Duality (17 page)

“No silly,” she laughed, annoying him even more. “I want you Ryan.”

“Me?” he spluttered.

“I’ve wanted you ever since I first saw you,” she said in a breathless rush. “I dream about you constantly and if I don’t have you I’ll go crazy but you hardly seem to notice me. What’s wrong with me? I know I’m pretty and I have a great body, if you’d ever care to see it?”

“I’m not interested because the only woman I’m attracted to is my wife,” he glowered.

The look he threw her made her think that perhaps this was a mistake. But she’d heard so much about how Ryan would do anything to protect Rachel that she thought he might be willing to prostitute himself to do it. “There are plenty of men who would snap up the offer to be with me but I don’t want them, I only want you.”

“And you think the only way you can get me is by blackmailing me?”

“Well…yes.”

“And you would be very wrong. Have you seen my wife? Not only is she the most beautiful woman I have ever seen but she is the strongest, smartest, most loving woman on the face of the planet and if you think a stupid, insipid little girl like you could ever compete then you are sorely mistaken.”

Emily’s cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Not smart talk for someone who is supposed to be so intelligent.”

“Do you think you’re the first lowlife blackmailer I’ve ever had to deal with?”

Emily started to squirm with nerves. He’d gone quiet and was just glaring at her and she knew she wasn’t dealing with the respected businessman and local hottie anymore. Instead she was seeing the ruthless gangster. For fuck’s sake this man had killed people. What the hell had she been thinking?

When she tried to make a run for the door he leapt up and reached it before her, slamming it shut and locking it, his grey eyes cold and unnerving.

“Give me the phone,” he told her.

“But I just bought it.”

“Tough. Hand it over.”

Reluctantly she dumped it in his hand.

“Do you have this footage on any other device?”

“No.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well it’s true.”

“I don’t think so and it’s not wise to lie to me.”

“I’m not and you can’t keep me here.”

“Isn’t this what you wanted, the two of us alone?”

When his expression softened she thought she still might be in with a chance after all and she glanced at his desk, tingling with excitement. “Yeah. Having second thoughts?”

The hard look returned. “No.”

“What are you doing?” she demanded when he took out his phone and started dialling.

“Calling Rachel. She’ll decide what is to be done with you.”

“You don’t need to do that,” she exclaimed. “I’ll go home and we’ll never mention it again.”

“I’m afraid it’s not that easy. We need to make sure you’re not going to talk.”

Her heart leapt into her mouth. “Don’t hurt me.”

“That all depends on what my wife says when she gets here. Yes, hello Rachel. Could you come to the office at the spa? Something’s cropped up.” He smiled with satisfaction before hanging up. “She’ll be here in ten minutes.”

The thought of confronting Rachel was even scarier than facing Ryan after what she’d seen her do in the restaurant. She’d knocked down those men as though they were nothing. She shuddered to think what she’d do to her. “You don’t need to bring her into it, she’s been through enough lately.”

“Which begs the question, why on earth have you added to her burden? I mean, attempting to blackmail her husband into having sex with you. I had no idea you were desperate Emily.”

“If you hurt me I’ll scream.”

“Be my guest. There’s no one around to hear you. The spa is closed for the day.”

A shudder ran down her spine.

Rachel did indeed arrive ten minutes after Ryan had called her and was curious to see he had Emily with him. The concern in her eyes made Emily feel ashamed.

“What are you doing here honey?” Rachel asked her. “Has something happened?”

“Yes it has and it’s all her doing,” said Ryan. “She only pretended to leave the restaurant yesterday when those fools tried to attack you. She took this,” he ended, putting the phone in her hand.

As Rachel watched the footage her expression grew darker. “Why Emily?” she said, looking hurt. “All I did was give you a job. Were you going to hand this over to the police?”

“Tell her,” said Ryan. “Too ashamed?” he added when she remained silent. “I’m not surprised. She brought this to me Rachel because she hoped to bribe me into sleeping with her. That was her price, her silence for my favours.”

Rachel’s eyes turned black. “You fucking bitch.”

Emily swallowed hard. “It was just a joke, I didn’t mean any harm.”

“Don’t give me that shit,” hissed Rachel. “Are you really so sad and desperate that you need to blackmail men into sleeping with you?”

Emily didn’t know what to say to that, so she just hung her head.

“I don’t understand this,” continued Rachel. “Haven’t we always been kind to you, treated you well, paid you a decent wage?”

“Well…yes.”

“So why stab us in the back in this disgusting manner?”

Emily was stuck for words. “I…I don’t know. I saw a chance and I took it. Don’t tell me you’ve never done that before?”

“That was really the wrong thing to say,” said Ryan.

Emily jumped when Rachel snatched up the lamp on Ryan’s desk and threw it across the room, sending it crashing into the filing cabinet. “How fucking dare you? I have never blackmailed another woman’s husband into having sex with me you pathetic little cow. I don’t give a flying fuck about your sad little motives. All I want to know is whether you have any copies of this footage?”

“No,” she squeaked.

She screamed when Rachel grabbed her by the neck and pushed her up against the wall.

“I want the fucking truth.”

“On my laptop,” she grimaced as Rachel’s grip tightened.

“Is that it?”

Emily nodded, a tear falling from the corner of one eye.

When Rachel released her she staggered into the corner, looking frightened.

“Get your jacket Ryan. We’re taking this daft bitch home.”

“Why?” said Emily, now absolutely terrified and cursing herself as the biggest idiot alive.

Rachel thrust her face into hers. “I want your laptop.”

Rachel practically shoved Emily through her own front door, who stumbled in the hallway, slid on a pile of post behind the door and fell to the floor.

“Where’s your laptop?” demanded Rachel, standing over her with her hands on her hips while Ryan came in behind her and closed the door, amused.

“Get up,” said Rachel when she continued to flail on the floor.

Eventually Emily managed to scramble to her feet and led them into her front room, pushing her hair out of her face, sweating and cheeks flushed. She hadn’t felt this scared in her entire life, not even those four men all in black had frightened her this much.

“Where’s the laptop?” said Rachel.

“Over there,” said Emily resignedly, pointing to a cupboard in the corner of the room.

Rachel wrenched open the cupboard door so hard it was left hanging off its hinges and removed the laptop. She lifted the lid and switched it on. “Show me.”

Emily, finally realising she’d come up against a force far stronger than herself, brought up the footage on the laptop. “There,” she pouted.

“Do you have any more copies?”

“No,” she replied, avoiding her eyes.

She released a gasp of fright when Rachel grasped her by the chin and forced her to look her in the eyes. “You’re a liar.”

“There is one other copy but I don’t have it.”

“Where?”

“Valentine Halliday has it.”

Ryan’s expression went from amused to furious. “And just how the hell did he get it?”

“He approached me a few days ago and asked me to…errr…”

“Dig up something he could use against us?” said Rachel.

Emily swallowed hard and nodded, feeling ashamed.

“And instead of coming to us and letting us know what he was trying to do you decided to accept his offer,” said Ryan. “How much did he pay you?”

“A grand.”

“You sold us out for a poxy grand?” said Rachel, the hurt look returning.

“I’ve been really short lately, I was desperate.”

“Then why didn’t you come to us? We’ve always said if you ever needed anything you could come to us.” She glanced Ryan’s way and her eyes narrowed. “But you weren’t desperate for cash, were you Emily? You were desperate for my husband.”

Rachel wouldn’t have been so enraged if Emily’s motives had been for profit, in a way she could have understood that. She was young and easily dazzled by a wad of cash. But she hadn’t wanted money, she’d wanted her Ryan and she could kill her for it.

Her thoughts ran through her head so forcefully Emily could read them in her eyes. When Rachel grabbed her by the shirt front and drew back her fist, Ryan decided it had gone far enough.

“No Rachel,” he said. “She’s not worth it.” Not that he cared what happened to Emily but he knew Rachel would beat herself up for hurting her.

Ryan’s calm voice cut through Rachel’s rage and she lowered her fist. “You’re right, she’s not.”

“Thank you,” said Emily, shaking, tears in her eyes.

“Normally I’d be telling you to get out of Devon and never come back,” said Rachel. “But I don’t want to alert Valentine to the fact that we know what he’s up to. So Emily, I’m giving you a chance to redeem yourself.”

“I’ll do anything.”

Rachel’s smile was wicked. “I know.”

CHAPTER 16

Mikey and Jez were ensconced in their hotel suite in Glasgow with Shane and Mark, watching the monitor Caesar had set up for them linked directly to a secret camera Toni had installed in the office she used for the majority of her business meetings. Toni herself was sat behind the desk talking to a short, fat bald man with a crooked jaw. Uncle Tam himself.

“What do you think?” said Jez.

“That it’s a miracle Toni hasn’t leapt across the desk and gouged out his eyes,” said Mikey. “I’m amazed she’s able to keep so calm when she knows he’s a traitor.”

“That’s something it would be wise for us to bear in mind,” said Jez.

“Yes Ryan,” grinned Mikey.

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“Do you think Tam knows he’s deep in the shit?” said Shane, thrilled by all this. He couldn’t believe he was actually getting to watch a secret McVay meeting.

Mikey and Jez found his enthusiasm entertaining. Both of them were very fond of the lad and knew he showed great promise. Already he was in their inner circle and he was only a teenager.

“If he does he’s hiding it well,” said Jez. “It’s hard to know what’s going on in any of their heads.”

“Don’t you mean heids?” said Mark with an amused smile.

“I love their accents,” grinned Shane.

“I’m sure they’d be pleased to hear that,” said Mikey sarcastically.

“Ssshh,” said Jez, frowning seriously at the screen.

They heard Toni tell her uncle Tam that she was going to take Malc out, that she’d had enough of his shit and wasn’t about to take anymore. Tam was taking it stoically, the only indication he was upset his crooked jaw sliding even further to one side. Tam had practically raised Malc from a young age after his dad had done a disappearing act and his mum had got addicted to drugs.

“Well, the trap’s set,” said Mikey.

“You think it’s going to be that easy?” said Mark.

“I’m hoping so. I want to get back to Manchester.”

“I agree with Mark,” said Jez. “I don’t think they’re going to make it that easy for us.”

“I can’t bloody believe it,” raged Rachel as she stormed through the house, flinging off her coat and shoes, leaving them lying in the hallway instead of putting them away like she normally would. “The treacherous little bitch, she’s lucky I didn’t put her through a wall.”

“I think she realised that,” said Ryan wryly.

Jules emerged from the lounge wearing black jogging bottoms and a black vest, munching on a biscuit. “Who’s a bitch?”

“Emily,” said Rachel, the word coming out as a snarl.

“You mean the cute little blond piece from your restaurant? Didn’t I tell you to watch out for that one?”

“You knew?” Ryan demanded of his sister.

“I knew she was a wrong ‘un.”

“How?”

She shrugged. “Because I’m a genius,” she grinned, making his jaw clench. “Why, what’s she done?”

Rachel related the entire saga to her in a breathless tirade, igniting her fury all over again.

“Woah Rach, you are so hot when you’re angry,” said Jules.

Ryan closed his eyes, awaiting the inevitable eruption but when it didn’t happen he opened them again, surprised to see a reluctant smile on Rachel’s face. “You calmed her down Jules. How do you do that?”

“Just gifted, like you, you sex god. Fancy having women committing blackmail to get you to sleep with them. Mind you, you are seriously hot. If we weren’t brother and sister I’d be tempted myself.”

While Ryan’s lip curled with disgust Rachel barked with laughter. “You are fucking outrageous Jules.”

“Why thank you,” she smiled.

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” said Rachel, feeling weary now her anger was draining out of her. “I’m going to have a shower, I want to wash this awful day off me.”

Jules and Ryan watched her tramp upstairs, shoulders slumped.

“So who’s this Valentine prick?” Jules asked her brother once Rachel had vanished upstairs.

“Someone who tried to pull one over on us before but failed. He and his ghastly wife told us their daughter was being abused by her boyfriend and they wanted us to sort him out. Turns out the boyfriend is actually a very nice person whose only crime is not being posh enough for their tastes.”

“So what is this, some sort of pathetic revenge?”

“It would seem so. We have footage of them admitting they wanted us to eradicate him from their daughter’s life and I’m guessing they think if they have something on us too we won’t be able to use it. Rachel and I are firmly convinced that they’re both sociopaths. As if she needs this nonsense on top of everything else.” His expression turned dark. “Sometimes I want to burn the entire world just so it’ll leave her alone.”

“Oooh dark,” smiled Jules, ruining the effect of this dramatic statement.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “How are you feeling?”

She shrugged. “Fine.”

“I want to cheer Rachel up.”

“And you’re going to use your considerable talents the women of Devon are committing crimes to get. You don’t need to tell me twice, I’ll go to the pictures.”

“Thank you Jules, I appreciate that. Rachel’s parents are picking the children up from a party and we’re all going round there for dinner this evening, so make sure you’re back for no later than five thirty, okay?”

“Yes Commandant,” she said, giving him a mock-salute.

He hesitated on his way to the stairs. “And no fighting.”

“Spoilsport,” she called after him as he jogged upstairs.

Rachel enjoyed the spray of warm water on her face, attempting to take her mind off Emily and Valentine bloody Halliday but she found she was unable to. Her blood boiled at the thought of what they’d done, or at least tried to do. She and Jules had been fighting for their lives and all that daft cow could think of was getting her leg over her husband. Jules had tried to warn her about Emily’s thing for Ryan but she hadn’t listened because she’d thought Emily was just a sweet, timid girl. Rachel chastised herself for being so lax. She hadn’t thought that girl could be any sort of threat to her and she’d been wrong, she hadn’t made an error of judgement like that in a long time. Just because she wasn’t in Manchester anymore didn’t mean there wasn’t any danger and she resolved to be on high alert from now on at all times.

When she turned and saw the figure on the other side of the glass shower door she took a step back, feeling the cold tiles press against her back, heart thumping. A hand slapped against the glass then slid down it and she tensed, ready to fight. It was only when the figure took a step closer that she realised it was Ryan and her heart began thumping in a very different way.

She watched as the shower door slowly slid open to reveal Ryan, big chest heaving, slate grey eyes fixed on her naked body.

“Continue,” was all he said.

Rachel’s stomach ached with excitement as she squirted shower gel into her hand and slowly began massaging it into her skin, running her hands over her bare breasts, gasping when she touched her rock hard nipples. As her hand slid lower she watched Ryan slowly unbutton his shirt, his eyes never leaving her.

Her hand moved down to her thighs and she slid her fingers around the outside to the inner, so excited her hand shook, enjoying the huge bulge in Ryan’s trousers.

Finally he finished unbuttoning the shirt and threw it aside, lifting his arms to rest them either side of the door, giving her a wonderful view of the muscles popping out of his shoulders as well as the ripple of his stomach. He was now in his mid forties but age didn’t seem to exist for Ryan. He could give men half his age a good run for their money.

Emily and Valentine now entirely forgotten, Rachel began to slowly rub that aching spot between her legs, enjoying how Ryan’s eyes widened and he stepped inside the shower to get a better look, already unfastening his trousers.

“More,” was all he said.

Rachel released a moan as she slid her fingers inside herself, her free hand massaging her breasts. She leaned back against the cold tiles, loving the contrast of coldness at her back and the hot water pounding over her.

Ryan cast off his underwear and stood before her completely naked, rivulets of water pouring over him, slipping down his bare skin.

“Do not stop,” he told her when she stopped, fully expecting to be pulled into his arms. “Make yourself come.”

Rachel thrust her fingers back inside herself, the sight of Ryan’s enormous erection throwing her headlong into an orgasm. She yelled out his name, needing him inside her.

“Turn around and kneel down,” he told her.

Rachel knelt before him on shaky legs but shook her head. “I’m not going to turn around,” she said before running her tongue around the tip of his erection.

He sucked in a breath, hand fisting in her hair. “This is supposed to be about you.”

“And it is, this is what I want,” she said before taking him in her mouth. This had gone beyond sex for Rachel, it was about reclaiming her man. She was fortunate she’d never had to worry about him straying, she knew he only had eyes for her but Emily’s actions had felt like a violation of their relationship. He was
hers
and this was about proving that. As her mouth slid up and down his length she loved listening to the growl rumble in the back of his throat, enjoyed the way his muscles bulged and tensed as she pleasured him.

Just before he came he pulled out of her mouth and pushed her onto her back, taking her hard on the shower floor while the water continued to pound over them.

Ryan drank in the sight of his wife coming in his arms, of the release and freedom she was experiencing. When her eyes opened, jet black and burning he smiled gently, stroking her cheek with the side of his thumb.

“You never have to worry about me with other women,” he said. “I would never ever stray. You’re my everything.”

“I know,” she said, running her fingers through his wet hair. “I just couldn’t believe what she tried to do.”

“It doesn’t matter what she tried, the silly little girl would never have succeeded.”

Rachel cringed. “I hope Jules didn’t hear all that, we weren’t exactly quiet.”

“She went out to give us some privacy.”

“Thank God for that, I’m not sure I could have taken all the jokes. Where did she go?”

“No idea and please, I have no wish to discuss my sister while I’m inside you.”

“Sorry,” she smiled. “Are you ready for round two?”

She laughed when his arm went around her waist and flipped her onto her hands and knees. His lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile as he positioned himself behind her, watching the water bounce off her bare back. He reached up for the shower head and yanked it out of its cradle.

Rachel bucked and moaned as he focused the intense spray of water down her back, over her backside and between her thighs.

He cast aside the shower head, sending water spraying wildly all over the cubicle, but neither of them cared.

“You are perfection,” he said before thrusting inside her.

Jules lurked across the road from the set of offices that she knew - after some very simple enquiries - belonged to Valentine Halliday. Rachel and Ryan had been so good to her so the least she could do was get rid of the pathetic little worm who was trying to disrupt their lives. Plus that footage could get herself into trouble too. Her bet was that he’d keep the footage close, wanting to look at it intermittently so he could gloat and enjoy his power over them. She hadn’t met Valentine Halliday but already she could guess what sort of person he was - a complete turd.

She’d managed to find a photograph of him in the newspaper archive at the local library so when he exited the building she spotted him immediately, not that the fat bastard was easy to miss. As he climbed into a big black Jaguar she got into the little blue Fiat she’d hired, her hood pulled up. Valentine knew what she looked like thanks to Emily and her sneaky spy tactics.

She followed him through town, shaking her head when she saw him blatantly using his mobile phone while driving, the handset pressed to his ear. Was he that ignorant he’d never heard of bluetooth?

To her disappointment he drove straight home. Thanks to her research she already had his address. She pulled over to watch his car disappear behind a large set of metal gates, which automatically closed behind his car. Normally Jules could find a way in but she wasn’t up to scaling any walls in her condition. She would just have to wait until Valentine left his sanctuary. Fortunately she’d placed a tracking device on his car so she’d know when that would be.

Estelle pounded on the tired lime green door until it was finally opened by a big, blousy woman in a t-shirt that was far too small for her, lower half encased in a pair of skin tight leggings that strained at the seams. She frowned at the figure before her wrapped up in a dark blue cagoule, hood pulled up.

“Alright Linda?” said a bedraggled Estelle.

“Oh my God, what are you doing back on the estate? If your sons find out…”