by Alex Kane
‘You taking that line or what?’ Cole said, glaring back at him.
‘Aye,’ Jake said, bending down and snorting loudly.
‘Ed? Come on, you know you want to. No women here to tell us what to do. In fact, I’ve got this card right here. And apparently, they do house calls; open twenty-four seven. Just like the doctor ordered.’ Cole laughed loudly. He felt the coke taking the desired effect.
‘No chance,’ Jake said. ‘Rox would kick seven shades of shit out of all three of us.’
Cole raised a brow at Eddie. He saw something in Ed that slightly resembled temptation. ‘You’re up for it, mate? Come on, call it a way to celebrate our new business venture.’
Eddie laughed. ‘We couldn’t have girls come here, though. I mean, Jake’s right. If Roxanne and Arabella came back here to find lap-dancing hookers here, I think we’d all die in this very kitchen and the girls would end up back in jail.’
Cole’s smile widened, his fingers tingled. ‘But you’re up for it?’
‘We need to celebrate somehow. Come on Jake, it’ll be a laugh,’ Eddie said, seemingly deciding to take a line himself. He leant down and snorted up the third line.
‘I don’t cheat,’ Jake said, eyeing Eddie. ‘Roxanne deserves better.’
‘Is that right?’ Cole said. His voice had a menacing tone to it. ‘So, you didn’t cheat on her down in London when you were working with me, when she was in prison?’
Eddie’s head span as he turned to look at Jake and he let out a laugh. ‘You dirty bastard.’
‘I didn’t cheat.’
‘You mean to tell me shagging someone else isn’t cheating?’ Cole shook his head sarcastically. ‘Fuck me, then all my ex-girlfriends seriously overreacted.’
Jake shook his head and looked away from Cole and Eddie. His fingers began to twitch, Cole noticed. Maybe he was going to get a punch in the mouth. It was about time Jake lived up to his reputation. This Eddie guy seemed to have more balls than Jake and he was running a legit business.
‘Go and fuck yourself, Cole.’
‘Ah come on, you know I’m only having a laugh. It’s not like we’re going to tell Rox what you did down in London. Us lads need to stick together, innit?’
Jake’s expression remained the same and Cole knew he was pushing his buttons. Good. It was about time Jake knew that Cole wasn’t to be messed with.
‘Right boys, come on. Let’s have another drink and then we can go to the strip place. Get ourselves a few dances and relax. Come on Jake, you don’t have to do anything. Like Cole says, it’s just a laugh,’ Eddie said. It was obvious to Cole that he was trying to defuse a potential outburst from Jake. Not that it would help. If Jake wanted to go off on one then he would. There was no one to stop him from doing that. Cole knew better than anyone; he’d witnessed it for himself.
‘Call it a team-building exercise,’ Cole laughed. Jake stared straight at him, a warning and pleading look. Cole was planning to keep his mouth shut – it was in his own interests to do so, but he liked playing with Jake. He enjoyed feeling like he had the balance of power, even though in reality, he needed the deal to work more than Jake did. He needed the money more too. And if he did have to use Jake’s secret against him then there would be consequences for him as much as Jake. Concealing information was a criminal offence in itself, not to mention his involvement in the disposal of a body. If Cole went away for that, he wouldn’t be able to finish the job he’d started for himself. No one knew the real reason why Cole was doing this, and he intended it to stay that way.
Jake expelled air from his mouth in protest before lifting his jacket from the sofa and walking out of the kitchen.
Cole and Eddie watched him before Eddie turned to Cole and asked, ‘Did he cheat on Roxanne when you were working together?’
Cole smiled. ‘What the fuck you take me for? A gossip? Nah, that’s not my style. I’ll let the man himself tell you all about it.’
Eddie raised a brow before turning his back and heading for the front door. Cole’s smile faded then. He wouldn’t have to tell anyone about Jake’s story from down south if he just did everything that Cole asked. Everything and everyone would be fine if things went exactly how Cole had planned them.
Chapter Thirty-Five
As they entered the club, Eddie realised that it wasn’t your every day, run of the mill lap-dancing club. It was underground for a start, in the basement of some seedy hotel in the Parkgrove area of the city. In the day, this place was fine. Families out walking their dogs, kids playing in Kelvingrove Park. But at night, it became a very different place.
The neon sign outside already gave the place a seedy feel. But then, all lap-dancing clubs had those signs. This place felt different, he couldn’t quite pinpoint why.
‘Right lads, who do you fancy?’ Cole said, rubbing his hands together as they stepped into the soundproof club. The sign on the door said ‘members only’ and only members could sign people in.
Eddie looked down to see Cole signing a book at the door. It didn’t surprise him that Cole was a member of this kind of establishment. He came across as the type.
‘You’re a member?’ Eddie asked, patting Cole on the back.
‘One of the first things I did when I got here, mate. Aren’t all you Glasgow lads members? You’ve got some banging birds here, I thought you would have been.’ Cole smiled widely, and Eddie wondered if the rest of the men inside were just like him.
‘I need a drink,’ Jake said as he headed in the direction of the bar.
Eddie stood still, taking in his surroundings. There were girls everywhere, dancing on the bars, dancing on the tables. He wondered if any of them were there against their will. Most were foreign, some British. He watched as a small group of younger lads sat at one table in the corner, leering over the girl on their table. She wasn’t dancing, but lying down on it. One of the lads snorted a line of powder off her stomach and the rest of them howled and cheered, like a pack of preying wolves. Eddie looked away. As he understood it, in most establishments like this one you weren’t allowed to touch the dancers. Maybe this wasn’t like the rest. It had a dangerous feel to it, like perhaps the girls weren’t just dancers. He asked himself the question again, were they here against their will? It was likely, going by what he’d just witnessed. A mix of nerves and excitement stirred in his stomach. This was a side to Glasgow he’d never seen before. Perhaps he was out of his depth and he should get out while he still could. But did he want to get out?
‘Ed, who you thinking? That blonde over there with her arse in that lad’s face seems your type. You like blondes? Arabella’s a blonde, is she not?’
Eddie shot Cole a warning look. ‘I think I’ll join Jake at the bar.’ The words were hissed through gritted teeth as he pushed past Cole.
‘Make mine a double vodka,’ Cole called out after him.
So, Cole was like the rest of the men in here. Eddie didn’t think it would take long before Cole was the one snorting a line off that girl’s torso. But was Eddie any better for actually being present, even if he wasn’t partaking in the activities around him? He reached the bar and stood next to Jake who was gulping back a whisky. ‘You alright? You’ve been acting weird since we left the flat.’
‘I’m fine.’ Jake replied sharply, placing the glass down on the bar harder than Eddie expected.
‘Look, I’m only asking because I could tell that Cole was pushing your buttons back there, talking about you cheating on Roxanne when you were down in London working with him.’
‘He’s a fucking prick. He might be able to sling a few quid our way with this deal, but don’t for one minute think he’s your mate. He’ll stab you in the back as quick as shake your hand, Eddie. Let that be a warning.’
Eddie didn’t reply, instead he ordered two whiskies from the barmaid. Turning to locate Cole, he wasn’t at all surprised to see three girls dancing around him. One on his lap wearing nothing but lace knickers and the others on their knees next to him.
The barmaid placed two glasses in front of them and Jake knocked his back in one go before he said, ‘Why’s that?’
‘I kind of cheated on Arabella when she was in prison too.’
‘Kind of?’ Jake said in a sarcastic tone.
‘Well, I slept with a few girls. Aye, I know. Weak. But there was one girl I got involved with and it backfired.’
‘What do you mean?’ Jake seemed more interested now.
‘It doesn’t matter. But what I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t make a difference so long as the missus doesn’t find out. And before you go judging me, I’ve stopped now.’
Jake let out a laugh and shook his head. ‘Aye, only because she’s out and you can get it from her whenever you want.’
Eddie didn’t know whether to laugh with him or knock him out. ‘Alright then, Mister High and Mighty, I’ve told you my story, you tell me yours.’
The music boomed around the club, yet Eddie could still hear Cole whooping and whistling at the dancers. He really was quite the creep. Eddie may have shagged about but he wouldn’t pay for sex and certainly not from girls who were forced into this line of work. It was bad enough he was present at all. Yet if he was thinking of working with Cole, earning big money, then he would have to swallow his pride and get on with it.
‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ Jake replied.
‘Aw come on; it can’t be that bad. Oh, don’t tell me you’ve married someone and got kids? You’ve got a fake identity and living two different lives?’ Eddie laughed loudly, yet it still didn’t drown out the sound of Cole on the other side of the bar. He certainly wasn’t subtle.
‘In some respects that would have been the easier option.’
Eddie saw Jake’s expression fall then and he instantly knew there was much more to Jake’s past than he was ever going to let on. Cole had something on him; it wasn’t that hard to work out. Like Jake said, Cole would stab you in the back as quick as shake your hand.
‘Look Eddie, I haven’t told anyone about what I did in London. The only reason Cole knows about it is because he was there. He saw the whole thing. Used it against me. Continues to use it against me. Like I said, keep one eye on him while you’re doing the job. Don’t let your guard down with him. He’s dangerous, one of the most dangerous men I know. He’ll do whatever he can to get to the top and he doesn’t care who’s in the firing line. The worst thing is, he doesn’t know you so he won’t give a fuck about sorting you out if you let him down.’
Eddie turned and stared at Cole who caught his eye. Cole raised a hand, gave him a thumbs up while a sly smile took over his face. The three men had met just hours previously and now Eddie was thinking of going into business with them. He knew he shouldn’t; there was no need to financially. But Eddie still had an itch that needed scratching. Something more exciting than filing the tax return and paying people’s wages.
Jake was right; Cole didn’t know Eddie. Knew absolutely nothing about him. Eddie was prepared to take risks for the tax-free cash that could come out of the deal he’d agreed to. But if Cole Woods thought that Eddie Corrigan was a pushover just because he wasn’t a big-time gangster like him, then he was wide of the mark.
It would be stupid to risk everything he’d built up, to go against his dad’s wishes of leading a simpler life. But deep down, that just wasn’t Eddie. It was pathetic that he was jealous of Arabella being friends with Roxanne and the danger that could bring. If he was jealous, why shouldn’t he do something to rectify that for himself?
Yes, Cole was a bit of a dick, but then so were he and Jake. None of them would know faithfulness if it smashed them in the face. So, working alongside them to earn a bit of cash and excitement surely wouldn’t do much harm. He’d already convinced himself that working with Cole and Jake was going to be good for him. He loved Arabella; he didn’t want to live his life without her and yes, he could go through life now that she was out, having date nights and relaxing with her like they’d both wanted. But going into business with Cole and Jake would bring back the excitement in his life that he’d been craving. And if it hadn’t been for Arabella meeting Roxanne, then he wouldn’t be sitting here with them now.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Feeling like she’d been smacked over the head with a hammer, Arabella failed to open her eyes even though she was awake. What the hell did she drink last night to feel so horrific? As she searched her memories from the night before, she drew a blank.
Groaning, she slowly turned on her side and realised she was not in her bed. Forcing one eye open, Arabella looked around the room. She was alone on the living room floor.
‘Urgh,’ she moaned, pulling herself into a sitting position. ‘Eddie,’ she called out.
The flat was silent. There was no sign of life anywhere.
‘Eddie?’ She called again more forcefully, pushing herself onto her feet. ‘Where are you?’
Why the hell had she woken up on the floor in the living room? And why couldn’t she remember anything from the night before? All she had in her head was when they were in the salon, there was nothing after that.
Head pounding, she moved through to the hallway and into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Opening the door, she almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Roxanne standing against the counter.
‘Jesus fucking Christ, Rox,’ Arabella gasped, clutching her chest. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’
Roxanne looked at her, her face pale and eyes wide. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I feel like I drank every drop of alcohol in Glasgow. Can’t remember a bloody thing.’
Passing by Rox, she pulled a glass from the drainer and filled it with water. Sipping it slowly, she fought the urge to gag.
Arabella turned to see Roxanne staring at her intently. ‘Why are you looking at me like that? Oh god, did I do something embarrassing last night?’
‘You don’t remember anything at all?’ Roxanne asked.
‘I remember being in the salon and Eddie and Jake showing up. But after that, nothing. I don’t remember anything. I made an arse of myself, didn’t I?’
Roxanne exhaled, lowering her eyes down to the floor.
‘What’s wrong?’ Arabella asked, a sudden icy chill trailing down her spine. ‘What happened?’
Roxanne nodded. ‘I think you should sit down for this.’
Arabella followed Roxanne back through to the living room and sat down on the couch. Terror and fear ripped through her, just like any normal hangover. But there was something else. A blank space like a black hole in the centre of her memory hung between them. Roxanne was about to tell her something that was going to shift the ground beneath her.
‘Did I try it on with Jake or something?’ She attempted light humour.
‘So, we left the salon and went on to Club Silver. Do you remember that?’
Arabella shook her head. ‘No.’
Roxanne raised a brow. ‘Okay. Well, we weren’t there for long. We chose to leave and then the boys decided they wanted to go on to a casino. They’re still there, I think, although I haven’t heard from them. Anyway, we started on the cocktails. You were pretty hammered – wasted, actually. I had to carry you outside and get us a taxi… Do you remember any of this?’
‘No. I only remember being at the salon. Just get to the point, Rox. What happened?’
Narrowing her eyes, Roxanne shifted on the sofa. ‘Okay, but please realise that it’s going to be okay. I’ve sorted it. You won’t get caught and things will carry on as normal. Do you trust me?’
Arabella felt her stomach flip. ‘Of course I trust you. Just bloody tell me.’
‘Good. Because in order to survive this, you have to trust me. You were sick in the taxi and the driver threw us out. He wouldn’t have if you hadn’t got so aggressive with him when he said he had to pull over.’
‘Aggressive?’ Arabella repeated. ‘In what way?’
‘You were basically calling him every name under the sun, telling him that he was just a scummy taxi driver taking hard-earned cash off the public for overpriced fairs. He asked you to calm down, I asked you to calm down but you were having none of it. You tried to punch him but were so pissed you lost your balance and fell over. When I went to pick you up, the guy drove away and left us in the street. The place was deserted because all the pubs and clubs had closed by that point.’
‘What happened?’ Arabella asked, trying as hard as she could to conjure up the slightest memory from Roxanne’s story and coming up with nothing.
Roxanne took a breath. ‘A guy approached us. A really dodgy guy. I think he was homeless, maybe. He became irate quite quickly, asking for money, asking for cigarettes. I told him a few times that we didn’t have anything that he was looking for but he kept following us. You turned off the main road and took us onto a side path that leads to your flat and he kept on at us. Calling us names, taunting us. I tried to see him off but he wouldn’t listen. I tried to tell him that I was just out of prison for GBH but he was having none of it. Arabella, I don’t know what came over you, but you fucking lost it. You picked up a rock, turned and smashed it into the guy’s face. Knocked him off his feet. But you jumped on top of him and just kept hitting and hitting. It was brutal, even for me. I had to pull you off but you were in a frenzy. I just grabbed your wrist and fucking ran.’
Arabella’s eyes were wide and she got to her feet, gipping the hair at the top of her head. ‘Oh my fucking god, Rox. Shit. Shit, shit, shit!’
‘Ssh, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay,’ Roxanne said, grabbing her by the shoulders.
‘How is it going to be okay? What if he goes to the police? I can’t go back to prison, Rox. I can’t.’
Arabella was crying now. Huge waves of panic and terror made her gasp with each breath as she paced the floor.