Marlena poured the wine and they all raised their glasses, Zoe lifting the mug with a bemused smile.
“To you and Clint,” Marlena toasted.
Aurora beamed at her mother. They had come along way, she thought to herself. She could never have imagined before that her mother would be so pleased for her to be tying the knot with Clint.
“To Aurora and Clint,” Zoe said, lifting her glass.
Aurora smiled as they clinked glasses and drank.
* * *
“Stay away from Zoe,” Tamar said. He leant back in the plastic chair. “You don’t send her any more visiting orders. You don’t call her. You leave her the fuck alone. Is that understood?”
Dante looked at Tamar, sizing him up. He did not know who he was, what his relationship to Zoe was, but he could hear the threat in his voice.
“Why do you care?” Dante asked. “What’s it to you?”
Tamar narrowed his eyes.
“Never you mind,” he said. “Just leave her alone.”
“What if I don’t?” Dante asked.
“I got quite a few mates locked up in here,” Tamar said casually. He did not show any sign of being intimidated by Dante. “Some of them owe me favours, you know. You contact her again, I’ll call those favours in.”
Dante considered him. He did not know if he was bluffing or not, but either way, he did not want to make enemies inside. Not when he had big plans for this place.
“Fair enough,” Dante shrugged. “Not like I wanted to see the kid anyway.”
“Keep it that way,” Tamar warned him.
He stood up, the chair legs scraping along the floor. Dante watched as Tamar crossed the visiting room and the guard let him out.
Dante let out a long sigh. It had been a long shot, he thought, hoping to use Zoe to bring drugs in. Now he knew she had people like Tamar and his mates watching her back, he thought it was too much effort to try.
He would find another way, he was sure of that. He nodded at the guard that he was ready to go and stood up, hoping that today would not be a total write-off.
* * *
Naz watched Amal leave the house and was glad to see the back of him.
He had hoped that after shooting Jayden, he would be afforded some respect, some kudos, for what he had done. How wrong he had been. Amal paraded Shontelle around like a trophy wife, rubbing his face in it, and Sanjay was just as bad. He acted like they were a golden couple and still treated Amal like a little prince, as if he had forgotten that Naz was the one who had pulled the trigger.
The money was starting to roll in now, Sanjay pressing his advantage now that Corey was busy mourning his brother and Tyrese was locked up. Naz barely saw a cut and now he understood how it had always been, how it always would be.
It did not matter that he had shot Jayden, nothing he did would ever be enough to be respected by his cousins. He was the black sheep of the family and nothing would change that.
Well, he did not accept that. He did not have to.
Satisfied that the house was empty, he went into the kitchen and pulled on some kitchen gloves and snuck upstairs to where Sanjay had stashed the gun that they had used to kill Jayden. Naz had thought him crazy to be keeping it, but Sanjay said they needed to wait before they chucked it. Now he thought it was a blessing.
He crept back downstairs, the gun heavy in his hands. He opened Amal’s gym bag, discarded at the foot of the stairs. He was too busy to work out now he spent every waking second with Shontelle and the smell of sweaty trainers filled his nostrils as he shoved the gun beneath a pair of gym shorts.
Zipping up the bag, Naz felt no remorse for what he was about to do.
He replaced the kitchen gloves in the sink and pulled his phone out of his pocket with shaking hands.
Amal should have shown him some respect, he reminded himself. He should never have gone after Shontelle. He should have treated him like family, not like an afterthought or someone to be mocked.
He would pay for it, Naz repeated, as he called Crimestoppers to make an anonymous tip-off about who had killed Jayden Healy.
* * *
Clint walked into the registry office and felt the enormity of what today meant at once. The clerk greeted them, smiling, shaking his hand. Beside him, Amal and Kojo, dressed in their suits, looked around, clearly feeling out of place in the room. He heard his mother gasp, on the verge of tears, as she had been all morning.
She clasped his hand and beamed around the room. It was simply decorated, but Clint knew that Aurora would appreciate it. They did not need a big church, a lavish ceremony. They loved each other and that was all that mattered.
The doors flew open and Tamar burst in, panting, his shirt untucked.
“Shit, I thought I was late,” he gasped, breathing hard. Clint and Amal caught each other’s eye and quickly looked away, almost laughing.
“Nah, mate, perfect timing,” Clint said, shaking his hand as Tamar joined them.
“Get your hands out of your pockets,” Clint heard his mother chastising Kojo, reaching for him. She looked around her at the boys, shaking her head. “Oh Lord, this won’t do at all,” she murmured, turning on Tamar. “Tuck that shirt in, boy.” Tamar did as he was told at once. Clint smiled as his mother reached for Amal to straighten his tie.
“Maybe I should wait outside,” Tamar said, “Look out for the bride.”
“Sure,” Clint laughed, “Good plan.” He watched as Tamar swerved to avoid Femi’s disapproving look at his tie and headed for the doors. Clint shrugged at his mother, who clucked disapprovingly but settled for surveying Kojo, straightening his tie too.
“Your dad not showing his face?” Amal asked under his breath, joining Clint at his side. Clint shook his head. Nobody had expected him to come, and Clint was relieved that he was not here. He was probably down the pub, he thought, or the bookies. “Good job,” Amal whispered, “Waste of space.”
“Damn right,” Clint agreed, before falling silent as his mum approached, itching to straighten his lapels.
The doors opened again, and Tamar appeared, looking excited.
“Your bride’s here, mate,” he said, grinning.
Clint took a deep breath, and Amal clapped him on the back and gave him a wink. His mother gave an excited squeal and pulled a tissue from her purse in anticipation. Kojo rolled his eyes as she went to his side.
Knowing that Aurora was so close, that they would soon be husband and wife, Clint felt his chest swell with pride. He knew he was doing the right thing.
* * *
Kojo looked at his brother, smiling brightly, and felt pleased for him. Though he itched to take off the jacket and tie his mother had forced him to wear, Kojo was pleased to be a part of the day. He had barely spoken to Clint lately, and part of him could not help but feel that today marked Clint’s departure from the family, that he was losing his older brother. Aurora and Angel, they would be Clint’s family now, his priorities. Kojo had not needed his brother in a long time, but it surprised him that he only now felt the loss that today marked.
Zoe breezed through the doors, hurrying down the aisle and immersing Tamar and Clint in conversation. Kojo felt Amal at his side and glanced at him.
“I wanted to have a quick chat,” Amal said, his voice low, so that nobody would hear them. Kojo looked at his mother, already wiping at her eyes, and knew that she was paying no attention to them. Amal continued, almost whispering. “Shontelle wanted me to have a word.”
“Oh really?” Kojo sighed. “Do we have to do this now?”
“She said you’re a bad influence on her sister,” Amal said.
“And you care, do you?” Kojo asked. He was getting fed up of Shontelle’s interference.
“Not really,” Amal shrugged. “I said I’d have a word, and I have done.”
“That’s it?” Kojo asked, confused.
“Not quite,” Amal said. “If you want to earn some money, just give me a nod, okay? I think you’ve got potential, Kojo.”
Kojo looked at him, intrigued. Today was turning out to be a day full of surprises. Amal clapped him on the back and went to join Tamar and the others, and Kojo remained where he was, smiling to himself.
“Right, ladies and gentlemen,” the clerk announced, “We’re ready to proceed.”
* * *
Troy looked at his brother.
“Why are you in here?” he asked. “What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything,” Tyrese sighed.
“Yeah,” Troy laughed, “That’s what half the guys in here say.”
“They think I killed Jayden Healy,” Tyrese said. He shook his head, and Troy thought his brother looked tired, almost defeated. It was a surprise. His oldest brother had always seemed like a rock. Unbeatable, unbreakable.
“Shit,” Troy murmured. He lowered his voice. “Did you? Kill him?”
“No, I fucking didn’t,” Tyrese snapped.
“Nobody would blame you,” Troy shrugged. “Not after Trent.”
“I didn’t do it.”
Troy could not tell if his brother was telling the truth.
“Did he kill Trent?” he asked. “Well, Goldie was the one who did that, he told me himself, but someone must’ve told him to.”
“I don’t know,” Tyrese admitted.
“Did you even try and find out?” Troy asked, his anger rising. This was not his brother, not the guy he had idolised, had wanted to emulate. This guy in front of him was beginning to look pathetic. “What happened to you, Ty? The famous Banks brothers? You lost your nerve or something?”
“Come on, Troy, don’t start -”
Troy looked him in the eyes, finally asking the question he had been longing for the answer to.
“Why did you try to get rid of me?” he asked. “Why did you stab me in the back?”
“I had my reasons,” Tyrese said flatly. It was clear he did not want to be drawn into this conversation, but Troy was not about to let that slide.
“Care to share them with me?” Troy insisted. “You owe me.”
“I don’t owe you anything,” Tyrese shook his head, not looking at him.
Troy tried to quell his growing anger.
“You owe me some answers.”
“I did it for your own good,” Tyrese said quietly. “For all of us.”
Troy sniggered.
“Were you the one who grassed me up before I could do a runner?” he asked. “Am I worth more banged up, is that it?” he asked.
Tyrese laughed, surprising Troy. He scowled at his brother.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Troy, you aren’t worth shit wherever you are,” Tyrese said, and Troy sensed the anger in his brother’s voice now. He was losing his patience. “You’re a fucking liability whatever you try and do. Wimbly? The phone? The fucking drugs? Should I go on?”
“None of that was my fault,” Troy protested. “It was Dante.”
“Right, the drugs just disappeared, is that it?” Tyrese asked, raising an eyebrow, looking squarely at Troy. “The phone just flew out the window, yeah?”
He shook his head with disappointment.
“It was Dante. He played me,” Troy admitted. “But it wasn’t my fault, and that didn’t give you the right to -”
“I didn’t do anything as some kind of payback, Troy,” Tyrese interrupted him, waving off the suggestion. “I was trying to protect us all.”
“Really? How did that work out for Trent and Jessie?” Troy snorted. “Or yourself?”
“I thought -” Tyrese stopped himself, sighing. “It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done.”
“I’m serving a thirty stretch, Ty,” Troy said through gritted teeth, trying to bite down his anger.
“Oh, grow up Troy,” Tyrese said, his voice harsh. Troy was taken aback, affronted. Tyrese looked at him, and the anger was written on his face. “You know why you’re in here? You fucked up, time and time again. Your girlfriend fucked you over, your mates turned on you, you let your cellmate record your fucking confession.” He shook his head, as if hardly daring to believe the stupidity. Troy clenched his fists. “You brought this all on yourself,” Tyrese spat.
Troy opened his mouth, but he had no response.
He had hoped that Tyrese had a plan, a reason for betraying him, but it was clearly not the case. His brother had lost his touch. Tyrese was defeated, and Troy that he could no longer count on him.
Without a word, Troy left the cell. The brother he had so respected, so admired, was gone. The man sat in Tyrese’s cell was just a pathetic shell of Tyrese Banks.
Troy knew he was on his own now.
* * *
Dante watched Troy storm out of the cell and down the corridor, so angry that he did not even notice him stood nearby the door.
He had not heard everything, but Dante knew that he had heard enough. Tyrese and Troy were finished, that much was clear. There was no coming back from some things, words could not be unspoken, and Dante intended to take advantage of this.
He had spent too long making it to the top to be thrown back to rock bottom now that Tyrese had turned up on the block, but now Dante sensed a new opportunity. Troy was weak and defenceless. He was nothing now.
Tyrese on the other hand still had some sway inside and he would no doubt soon discover Wimbly’s broken loyalties. Dante could utilise this for his own ends, he decided.
Perhaps today was not the write-off he had started to fear it was, Dante thought, as he stepped forward and knocked on the cell door. Tyrese looked up, and Dante saw that this was a man defeated.
Perfect, he thought, as he stepped inside.
* * *
Everyone took their places as the clerk joined Clint at the front of the small room. Clint smiled at her, and the clerk smiled reassuringly back.
The doors opened and he turned. He heard his mother gasp from the front row.
Aurora walked down the aisle. She looked beautiful, radiant. Clint could not take his eyes off her as her eyes met his, and she smiled. Marlena walked her, arm in arm, to the front row. She kissed her daughter on the cheek and then went to her seat, where Femi passed her a tissue at once and put a comforting arm around her, the pair of them already crying.
Clint felt butterflies as Aurora stopped at his side in front of the clerk. She took his hand in hers, and he realised his hands were shaking, not with nerves, but with excitement.
“Ready to become Mrs Jackson?” Clint whispered, smiling wide.
Aurora gave him a furtive look.
“Of course,” she replied. “I’ve been dreaming about this.”
Clint thought his heart would burst at her words as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and they turned to face the clerk as she began to speak.
* * *
“Who are you?” Tyrese asked. “And what do you want?”
The stranger leant against the wall, crossing his arms against his chest. He looked at home in here, Tyrese thought. He was not in the mood for chit-chat, not after seeing Troy, after his brother had stormed out like a child who had not heard what they had wanted to hear.
“I’m Dante. Troy’s ex-cellmate.”
“And you’re here in my cell because?” Tyrese prompted him.
Dante smiled.
“Straight to the point,” he said, “I like that.”
“Yeah, I’m a big fan of that,” Tyrese said. “So, I’ll make myself a bit clearer. Get to the point, Dante, or get the fuck out.”
“I’m here to help you out,” Dante said.
Tyrese narrowed his eyes.
“How do you plan on doing that?” he asked. “You been digging a tunnel?”
Dante laughed, though Tyrese noticed it did not reach his eyes, which remained stony, alert. He did not trust Dante.
“I meant help you with making some money,” Dante offered, lowering his voice. “You know there’s money to be made in here. Plenty of it.”
“I know,” Tyrese nodded. “But I’m not interested.”
“You ha
ven’t heard what I’m offering,” Dante said.
“I don’t need to,” Tyrese said, his voice firm. He smiled. “Now, Dante, if you don’t mind, I’ve got to take a shit.”
He started to stand, and Dante shrugged, though Tyrese knew that he was more put out than he was letting on.
“If you change your mind,” Dante said, “Then you know where I am.” He left the cell and Tyrese sat back down on his bed, shaking his head.
He wondered if Dante had been involved in making the drugs go missing, if something was amiss with him. He did not like Dante, did not trust him, but he had met guys like him before, inside and out on the street.
They were dangerous, and Tyrese knew that he had to watch his back. He had to watch out for Troy, he decided. Dante was up to something, and Tyrese wanted to make sure that his brother did not get caught in the crossfire, if he had not already.
* * *
Aurora held Clint’s hands in her hers.
She knew this was where she was meant to be, and she had no doubt that Shaniqua would be pleased for her. Though last night as she had tried to sleep, she had questioned whether her sister would approve or not, she had eventually accepted that she would never be able to ask her.
Standing here, having heard Clint say his vows, the emotion cracking his voice, Aurora knew that her sister would have been left in no doubt that he loved her, would always keep her safe and be a good husband and father.
Aurora repeated her vows after the clerk, smiling at Clint.
The clerk smiled at each of them in turn, then turned her attention to the table behind them. Aurora and Clint signed their names on the registry.
“It gives me great pleasure to now pronounce you husband and wife,” the clerk said. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr and Mrs Jackson.”
Clint leaned in close and kissed her, and Aurora responded, melting into him. He still held one of her hands, but the other slid around her waist, and she put her hands to his chest, feeling the warmth of him.
The clerk clapped and was quickly joined by the others. Aurora kissed Clint lightly again and then turned, seeing her mother blowing her nose, her mascara in need of a patch-up. Aurora smiled at her, and Marlena smiled warmly back and started clapping too.
The Goldsworth Series Box Set Page 148