"Roberts, Nora - Stanislaski 03 - Falling for Rachel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberts Nora)

Falling for Rachel

Prologue
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Nick couldn't figure out how he'd been so damn stupid. Maybe it was more
important to be part of the gang than he liked to admit. Maybe he was mad at the
world in general and figured it was only right to get his licks in when he had
the chance. And certainly he'd have lost face if he'd backed out when Reece and
T.J. and Cash were so fired up.
But he'd never actually broken the law before.
Not quite true, he reminded himself as he pulled himself through the broken
window and into the back of the electronics store. But they'd only been little
laws. Setting up a three-card monte scam over on Madison for suckers and
tourists, hawking hot watches or Gucci knockoffs up on Fifth, forging a couple
of ID's so that he could buy a beer. He'd worked in a chop shop for a while, but
it wasn't as if he'd stolen the cars. He'd just broken them down for parts. He'd
gotten stung a few times for fighting with the Hombres, but that was a matter of
honor and loyalty.
Breaking into a store and stealing calculators and portable stereos was a big
leap. While it had seemed like a lark over a couple of beers, the reality of it
was setting those brews to churning in his stomach.
The way Nick saw it, he was trapped, as he'd always been. There was no easy way
out.
"Hey, man, this is better than swiping candy bars, right?" Reece's eyes, dark
and surly, scanned the storeroom shelves. He was a short man with a rough
complexion who'd spent several of his twenty years in Juvenile Hall. "We're
gonna be rich."
TJ. giggled. It was his way of agreeing with anything Reece said. Cash, who
habitually kept his own counsel, was already shoving boxes of video games in the
black duffel he carried.
"Come on, Nick." Reece tossed him an army-surplus bag. "Load it up."
Sweat began to roll down Nick's back as he shoved radios and minirecorders into
the sack. What the hell was he doing here? he asked himself. Ripping off some
poor slob who was just trying to make a living? It wasn't like fleecing tourists
or selling someone else's heat. This was stealing, for God's sake.
"Listen, Reece, IЧ" He broke off when Reece turned and shined the flashlight in
Nick's eyes.
"Got a problem, bro?"
Trapped, Nick thought again. Copping out now wouldn't stop the others from
taking what they'd come for. And it would only bring him humiliation.
"No. No, man, no problem." Anxious to get it all over with, he shoved more boxes
in without bothering to look at them. "Let's not get too greedy, okay? I mean,
we got to get the stuff out, then we got to fence it. We don't want to take more
than we can handle."
His lips pulled back in a sneer, Reece slapped Nick on the back. "That's why I
keep you around. Your practical mind. Don't worry about turning the stuff. I
told you, I got a connection."
"Right." Nick licked his dry lips and reminded himself he was a Cobra. It was
all he'd ever been, all he ever would be.