Hammer's Fall (The Breakers' Bad Boys) Read Online Free PDF

fingers together. “How about you come over to the gym tomorrow after you get off work and we can see what kind of training you are interested in?”
    “That sounds great. I’m opening tomorrow, so I can take off in the afternoon anytime after three.”
    “Let’s shoot for four. I have a meeting before that, but should be done by then. You work pretty long hours, huh?”
    She nodded. “Yes, but it has been so much better since I hired on both Becca and Anna full-time. We now take turns opening the shop. I can’t tell you just how much I enjoy being able to sleep in.”
    “I bet,” he said with a chuckle. “How come you were working so late tonight?”
    “I wasn’t. I just got back from the hospital where I was visiting a friend.” She paused for a moment, debating whether or not to tell him what had happened, then decided to share. “There was an…incident a couple of weeks ago over the holidays. You’ve met Anna, right?”
    “Sure, she seems like a sweet woman. I hope she’s okay.”
    “She’s fine. Anna was a godsend when I opened up my shop. Her husband is the lawyer that helped me set up my business, and she was tired of staying home all day now that her daughter is away at college. She had a brother who died a few years ago.” She paused for a moment before speaking again. “We found out that Anna’s two nephews who live in Dallas were being abused by their mother and her new boyfriend. The oldest boy, Nate, came home from a New Year’s Eve party to find that the boyfriend had beaten, then kicked his younger brother down the stairs. The boyfriend was high on something and went after Nate with a kitchen knife. Luckily the police showed up and stopped him.”
    “Jesus…” he breathed out.
    “Yeah, I know. So, I just got back from visiting Shane in the hospital.”
    Rage burned in Hammer’s gut at what she told him, and he slowly pulled his hand free from hers, not wanting to crush it in his anger. Flashbacks of his own childhood had his hands fisting under the table as he fought to control his reaction. He couldn’t understand how anyone could do something like that, especially to a child. The need to find the motherfucker who had hurt those kids and exact retribution with his own fists was like a compulsion. “Is he going to make it?”
    “Yes. Shane had some internal bleeding that they want to keep an eye on. He’s only twelve and suffered so much. Thankfully, Nate only has a few cuts and bruises.” Her eyes took on a fierce gleam. “The asshole boyfriend was also in the hospital under police guard before he went to jail. While they were fighting Nate managed to hurt him, and he’s pretty strong for being sixteen. Their mother just took off before the police arrived. I think I blame her just as much as her boyfriend…if not more. She should have protected her children.”
    “I was lucky,” Hammer said, trying to keep his voice light. “My ma protected me as much as she could.”
    Sympathy swam in Kalista’s eyes as she reached out the stroke his arm. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
    “No, don’t.” He reached up to grip her hand again. “I’m glad you told me. I survived, and they will, too. And my ma has moved on and is very happy now. Let me know if I can do anything for those boys, will you?” Seeing her smile eased some of the tension that had built inside his chest.
    “I will. Thank you, Jared.”
    Hammer made a mental note to check in on the kid himself. He knew about the fury that could fester into blind hatred over something like this, and wanted to make sure that Nate didn’t lash out at anyone if he didn’t deal with his anger properly. He’d make damn sure that wouldn’t happen since the kid was going to be around his little fairy.
    “I guess I should get going since I have an early start tomorrow,” Kalista said, sorry to have brought up such horrible memories for him.
    “I’ll walk you back.”
    They stood and she zipped up her coat as he put