Billie Jo (18 page)

'What the fuck's she doing here?' Danny asked arrogantly,
the moment the door was closed.

For once, Billie was annoyed with him. 'Look, Danny,
I couldn't get hold of you. I was frightened and I
panicked. I just didn't know what to do for the best. Jade
was the only person that I could call on to help and she's
driven all the way from Somerset to be here for me. So
please be nice to her, even if it's only for my sake.'

Holding his son, Danny looked at him adoringly. He'd
prayed for a boy and was so happy his prayers had been
answered. Not wanting to upset the apple cart, he decided
to be diplomatic. 'All right, you win. I'll be nice to her.
I'll have a little chat with her and sort things out.'

'Thanks, Danny,' Billie said gratefully.

Jade had a sandwich and a coffee and decided to bid
farewell to Billie and drive back home. She would have
stayed longer if need be, but now Danny had turned up
she knew she'd only be in the way. 'I'd better be going
now, Bill. I've got such a long drive,' she said, kissing
her friend on the cheek.

'Oh, stay a bit longer, Jade. I haven't seen you for ages
and I've missed you. Please stay a while. We haven't even
had a proper chat yet, plus I need all the tips on newborn
babies that I can get.'

'I'd love to, Bill, but I promised my mum that I'd be
back today to pick up Terry Junior. She's got a hospital
appointment tomorrow morning and my dad can't look
after him on his own,' Jade lied.

'I'll walk you to your car,' Danny said, with a cocky looking
smirk.

Jade put on the best false smile she could muster.
'Honestly, there's no need, Danny. My car's nearby. I'll
be fine. You stay here with Billie Jo.'

Danny stood up and opened the door. 'I'm not taking
no for an answer. I insist on seeing you safely to your
car. Who knows what can happen to a pretty woman
walking about on her own in this neck of the woods?'

Jade felt unnerved by his comments and the sarcastic
way he'd said them, but tried to stay calm. Once out of
the building, Danny grabbed her tightly by the arm.

'Right, me and you need to have a little chat I think,
don't you?' Without giving her time to answer, he carried
on ranting. 'Billie wants us all to be best buddies and
live happily ever after, but me and you know that ain't
gonna happen, don't we?'

Jade suddenly found an inner strength. 'Let me say
something to you, Danny. I don't know where you were
last night and I don't really care. You smell like a brewery,
so I don't believe you were working, not unless you've
got a new job in a pub. But I'll tell you something, and
I really mean this. If you hurt that girl or that baby, I
swear you'll have me to deal with.'

Danny went into a fit of laughter that lasted only
seconds. Furious, he grabbed Jade's head and smashed it
against the nearest wall. Putting his hands tightly around
her throat, Danny moved his face an inch away from hers.
'Now let me tell you something, bitch. If you try and
come between me and Billie, I swear I'll have ya. I'm no
fucking mug, you know, and I know a lot of handy people.
I swear if you ever try to cross me and turn Billie and
my baby against me, you might just find some nasty
person at your door one night. I can easily send someone
down to your quiet Somerset village. It takes seconds to
light a fire. You and your brat of a kid will be burnt to
cinders within no time. Do you understand what I'm
saying to you, Jade?'

Jade stood rooted to the spot, nodding dumbly. Danny
had frightened the life out of her. She could smell the
stench of beer on his breath and his eyes were like those
of a madman. 'I understand,' she managed to mutter. 'Just
let me go and I promise you I won't contact Billie any
more.'

'Good,' Danny said, loosening his grip on her neck.
'I'm glad we understand one another.'

Once back in the ward, Danny sat there holding Billie's
hand. 'Did you have a chat with Jade?' Billie asked him
affectionately.

'Yep,' Danny smiled. 'All sorted, babes. She said she'll
ring you soon.'

Jade was still shaking as she hit the motorway. Her head
was throbbing where nutty boy had rammed it against the
wall and she now had a migraine from hell. The threat of
being burnt alive with her baby was the final straw. She
wasn't going to contact Billie any more. She couldn't. She had
to put her own safety and that of her family first. She would
have given anything for Terry to still be alive, to sort this
mess out. She even toyed with the idea of ringing Davey
Mullins and asking for his help, but decided against it. She
couldn't risk it going pear-shaped, just in case it infuriated
Danny even more. Pulling onto the hard shoulder, Jade
broke down and cried. Her neck felt really sore. Adjusting
the front mirror, she could see the redness around it, where
he'd nearly strangled her. She'd thought Danny O'Leary was
just a cocky little wide-boy when she'd first met him, but
she'd seen another side of him tonight that made her skin
crawl. Jade feared for the safety of Billie Jo and the poor
baby that had the misfortune of sharing his name.

He wasn't just a flash little sod. The bloke was dangerous.
A complete fucking lunatic of the very worst kind.

Davey Mullins checked the departure times and headed
for the bar.

He hated Gatwick Airport. He'd tried to get a flight
from Stansted, but had been unable to book the date and
time he wanted.

Sipping his beer, he smiled to himself. He'd had
enough of cold, poxy England and was flying off to start
his new life.

Honey dumping him had been the final straw.
Thousands he'd spent on that two-timing bitch.

Hearing a call for his flight, he picked up his hand
luggage.

'Goodbye, England, and good fucking riddance,' he
muttered to himself.

Two hours later, Dave sat thousands of feet in the air
sipping a large Scotch.

Looking out of the window, he stared at the view.
Holding his glass up, he toasted his future.

'Costa del Sol, here I fucking come.'

Looking upwards, he gazed into the clouds.

'Cheers, Tel. I owe you one.'

* * *

Many miles away in Hornchurch, Michelle waved to
Danny as he pulled off the drive. Disappointed, she shut
the front door. Half an hour he'd stayed and had made no
arrangements to return in the near future.

'I'm so busy now, Chelle, with work. What with the
baby as well, I don't get a lot of spare time,' he'd told her
guiltily.

Chelle had nodded, keeping her true feelings to herself.
She'd always looked forward to their weekly chats and
booze sessions and was pissed off at being discarded like
an old bit of rag. Hazel was on holiday and she was beginning
to wish she'd kept Nathan dangling, just for a bit of
company and someone to go out with. She'd been overjoyed
when Danny had turned up earlier. Apart from a
short phone call, informing her that Billie had given birth
to a boy, she'd seen neither hide nor hair of him in weeks.

'I'll open some champagne. We can wet the baby's
head,' Chelle had insisted.

'I'll just have a lager, Chelle. I can't stop, girl. Gotta
bit of business to attend to.'

Feeling dejected, Chelle had handed him his beer and
thanked him for the photo of her grandson. 'Gorgeous he
is, Dan. Looks more like you than he does Billie,' she
lied. The child resembled neither. It looked more like a
cross between her late husband and E.T.

Chelle picked up her phone and rang both Suzie and
Julie. There was no answer from either, so, feeling pissed
off, she headed to the fridge. Lately, she was drinking
more and starting earlier than ever before. She wasn't
exactly an alkie, just extremely bored. Drink was her
friend and would keep her company. She knocked back
the first bottle like there was no tomorrow and immediately
opened a second.

Chelle debated whether to give Nathan a bell, but
decided against it. What was the point? The geezer was
an out-and-out penis and even she wasn't that desperate.

Singing along to Dolly Parton, she quickly polished
off bottle number two. Bored beyond belief, she picked
up the baby picture that Danny had left. Seconds later
she was sobbing.

Unlike her mother, Billie Jo was having the time of her
life. Instead of suffering from any postnatal depression,
she felt a happiness within and was walking around with
a permanent smile on her face. Giving birth to her precious
son had made Billie's life complete, and the only sadness
she felt was that her father wasn't alive to share her joy.
She knew he would have adored his first grandson and
would have spoilt him rotten.

As she heard the front door open, Billie turned her
thoughts from the past to the present and was surprised
to see Danny home, armed with a big bouquet of flowers
and a couple of bottles of wine. 'What are you doing
back, Danny?' she asked, looking at her watch. It was
only eight o'clock and the earliest Danny ever came home
was usually midnight. In fact Billie only ever really saw
him during the daytime, as he was out seven nights a
week, working.

Danny handed her the flowers and pecked her on the
lips. 'I thought I'd surprise my son and beautiful girlfriend,'
he said, putting the wine in the fridge and handing
her a takeaway menu. 'We ain't had a quiet night in for
ages, so I thought tonight we'd get a Chinese. I've bought
you a couple of bottles of wine and myself a box of lagers
and we'll have a nice romantic night, just me and you,
what do you think, eh, girl?'

'Ah, you're so lovely, Danny, so thoughtful. The flowers
are gorgeous, but don't wake DJ as I've only just got him
to sleep.'

Walking down the stairs to get the lagers out the back
of his Shogun, Danny smiled to himself. Although Billie
didn't know it yet, there was a method in his madness.
He'd come home early because he fancied getting his leg
over. Debbie the barmaid had been giving him a hard
time lately, and since his baby had been born had been
playing hard to get. In all truthfulness, his relationship
with her had become quite serious. Playing hard to get
had made him like her more, but not enough to leave
Billie and his baby, which is what Debbie was hoping
for. Partly it was his own fault, as he'd given her all the
old spiel, especially around the time DJ was born. He
knew she'd been jealous and upset and he'd had to keep
her sweet. He'd given all the old blarney, telling her how
much he loved her and that one day he'd leave Billie Jo.
Now she'd started playing him, which was why he'd given
her a taste of her own medicine tonight.

He'd gone in the pub earlier, and been really nice to
Debs. 'When you finish your shift tonight, I'll take you
for a nice meal,' he told her.

'I can't tonight. I've already made other arrangements,'
she replied, cockily.

Now one thing Danny O'Leary had never experienced,
and didn't take kindly to, was rejection. Believing that he
was the next up-and-coming Al Capone, the last thing
he needed was to be mugged off in front of his mates, on
his own stamping ground, by some fucking bird. A few
little words in Jimmy the Fish's earhole and half an hour
later, the biggest bouquet you ever saw was delivered.

'Right, lads,' Danny said, picking the flowers up off
of the bar. 'I'm going home to have a nice early night
with my beautiful other half, so I'll see you lads tomorrow.'

The look on Debbie's face was a picture. She'd thought
the flowers were for her and Danny had pissed himself
laughing all the way home. She needed to be taught a
lesson and he'd bet a pound to a piece of shit that she'd
think twice about fucking him around again.

Billie took the dirty plates out into the kitchen and
checked up on the baby, who was sleeping peacefully.
Wandering back into the living room, she noticed that
Danny had once again topped up her wine glass. 'I told
you not to pour me no more, Danny. I've already had
four glasses and I can't have any more or I won't wake
up for the baby if he needs me.'

Danny let out a bored sigh. 'Oh, come on, Bill, let's
enjoy tonight, just the two of us. We never get a night on
our own. Little Danny Boy will be fine. I'll get up if he
cries in the night.'

Billie sipped her drink out of politeness. She didn't
fancy a wild drunken night. She had responsibilities now
and getting pissed wasn't one of them. She'd never forgive
herself if her son cried out for her and she didn't hear
him. She certainly didn't need to be hungover in the
morning. Looking after a baby was hard work and she
needed a clear head at all times.

'I'll finish my drink, Danny, and then I'm going to
bed. I've been up since six this morning with the baby.
I've really enjoyed tonight, it's been great just me and
you. The takeaway and flowers were a lovely thought. I'm
just knackered. You do understand, don't you?'

'Go on, you go to bed and I'll be in soon meself,'
Danny said dejectedly, whilst cracking open another can
of lager. Waiting until Billie Jo was safely tucked up in
bed, Danny picked up his leather jacket and took out the
bag of cocaine he kept stashed away in the inside pocket.
Three lines and three cans of lager later, Danny sat on
the sofa feeling proper sorry for himself. Two birds, who
I treat like queens, and what do I get in return? he thought
wistfully. Nothing. I can't even get fucking laid. Well, I
ain't putting up with it no more. I'm generous to a fault,
always chucking money their way. From now on, things
are going to change and be done my way. If Billie or
Debbie don't like it, let 'em both fuck off. There are
plenty more fish in the sea.

Deciding there was no time like the present to start
stamping his authority, Danny went into the bedroom,
quietly stripped naked and got into bed next to Billie Jo.

Billie had been sound asleep and had only woken when
Danny started rubbing himself up against her. 'What you
doing, Danny? What time is it?'

'It's only early, babe, it's not even midnight yet and
what do you think I'm doing? I'm doing what people
normally do when they live together, making love.
Remember that, Bill? It's been that long since we've done
it, you probably don't!'

Billie noticed the sarcasm in his voice and wondered
how to handle the situation. Truth be known, she'd been
totally off sex since she'd fallen pregnant. Once the baby
was born, she'd expected to feel differently. Unfortunately,
she hadn't. The thought of getting jiggy made her feel
ill. Sitting up, Billie turned to Danny.

'Oh, Dan, you know how much I love you. It's just
that since DJ's been born, I haven't felt right down below
and I keep getting pains in my stomach.'

'So fucking what?' Danny said, angrily. Losing his
patience, he sat on top of her and pinned her arms against
the bed.

Billie felt scared and tried to talk him off her.

'Ssh, Danny, be quiet, you'll wake the baby. Get off
me, don't mess about.'

Seeing the fear in her eyes, Danny could feel his cock
getting harder by the second. He knew what he was about
to do was wrong, but was unable to stop himself. As he
inserted himself into her, Billie wanted to scream, but
sensibly kept quiet. NO meant NO, so why was he
behaving like this? He was meant to love her, for Christ's
sake, not get pleasure out of abusing her. Glancing at his
face, she barely recognised him. He looked like a madman,
a complete fucking stranger. Petrified, she sensed the
excitement and enjoyment seeping from his pores. Unable
to look at him, she turned her head away and prayed that
her ordeal would soon be over.

'Now turn over, you fucking bitch!'

Danny's voice sounded different to normal, almost
high-pitched. Billie sobbed uncontrollably, but did as he
asked. Part of her wanted to fight him off, but she knew
he was far too strong for her. If she struggled with him,
there was no telling what he might do. The pain she felt
as he entered her backside was indescribable; she felt like
screaming, but winced and bit the pillow instead.

'We'll have sex when I say so. I'm the man of this
house and what I say goes, do you understand me, you
cunt?'

Billie couldn't speak, she was totally dumbstruck. She
felt as if she was dreaming and she hoped and prayed
that baby Danny, who was sleeping in a cot in the same
room, wouldn't wake up while Daddy was buggering and
raping Mummy.

Feeling himself about to come, Danny started talking
dirty, obscenities spewing from his mouth. He felt nothing
but pure ecstasy as he shot his load inside her, that and
a feeling of power. Rolling off Billie, he went into the
living room, switched the telly on, opened another can
of lager and lit up a joint.

Billie lay still and unable to move. She was paralysed
with shock. She couldn't believe that the man she adored
had just cold-bloodedly raped and abused her. Pulling
herself together, she forced herself out of the bed. She
could barely walk, due to the ferocity of his thrusting.
She noticed blood on the sheets and immediately chucked
the quilt cover over the bed. She didn't need reminding
of what had just happened, she'd rather it be erased from
her memory.

Walking over to the cot, she was relieved that her baby
was still fast asleep. As she knelt down next to him, she
noticed his long dark lashes. She moved closer to him,
took in his scent and found it was a brief comfort to her
as she concentrated on him and little else. Noticing blood
on her legs, she tiptoed out to the bathroom to clean
herself up. As she glanced in the mirror, she was shocked
at the haggard, tear-stained face that stared back at her.
What the hell was she going to do now? It wasn't as if
she had anyone to turn to. There was no one at all that
could help her. Carly was the only close friend she had
left and there was nothing that she could do. She was
only young herself and still lived in a tiny flat with her
mum.

Jade had no time for her at all lately. They had hardly
spoken since the birth of DJ. Billie had thought that the
pair of them would be on the phone constantly discussing
babies, especially now that Danny had softened and
accepted their friendship, but Jade hadn't contacted her
at all. Billie had called her loads of times but she'd had
her mobile cut off and all she ever got on the landline
was her answerphone message. Once, Jade had picked
the phone up and had promised to ring back, but she'd
never returned the call.

Billie's thoughts were snapped back to the present by
the sound of loud snoring coming from the lounge.
Bastard, she thought to herself, as Danny's laboured
breathing rang deep inside her eardrums. It was at that
point she knew she hated him, despised every bone in
his lithe, tanned body. Two years ago when her dad was
alive, her life had been good. She'd been happy, carefree,
full of hopes and dreams for the future. Now she was
stuck in a great big hole, and how she was gonna get out
of it was anyone's guess.

Why, oh why, hadn't she chosen to heed the warning
signs? Looking back, they'd been there all along. Jade,
Carly, they'd both had their reservations about him, if
only she had listened.