Dominic chuckled. “You always did like the fanny. A chip off the old block. Is she fit?”
“Yeah, very.”
“Good lad.”
“I’m going up to my room to do my homework.”
“Here, take this with you,” said Dominic, tossing him a can of cider.
Jacob grimaced. He hated cider. “No thanks, I need to concentrate.”
“Why bother? Learning’s a waste of time. Just look at me and Darren. Not a qualification between us and we’re doing okay.”
Jacob took one look at his waster uncle snoring on the couch and felt sick at the possibility that one day in the future that could be him.
“You’re finally home,” said his mum, exiting the kitchen. “What kept you? I thought you were coming straight home after college. If you’ve got into trouble again I swear to almighty God…”
“Give the boy a break,” said his dad. “He wasn’t in trouble. Apparently he had a hot date with a fit bird.”
Michelle’s hard gaze softened. “Really? Who is she?”
“Her name’s Leah,” he muttered to the floor.
“Leah, what a pretty name.” Her eyes widened. “Not Leah Law? I remember you mentioning she’s in your biology class.”
Jacob nodded.
“You’re kidding?” said Dominic, sitting bolt upright. “That family’s bloody loaded. They own most of Devon. And she agreed to go out with you?” he said incredulously.
“Yeah. She’s pretty awesome actually.”
Michelle was surprised, she’d never heard him compliment a girl before. In fact she’d never heard him compliment anyone. Then it struck her. That was why the two people she’d seen outside her house when she’d been splitting up Dominic and Darren were so familiar. It was Leah’s parents, Rachel and Ryan Law. Had they got wind of the fact that her son was going out on a date with their daughter and they’d wanted to scope them out? If that was the case, why hadn’t they stopped their daughter going on the date after they’d seen his uncle and father drunk and behaving aggressively? She doubted people like them were unable to control their own children. Was there more to this than met the eye? Fury coursed through her at the thought of someone taking advantage of her boy. Despite what everyone thought she loved her children deeply and would happily kill anyone who hurt them. But for now she was keeping all this to herself, she’d noticed how her son’s eyes had lit up at the mere mention of Leah Law.
“Are you seeing her again?” she said.
“Yeah, at college tomorrow.”
“I mean on a date?”
“Dunno yet,” he said, turning red, deeply uncomfortable about discussing this stuff with his mum.
“Date?” said a voice.
Jacob sighed when his sister Danielle walked into the room. They’d often been mistaken for twins as they had identical dark hair and eyes and the same defined faces. However Danielle’s eyes were circled with black shadows, her skin pale and pasty, hair a tangled mess. She’d never been a full shilling, even less so since she’d been released from the young offender’s institute for stabbing a teacher at her school in Exeter. Jacob had lied to Leah when he’d said Danielle could look after herself when in truth she couldn’t be left alone for a second, she needed watching at all times. Left to her own devices she’d set fire to something or steal a knife and injure someone. Jacob felt this most keenly as she relied on him heavily, indeed sometimes her affection for him exceeded sisterly love and went into the realms of infatuation. One reason he’d hardly dated was because he was afraid of what Danielle would do to the girl in question but he felt Leah was one of the few who could hold her own against her.
“I just had a burger with a girl from college,” he replied, dreading her reaction.
Danielle’s eyes widened, her hands curling into fists, nails digging into the palms. “What girl?”
Jacob looked to his mum, who was regarding her daughter with dismay. “They just went to discuss some homework, that’s all,” she replied in an attempt to placate her.
“You said date,” retorted Danielle, eyes filling with darkness. “You want to have sex with her, don’t you?”
“We only had a burger,” he exclaimed.
“Did you kiss her?”
“No.”
“Liar,” she shrieked. “Who the fuck is she? I’ll kill her.”
“Oh no you won’t lady,” said Michelle. “You’ll leave her alone. It’s none of your business.”
“He is mine,” she snarled, jabbing a talon at Jacob.
“No he’s not, he’s your brother and he can see who he pleases. I’m not going through this again with you Danielle.” Michelle looked to her husband, who had turned his attention back to the television. “Will you please say something?”
“Like what? She never listens to me.”
“Maybe she would if you’d get tough with her.”
He shrugged. “What’s the point?”
Her lip curled with disgust. “Just when I think you can’t get any more useless, you do.”
Dominic shot to his feet. “What the fuck did you say?”
“You heard. Oh sit down before I knock you down.”
He took one look at his wife’s huge fists and bulging muscles and decided a dignified retreat was in order. “I’m only sitting down because I’m tired, not because you told me to.”
“I’m going to do my homework,” said Jacob, stepping past them all, avoiding Danielle’s furious gaze as he headed upstairs.
Amber took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair, ensuring she looked absolutely perfect before pressing the doorbell. She still harboured the pathetic hope that when Mikey saw her after all this time he’d remember what they’d once shared and want her back.
That hope fell flat on its arse when he opened the door to her, his gaze filled with ice rather than the lust she’d hoped for.
“You came,” he said. “I didn’t think you would.”
“I want to see the boys.”
“Why now, after all this time of not giving a shit?”
“Let’s just say I’ve done some growing up.”
His expression was sceptical but he opened the door wider and stood aside to allow her to pass.
“Thanks,” she said, stepping inside.
The house was just as large as the one she’d shared with him, if not larger and, to her annoyance, it was decorated very tastefully. She’d assumed with that goth slag living here everything would be draped in black.
“Is Jules here?” she said.
“No. She thought she’d give us some space.”
Inwardly Amber smiled. Even better. Without that cow hanging around she might just be able to remind Mikey of what he’d been missing.
“I want to set some ground rules before I take you through to the boys,” he began. “You hurt them when you stopped seeing them and I won’t allow you to do that to them again.”
“I don’t intend to. I want to rebuild my relationship with them.”
“You go at their pace. If they decide they don’t want to rebuild a relationship with you then you’ll respect that. Neither do you treat them with the same disdain you have in the past. You are considerate of their thoughts and feelings at all times. They come first, not you. Do you understand?”
She nodded.
“You should know, Jules and the boys are very close. They’ve even started calling her mum.”
“What?” she said, shocked.
“So don’t even think of badmouthing her to them while she’s not here because it won’t work.”
“I wouldn’t,” she said, doing her best to look insulted while inwardly she cursed that her main aim had already been foiled.
“I’ll come in with you. If I think they’re okay I’ll give you a bit of privacy with them but no longer than ten minutes. If today goes okay and the boys agree, you can see them again here, supervised. That’s my offer. Take it or leave it.”
“I’ll take it,” she said. “Thank you.
”
“You should know, if it had been up to me you wouldn’t have got your foot in the door but Jules was the one who convinced me to let this happen.”
“Really?”
“Yes, for the boys, not you. Don’t let them down.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
It only just struck her how much Mikey loathed her when he sneered at her words. She’d come here with ideas about possibly getting him back but she saw now how pathetic that was. Just as pathetic as when she’d let herself be seduced by Parker the Prostitute. Just the memory of that incident was enough to make her feel sick.
Mikey opened the door of the huge lounge and walked in, Amber reluctantly following. Zach sat on the rug playing with his toys while Josh was colouring by the window. It came as a shock to see how much they’d grown in her absence. She had hoped to experience a surge of maternal love but she felt nothing. If it hadn’t been for Katia’s threat she wouldn’t have come at all, she enjoyed the single life far too much. After all, wasn’t she entitled to some fun? She’d had six years of child rearing.
“Hello boys,” she smiled when they both looked at her. “It’s Mummy.”
When they didn’t release a cry of joy and run into her arms she was thrown.
“It’s been two years,” said Mikey. “What did you expect?”
Tentatively she knelt by Zach’s side, who blinked up at her warily. “Hello sweetheart, do you remember Mummy?”
She was a little stunned when the boy clutched his toy car to his chest and shook his head.
“You don’t?”
Another shake of the head before he got up and ran to his dad sitting on the couch, who pulled him onto his knee.
Instead she turned her attention to Josh, who regarded her with a hostile gaze unnervingly like his father’s.
“Hello sweetheart,” she said, taking the chair beside him. “Are you drawing?”
“Yeah,” was all he said.
Amber tried not to sigh. Mikey was raising them to be rude little shits. Or he’d schooled them to be rude to her, now that made sense. It wasn’t her at all, it was him.
“That’s a lovely train you’ve drawn,” she said.
“It’s a plane,” he retorted as though she were simple.
“Oh yes, of course it is. Sorry, I was looking at it from the wrong angle. It’s very good. Do you remember me Josh?”
The boy nodded once.
“Well, I’d like us to get to know each other again, if that’s okay with you?”
“I don’t need you. I have another mum now.”
Rage filled Amber. That goth slag had stolen her husband, her home and now her children. “I’m your mum too sweetheart.”
“No you’re not. Jules likes me. You ignore me.”
“That’s not true.”
“Yes it is,” he yelled before getting to his feet and running to his dad, burying his face in his shoulder.
“I think that’s enough for one day,” said Mikey, holding his sons to him.
“But I’ve only just got here.”
“It’s enough for them. You’re upsetting them.”
“But…”
Mikey got to his feet. “Back in a minute boys,” he said. “You can carry on playing while I see Amber out.”
Amber was furious that he’d referred to her as though she were a stranger but she forced herself not to erupt. She wanted to show him how she’d matured, it was the only way to get him to trust her.
She followed him out of the room, doing her best to look dazed and shocked.
“Don’t look so put upon,” he said once they were in the hallway, closing the door behind him. “That was your fault. You stayed away for two years without so much as calling or even sending a birthday card. How could you do that to them?”
“Because I was a silly kid. You were right, I was a spoilt brat but now I’ve realised what I’ve been missing.”
“And what’s happened to bring about this grand change? Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been getting up to - getting drunk in nightclubs and shagging strangers. Word is it’s a different man each night.”
For one horrible moment she thought he knew about her meeting with Katia but when he didn’t say anything else she relaxed. “I know, I’ve been awful but seriously, I’ve had a wake-up call.
“Oh yeah, you found Jesus?”
“No. The time I’ve spent away from the boys woke me up to what I was doing. I miss them so much and I want them back.”
“They will never live with you.”
“I don’t deserve that and I wouldn’t expect it. I’d just like to spend some time with my kids, that’s all.”
Mikey had to own she looked earnest enough but she was a good actress. He was bearing in mind the trouble those acting skills of hers had got his cousin Declan into and he resolved not to be so gullible. “Fine,” he sighed. “You can try again in a couple of days, give them chance to acclimatise to you again.”
“Thank you,” she beamed, stunned. Maybe this wasn’t such a lost cause after all? “Same time on Thursday then?”
He nodded.
“I really am grateful Mikey. I know it’s far more than I deserve.”
“Too fucking right it is,” he glowered.
As she turned for the door she was unable to keep the triumphant smile off her lips.
“Oh Amber?” he said, causing her stomach to drop.
“Yes?” she replied, turning to face him, attempting to sound casual.
“Me and Jules are getting married in a couple of months.”
“Months?” she said weakly as her last hopes were crushed.
“Yes. I thought you should know because that will officially make her the boys’ stepmother. I want you to understand that me and Jules are for life and nothing will change that.” He’d seen the gleam in her eye when she’d looked at him thinking she could flirt with him and maybe get him back. He understood how the scheming cow’s mind worked, which made him sceptical about her sudden desire to see her kids.
“I…I understand,” she said before heading out the front door, walking slowly, head bowed.
She tramped back across the drive to her car, fighting to contain the scream welling up inside her. That fucking bitch had won, she couldn’t ignore the fact anymore. That big-mouthed, ugly, tasteless slag had taken everything from her.
With her head held high she got into her car and drove down the drive and onto the street, forcing herself to rein it all in until she’d turned the corner. She parked up and let out the scream that had been building up, banging her fists off the steering wheel.
A laugh built up in the back of her throat, stifling the scream. It burst forth from her, tears of mirth rolling down her eyes, an elderly man walking his dog casting her a funny look but she didn’t even notice. She was too busy recalling how Mikey had said he and Jules were for life. Well, thanks to Katia their lives weren’t going to be very long. What the perfect place to strike - at their own wedding. All the major players Katia wanted to eliminate would be there. Apart from Mikey and Jules themselves Jez, Shane, Mark, Grant, Ryan, Rachel, even Battler and Bruiser would all be there, wiped out in one fell swoop.
Amber dried her eyes, reapplied her make-up in the rear-view mirror then took out her phone.
“Yes?” said the heavily-accented voice on the other end of the line.
“I’ve got some wonderful news for you,” she replied, smiling at her reflection in the mirror.
CHAPTER 11
“He keeps looking at you,” Sarah whispered in Leah’s ear.
“Who?” she whispered back.
“Who do you think? Jacob.”
Leah elbowed her friend in the ribs.
“Ow, what did you do that for?”
“I believe Leah’s trying to indicate that I can hear you talking,” announced Mr Mitchell.
Sarah blushed. “Sorry Sir.”
“Have you finished or would you care to share your conversation with the class?”
She glanced at Leah, who didn’t look at all happy. “I was just asking Leah if she has my biology book. I’ve lost it.”
“Do you mean the same book that’s on the table in front of you?” he replied, causing a few titters to ripple around the room.
Sarah blushed harder. “Oh yeah. Thanks Sir, you found it.”
“Now, if we could get back to work?”
“Yeah, course,” she mumbled.
As Mr Mitchell turned back to the whiteboard, Leah glanced over at Jacob who actually gave her a smile and a wink.
After college he was waiting for her at the gates again.
“Have fun,” whispered Sarah. “You are so lucky.”
“I hope so,” thought Leah.
Last night she’d dreamed that Reid was alive and well and he had her at his mercy, a gun pointed at her head, taunting her and making threats against her family. It had been a huge relief to wake up and realise he was dead and gone and that her family was safe. What if Jacob turned out to be just like him and they were all put in danger again? She wasn’t sure she could stand the guilt a second time. However, when Jacob smiled all her fears melted away. Reid had had an edge, the danger had radiated off him. She’d known it from the moment they’d met and, if she was honest with herself, she’d found it attractive. With Jacob it was more a case of what you saw was what you got. Her parents had schooled her to always trust her instincts and they were telling her that he was okay. Yes he had a bad rep but he wasn’t a psycho like Reid. She had to learn to trust her judgement otherwise she’d end up driving herself crazy, becoming a screwed-up ball of paranoia.
“So, do you want to get a burger again?” said Leah.
“No. I’ve got a better idea,” he replied.
“Where?”
“It’s a surprise.”
She recalled her promise to her parents to always go somewhere public with him and she thought the precaution a sensible one. “I want to know where.”
“Don’t you like surprises?” he said, smile falling.
“No,” she frowned.
“We haven’t even gone anywhere yet and already you’re being arsy,” he pouted.
Leah realised Jacob’s self confidence was actually pretty fragile, not surprising after the bullying he’d been subjected to most of his life. Even now, the students passing through the gates were giving them funny looks, wondering what they were doing together.
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