Read Online Breaking Point (The Point Series: Book 2) by Gerard Brennan - Free Book Online

he'd not really earned it. Not yet, anyway. But sure, maybe it was only a matter of time before his skills caught up with his claims.
    Tony checked the time on his 'work' phone, frowned and shook his head.
    "All well?" Brian asked.
    Out of the side of his mouth, Tony said, "Tell you about it later, man." Then he addressed the rest of the class, "Okay, lads. We'll wrap her up there."
    A couple of them actually looked disappointed. The guy in the Bruce Lee T-shirt was straight out the door along with his training partner. Brian assumed those two were friends. The heavy guy, red-faced but looking proud of himself, left with three more lads. The others lingered. The guy with the steel wool afro took the initiative.
    "All right, Tony?"
    "This the hard core?" Tony asked.
    The four of them moved a little closer as one. Steel 'fro spoke again. "Hard done by, maybe."
    "Oh?" Tony rubbed the back of his neck. "What's wrong?"
    Brian studied Steel 'fro, hoping to get a read on him. He'd stand by Tony for as long as he could, but in fairness, he hardly knew the guy. A free bag of weed and a couple of self-defence lessons did not an arse-kicking buy. Brian didn't know enough about these guys to properly calculate the odds. He would assume the worst and imagine all four had knives. And that was the worst case scenario in his mind. He'd rather be shot than stabbed any day of the week.
    "Call off your bodyguard and I'll get a little more chatty."
    "Bodyguard...?" Tony looked from Steel 'fro to Brian and back. "He's an assistant instructor. Ah, mate. You know me better than that. Sure I'm a pacifist. He's not going to attack you."
    "I'll buy you as a pacifist. This guy? I'm not so sure."
    It almost hurt him to do it, but Brian forced himself to speak up. "You know these lads, Tony?" It came out gruffer and far more Belfast-y than he intended.
    Did these eejits really think Brian was a tough guy?
    "Smile, boy. It won't hurt." And then Steel 'fro laughed. A short sharp bray. "We just want what you promised us, Tony. Free drugs with every class, so long as we made you look good."
    "I know what I promised. This was a free introductory class. I'll be out of pocket if I give you free weed tonight."
    "We don't mind, do we, lads?"
    They nodded, hee-hawed, nudged each other.
    "Right so," Tony said. "Open the window please, Brian."
    "You going to jump?" Brian asked.
    Steel 'fro and his three musketeers grinned at him. Brian guessed he'd made a joke. It wasn't his intention, but he'd roll with it. He attempted a wry grin; felt a little shitty.
    "Funny fucker," Tony said. "No, I'm going to skin up."

Hanging on the Telephone
    ––––––––
    R achel watched another minute pass by on her mobile. The bastard was going to be late. It hadn't turned nine just yet, but she knew he wasn't on his way home. He'd have texted to ask if she wanted anything in the shop.
    There were three or four petrol stations nearby that stayed open until eleven – they both worked in one of them – but Brian liked one spot in particular. It wasn't attached to a petrol station. This one was a wee shop-shop that closed at nine. Never a minute later, often ten minutes earlier. Brian claimed it was the cheapest, though it wasn't. Rachel knew the teen till-jockeys were too complacent to be bothered with friendly conversation. They wouldn't raise an eyebrow when he ordered cigarette papers to go with his basket-load of munchie-fodder. And it was walking distance from the house so he could have a sneaky smoke while he dandered home. It had all got too easy for him. And she'd not pulled him up on it.
    "It'll be okay, Bump. I promise. He'll climb out of this rut. Just wait and see. As soon as finds out about you. I might even let him name you."
    She wouldn't let Brian name the child. Couldn't. He wouldn't take it seriously enough.
    "What the fuck is wrong with me?" Rachel asked.
    Bump wasn't going to offer an opinion.
    "You're as bad as your da."
    Fuck Brian. The burden. She'd