Reckoning (39 page)

“Kept at the bottom?” said Mikey. “We raised you up in the world, paid you more money that you’d ever had in your life but it wasn’t enough, you greedy, treacherous bastards.”

“Do you know what Ryan said is the secret of staying at the top?” said Jules.

Shane eagerly leaned in, praying she finally revealed to him the big secret.

Brogan looked at her with a frown. “What?”

“It’s having the balls to do what no one else will, to always go further than your enemies are willing to go.”

With that she drew one of the knives from their sheaths and plunged it into Brogan’s neck, hitting the artery with perfect, practiced precision. Brogan’s expression was pure surprise, unable to believe he was being assassinated in front of all these witnesses. In his final moments, as the blood pumped out of his artery, he realised it was testament to the power the Maguires and Laws wielded - they could kill someone in a public place and they would get away with it. No one would question them about it, everyone would suddenly come down with amnesia, any CCTV footage would disappear and he would go down as an unsolved murder. His legacy. How pathetic.

Jules yanked the blade out of his neck, ensuring the spray hit Duane full in the face, who cried out in horror and frantically tried to wipe the blood away.

“Shut him up will you?” said Mikey.

Mark grabbed the man’s head and twisted, snapping his neck and he fell forwards onto the table, lifeless.

Without another word they departed from the club, taking their time. They rushed for no one.

“How are you holding up?” said Jez, clapping Shane on the shoulder.

“Fine,” he replied bravely, although admittedly he was feeling a little shaky. He’d never seen anyone killed before.

“Don’t worry, violence on this scale isn’t the norm. You’ve done bloody well lad. Mark, Grant and Declan are heading to Martina’s Bar for an almighty piss-up. Go with them, you’ve earned it. All on the house.”

“Yeah thanks, sounds good,” he smiled. Getting drunk was exactly what he wanted to do. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Can’t. Me and Mikey have got to pick our wives up from the airport. We’ll see you at work tomorrow. You’ve got a job with us full time, if you’re up for it?”

“Definitely,” he grinned.

“I knew you wouldn’t let me down. You’re going to be a valuable part of the team Shane, I can feel it.”

Shane’s grin was so wide his face started to hurt again. On top of that he knew the secret, finally, something he resolved never to forget.

Mikey glanced sideways at Jules and smiled. Walking alongside this woman with the bloodied knives strapped to her wrists he’d never felt so strong and powerful in his life. All their enemies were dead, they were still on top. Plus watching Jules dispatch two of those enemies had been a huge turn-on. She caught his gaze and smiled back as they stepped outside into the warm evening air.

“Are you going to the club too to celebrate?” Mikey asked her.

“No, there’s someone I need to see.”

“Who?”

“Someone I owe a big favour. I’ll catch you tomorrow.”

“Jules…,” began Mikey as she walked away.

“Let her go,” Jez told him. “It’s for the best.”

“I suppose,” he murmured as he watched her disappear around the corner.

CHAPTER 39

Curtis was woken by a high-pitched ringing in his ears. His arms felt like they were glued to his sides and blood had trickled into his eyes and set, crusting them shut.

“Curtis, wake up for fuck’s sake,” shrieked a panicked voice.

He forced his eyes open and blinked myopically as a tunnel of fading purple light greeted him. “Where am I? Am I dead?” he said, confused, squinting into the light.

“Not yet but we soon will be if we don’t get out of here.”

Finally he figured out that it was Kirk talking to him. Why was he so anxious? The light was so pretty. When Curtis tried to get to his feet intense pain started up in his wrists and ankles and he groaned out loud. He looked down at his body through his crusty eyes and finally realised he couldn’t move because he was sat on the floor, back against the wall, rope knotting his hands and feet together and every time he moved it tightened. “What the fuck’s going on?” he cried.

“We got our arses kicked, that’s what’s going on. It was a trap,” said Kirk. “They knew we were there all along.”

“Where the hell are we?” said Curtis. They were in a large, circular brick room. Cold air washed over his face, blowing his hair, which was thick with blood.

“We’re at the top of The Tower. Can’t you see you daft bastard? We’re up in the fucking air,” screeched Kirk.

Curtis saw the purple light was actually a twilight sky, dotted with stars, deepening to indigo before it turned black. It was almost beautiful. “I don’t get it,” he said. “Why put us here?”

“I don’t bloody know and what’s that noise?” said Kirk, eyes bulging with panic.

The sound of the alarm was obliterated by a huge roar hundreds of feet below them and the whole building rocked and shook.

“Oh fuck,” cried Curtis as they started to plummet.

Rachel peered at the phone Ryan held in his hand, enjoying the shock on the faces of Jared’s men as the detonation began. Then the screen went blank. He was careful to let no one else see, quite a crowd had gathered to watch this landmark fall.

“Job done,” smiled Ryan, slipping the phone back into his pocket. “And we don’t even need to clean up.”

He slipped his arm around Rachel’s shoulders and she leaned into him happily. The danger was gone, for now, but it would come back at some point, there was no doubt about it. When it did return they would deal with it in a similar way. They could never have a completely legitimate life, she’d realised that. They were Ryan and Rachel Law and they were laws unto themselves. She looked up at Battler, who was standing beside her, still in bodyguard position and he gave her a wink.

Jackson was hunched at the bar, taking a leaf out of Dane’s book and getting slowly drunk, only he wasn’t on tequila, he was on vodka shots. He’d tried calling Dane back but he wasn’t answering. He had no idea if Mikey had managed to find Jules or if she was even alive and it was driving him crazy. His stomach kept turning over, his in-built shit detector telling him something bad was happening.

“Get the fuck off,” he growled when a pair of hands clamped themselves down over his eyes.

“And I thought you’d missed me.”

He froze. “Jules?” He spun around, wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, lifting her off the floor. “Bloody hell I’ve missed you girl.”

“Missed you too,” she just had chance to say before he ground his mouth against hers.

When the kiss finally ended Jules realised everyone was gaping at her. “Look at them,” she grinned. “They think I’m a ghost. Want to take me back to your place and shag me senseless?”

“I’m not sure I’ll be able to wait until we get home,” he said, kissing her again.

“Try to look more cheerful,” said Jez.

“I’m fine,” Mikey replied tightly.

They were at the airport, waiting for their wives’ plane to land. Jez was riding high, they were back at the top where they belonged and no one would even think about taking them on again, not for a while at least. But Mikey’s miserable face was bringing him down. “What’s wrong, for fuck’s sake?”

“Nothing.”

Jez’s jaw tensed. “It’s Jules, isn’t it?”

“No.”

“Yeah it is. Why can’t you just get over her? Right now she’ll be tucked up in bed with Jackson Driscoll doing unspeakable things to him and she won’t be thinking about you.”

“Just let it go, I’m fine.”

“No you’re not. You went charging down to Essex with no thought for yourself or anyone else. For all you knew Isaac Jones could have topped you or been in on it with Jared and you went down there alone with no back-up.”

“He wouldn’t, I’ve known Isaac a long time.”

“And you know as well as I do that personal feelings and friendships mean sod all in business. Isaac might like you but it wouldn’t stop him killing you if it gave him the advantage, it’s just how it is.”

“Look, I had a chance and I took it. If I’d missed out Jules might have ended up dead. I know I should have spoken to you first but there wasn’t time. Jesus Christ, I thought you’d be pleased, she is your sister.”

“Of course I’m pleased she’s alive and back where she belongs but you are worrying me.”

“I don’t know why.”

“Because you’ve got your head in the clouds and not on the job and in about two minutes your wife will be here. Get your mind off Jules and back on Amber. You love her, don’t you?”

“Which one?”

“Amber,” he exclaimed.

“Oh. Yeah.”

“You don’t sound too sure.”

“Course I love her, now will you stop going on about it?” he said, getting angry.

“You’d better get over Jules and quick because if you don’t there’ll be a shit load of trouble falling down on your head.”

“Is that a threat?”

“No, it’s a warning and I don’t mean trouble from me, I mean from that little redhead of yours.”

“Amber will be sweet, she always is.”

“Don’t be so sure of that. It’s the quiet ones you’ve got to watch out for and women have a funny way of sussing things out. Get a grip or she’ll catch on to your crush and then she’ll make you suffer.”

Mikey wanted to retort but he was forced to remain silent when Amber and Cathy appeared with the children. He felt almost envious when Jez ran up to Cathy, gathered her in his arms and kissed her passionately, making her giggle. The way they looked at each other made something inside him yearn, but he wasn’t sure who for.

He pushed the feeling away, deciding to take Jez’s advice and concentrate on his wife. “Babe, good to have you back,” smiled Mikey.

“Are you okay?” she said, flying into his arms.

“I’m fine,” he said, gently rocking her, running his fingers through her thick red hair.

“It’s over?”

“Yeah, it is.”

She puffed out a breath. “Thank God for that, it’s been horrible. I hate it when you send me away.”

“I’m sorry but it was necessary. Hello little man,” he said, stooping to pick up Josh. “Did you have a nice holiday?”

The boy grinned and, despite how messed up he was inside, Mikey found himself smiling back. But one thing struck Mikey right then. He wouldn’t have married Amber if it hadn’t been for this boy.

Jackson concentrated his attentions around Jules’s belly button, feathering her bare abdomen with soft kisses, enjoying the warmth of her body and her fingers idly sliding through his hair. When he’d been inside her, gazing down at her he’d almost started to cry, a first for him. No matter what happened between them, he was just so happy she was alive and here with him.

“Did they treat you badly?” he said.

“Not really, it could have been worse.” She gave him a brief round-up of Jared’s treatment of her.

“You, in pink?” he sniggered.

“I know, hilarious isn’t it. It was really freaky, it proper creeped me out.”

He felt her shudder slightly and slid back up her body to kiss her lips. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just remembering it makes me feel cold.”

He smiled and wrapped himself around her. “Then it’s a good job you’ve got me to keep you warm.” Usually when he got soppy she pulled away from him, but this time she nuzzled into him. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “I’ve got you.”

“I’m glad you’re here Jax. Apart from my brothers you were the first person I wanted to see.” She decided not to mention Mikey, it would only hurt him and that was the last thing she wanted.

Jackson was very pleased, all this was almost unheard of from Jules. He recognised her experiences had altered her. Finally she’d realised she wasn’t alone, that there were people who loved her and who were willing to help. Most importantly, these same people would actually miss her if she were gone. Now she’d realised she had that love and support she was letting her softer feelings come to the fore instead of burying them beneath layers of hate and spikes.

“I had sex with Jared,” she said, casting her eyes down. “Don’t think badly of me, I had to get him to trust me. In the end I didn’t need to, the woman he got to guard me let me out.”

“Why did she do that?”

Jules shrugged. “No idea.”

“I’m not going to judge you Jules, you did what you had to do.”

“Thanks,” she smiled, touching his face. She didn’t tell him that deep down she’d actually liked Jared. It was just such a shame he was even more fucked up than she was.

When Jackson kissed her she smiled into his mouth. She hadn’t liked Jared as much as she liked this man. When she was with Jackson she even forgot about Mikey Maguire.

CHAPTER 40

“Jared,” said Hayden, surprised and dismayed to find him at Katia’s front door. “What can we do for you?”

“Can I come in? We need to talk.”

Hayden looked over his shoulder at Katia wrapped in a robe, who nodded. He stood aside to allow him to enter, trying not to look pissed off. They’d been enjoying some grown-up time together now the twins were asleep and Jared was spoiling it.

“Is something wrong?” Katia said when Jared stood in the centre of the room, staring around him blankly.

“I’ve not heard anything back from the two men I sent to do Ryan and Rachel for you.”

Katia fought not to glance sideways at Hayden, who she could sense was bristling. “What does that mean?”

“I’m assuming Ryan and Rachel killed them.”

Katia had never thought she would be relieved to hear that Ryan and Rachel were still alive but she was now. It proved how quickly Hayden had got under her skin.

“I’ve lost so many men to the fucking Laws and Maguires,” he growled.

“You killed some of theirs too,” she replied. Jared was twitchy, a ball of nerves and anger. Normally she’d be afraid of him but Hayden was here and with him by her side she was frightened of no one.

“Not enough. I wanted them all gone. Not enough,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. “Jules has gone too. I’m all alone.”

“What do you mean gone?” said Hayden, afraid he was going to say she was dead too.

“She escaped,” said Jared sadly. “I miss her.”

When he continued to stare blankly into space Hayden looked to Katia, who shrugged.

“Jared, are you okay?” she said.

He rounded on her and suddenly bellowed, “it’s Irina’s fault, she helped her escape.”

“Irina? She wouldn’t.”

“She did because apparently she loved me,” he said with a snort. “As if I could ever love a whore like that. Well she doesn’t love me anymore.”

Something in his voice made Katia’s stomach drop. “What do you mean?”

His face cracked into a bizarre smile. “She made my Jules leave, so I snapped her neck.”

Katia’s knees went weak. “No, no please.”

Without a word he marched to the front door, leaving Katia to collapse into Hayden’s arms, doing her best not to burst into tears. The only woman she had ever considered a friend had been murdered by this lunatic.

He pulled open the door and said, “bring it in.”

Two of his men hauled a large battered black suitcase through the door and dumped it in the hallway.

“What’s this?” said Hayden, gesturing to the suitcase.

“Rubbish. You sort it,” he snapped before leaving, slamming the door shut behind him.

Katia stepped into Hayden, dread turning her cold as she stared at the ominous suitcase.

“I’ll open it,” he said, kneeling down and unzipping it. He peered inside before hastily fastening it up. “I’ll get rid of it.”

“Wait, what’s in it?”

“You don’t want to know. I’ll sort it out. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder. “I want to see.”

“You don’t.”

“I do. I owe it to her.”

Hayden nodded before unzipping the case and peeling back the lid.

Katia gasped and staggered back two steps, already regretting her decision to look. She’d wanted to say goodbye to her friend but that thing crammed into the suitcase wasn’t Irina. Her neck was covered in ugly livid bruises, her head turned almost right round, so one surprised eye was staring right at her, the other eye ruined, nothing more than a bloody hole. Her body had been squeezed into the case in the foetal position, arms bent unnaturally. Jared had obviously beaten her first, her beautiful face was swollen and distorted out of all recognition. If it hadn’t been for her hair and clothes she would have had a difficult time identifying her. On her left index finger she still wore the ring her mother had given her when she was a child, inset with a tiny pearl that she’d so prized.

The thing in the suitcase blurred as tears filled Katia’s eyes and her knees buckled.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” said Hayden, his arms wrapping around her before she hit the floor. “Sshh, remember the boys are asleep,” he said as she felt the scream welling up inside her. From somewhere she found the strength to keep the scream inside, although she could hear it echoing in her head.

“I’m so sorry,” said Hayden, gathering her into his chest and stroking her hair, blocking her view of
the thing
with his body.

“She my friend, the only real friend I ever have,” she croaked, her accent thickening as the pain inside her intensified. “He kill her because she love him. He is a monster, a pig man.” Suddenly the hatred she’d harboured for the Laws and Maguires paled into insignificance as it found a new focus.

“A man who does things like this is a coward,” said Hayden.

She looked up at him, her miracle, this strong, powerful man who had suddenly come into her life and who she was so grateful for. “I hate him,” she hissed. “She my only friend. What will I do without her?”

He took her face between his hands. “You have me now. Leave everything to me, I’ll see to Irina.”

“It…it will be dignified? Please?”

Once again he weakened beneath the full force of those big blue eyes. “I’ll find somewhere nice for her to rest and I’ll put down some flowers for her.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

He kissed her. “I know. Why don’t you take a long hot bath then have a nice glass of wine and I’ll take Irina away. Don’t worry about a thing.”

“Thank you Hayden. I’m so glad you’re here.”

His smile was soft. “Me too.”

“I keep her ring, it remind me of her. Could you please…I can’t touch her.”

Hayden removed the ring from Irina’s pinky finger and placed it in Katia’s hand. “You’ll be okay while I’m gone?” he said.

She nodded, a tear sliding down her cheek as she slid the ring onto her own finger. “Yes, don’t worry about me.”

He kissed her again before zipping up the suitcase and picking it up, having to hold it in both arms.

When he’d gone Katia staggered into the bathroom to splash some water on her face, finally releasing her tears. “My friend,” she whispered before sinking to the floor to quietly cry, not wanting to disturb her babies. She’d warned Irina time and time again not to let Jared know she was in love with him but Katia hadn’t thought he’d actually kill her, she’d just thought he would hurt her feelings. But he’d said she’d let Jules escape. He’d broken her beautiful friend’s neck because of that stupid, nasty ugly bitch. She was furious. How could Jared destroy lovely Irina for that?

She was forced to put her grief on hold when Alex started to whimper in his cot, as though he could sense his mother’s distress, so she stood by his cot, softly singing and stroking his downy hair. This soothed him and he soon drifted back off to sleep. Katia was grateful for Alex’s timely interruption, it gave her the chance to get a grip on her emotions.

When she was certain he was soundly asleep she took Hayden’s advice and ran herself a bath, luxuriating in an oasis of bubbles and expensive scent with a glass of wine, reliving her memories of her best friend. Irina had been so wonderful after her babies had been stolen, supporting her, she’d truly cared. Not many people had genuinely cared for Katia in her lifetime. Even looking back on her relationship with Alex she realised he hadn’t really cared about her. She’d been another thing to him, just like his businesses and his cars. Hayden and Irina had made her realise that and one of those people was gone.

“Oh my darling,” she whispered, before starting to cry again. She couldn’t stop imagining Irina’s final moments, how hurt she would have been that the man she’d loved was going to kill her, that her precious love had been wasted.

Hayden returned three hours later, by which time Katia had got out of the bath and was sat on the couch wrapped in a light grey silk robe, drinking her fourth glass of wine. He look tired, his clothes muddied, a streak of soil on his right cheek.

“Well?” she said, the word a breath on the air, her throat closing up.

“It’s done. I found her a nice place in a wood. There were lots of bluebells. It was really pretty.”

“I’d like to see it.”

“Not just yet. Let everything settle down first then I’ll take you there.”

“Thank you Hayden. I owe you so much.”

“No you don’t.” He wanted to kiss her and hold her but knew she wouldn’t want him to touch her when he still had the earth of her friend’s grave all over him. “I’ll take a shower.”

She nodded, refilling her wine glass. By the time he returned, dripping wet and clad only in a towel, she was opening another bottle.

“Want one?” she said.

“Yes please,” he said gratefully. Digging Irina’s final resting place had been thirsty work. He accepted the glass she held out to him and ran his fingers through her hair. “How are you doing?”

“I feel so much pain,” she whispered into her glass.

“Jared’s a bastard. There was no need for that.”

“I know exactly why Irina did it. She saw he was falling for that bitch and she wanted her to leave, she was jealous.”

“She must have been crazy about him to take such a risk, she must have known he’d go mad when he found out.”

“When it came to Jared, Irina didn’t think with her head.”

“It’s not her fault, it’s his,” he glowered. “Fucking coward.”

“I want to kill him for this,” she hissed through her teeth. “I hate him.” Her eyes connected with Hayden’s. “He doesn’t deserve everything he has, he is not a fit leader.”

“You’re right there. He kills without thinking and I’m pretty sure he’s completely out of his tree.”

“What tree?”

“I mean he’s mad, insane.”

“He’s dangerous. Someone needs to stop him.”

Hayden’s eyes flashed. “Do you mean…”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s a big ask.”

“We can do it.”

“Revenge is not a good reason to kill someone. It leads to grudges, years of fighting. Lots of people die, I’ve seen it happen before.”

“I know this, I remember with Alex. Everything he did to Ryan and Rachel was because he hated them. I think in the end he was mad too.”

Hayden was glad she’d finally made that connection. “He was and you remember what happened to him?”

“It is not just for Irina. I want him dead because one day maybe he come here and snap my neck if I annoy him.” She smiled inwardly when Hayden’s eyes flashed. He wouldn’t allow that to happen. Spotting her chance, she took his hand. “He is mad, he will kill anyone who annoys him. He even killed his own father in front of me. Jared has no control, if he doesn’t kill us he will drag us all down with him.”

“I hope you understand what you’re asking of me?”

“I’m not asking you, we can do it together, but he needs to be weaker first. He needs to be alone and vulnerable so no one will want revenge for him.”

Hayden leaned towards her, so close their noses almost touched. “I’m still trying to work out whether you’re the angel you look to be or a devil.”

She gave him a slow, deep kiss before saying, “like everyone else I am both and right now my devil is pissed off.”

“You are so sexy.”

“I know this,” she said, her smile playful. “And so are you.”

“If we don’t do this then you could be right. Jared is very unstable and one day he could turn on us.”

“You mean…”

He nodded. “But not yet. Let everything calm down first. He’ll be on the alert for an attack from Manchester.”

“Okay, we wait until the time is right.” She untied her robe then pressed her body against his, enjoying the feel of his bare, damp skin against her own. “Together we will go far. Would you like that?”

“I’d like anything that involves me and you,” he said, sliding his hands over her incredible peachy behind.

“We will rise just as high as the Maguires, no, we will go even higher than them.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

She gazed at her knight, this strong, capable man who she felt equal to, who she never had to be afraid of and her heart soared with excitement at the prospect of the future they could have together.

“Just one thing,” he said, expression turning serious. “You know Ryan’s an old friend of mine…”

“Yes I know and I don’t want to hurt him or Rachel anymore. I was angry at them because of Alex but he is gone now and you are here and that is even better.”

“You really mean that?”

The happiness in his eyes made her happy. “I do. I don’t want to hurt Ryan and Rachel anymore. They are the past. All I want to do is hurt Jared Slattery.”

“If that’s what you want then that’s what you’ll get,” he said, running his fingers up her bare thigh. “But when the time’s right. You must have patience.”

“I am still learning that but I will do my best. For you.” Her head fell back and released a moan as his fingers moved higher.