Fighting to Be Free (Fighting to Be Free 1)

I sprinted over to the fence and looked up at the security camera, praying that it was off, it wasn’t making the slow sweep across the lot like it should be and the red light was off. I grinned, this is too freaking easy. I ran to the warehouse door and shoved the dent puller into the lock, there wasn’t much need to be careful here and I needed to be fast. Once I was inside I cut the wires to the alarm and attached the code breaker machine too it, standing there impatiently waiting for the little machine to go through the thousands of combinations to find the right six digit code. I glanced around the warehouse, there was brand new cars everywhere but I couldn’t take my eyes off of the Bugatti. Damn, it was making my mouth water.

Finally, the code was found so I tapped it in and the light turned green. I went to the roller door and used the dent puller to punch out the lock easily, I lifted it up so I could get the car out and jogged over to the car, so excited I could barely breathe. I took one of the gloves off and ran my hand over the hood and roof lovingly, feeling the slick paint job under my fingers. It was so perfect. Ok, do the job Jamie, you can admire the car when it’s out!

I shoved the bar down the side of the window and climbed in, there wasn’t an alarm on this one, there wasn’t much need, you couldn’t steal it very easily. Your average Joe off the street would have no chance with this car, it was all electronic and ran on almost artificial intelligence. I pried the stereo out carefully, and then shoved the bar I’d used to open the lock inside the stereo hole. I needed to be careful, if I scratched this car Ray would be crazy mad.

I pulled the radio casing out, exposing all the wires at the back, I cut them quickly and attached the code breaker, this car started by a button that was only activated when the door was opened with a special chipped key card, which I didn’t have of course. Without the ignition being activated, this car was a $1.7 million useless lump of metal. I set the code breaker to do its thing while I checked all over for a kill switch. I glanced at my watch, I probably only had about thirty seconds left before the generator kicked in and the cameras would come back on. The code finally worked, so I pressed the ignition button hearing the little purr of the engine. Holy shit, this car is so awesome.

I pulled out of the warehouse quickly and stopped to jump out and shut the roller door so no one would notice anything until the morning. Then jumped back into the car and sped off down the road.

“Shit yeah!” I shouted excitedly.

The interior of the car was red leather, and damn I swear if I ever have bucket loads of money, this is the car I would buy. I ran my hands over the wheel lovingly as I drove to Brett’s. The forty minute drive was way too short in my opinion, and I was devastated when I pulled in.

Ray was practically jumping up and down looking at it, he traced his hand across the top, “Oh baby, daddy loves you so much,” he purred, making me and the rest of the guys laugh. Ray was almost as car mad as me.

Brett slapped me on the back proudly, “You still got it, kid,” he said grinning.

I nodded and laughed, “Yeah, still got it,” I admitted. I knew I was good at this, I didn’t need to be told.

“Here,” he said, holding out a brown envelope that I knew would be filled with $5,000, my old nightly fee.

I gulped, my hand was itching to take it, my head was screaming at me to take it, but my heart really didn’t want to do this anymore. I closed my eyes, I didn’t want this life, I didn’t need this life, I was better than this, wasn’t I?

“No thanks, Brett. I told you, one job. The only reason I did this was because of my Mom, I don’t want the money,” I said, willing the words to be true. My will was crumbling, I could take the money, get out of that crap hole and buy myself a nice car, nice clothes.

“You don’t want it?” he asked, shocked.

I shook my head, “No, split it between the other boys. I told you, I’m going straight, I want to earn my own money, legally.” I frowned at how hard those words were to say.

He gripped my shoulder, “Kid, you won’t be able to get a job now. This is it, this is your life and you’re damn good at it,” he stated, looking at me like I was crazy.

No, this wasn’t my life, that life ended four years ago, this was my new chance I just needed to stay strong.

“Thanks Brett, but no.” I stepped away from him quickly, knowing there was a good chance he would kill me now.

“You really want to go straight?” he asked, looking at me a little proudly. I gulped and nodded. “Ok kid, well how about I give you a legit job?”

Legit job? Is he serious? “Yeah? Like what?” I asked, trying not to get my hopes up.

“Bouncer in my club. We have a lot of people sneak in, dealing inside, which obviously I don’t like on my turf,” he said grinning. Yeah, Brett would want to sell his own drugs in his club, not let some little punk do it! “Well, what do you say? Interested?”

I thought about it, it sounded ok, not what I wanted but it was definitely something to think about in case the scrap yard job didn’t work out.

“That’s really great of you Brett, but can I think about it and let you know? I’m trying to get something going with someone at the moment to do with cars, which obviously is my specialty, but I really appreciate the offer,” I said honestly.

He smiled. “Sure kid, offers always there, and if you change your mind about the boosts you know I’m always here for that. Maybe you could do the occasional job?” he asked hopefully. Jeez, I would love that but if I kept doing it I wouldn’t be able to stop, I could feel the pull already.