Hustle (Book 1 in The Hunted Hearts) - SYTYCW Winner #action #comedy #romance

Hustle | Chapter 24

Copyright 2013 - All Rights Reserved

Hustle By Claire Chilton

24

Showdown

Ellie watched Jacob driving the spade into the thick wooden beams. His shirt was transparent with sweat. His tawny muscled skin was visible through the deep V of his open collar.

He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and glanced up at her and Meyer with smudges of dirt on his face and clothes. His eyes were dark pools of anger, intensely set on Meyer in a scowl.

"Don't give me that look, boy. You're lucky you lived this long." Meyer's voice echoed behind her, his spindly fingers still gripping her throat.

Jacob narrowed his eyes. He straightened up, his muscles popping up in his arms and chest as he drove the spade through the first beam, cracking it in half with a roar.

Ellie heard Meyer chuckle behind her. "You're just like your father, all pride and honor. Not so honorable in the end though, I'll bet, just like your father."

Jacob pulled at broken splints of wood and threw them aside as he glanced up at the older man. "What's that supposed to mean? You know nothing about my father."

"Is that so?" There was a snide laugh in Meyer's voice. "I find it amusing that history is repeating itself: a Phillips and a Hawkins together again. Didn't work out too well for your fathers though, did it?"

Ellie clenched her hands into fists. He knew something about her father that she didn't. She remained silent since Meyer was so chatty about it. Jacob, however, appeared to be finding it difficult to control his emotions.

"You don't know anything about my father. You're just some low-life criminal!" He snarled at Meyer, his muscles bunching up in his shoulders.

"Is that what you think? You're above it all. How do you think your father got rich? Did you think the Hawk made his reputation from being nice and honest?" Meyer laughed. "Stupid boy, who do you think did all of his dirty work?"

The blood drained out of Jacob's face. "Y-you worked for him?"

"Idiot, he worked for me!"

Jacob widened his eyes, appearing horrified at the thought of it. "I don't believe you. You have no connection to him or his company."

"Well, you have Phillips to thank for that." His hand tightened around Ellie's throat, and she fought to remain calm.

Dad, what did he have to do with this?

"When your father met up with Stewart Phillips, he found a way out of my organization. I wasn't the big man I am now. I was just starting out, and Phillips wasn't someone I'd mess with back then. Phillips owned the streets. He was as sly as a fox. No one could beat him, no matter how much muscle they had. So, when he adopted the Hawk and took him under his wing, my hands were tied. You can imagine how much that pissed me off. Do you know who your father was, girl?" He shook her. "Quite the man, he was. You didn't follow in his footsteps, though, did you? I bet he'd be disappointed by the silly little girl he brought up. Sending you after his treasure was poetic, don't you think? It was the perfect revenge, setting you up to take the fall for the theft. I might not have destroyed one Phillips, but I got you, didn't I?"

He laughed in her ear. "Oh, did you think it was an accident that you were sent to steal from Hawkins Hall? It was a pleasure seeing you two at each other's throats. Your fathers were such good friends. What better revenge than to drive a wedge between their children?