by AJ Adams
They were both so damn angry that Pig and his mates instinctively moved away from them. In contrast, the executive stood firm. In fact, the crazy bastards were grinning.
“What’s up, Barrows? Did you land yourself in the shit?” Rex taunted.
“Fuck off!”
“I hear he got drunk once too often and screwed up a deal,” Crush sniggered.
“Well, he never was much good,” Rex sneered. “He wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without Lacy.”
“I’m the best!” Jason screamed. “I made her! And the bitch threw it back in my face!”
I was almost tempted to butt in and tell him to shove it. But one look at the Disciples, all watching like hawks, shut me up. I’d seen this before. Crush and Rex were working Jason, needling him so that he’d explode with temper and give himself away. It was difficult, but I kept mum and let them work him.
“You’re mad because you’re all washed up, mate,” Rex said evilly.
“I hear you have people after you,” Crush added.
“That fucking bitch!” Jason erupted. “She cost me six million Yen!”
Yen, even I knew that was Japanese currency.
“Really,” Rex drawled. “That’s a tidy sum.”
“I had to sell everything!” Jason screamed. “I’m fucking broke!”
“Did the Yakuza clean you out?” Rex mocked. “Did you have to sell yourself to the Horde?”
That had me gawping. Jason had always been a loner, but I knew instinctively that Rex was right on the button: Jason had fucked up big time and now he was the Horde’s bitch.
Crush addressed Pig. “So, you paid his debt, and now you own a forger?”
Pig shrugged. “You knew the moment you saw him.”
“Pity he’s such a loser.”
Pig didn’t say a word, but Jason was frothing at the mouth. “That cunt ruined me!”
I was about to scream at him, I hate that word, but I wanted to know more, so I stayed silent - even though my jaw ached from tension.
“I’ll get her, you’ll see,” Jason raved. “I’ll make the Horde rich, and she’s my reward.”
That was confirmation; Jason was the Horde’s new asset. Rex glanced at Crush who nodded infinitesimally. I read the subtext; they had what they wanted.
Pig didn’t look too happy, but Jason was well beyond sense. “When I get her, I’m going to beat her to a pulp and then I’m selling her as a sex slave. That’ll teach her.”
I just stared at him. Jason had gone completely bananas.
The executive were gawping at him. The Horde flunkies were slack-jawed too. Only Pig wasn’t surprised. He just shook his head, obviously disgusted at Jason babbling away.
As he had what he needed, I thought Rex would back off, but instead, he laughed right in Jason’s face. “A sex slave,” he jeered. “What have you been smoking, Barrows?”
“Lacy said he was a moron,” Crush sniggered.
Jason was steaming. Rex glanced at him, eyes cold, and put the knife in. “Sell Lacy? Typical. You built your career on her, didn’t you?”
“Fuck you!”
“You’re a useless wanker, a waste of space.” Rex grinned at the executive, “Ever seen such a fairy?”
As one, the Disciples burst out laughing.
“Right! I’ll have you!” Jason launched himself at Rex with a shriek of rage.
“Shit! Stop him!” Pig reached for Jason, but somehow Crush was in the way. “Fuck!”
Jason’s fist swung around like a sledgehammer - but Rex flowed out of the way. “Hell!”
Pig yelled, “Stop!” but with Crush blocking him, the Horde leader couldn’t get to him.
Jason didn’t even hear him. “You little shit,” he growled at Rex. “I’ll get you.”
Rex didn’t reply. He merely punched Jason in the face. It was a hell of a hit, one that sent the giant reeling back. Rex stepped up, ready to whack him again and that’s when Jason pulled out a gun.
I almost died on the spot. I’d seen guns before, they’re popular in edge-play magazines, but those were props. This was the real deal, and it was damn scary because he was pointing it at me.
“I’ll kill her and then you.” Jason was so quiet that he sounded almost sleepy.
Incredibly, Rex stepped in front of me. “Fuck off, Barrows.” He sounded cool and disdainful as if he’d spotted a guest topping up a Reserva with Coke. “Put that bloody thing away.”
God knows what would have happened, but at that moment a siren shrieked. A cherry top was at the gate, lights flashing and horn blaring.
“That’s our inspector,” Crush sighed.
“I’ll have him too.” Jason was raving.
“Don’t be a fool. We can’t afford that kind of heat.” Pig was pulling at his elbow. “Put it away.”
Reluctantly, Jason shoved the gun back in his jacket. Stemming the blood flowing from his nose with a handkerchief, he was still grumbling. “That damn cow. She -”
“That’s enough,” Pig said. “She’s not worth fighting over, mate. Let the little tart rot.”
“But -” Jason whined.
“No!” Pig slapped him down. “I told you we’d try. It’s a bust, so now we move on.”
I could barely breathe. It was over. Pig had decided Jason had to back off, and as the Horde owned him, my ex would have to suck it up.
“Well?” Pig snapped.
Jason glared at me, but he rumbled, “Right. Okay.”
Down by the gate, the cop car was beeping away. Security was out, hands waving and looking helpful but not opening the gate. Nobody can refuse the coppers entry, but Rex’s people were professionals at stalling.
Pig turned to Crush. “We should talk. Let’s have a sit-down.”
“In three days, when Poison and Snake are here.”
“You’ve put us off twice. A truce will hold only so long.”
“Because you’re growing your business and plan to be on top?” Crush asked sarcastically.
“Damn straight,” Pig spat back. “This isn’t tiddlywinks. Business is war.”
Crush tensed. “War is expensive, to both sides.”
“Not if you win,” Pig grinned.
If he hoped to enrage the Disciples, he must’ve been disappointed because they just looked at him as if he were a particularly foul bug.
“If,” Crush shrugged.
There was a dead silence. The gate was now opening, but instead of swinging wide, security were pushing it open by hand - slowly. The inspector was out, too, and from the sound of it, he was yelling at them.
Pig eyed Crush up and changed tack. “Come on, I was joking. There’s plenty of turf for both of us.”
“Sure, there is.” Crush was all over it.
“We’re not in a rush. We’ll talk in three days.”
He was lying in his teeth. Pig wanted war.
“Sure,” Crush said again.
He was lying too. It was clear as day.
Pig stepped back and noted the inspector was getting back into his car. Elbowing Jason, he nodded at me, “Okay, you’re out of it.” It was loud and clear.
The car was now edging through the gate. The inspector was on his way.
“Let’s ride,” Pig snapped. An instant later, the Horde were on their bikes, belting down the road and blaring their horns at the inspector who was blasting up to the house.
Amazingly, Harding tried to block them. Of course, he didn’t stand a chance. The Horde just flashed around him, and then they were out of the gate. Harding was enraged. I could see him clear as day, bashing the steering wheel in frustration.
“Kraken, DT, escort Pig and his men out of Bonnington,” Crush said quietly.
Watching Jason disappear into the distance, I was breathless. I was out of it. I was free again. It was such a relief that even the sight of Harding didn’t give me a downer.
Bonnington’s chief copper was fuming. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snarled. “You can’t deny entry to t
he police!”
“I’m sorry, Inspector,” Rex said smoothly. “That gate is always sticking. I must get it repaired.”
Harding didn’t believe him, but he had other fish to fry. “I came because of a call from an insurance company alleging a diamond ring went missing here,” he ranted, “and what do I find? Hardened criminals!”
“Well, I do live here,” Rex teased.
“That Pig has an outstanding warrant for assault,” Harding raved.
“Were you going to try and arrest him?” I asked. “You against him and his mates?”
Harding just ignored me. “If your people hadn’t sabotaged me,” he barked at Rex, “I would have had him.”
Rex was smiling as he put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a good man,” he said warmly.
“Daft as a brush,” Crush grinned. “You against the Horde executive? All on your own.”
“That’s balls,” Rex agreed.
Men. They’re all barmy if you ask me. While the Disciples held a love-in, I was contemplating my future. I’d go and see Mia, spend a few days building up my contacts, and then the job offers were bound to come in again.
I was in a glow, but the inspector was not. “I don’t want your admiration,” Harding grumped. “I want your cooperation.”
“And you have it,” Rex agreed.
“Do I hell. How do you know it wasn’t one of you who stole that ring?”
It was so clear that Harding was just mouthing off that Rex wasn’t even upset. “Inspector, have a word with Mitch. He’s been coordinating the search.”
“Don’t think you can pull the wool over my eyes,” Harding continued. “You’re trying to set up a truce with the Horde.”
“Nothing gets by you,” Rex replied smoothly.
“It won’t work,” Harding said. “They’re vicious thugs.”
“I expect you’re right,” Rex didn’t bother arguing. “Here’s Mitch.”
Rex’s sidekick took one look at Harding and went into action. “I’m so glad you’re here. We’ve looked all over for that damn ring, and we can’t find it. Please, come upstairs and tell me where I screwed up.”
As they disappeared indoors, Crush sighed. “That was enlivening. Let’s go to the club. I think we all need a drink.”
I hugged Rex. “Thank you for belting Jason and thank you for protecting me.” I gave him a smacking kiss. “Weren’t you afraid of that gun? You could’ve been killed.”
“Nonsense.” Rex put an arm around me. “He hit you pretty hard. You’d better have a hot bath. It will help manage the pain.”
“Actually, a huge drink sounds better.” I sucked in the scent of him, musk, leather, and tang. I was free to resume my life and super grateful, but I knew I’d miss him, even if he’d be happy to see the back of me. “Thanks, Rex.” I hugged him. “You’re a hero.”
Surprisingly, he wasn’t too chuffed. “Are you very sore, Lacy?”
“I’ll be okay tonight. It’s tomorrow that I’ll feel it.”
Talk about lighting a fuse. “How the hell do you know that?” The fury was rushing back, rolling off him in waves. “Are you telling me that shit hit you before?”
He did like me. I felt ridiculously happy at the knowledge. Putting an arm around him, I kissed his cheek. “Yes, and you paid him back.”
“Fucking coward,” Rex grumbled. “He deserves a punishment beating.”
“Seeing him rolling around on the ground and get a bloody nose was revenge enough,” I said cheerfully. “Let’s celebrate. Drinks are on me. Extra large, seeing my problem is fixed.”
To my surprise, Rex rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Mine’s a pint,” Crush sighed.
“So’s mine,” Zero said. “Of gin, I think.”
“Right with you,” Flash said gloomily.
I was expecting them to be happy to see the back of me; something was off. “You’re all going to miss me,” I warbled, not sure what I wasn’t getting. “That’s why you’re all miserable, right? Because I’m offski in the morning.”
The way they looked at me, I knew I had it wrong. At once, an icy block of worry settled in my gut.
“Lacy, Barrows is still after you,” Rex said gently.
“Pig said I was out of it. Didn’t you hear?”
“It was a lie. He’s hoping you’ll fall for it so that he can scoop you up the second you walk out of that gate.”
The ice block grew. “Are you sure?”
“We’re entering a war.” He was petting me, sensing my growing fear. “Barrows is an important Horde asset. You heard him; his forgery skills are going to make them rich. Pig will try to keep him happy. That means he’ll keep coming.”
I gazed into the heavenly eyes, fear rippling through me. “All that stuff was play acting? A ruse to get to me?”
“They’re not getting you,” Rex said instantly.
The executive were quiet, but at that, they nodded.
“We’re not giving in to the sodding Horde,” Flash said.
“Right,” Zero agreed. “Give it a little longer but don’t worry, we’re all over it.”
Even Crush was nodding. “We’re not handing you over, no matter what.” The pale eyes were friendly for once. “As for your work, we can settle you abroad.”
“In Paris,” Rex mused. “Or Amsterdam.”
My stomach was in knots, but I knew that wouldn’t fly. “There are only a handful of studios that do my kind of work. Jason would find me in a heartbeat.”
“Not if you work a regular job,” Rex pointed out.
For a moment I considered it. If I could take Mia and get a decent career going...
“It won’t be easy,” Rex said. “You’ll need to take a course. You can’t find work if you can’t speak the language.”
Running wasn’t an option. I’d not get a decent salary until I’d learned the local lingo, which would take months, and Mia’s schooling would suffer. Plus, I’d be looking over my shoulder the whole time in case Jason found us.
Again, it was on the tip of my tongue to tell him about Mia, but habit and fear stopped me. I took Rex’s hand. “Please, it terrifies me to be away from here. I feel safe in Perdition.”
He didn’t like it, but to my relief, he nodded. “All right.” He was holding on to me. “Come on, let’s go to the club. Lilac and Aurora have been dying to meet you.”
“Who?”
“They’re friends of Serene and Paisley.”
The girls I’d met in lockup. It seemed a million years ago. “Oh, good.”
“They’re the best,” Zero assured me.
“Yeah,” Flash agreed. “You’ll like them.”
They were looming over me, wall-to-wall tats, leathers, and hair, and I felt as if I were a kitten protected by lions. They’d seemed rough, wild and unpredictable but now I knew better. The Disciples were hard as nails, but they weren’t cruel. They’d refused to give me up, even though it would give them an advantage in the coming war with the Horde.
Even so, I was dead scared of what was to come. Perdition would be watched, and Jason knew I had a daughter. He’d always denied Mia’s existence, and he’d not mentioned her this time, but I wasn’t taking any risks. I didn’t want him or that creep Pig looking for her.
Thinking frantically who might lead them to my little one, I was thankful that I had cut all ties all those years ago. Nobody in my work circle knew about Mia and everyone back home who knew Mia thought her daddy had died years ago. Also, Jason didn’t know I had a half-sister, and as an added plus, Skegness was Disciples territory.
The conclusion hit me like a punch in the gut: as long as I stayed put in Perdition, Mia would be safely hidden with her cousins. It broke my heart, but I knew I had to think of Mia first; until the Disciples neutralised the Horde and Jason, there would be no more trips to Skegness.
“Lacy, are you okay?” Rex sounded cool, but he was hugging me again.
Blinking back tears, I forced a smile. “Sure. Come on let�
��s have that drink. Pints of gin all round, right?”
Chapter Fourteen
Rex
“Sorry about that.” Lacy slid into the chair next to mine. Her eyes were red and she’d obviously been crying.
“You okay, love?” Aurora asked.
Lacy nodded. “It’s just been a weird kind of a day.”
She’d gone off to make a phone call, and from her downcast eyes, she wasn’t explaining. It occurred to me that Lacy had colleagues and clients, but I hadn’t heard her mention close friends or family.
“We heard,” Lilac sighed. “The bloody Horde, right? They’re a right royal pain.”
Surprisingly, Lacy grinned. “They’re not a patch on the Disciples.”
Aurora and Lilac leaned in instantly. “Do tell!”
We don’t like people talking about our business, but Aurora and Lilac were almost core members. So I let Lacy talk, thinking I’d cut in if she spilled too much information.
“So, Pig was there, super menacing and evil,” Lacy started. “And this lot were just laughing at him. I was peeing myself with fear but not them.”
“That’s our boys,” Aurora said warmly.
“Yeah, nut cases,” Lacy laughed. “Anyway, the Horde are wittering on, spilling information while the Disciples just egg them on.”
She was talking us up without actually giving away any details. I should have known; Lacy talked a lot, but she was remarkably closemouthed.
As I listened to her with half an ear, I felt curiously tense. My hands were curling with it, and my stomach was heaving. I took a gulp of my gin, thinking it would settle me. It didn’t, but I wasn’t letting it show. We’d had enough emo for one day.
“So then Crush is like, ‘If’,” Lacy giggled. “And Pig is completely gobsmacked.”
From the way she was telling it, we were coming off like heroes. I had to smile; Crush wouldn’t say a word, but when he heard, there’d be extra swagger.
“Then my ex pulls a flipping gun!” Lacy reported. “And Rex just gives him the finger!”
I was in for praise too. “Cut it out, Lacy.”
“Too late,” Lilac informed me. “Rex, you’re a hero.”
Aurora gave me a smacking kiss. “You’re not enjoying your gin, love. Want a nice red instead? We’ve got a good Cabernet Sauvignon.”