by KERRY BARNES
*
Sam arrived late. The club was already full and people still queued to get in. He used the front entrance like Fred and was just about to be stopped by Farley for not wearing a tie. Sam looked the new bouncer up and down and then glanced at John. It was odd, seeing three big bouncers and then Farley, who was a runt in comparison, but he guessed there was a reason. Farley smiled and let Sam pass. He wasn’t going to piss him off too.
The customers were two people deep at the bar so Sam poured himself a brandy and started serving. There were so many people that the lesson from this evening was that they needed more staff. Once the initial rush was over, Sam was joined by his brothers in the poker room, where they had peace and quiet.
“You look rough, Sam. What’s up, mate?” asked Dan. He had noticed over the last few weeks that his brother had lost weight and looked tired.
He took a deep breath. “I guess you’re gonna find out soon enough. Ruby has been to see her mother.” There was a silence while both Fred and Dan tried to take it in.
“What the fuck did she do that for?” Fred sounded almost hurt, as if she had insulted him personally.
Sam shrugged. “She thinks that she missed out, not having a mum, and so she took a fucking train to that poxy shit-hole and found her!”
Dan knocked back his Jack Daniels. “So then what happened?”
“I don’t know. She won’t say no more except that she is visiting her again this weekend.” He looked resigned.
Fred was angry. “What’s the fucking matter with her? Don’t she remember what that scumbag did to her?”
“She doesn’t believe any of it, and I don’t know what the attraction is now, but she is definitely going back.”
“Listen, Sam, I wouldn’t worry. Our Rubes, she’s a good girl, and once she sees her mother for the waster she is, she will be home and that will be an end to it!” stated Dan, who meant what he’d said.
Fred shook his head and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “We should have buried her years ago.”
“Our Ruby should have been a boy. The mare is so cocky. She’s not like our Dolly, is she, and yet, when Rubes was little, she was the image of Fran. Maybe it’s just a phase,” replied Dan. They referred to Francesca as Dolly. It was her nickname because, as a baby, she had looked like a china doll.
“Well, let’s be honest, we didn’t know our Dolly when she was a teenager. She may have been a rebel, who knows? Fran ain’t mouthy or stupid, but she has nerves of steel and is harder than us.” Sam raised his eyebrow. “And speaking of Fran, Ruby was fucking rude to her…”
Before he could finish, Fred jumped in. “You what, rude to our Dolly?”
“Yep, fucking hurtful cow. I slapped Ruby across the face. I didn’t want to, but by Christ she deserved it! To see our sister’s eyes well up gutted me.”
Both Dan and Fred were wide-eyed in shock. It was hard to imagine any family member hurting Dolly. She was their angel. She saved them all, including Ruby. As a child she was sent away for her own protection. It was years later, when she returned as a woman, that their family was complete and didn’t have to live in fear. They adored her and, in their eyes, she could never do any wrong. This situation was difficult because, as a family, they had an unwritten code which glued them together. No outsider could ever comprehend this, but now their niece was testing that bond.
“You shouldn’t have slapped her though, Sam. She is still our baby,” said Dan, in a quiet voice.
Fred didn’t agree but, then again, he was Francesca’s twin and couldn't handle the idea of his sister in tears. “Well, Dan, sounds to me like she needed it. She is a Vincent and, fuck me, we all toe the line. You know how it is. Look around at what we have. We sure as hell wouldn’t be where we are today if we tried it alone. Our Ruby needs to understand this. If she carries on the way she is, by the time she’s twenty, she could take this family apart.”
“You’re right, Fred. Sorry, Sam, she does need guidance and to be shown the error of her ways. That slap might do her good. If not, lock her in her room until she’s twenty-five.” He tried to laugh it off but Sam changed the subject. “So, where’s Cassie then? I thought she was running the bar?”
Fred shook his head. “No, I put her in with the strippers to manage them. I don’t trust that Kizzy, or that fucking Farley!”
Dan smiled. “Well, all I can say is there’s been no pikeys in here tonight, and that Kizzy is drawing in the punters, so don’t be too tough, Fred.”
He had a free hand to do as he liked because Dan trusted him and his management decisions were good. If his little brother was concerned, then there was probably a good reason.
“I agree with ya, Dan, but let’s keep a keen eye. Besides, there’s plenty of good-looking girls that would love to work here. Fuck me, bruv, look at the joint, it’s five star!”
“Who are you talking about anyway? Who’s Kizzy?” asked Sam.
They finished their break and, as Dan went back to the main bar, Fred took Sam to the pole section to watch. Kizzy was in full swing. He stared for a while. Suddenly, he grabbed Fred by the arm and pulled him to one side.
“Jesus, Fred, get her out of here!”
Fred struggled to hear with the music blaring. They walked upstairs to the office.
“What is it, Sam? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost?”
“No, mate, only I know that girl’s face. She used to spar at the club with our Ruby. She’s only fucking fifteen!”
“What?”
“Go and fetch Dan up here now,” said Sam, distressed.
The three of them sat, dumfounded. How the hell could a fifteen-year-old get away with that, and who in their right mind would let their teenage daughter pole dance?
“I’m telling you, Dan, something is going on here. First of all, you’ve got Farley on the door to stop the pikeys coming in, then you had Levi trying to deal, and now there’s a gypsy kid showing her fanny for scores on the pole,” said Fred.
“Well, just sack them. It’s no big deal.” Dan couldn’t understand the issue.
“That’s not what concerns me. It’s why they are here. What the fuck are they up to? Let’s face it, a fifteen-year-old dancing will close us down.”
Dan’s eyes widened and his anger welled up. “Little slut!”
“Come on, Dan, it ain’t her. She’s been put up to it, but fucking why?” Sam bit his nails in thought. “Bring her up here.”
Dan smiled as Fred went to fetch her, knowing that gypsies are the best for keeping quiet.
Cassandra was watching Kizzy dancing on the stage when Fred caught her attention.
“Cassie, do you know whose bags are whose in the changing room?”
She nodded.
“Good. Sift through Kizzy’s and grab her mobile phone. Hide it. Call her off the pole and bring her up to the office.”
Without any questions, she did as she was told.
*
Kizzy was surprised when Cassandra called her off the stage, but she wouldn’t argue – not now.
“Mr Vincent wants to see you in the office,” said Cassie, her voice sounding friendlier.
She looked down at herself – just a pair of white hooker boots, a cerise pink thong, and a tiny tasselled top, barely covering her nipples. “Shall I get changed?”
Cassandra shook her head. “No, it’s fine, he won’t mind.”
She wasn’t worried about how he felt, she was more concerned with her own dignity. It was okay on the pole, because it was a game, but to have a conversation dressed like a hooker was another thing altogether. Cassandra walked behind Kizzy, making sure she got to the office without scarpering. The door was open and Kizzy gingerly stepped inside. Cassandra closed it behind her and headed back to the bar.
Kizzy was nervous, seeing three grown men. Her heart raced when Fred locked the door.
“Take a seat,” said Dan coldly. He sat behind a huge desk, joined by Sam, who towered over him. Kizzy glanced around the room
. It was a big office, with book shelves, coloured leather sofas, thick rugs, and a long fireplace built into the wall. She thought that maybe Dan lived here. It was so homely and cosy. She fancied a pad like this for herself, instead of her cramped caravan. Her thoughts returned to reality. She was half-naked and sitting in a locked room with three men. Stripping was easy but having sex was not on the agenda – and not with all three of them. Her heart was pumping again. What had she gotten herself into? Instantly she regretted flirting the way she had with Dan, but she had been told to by her cousin. She started to push herself deeper into the padded chair, trying to cover herself as much as she could. She felt exposed more than ever, but what she didn’t realise was that the men knew her age and didn’t look at her that way. The Vincents were brought up right – with no kinky perverted ideas. They had loads of good-looking women but none underage. Their aim was to find out what the gypsies were up to – nothing else.
“So, did you think it would work, your pathetic plan to shut us down?” shouted Dan, who went from calm to manic in two seconds flat. He was on his feet and leaning across the desk, red-faced and foaming at the mouth. Fred was surprised. Even he didn’t move that quickly. Sam, on the other hand, had seen Dan act like this before, but it had only been in the last year and he blamed the stress of setting up the new club. Fred had become more laid back now. But he didn’t have full responsibility of a club.
Kizzy was shaking. She knew they were on to her but, being only fifteen, she didn’t have the savvy to follow through. Although they were unaware that they didn’t really know about the plan, they were very clever manipulators when it came to dragging the truth out of people.
“What?” she said coyly.
“You fucking heard me, you dirty little tramp. Think you can get my club shut down, you and your fucking gypo mates, eh?” He was still screaming as he reached over the table and grabbed her by the hair, pulling her off the chair.
Sam wanted to stop him hurting the girl However, this was a serious threat to the business and she was going to be taught a valuable lesson.
“So, you want to play the big girl’s game? Then you can take what’s coming like a real woman.” His anger had reached its pitch and he slapped her hard across the cheek. She didn’t flinch – too afraid to speak. He slapped her again and threw her back in the chair. She began to blabber. “Please don't hurt me!” She was afraid of the unknown; the fear of what was coming her way made her feel sick and she shook from head to toe.
Fred grabbed the leather swivel chair, with the crumpled Kizzy, and spun it round to face him. He leaned on the two arms and coldly said, “You’re a pretty little thing. If you want to remain that way, you had better start answering our questions because if you don’t, I will become your worst nightmare.”
Dan laughed, intimidating Kizzy. “Ah, Fred, you wouldn’t cut her boat race would you? Look at her lovely painted fingernails. That’s more your style, bruv, chopping up body parts.”
Sam was grinning and Fred laughed out loud. As if they’d hurt a fifteen-year-old. Their aim was to put the fear of hell into her to get her to talk. She was a child, and they were known Faces. They only intended to scare the shit out of her, that was all.
Kizzy began to cry and Sam swallowed hard, but he knew it had to be done. The tears streamed and she covered her face.
“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” spat Dan.
Her makeup was now smeared across her face, snot bubbled from her nose, and she sobbed as a teenager would. Her cheeks were stinging but she was afraid, and so the slap was nothing compared to the pain if they cut off her fingers.
“So, Kizzy, who put you up to it?” Dan was back in his seat, with a blade in his hand. It was a diver’s knife – an evil-looking, jagged blade, eight inches long. Kizzy gasped and her mind raced. It was her boyfriend, Ocean, another gypsy from the site, who had forced her into it, but he was just the messenger. She had seen the men gathered around Billy’s caravan talking – sometimes through the night. She only heard bits and pieces and never took much notice. As far as she was concerned, she had to secure a job in the club and, when she got the nod, she had to be on the pole ready for the police raid.
“Mr Vincent, I don’t know what you mean. I’m sorry, I just wanted to earn some dosh, is all. I ain’t got family of me own, ya see.” She was choking over her words.
Dan hated the pikeys. He never believed a word they said. “Lying cunt! Who set you up for this?” he shouted.
“No one, I swear on me muvver’s grave, Mr Vincent!”
Dan couldn’t stand oaths they took. Every other sentence was ‘I take an oath on me muvver’s life’ but they were always lying through their back teeth.
Fred grabbed her tiny wrist. “You think we’re daft? No family, eh, Kizzy O’Connell. ‘Ere, Dan, give us the knife!”
Kizzy almost fainted as the blood drained from her face and the vomit sat at the back of her throat. They had sussed her.
“Please don’t, please, I swear to ya, I tell ya the truth. It was Ocean, he made me do it.”
The words were out and Kizzy was as shocked as they were that she had blurted out a name.
The men frowned. They hadn’t heard of anyone called Ocean but they guessed it was another traveller.
She knew she had done wrong and the whole site would call her a grass. She had assured them she could handle it all. In fact, she had been looking forward to it but now her world had fallen apart. She loved Ocean with a passion and the thought he would fuck her off, after this, was worse than losing a finger.
“You had better tell us why, or I’ll cut your fucking tongue out,” said Fred.
She looked into eyes that were blank and she assumed he would do exactly that.
“He wanted me to earn money so that we can get us married!” She stopped crying.
“You have one more chance to tell the truth. If you don’t, I will strip your pretty cheeks, then cut out your tongue.” Fred ran the blade across her cheek, careful not to cut her. He only intended to frighten her into spilling the beans.
She held her breath while the knife went back and forth. She was terrified he would destroy her face. It was all she had going for her. Without her looks, Ocean would find another girl. Besides, he could have anyone he wanted. He was so handsome, with the brightest of green eyes.
The immense fear grew, but she couldn’t think quickly enough, so she told the truth.
“I was told to work here until the place got raided, that’s everything I know, I promise!” They could see she was being honest. It was the resigned tone in her voice and the way she looked to the floor in shame.
“So who’s behind it?” questioned Sam, who had kept quiet until now.
She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, that’s the truth. All I know is I get paid a bundle when yous get shut down.”
The men knew she was being truthful but were puzzled by the name. They felt uncomfortable having an unknown on their case.
“Who is Ocean, then?” asked Dan, who was instantly calm again, and seated back in his chair.
“He is my boyfriend, and someone told him to set me up, but I don’t know who, I swear on me muvver’s —”
Before she could continue, Dan jumped in.
“Yeah, I know, on your muvver’s life.” He rolled his eyes.
Fred unlocked the door and Kizzy ran as fast as she could. Leaving the office, and all its luxury fittings, she fled towards the comfort of her caravan and into the arms of her man, Ocean, and prayed to God he would forgive her. She didn’t even stop to get changed. She just grabbed her bag and left. The other girls watched in surprise as the top stripper – red-faced, tear-stained and in a blind panic – raced out of the building. It caused the changing room to become just like a chicken coop, with the girls gossiping excitedly about what had just happened.
Cassandra walked in and the room was silent. She nodded. “That’s better! Now, get on with the job and mind your own business!” She left with the
hidden mobile and took it up to the office.
Sam and Fred had left to check up on the club and Cassandra was alone with Dan.
“’Ello, babe, come in!” said Dan, who was still trying to be cool himself.
“Oh, hi, Dan. Sorry to disturb you, only I thought Fred was here. I’ve got Kizzy’s phone.”
He gestured for her to take a seat.
Dan admired her. It was funny because, in all the years she had worked for him, she hadn’t aged. Her skin was tight and her eyes sparkled. She should have been a model, with those legs.
“How’s it going down there?” Dan was treating her like a manager.
“Well, we need more staff on the bar, and obviously a new girl on the pole, but the atmosphere is great.” As she smiled he noticed just how pretty she was, with perfect white teeth and heart-shaped lips.
“Tell me, Cassie, do I pay you enough?” he asked coldly.
Cassie’s heart sank. When he asked this to a staff member, she knew he was going to fire them for having their hands in the till.
She nodded.
“You never grumble, you do whatever I ask, and you are the only person in this club, other than me brothers, that I can trust.” He put his hands together. “I want to say thanks for everything you do. If you ever need anything, you only have to ask me.”
She looked into his deep blue eyes and had the urge to say out loud, ‘I want you, Dan’.
He got up from his chair and walked around to her. She handed him the phone and he kissed her on the cheek. As she stood up to go, he stopped her by cupping her face in his hands. Her cheeks flushed. She closed her eyes and held onto the kiss he planted so tenderly on her lips. As she opened her eyes, he was staring lovingly with a kind expression. For years she had dreamt of this moment and now she was living it. But did he honestly like her, or was she to be just one of his conquests? Either way, she still loved him.
“How about tomorrow night me and you go out for a nice meal and catch a movie?”