Another shrug. “Suppose.”
“I can’t decide if you’re an arrogant dickhead or just lost in your own world most of the time.”
“Not many people get away with speaking to me like you do,” he said, gaze darkening.
It was her turn to laugh. “Is that a threat?”
“More a piece of advice.”
“You know who my family are?”
“Who doesn’t?”
“Then you’ll know you don’t scare me.”
He leaned on the table, eyes dancing. “Maybe I should?”
“Why?” she snorted.
“You don’t know what I’ve done.”
In response she leaned on the table too, closing the gap between them. “What have you done?”
“Should I tell you? I don’t want you to run out of here screaming.”
“My last name’s Law. We run from nothing.”
Another chuckle.
“You laugh at me once more and I’ll deck you.”
“Now that would be funny.”
“Go on then big shot, if you’re so amazingly scary. Tell me what you’ve done.”
“I’ve been in prison.”
“Big deal. So have most of my family.”
“I’ve been in fights.”
“So have my little brothers.”
“I put someone in hospital.”
Leah stifled a yawn.
His eyes flashed. This was not the reaction he was used to. “I robbed a jewellers.”
Now she had his attention. “Really? Which one?”
“Like I’m going to tell you.”
“When was this?”
“Just before we moved here. I did it with my uncle Darren.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah actually.”
“You get nicked for it then?”
“Nah, we’re too smart.”
“So smart you tell someone you just met today?”
“I didn’t give you any details and you’re not a grass. Your family didn’t get where they are by grassing.”
She had to admit he was spot on with that observation. “It’s still not in the big leagues.”
“So go on then, tell me what the big leagues are.”
“I’m not a grass either,” she said before taking a sip of her milkshake.
“Some conversation this is.”
“Alright, why did you move here from Exeter then? Or is that top secret too?”
“My family got on the neighbours’ tits, as it inevitably does.”
“Why, what do you do?”
“Make lots of noise, argue, swear, leave loads of rubbish lying around. To be fair, it’s usually my dad and uncle. Mum goes ballistic, she just wants a quiet life but they need to be causing trouble. They’re unhappy if they’re not.”
“Have you got brothers or sisters?” she said, even though she already knew the answer to that.
“Yep. Six.”
“Six?” she said, eyebrows going up.
“Two sisters and four brothers.”
“Blimey, sounds like a houseful.”
“It’s mental. Plus there’s Mum and Dad and Uncle Darren. It gets pretty cramped, even though the council put us in a bigger house.”
“Are you the oldest?”
“Yeah. Mum and Dad leave me to babysit so they can go out. Drives me up the wall.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I have two younger brothers and I have to babysit sometimes.”
“At least you’ve only two to cope with, not five.”
“I thought you had six brother and sisters.” She smiled inwardly when his eyes widened slightly before he caught himself.
“I do but my sister Danielle’s seventeen. She doesn’t need me to babysit her.”
“Same age as me. Does she go to college too?”
“No she’s…not been very well.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he muttered.
“Okay, sorree.”
He scowled at her and took another bite of his burger. Leah sighed. For every step forward she made with him she seemed to take three back.
“Ryan, Rachel,” said Ashley pleasantly when they walked into his office at the police station. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“We need everything you have on Jacob Wright,” opened Ryan, folding his arms across his chest and frowning down at him.
“Why?”
“Because Leah’s on a date with him as we speak.” Ryan wasn’t reassured when Ashley’s eyebrows shot up.
“Oh dear.”
“That bad?”
“I’m afraid so,” he said, getting up, walking over to a filing cabinet and taking out a buff folder. He tossed it onto the desk for them to see, Rachel taking the chair opposite the desk and opening it up.
“Oh hell,” she sighed as she flicked through. “Arson, burglary, assault, drunk and disorderly, drunk driving, ABH, vandalism. He was even done for mugging an eighty year old woman.” She looked up at Ryan. “And our daughter is with him, right now.”
“Where is she?” said Ashley.
“At a burger bar,” replied Rachel.
“I think she’ll be safe. He won’t do anything to her in a public place, that’s if he wants to hurt her.”
“What do you mean by if?”
“Well, Leah’s a very pretty girl. Maybe he genuinely asked her out on a date?”
“After the Reid episode I’m not willing to take that chance.” She shot to her feet. “Let’s get over there.”
“Wait a minute,” said Ryan. “Leah promised us faithfully she’d come home straight after. If we go charging in there she’ll only end up throwing a huge hissy fit and then sulk for days, making all our lives a misery.”
“She’s a teenage girl, easily dazzled. What if she decides to go somewhere more private with him? After all, he is an attractive boy.”
“She won’t. She gave us our word.”
“I didn’t think you were naïve, we all know what teenagers get up to.”
“She won’t let us down.”
The faith in her husband’s eyes made Rachel feel ashamed of doubting her daughter. “Fine,” she sighed. “We’ll play it your way but if she breaks her word I promise you I will personally unleash hell itself.”
With that she stormed out, the two men watching her go.
“I think she means it,” said Ashley.
“You’re not wrong there and she is more than capable,” said Ryan before following his wife outside.
Leah and Jacob had finished their burgers and exited the burger bar together.
“So,” began Jacob. “What do you want to do now?”
“Eh?”
“I said what do you want to do now?” he said loudly, as though she were deaf.
“You hardly said two words to me after I asked about your sister.”
“So?”
She sighed with exasperation. Jacob had absolutely no social skills. “I thought you were fed up of me.”
“Why?”
“Because you hardly spoke to me.”
“I spoke to you a lot more than I do anyone else. And I like you, you make me laugh.”
“Oh thanks,” she muttered.
“I meant that in a good way. You’re fun.”
“Like a clown?”
“No, like someone who’s pretty awesome,” he mumbled, looking down at his feet.
Leah smiled. “You look shy.”
“Well I’m not,” he said, head snapping up.
“Anyway, I can’t go anywhere else. I’ve got to go home.”
“Oh yeah?” he said doubtfully.
“Yeah. We’ve got a family do on.”
“Oh, okay.”
“But we could go out another time?”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Really.”
“You’re not messing me around so you can joke about it later with your friends?” he said, the hostility returning to his eyes.
“Jesus, do you always think everyone’s plotting against you?”
“They usually are.”
“Well I’m not. Despite your moods, I’ve enjoyed myself. You make me laugh too.”
“That’s a first.”
“It’s no trick.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go or my mum will kill me.”
“I bet she’s not someone you want to get on the wrong side of.”
“Definitely not. I’ll see you tomorrow at college.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Bye.”
“Leah?” he called as she started to walk away.
“What?” she said, turning back.
Jacob pressed his lips to hers. Leah was so surprised she just stood there before realising how nice it felt and kissing him back.
Eventually he pulled away. “See you later,” he replied before walking off, leaving her standing in the middle of the street, watching him go, her heart pounding.
“Where is she?” demanded Rachel, looking at the clock on the lounge wall. “She’s five minutes late. She called when she was on the bus and she should have been home by now.”
“Calm down,” said Ryan. “The bus might not be running on schedule, as usual.”
“She promised she’d be home straight after her date.”
“She’ll be here. You’ve got to calm down or you’ll only rile her up.”
“Do not tell me to calm down,” she said, eyes flashing.
“You really need to because you’re turning me on,” he smiled.
“What does that mean Dad?” said Aaron, walking into the room.
“Oh well done,” said Rachel.
“I meant I’m going to turn on the television,” Ryan explained to his son.
“You never turn on the television.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” said Ryan, picking up the remote control and switching on the television, grimacing when up popped a gameshow, the presenter day-glow orange with bright white teeth, the audience cheering moronically. He switched it off with a shudder.
“Leah?” called Rachel in response to the slam of the front door.
She and Ryan hurried into the hallway to find Leah hanging up her coat.
“Hiya,” she said.
“You are late young lady,” said Rachel. “You told me when you were on the bus that you’d be back by five.”
Leah glanced at her watch. “I’m not late. It’s bang on five o’clock.”
“It’s five past actually.”
“Not according to my watch,” she said, holding it out for her to see.
“Well your watch is slow,” snapped Rachel.
“She’s home on time,” said Ryan. “All is well.” He looked to his daughter. “How did it go?”
“Fine. He’s a bit…confusing.”
“In what way?”
“He’s really moody. We’d get on well then I’d say something and nothing and he’d get all huffy, especially when I asked about his sister. I had to pretend I didn’t know anything about him.”
“You mean Danielle?” said Rachel.
“Yeah. When I asked if she goes to college he said she’d been ill then he got all sulky.”
“So it seems the sister’s a touchy subject?”
“Definitely.”
“Interesting. Did he say anything else of interest?”
“Yeah actually. He gave me a list of crimes he’d committed.”
“Such as?”
“Err,” she said, thinking back. “He said he’d been in a few fights and that he’d put someone in hospital. Oh, and that he’d robbed a jewellers.”
“A jewellers?” said Rachel. “That wasn’t in the information Ashley gave us.”
“Oh yeah, been checking up on him, have you?” said Leah.
“Yes we have and for good reason.”
“Did he say which jewellers?” said Ryan.
“No but he did say he did it with his Uncle Darren. He might have just been showing off though because I told him fighting and putting someone in hospital is no big deal.”
“Why would you say that?” said an astonished Rachel.
“I meant it’s no big deal compared to what my family’s done.”
Once again Rachel was ashamed of what she’d exposed her daughter to but Leah was proud of what her family was.
“So you think he was trying to impress you?” said Ryan.
“Maybe.”
“Well,” said Rachel. “It’s over with now.”
“He asked me to go out with him again,” said Leah, deciding not to mention the kiss.
“You are not,” said Rachel.
“Why not? Nothing bad happened. In fact he was quite good fun.”
“I thought you said he was moody.”
“Yeah but it was funny.”
“He confessed a list of crimes to you.”
“So?”
“I’m sorry but no. After Reid do you really think this is the sensible thing to do?”
“Aww please Mum, he’s the first boy I’ve liked since Reid.”
“But he confessed to being a violent robber.”
“Just like half my family,” she muttered, folding her arms across her chest.
“That wasn’t called for,” said Rachel.
“You don’t know what it’s like,” said Leah. “All my friends have had relationships, I’m the only one who hasn’t but I can’t tell them why I was put off men because what happened with Reid has to be kept a secret. Only Bianca knows but it’s different for her, she’s only fifteen. People are starting to say I’m a lesbian. For God’s sake, I’m still a virgin.” When she realised what she’d said in front of her dad she turned bright red, Ryan looking equally embarrassed.
“I can only imagine how hard this has been for you,” said Rachel, looking more sympathetic. “And I’m so proud of how you’ve come out the other side but you can’t throw yourself at a boy just because you’re worried about what other people might think.”
“I’m not. I really like him.”
“Despite what he said? I thought you’d be put off violent men after what you went through?”
“Because I know people’s actions don’t always define them,” she said, cheeks pink, indicating she was angry. “Look at Uncle Mikey and Uncle Jez, the stuff they’ve done but they’re really nice. Then there’s Dad, who’s just brilliant but I know some of the stuff he’s done is pretty dark. No offence Dad.”
“None taken,” he said, feeling a little awkward and completely uncertain of what to say.
Leah looked back at her mum defiantly. “You can’t say I’m wrong because I’m not.”
“I see the point you’re trying to make but I’m unconvinced Jacob is in the same category as your dad and uncles.”
“How do you know unless you give him a chance?”
Ryan glanced at his wife, amused. There weren’t many people who could get the best of her in an argument but Leah was certainly a chip off the old block.
To give herself time to think Rachel looked to her husband. “What do you think?”
“I say let Leah go on a second date with Jacob.”
“Thanks Dad,” said Leah, hugging him.
“Why?” demanded Rachel.
“I can’t help thinking what I was like at Jacob’s age - bad reputation, horrible home life. Even as I got older I was still on a bad road but you gave me a chance and now look at my life.”
Leah’s lips twitched at her mum’s expression. No way could she argue with that.
“Fine,” said Rachel, forced to concede defeat. “But the same rules apply.”
“Thanks,” said Leah, hugging her. “Right, I’ve got homework to do,” she said, snatching up her bag and sprinting upstairs.
“If she’s going out with him again then we need to do more digging and quick,” said Rachel.
“We’ll get on it as soon as all the kids have gone to school tomorrow,” he said, pulling her to him.
“Did you mean what you said about meeting me?”
“Of course. If I hadn’t met you I would undoubtedly be in prison or dead now. You saved me,” he said, kissing her.
Ethan appeared in the hallway and grimaced to see his parents kissing. “Urgh.”
“You know how to kill a moment Ethan,” sighed Ryan, releasing Rachel. He frowned at his son. “Are you wearing hair gel?”
“Yeah,” he mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. “So?”
“It suits you sweetie,” said Rachel.
“Girls wear gel,” said Aaron, appearing in the hallway.
Ethan rounded on him. “No they don’t.”
“You’re a girl,” grinned Aaron.
“I am not,” yelled Ethan.
“Oy,” said Ryan. “Don’t you dare start fighting.”
Both boys were just like their dad with their steel grey eyes, thick dark hair and strapping builds. They certainly had their spats but they adored each other and were always the first to leap to each other’s defence.
“Ethan fancies Stacey Lassiter,” continued Aaron, eyes dancing with mischief.
“Shut up,” Ethan hissed at him.
“Aww she’s a nice girl,” said Rachel. “You have good taste Ethan.”
Ethan blushed at his mum’s approval. “Can I go and chuck myself off a cliff now?”
“No,” said Ryan. “But you can go and do your homework.”
“Fine,” he huffed, stomping upstairs.
“That applies to you too Aaron,” added Ryan, who was watching his older brother go with mischief in his eyes.
“I’ve already done mine.”
“In that case you can set the table for dinner.”
Aaron huffed and rolled his eyes, Rachel and Ryan smiling at each other as he dragged himself into the kitchen.
CHAPTER 10
“Where the fuck have you been?” bellowed a deep voice.
Jacob sighed, closing the front door behind him. He walked into the living room to find his dad slumped in his armchair as usual, swigging from a can of cider. His Uncle Darren was sprawled on the couch, snoring and drooling. Contrary to what everyone thought their house was actually clean and tidy, his mum made sure of it and they all chipped in to help, some more than others. These two lazy lumps barely lifted a finger.
“Out with a friend,” he replied, letting his bag drop.
“What friends do you have?” sneered his dad.
“It was a girl from school.”
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