bags with money.
I prayed they’d take it all and just go. Leave us to pick up the pieces they’d shattered.
“Aren’t you happy for us, Grandad?” He leered over the old man who was clutching his chest and taking deep breaths. His face was pale, and he looked clammy. I hoped he wasn’t having a heart attack. But it didn’t look good.
“Come on, get up.” Two reached down and yanked the man’s arm, pulling him up to stand. “It’s time to party.”
“Leave him the fuck alone,” a voice barked from the office.
“Why? Is that conscience of yours giving you trouble again, One?”
Number One came to stand in the room, his eyes narrowing into an evil glare focused solely on Number Two.
“Whyareyou Number One, by the way?” Two asked, his tone mocking, daring One to argue back. “Taking that number would imply that you’re the boss, but you’re not really, are you?” He sniffed. “You’re not my boss, anyway.”
“This is my crew,” One replied calmly and firmly, not showing a hint of irritation. But from the way he gripped his gun tighter, he obviously felt it. “You do as I say or you’re out.”
