She badgered her brothers daily to give her a chance and against Paddy’s better judgement and Lizzie’s disapproval, he allowed Marie to learn the ropes of his adult entertainment business. Quite frankly, no-one expected much from her, but she took to the business like a duck to water, amazing everyone, herself included. Running the saunas and lap dancing clubs was child’s play to her. In her time there were few sins Marie hadn’t committed and she’d seen and done the lot.
Under her supervision the profits doubled and she ran the establishments with a rod of iron. If the girls thought they were going to get an easy ride with her in charge, they had guessed wrongly. Marie was good, she had no favourites, everyone was a winner and her young niece loved her to death.
The Coyles were now well established. Over the years Paddy had sold off his fleet of vans and had acquired a couple of scrapyards, which were ideal for the car business and the disposal of anything incriminating. Coyle Security employed almost two hundred doormen and security guards, which provided the most valuable inside information on most of the illegal activities around the city. But his family’s safety was the most important thing to Paddy. He would never leave them open to harm again. His mother Lizzie refused point blank to move from Craigloch. She had lived there for nearly forty years and had no intention of moving, declaring to all and sundry she would leave the house feet first. Now, unknown to her, the house was under 24 hour surveillance. Paddy saw no point in owning the biggest security firm in the city and his mother being unprotected. Paddy knew she’d have a fit if she found out, but it was a risk worth taking.
Bridget and Erin were a different matter. A substantial farm house in the country, a mere five miles from the city centre, also with 24 hour surveillance, was home to the Coyles and the big man played lord of the manor to the hilt.
Like a Virgin
The girls ran barefoot through the villa, bagging their rooms. Of course Kirsty had the master suite; after all, it was her family’s property. There were two other suites and a smaller room on the other side of the terrace.
“If you’re not fast, you’re last,” yelled Fiona, bagging the second biggest room which led straight out to the pool.
“This one’s mine,” squealed Lucy dumping her luggage next door. “Hey, Coyle, you’re on a sun lounger,” she joked with Erin who looked forlornly at her pals.
Signing, “Where am I going to sleep? I’m not really on a lounger, am I?”
“Don’t be daft, you idiot, you’re over the other side of the terrace. Nice and private, so don’t go sneaking any boys back here.”
“As if,” Erin sneered.
She could still hardly believe she was off the leash. Ironically, it was Auntie Marie, the ex-wild child who had swung the trip for her.
All through January and February, the twins, Lizzie and Bridget had tried their best to persuade Paddy to let the girl go away with her schoolmates, but he was having none of it.
“Why not Paddy? She’s a sensible lassie.” asked Lizzie time and time again. “Let her go, she’s worked hard getting all them certificates and a place at university. Christ, no-one in this family ever got further than their eleven plus and even at that, no bugger passed.”
Sean and Michael broached the subject a couple of times, but seeing their brother’s reaction, gave it up as a bad job. Paddy was adamant, there was no way he was letting his princess off on her own, unsupervised. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, absolutely not; it was others he didn’t trust. His little girl was a stunner: tall, standing at 5’ 8’’ with long chestnut curls, skin like porcelain and a figure to die for, and completely unaware of the effect she had on the opposite sex.
Over the past couple of years he’d smacked God knows how many men, most of whom were his workforce, for daring to look at her in what he considered to be an inappropriate way. But it was Marie who challenged her older brother over the holiday. At the celebration dinner for Erin’s eighteenth birthday (parties were a no-go in the Coyle household) and seeing her niece’s downcast demeanour, Marie took the bull by the horns.
“You’re a bloody fool, Paddy Coyle,” she faced up to him over the table “A bloody fool.”
“Is that a fact, sis? Maybe you should cut back on the old vino collapso,” he countered, steeling himself for a set-to with his younger sister. He knew the signs and, restaurant or no, she’d have her say. What was her beef about this time?
“For a start, this is water,” holding up the glass. “You are one stubborn stupid eejit. Think back to when I was eighteen.”
“God forbid, you were a right little tearaway. There was no controlling you, was there?”
“No, but you bloody well tried hard enough. The word control, Paddy. That’s what this is all about,” cajoled Marie.
“Listen, my girl, you did exactly what you liked, when you liked and with whom you liked, the evidence of that is sitting at the end of this table.”
“Oh, is that right? Well, if you don’t let her out of her gilded cage, there might well be another cuckoo sitting at the end of the table quite soon. Think on.”
“Who the fuck died and made you boss? So you’re telling me if I stop my daughter going off to Spain with three brainless hussies she’ll end up like you, running a strip joint with a ten-year-old bastard tucked up at home?”
There was a stunned silence. Nobody could quite take in what he had just said. Every person sitting round the table was shocked to the core, appalled. Sean jumped up but was pulled back by his twin.
“Leave this to Ma,” he instructed his brother. “This is her shout.”
Lizzie stood up and drawing herself to her full height, all of five feet, she walloped her eldest son round his ear. The last time she’d struck him was over ten years ago.
“My God, I can’t believe what I’ve just heard. Never did I ever think I’d see the day when one of my sons would turn on his sister and say the things you just did. Let me tell you something, my lad, you will never, ever get the chance to insult any of mine again,” And she turned to the rest of the family and ordered them to leave.
Paddy was gobsmacked, of course he hadn’t meant to call Errol a bastard, he loved the kid, but who the fuck did they think they were? Telling him how to bring up his family.
Now alone at the table, he pondered on what had just happened. He was unaware that his daughter had come back into the dining room as he wiped the tears from his face. All he ever wanted was to keep them safe, all of them. Why could nobody understand that?
“I won’t go, Dad, not if it causes so much trouble. I just wanted to have fun with the girls before getting down to studying. But we won’t talk about it again. I’ll come with you and Mum.”
He looked at his daughter and knew he was going to have to give in. They were right, he had to let her grow up, but he had meant it, he didn’t want her to have the life that Marie had, but he couldn’t live Erin’s life for her.
“Get me the numbers of the other parents and all the details and I’ll think about it, no promises, mind.” Rubbing his ear, he grinned at his girl, “She can still pack a punch, the old fucker.”
Forever Hold Your Peace
Bobby Mack stood for a few minutes watching the four girls cavorting around in the water, pondering which one would be his playmate this week. They were all lookers, but in his world, a world populated by good-looking rampant females all up for fun, he was always spoilt for choice.
Being a pool boy was not exactly the dizzying heights his folks aspired to, but there was no telling him. At twenty-one, Bobby and his two best mates had started their own pool maintenance company to earn a bit of pocket money. Little did any of them perceive what a roaring trade they would drum up, so much so that they now had four other guys on the books; the main criteria being that they had to be fit and hung like a burro. They soon became the darlings of the Marbella set − you were no-one if you didn’t have the best-looking pool guys in town taking care of your needs and maintaining the pool as well!
&nb
sp; The boys had access to all the pussy they could handle; bored wives who were spending the summer in Marbs or even posher Puerto Banus, while their husbands earned the money to keep them in style. Bank jobs, building society heists, a quick trip over to Tangiers to pick up a shipment or two, were all in a day’s work for many of the inhabitants of the fashionable Spanish resort and for Bobby and his co-workers, it simply meant more money to be spent on them. Lotharios? Gigolos? Most definitely.
The music was deafening and the crowded club was heaving to the sounds. In the VIP area, Erin was signing to her girlfriends.
“Imagine the pool guys having VIP passes. Do you think they’re genuine? Hope we don’t get thrown out.”
“They seemed to be well known. They went straight to the head of the queue and the doorman called him Mr Bobby. Maybe they work here as well.” said Kirsty. “Anyway, Bobby’s mine, so hands off, you can share the others,” laughed Erin’s friend.
“Hey, I’m not fussed. They’re all dishy,” squealed Fiona.
“Drinks, girls? Champagne, shots, cocktails, what are we having?” Bobby asked, summoning a waiter.
Even in the VIP area he snapped his fingers and immediately someone came running. Erin was fascinated. The pool guy was seriously good-looking and very charming. Okay, there were a few other lookers in the roped-off area, but none had his ability to get served, she laughed to herself.
The drinks arrived, bottles of champagne complete with fireworks, glasses lined up with measured shots, and a selection of cocktails. No money changed hands; he was obviously well-known enough to have a tab. Erin had been brought up around bars and night clubs, she could spot a scammer a mile off; this was no rip-off merchant. The guy was well-known and clearly had money to burn; cleaning pools was obviously a very well paid job.
Bobby was not used to getting the brush off, especially in his father’s club. Most girls, even the sophisticated ones, were well impressed by his VIP status in the Princess and literally threw themselves at the posse. Not so this one. He’d spoken to her a couple of times during the course of the evening, but nothing. She either just ignored him or shrugged her shoulders, no conversation, no interaction; she seemed only interested in the action down on the main floor. He was not at all impressed. Apart from anything else, he’d stood them drinks all evening; a simple thank you would suffice, but nothing, not a cheep.
Out on the dance floor he shouted to Fiona, “What’s with your stuck-up mate?” It was difficult to hear and it took him a few minutes for Fiona to understand.
“Which one?” she queried, none of them having ever before been accused of being stuck-up. The girls were full of fun and nonsense, no matter where they went.
“Erin.”
“Erin? Erin’s not stuck-up, maybe a bit shy, but never stuck-up.” Of course, being so familiar with her friend’s disability, Fiona gave no thought to the fact that because Bobby and his sidekicks couldn’t sign, Erin had no way to communicate with them.
“She’s a snooty little mare,” persisted Bobby. “I’ve spoken to her two or three times and nothing, she just shrugs her shoulders, smirks but doesn’t deign to answer. I’m obviously just the hired help.”
Fiona looked aghast at him. “You’ve got it all wrong. She can’t speak, Bobby. I thought you’d realised this afternoon. I’m so sorry, Erin’s brilliant, great fun and the least stuck-up person you could ever meet. She’ll be devastated you thought that about her.”
“What do you mean she can’t speak? Everybody can speak.” he bounced back at her.
“She can’t. Her hearing’s fine so she would know what you were saying, but she lost the power of speech when she was a kid, some kind of accident.”
“Oh my God, what a bloody shame. And I’m going on about her not saying thank you for a fucking drink, what an arse,” the young guy was really quite upset.
Marching into the VIP area, Bobby grabbed the silent girl by the arm and took off into the crowd. The music was deafening and like every other couple on the floor they could only communicate by gestures and pointing, for once it was a level playing field. She actually had an advantage over the other clubbers.
They eventually made their way back to the table, sweating profusely. By this time Fiona had given up on Bobby and was draped around Jake, snogging the face off him and not the least bit interested in their return. The other two exhibitionists were high up on the podiums and refusing to come down.
Dawn was breaking as the girls strolled, shoes in hand, back to the villa. What a night, Erin thought, what a night. She might just be a little bit in love.
Game Play
“You’re just jealous,” she furiously signed with great dramatic gestures. “Just jealous that it’s me he wanted to be with.”
“Don’t be daft, Erin, nobody’s jealous of you. It was obvious he fancied you from day one, so what’s to be jealous of?” said Kirsty. The four girls were lounging round the pool when the argument broke out.
“I just thought since it was our last night we should spend it together,” insisted Fiona. “The time has just flown by and you’ve been off with Bobby most of the holiday, we’ve hardly seen you.”
“So? Anyway, who said it was my last night?”
Erin was definitely her father’s daughter, the stubborn set of her chin and the defiance in her eyes spoke volumes. This was not the meek, self-effacing girl who’d landed in Spain more than a week ago. No indeed, this was a bird of a different feather altogether.
“What do you mean, not your last night?” laughed Lucy.
“Just what I said. It may be not my last night, I might stay on for a bit.”
“Stay where? You can’t stay here. My grandparents are coming out next week,” said Kirsty.
“This isn’t the only villa in town. Bobby’s out looking for somewhere right now.”
“Erin, it’s a holiday romance. Enjoy it, but don’t take it seriously, he’ll be off with someone new before we’ve even cleared the duty free and got to the departure lounge.”
“That’s what you think. He won’t. He’s asked me to stay and he wants us to be together.”
“That’s what he’ll say to all the girls, the guy’s a player. He’ll say it because he knows you can’t stay and he’s quite safe. Surely you’re not falling for that old chestnut?”
“NO. No, No you’re wrong,” Erin signed. “We’re going to get a place together and I’ll get a job.”
“Oh, how easy is that going to be? For Christ’s sake, Erin, it’s not only that you can’t speak the language, but that you can’t fucking speak,” yelled Fiona.
“Hey, come on, that was a bit nasty, was it not?” Lucy turned on Fiona.
“Well, can you see our little princess mopping floors?” Lucy beseeched her friend. “Or cleaning toilets, ‘cos those are the only jobs she’ll be offered.”
“Whoa there, this is getting way out of hand,” Kirsty stood up. “Let’s all calm down and sort this out properly without any more arguments.”
“You sort it out for yourselves, I’m off. And don’t wait up,” Erin marched off into the villa.
“This needs to be sorted. We can’t let her just walk out and maybe not come back. We need to get to Bobby. Kirsty, you must have his number somewhere, phone him.”
Bobby Mack rolled up within the hour to be met by three very unhappy Glasgow girls. Meanwhile, Erin, completely unaware that her soulmate had just arrived and was being royally grilled by her best friends, was off in a fantasy realm. Examining herself in the mirror, she was sure she looked different, sure that the others had guessed and that’s what the argument had really been about. She and Bobby had slept together the previous night. Well, not exactly slept together. They were both pretty pissed and had ended up getting carried away on the beach. Not exactly the way she had planned it, and certainly not the most romantic way of losing her virginity, but she was determined to more than make up for it tonight. Now, if she could just get the other girls out of the way.
�
�What do you mean she’s not going home tomorrow?” asked Bobby. “Is she planning on staying on here?” He indicated the villa.
“No chance, my grandparents are arriving on Sunday so there’s no way she can stay on, but that’s not the point, she thinks you’re going to live together in some fancy apartment.”
“Shut up!”
“I’m telling you, she thinks you’re out looking just now and the two of you are going to live happily ever after.”
“Come on, she’s a great girl and we’ve had an amazing time but that’s it, I’m off. I’m strictly the ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ type, so you lot can say my goodbyes and have a safe journey home.”
“Not a chance, mister. You can do your own dirty work and trust me, you better let her down gently, she’s had enough trauma in her life, so you do what you have to do, but sort it.”
“Sorry, I’m off.” Bobby got up to leave just as Erin appeared in the doorway.
“Oh, you’re early. That’s okay, I’m ready, so we can go now,” Erin smirked at the threesome.
“Sorry Babes, change of plan. I have to take a trip, family business, and I’m going to be away for a few weeks.”
“But Bobby, what about us? What am I going to do while you’re away?”
Kirsty had to translate all of this to Bobby who was squirming; really uncomfortable. This boy didn’t do farewells and he couldn’t wait to get away.
“Erin, this is family business and it comes before anything.”
“You don’t have to tell her about family business,” quipped Fiona.
“No, Erin knows all about family business. Well, she should, seeing as she’s a Coyle.”
“A Coyle as in Paddy Coyle?”
The Silence Page 8