Even with the sun low in the evening sky, it was stifling hot. Jeff wondered why his Mom insisted on jogging in weather like this. The few times he had asked, her answer was always the same: "Because I don't want to look old."
At eighteen, Jeff somewhat understood. Still, why put yourself through that, he thought to himself. Was it that important to a thirty eight year old woman to look ten years younger? While he couldn't totally comprehend his mother's logic, he certainly could appreciate the results. She was a stunningly sexy woman for her age. For any age, in fact. He embarrassed himself quite often by thinking that if she was one of his friends' mothers, he would be more than happy to spend some time in bed with her.
Jeff surfed through the TV channels, unable to find anything that interested him. Part of the problem was the fact his mind wasn't all there at the moment. His persistent gambling habit had caught up to him. A big-time bet fell through, and now he owed considerably more than he could pay. The consequences frightened him.
The men he was dealing with were all older than him, more experienced in the illegal gambling game, and short-tempered. They didn't play well with 'kids' who thought they could participate in the big time, but not take the responsibility of paying their debts seriously.
Jeff took it seriously. He just didn't have it.
He flinched when he heard the doorbell. It couldn't have been his Mom coming back from her run because she would come in through the garage. Jeff walked to the door with more than a little bit of alarm.
When it opened, his heart stopped at the sight of two guys he only knew as Marco and Danny. These were the faces he least wanted to see under the current circumstances.
"Hey, guys," Jeff said.
"Hey, Jeff," Marco mimicked, stepping up into the house without an invitation. Danny followed.
"What's up?" Jeff asked as the door slid shut.
"Time's up. That's what," Marco said in his deep voice. "Are you alone?"
"Yep." Jeff didn't want to even mention his Mom to this duo.
"Too bad. I've heard your Mom's a babe," Marco said. "Is that true?"
Jeff glared back. "What do you want?"
"We want the money, Jeffrey."
"I'll have it this weekend," Jeff said with as much conviction as he could muster.
"Not good enough, dude. They want it now."
"I don't have it now. I'll have it this weekend."
Marco looked around at the opulent furnishings in the large, expensive house. It seemed incongruous that someone living in such luxury couldn't afford to pay his gambling debt. Years of his own poverty flashed through Marco's mind.
Without warning, he turned and planted his fist hard against Jeff's stomach. The young man struggled for breath and stumbled backward. Danny moved behind him and took his arms. Before Jeff could regain his senses, two punches landed on either side of his face.
"This weekend might be too late," Marco growled, his face red with rage.
Pain clouded Jeff's ability to think. He stammered, "I promise, man."
Marco landed another blow just below Jeff's ribcage.
"Promises don't..."
Before Marco could finish, they all heard the slamming of a door inside the house. The sound of steps was followed by a female voice shouting, "Jeff?"
"Mom! Don't come...," Jeff shouted back before Danny had his hand over Jeff's mouth.
Kendra Collins turned the corner into the living room and froze. With maternal instinct, she focused more on the blood trickling out of her son's nose than the two thugs with him.
"Jeff. What's going on?"
"So this must be Mom," Marco said delicately and in sharp contrast to a moment ago.
Marco and Danny quickly took an inventory of the woman in front of them. She had long, light auburn hair with even lighter streaks throughout. It was pulled back, but a few strands on her forehead were held there by glistening perspiration. Her tight jogging top was little more than a stylish sports bra and more perspiration collected in her ample cleavage. Her flat stomach belied her age and the silky running shorts led to a pair of long, lean legs. Kendra was an impressive sight to two brutes not used to pretty things.
"Get out of my house," she ordered.
"But you don't even know why we're here," Marco replied.
"Let go of my son and get out."
"It seems your son isn't a very good gambler," Marco said. "Or at least, he's not very good at paying his debts. We're here to collect."
Kendra admittedly didn't pay enough attention to her teenage son's doings. But as a single mom with a budding professional life to take care of, time was short. She had suspected he was into stuff she wouldn't approve of, but Kendra let things slide once he reached eighteen.
"I'll call the cops," Kendra threatened. "Let him go and get out. Then Jeff and I will discuss it privately and I'll make sure everything is taken care of."
Marco rolled his eyes. "Man, I'm tired of delays. My boss is tired of delays. We're not leaving here without payment."
"I'm afraid you'll have to," Kendra said defiantly.
Marco was not the type to take orders from women. Kendra was not the type to let men walk all over her. But if it came down to a battle of brawn over brains, Kendra would lose.
Marco took two giant strides toward the woman. She stepped back and then turned. One step later, he had her by the arm. Marco spun Kendra around and flattened her back against a wall.
"Listen to me, bitch!" he snarled. "We came for the money. We're either leaving here with the money or something of equivalent value."
He pressed against her with his body, using his six inch height advantage for leverage. Marco wavered for a second at the sudden feel of her body. He ground his crotch into her.
"Maybe money isn't the only solution after all," he said more calmly.
Jeff and Kendra both struggled in vain to get out of the grasp of men paid to rough people up.
"Get off her, you asshole," Jeff barked.
Marco smiled without even looking back at the kid. One hand held Kendra's arm tightly against the wall while the other hand began to wander over the petite body in front of him. He felt her bare skin before sliding up to her top. He let his thumb skim along the base of her breast before putting more of his hand on her.
"Perhaps we can bargain," he told her.
"Perhaps not," Kendra replied.
He slapped her so fast she couldn't avoid it. Kendra screamed and tried to kick up, but he was ready for her. Marco put both of his legs inside hers and grabbed both of her wrists, holding them just above her head.
"Don't fuck with me, bitch. You don't want me angry. Follow orders and you should both live. Got it?"
