He kicked her in the stomach and she gasped, crumpling up into a ball on the floor.
“Stop it,” yelled Alfie, leaping up off the couch and crouching beside his aunt, putting himself between her and his dad. “Leave her alone.”
Alex appeared astonished by the boy’s defiance. “She’s not worth protecting Son. She’s a back-stabbing cheating bitch. What’s so fucking funny?” he added when Rachel started to laugh.
“Ryan was right. You know about that night between me and him in Martina’s Bar, don’t you?”
“Yes I do.”
“Who told you?”
“Gary. He doesn’t even remember telling me, he was pissed out of his head at the time.”
“You get told some tale by a drunk barman and you go off on one, you stupid bastard.”
He moved to kick her again but Alfie refused to budge. “No.”
“Alfie, get out of the way.”
“No, you won’t hurt her again.” He actually stared down his enormous dad, who looked away first. Alfie gave him a disgusted look before attempting to remove the tape binding Rachel’s hands. “Take it off, it’s hurting her.”
With a sigh Alex took a knife out of his pocket and cut the tape then pulled Rachel to her feet and shoved her into an equally stained and equally pink armchair. He rounded on his eldest son. “You sit back down and don’t say another word. Do you fucking understand?”
The boy just stared at him sulkily.
“It’s okay Alfie Sweetheart, sit down with your mum,” said Rachel, not daring to take her eyes off Alex.
He retook his seat, hatred in his eyes when he looked at his father. Beth was shaking violently, on the verge of disintegrating completely.
“You were saying?” Alex said to Rachel, his jaw set and tendons popping out in his neck.
“Why didn’t you just talk to me about it? We could have sorted it out ages ago but instead you let it fester and rot. Yes, I admit it did happen. I was scared and lonely and I thought me and Danny were over but nothing else happened until a year after Danny died.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She shrugged. “That doesn’t change the fact that it’s true. I loved Danny and I wouldn’t have cheated on him.”
“You would have one day. Admit it.”
“No,” she replied, trying not to think about what her dad had said.
“Admit it,” he yelled, causing all his children to jump.
“I will not admit to something I didn’t do. Why are you having such a hard time with this? The old Alex would have confronted me about it ages ago and believed me when I denied it. What’s happened to you?”
“I realised we’ve had a traitor in our midst all this time.”
“You’re the traitor Alex. I won’t tell your wife about the offer you made me in Devon,” she smirked. “You’re the one with the problem with loyalty, not me.”
“What do you mean?” said Beth, finally finding her voice.
“Nothing, she’s just desperate,” retorted Alex. He smiled down at Rachel. “We did have it out once but you don’t remember. It was the day you lost your baby. You denied it then came out with a load of nasty shit that proved what you really are.”
“I remember not long before that happened you were down on your knees begging me to meet with Jan Jordan and I agreed because I wanted to help. Then they killed my baby.”
Beth released a whimper. “Rachel I’m so sorry.”
Rachel kept her gaze focused on Alex. “I did that for you Alex because I loved you, I thought of you as my brother but all the time you were crawling on your belly begging me to help you hated me, and for what? Because you think I might have cheated on your brother years ago? No, come on, there’s more to it than that. What else did I do to hurt you?”
“I’ve already told you.”
“No you haven’t. There’s something else.”
“My dad wanted you running the family,” he exploded.
“Finally, the truth,” she exclaimed.
“Mum told me everything not long before she died. Dad told her that he didn’t think me or Danny were up to it. He thought you were the logical choice with me and my brother as your seconds, his own fucking sons cow-towing to a scheming slag.”
“I wouldn’t have taken it even if he had offered it me, which he didn’t. You offered me it yourself and I turned it down, its never been what I wanted.”
“You infected my family like a cancer. Everything started going wrong when you showed up. Dad died, Terry and Jake turned against us then Danny died. Now Mum.”
“You can’t blame me for Martina, she had a stroke…” She saw the guilt in his eyes and her stomach dropped. “Oh my God Alex, what did you do?”
He clutched at his hair with both hands. “It wasn’t my fault, she kept going on and on about what a bad husband and father I was, telling me Dad and Danny would be ashamed, why couldn’t I be more like Ryan? Fucking Ryan Law. She wouldn’t stop.”
Rachel shot to her feet. “What did you do?”
“She kept pushing me and pushing me…”
“What did you do to her?” she screamed in his face.
He appeared to be on the verge of confessing before his face twisted with rage. Fortunately this time Rachel was ready and she dodged out of the way when his fist shot out. She grabbed his wrist and kicked him in the chest, knocking him backwards.
“Frank was right about one of his sons not being up to the job,” she said before punching him full in the face. “Run,” she yelled at Beth and the kids.
Beth leapt up clutching Holly to her, the boys following and ran for the door while Rachel grappled with Alex. She knew she didn’t have long, there was no way she could stand up to him. All she could do was avoid the rapid blows as his big fists came at her. When she’d hit him in the face it had been like punching granite and her hand ached. He backhanded her, knocking her over and she grabbed onto the fireplace to remain upright, kicking out when he got too near, her foot connecting with his stomach. When she tried to punch him again he seized her wrist and shoved her backwards. She hit the windowsill hard and slumped to the floor. Alex flipped her onto her front and pulled her head to one side so she could see Beth and the kids being ushered back in by his stooges.
“You see that?” he whispered in her ear. “They’ll never escape me and neither will you.” He twisted her arms behind her back so hard it felt like they were being pulled out of their sockets and she grunted with pain. “Tape,” he called and he held her while Gus tethered her wrists together. He hauled her to her feet by her hair and she saw tears pouring down her best friend’s face. On the bright side Beth looked like she’d come back to life. There was still fear in her eyes but now it had been joined by anger.
“Alex, let her go,” Beth told him firmly.
“No. Don’t you see she’s the cause of all our problems?”
“No she’s not, you are. Stop blaming everyone else for how you’ve messed up.”
“Shut it,” he said, dragging Rachel to the door. “Me and her are going to talk in private.”
Beth paled. “What are you going to do to her?”
He didn’t bother to reply. Instead he spoke to Gus. “Make sure they stay in here.”
He nodded as Alex dragged Rachel towards the door.
“Alex, what are you going to do?” screamed Beth, getting to her feet.
Gus put himself before her to stop her following.
As Alex dragged Rachel up the stairs backwards she struggled just to remain upright with her hands tied behind her back. At the top he kicked the door open and she was thrown onto her back on a musty old bed, the pink blankets matching the suite downstairs, grimacing with pain as she landed on her hands.
Bile rose in her throat. “Why are we up here?”
“You look scared Rach,” he grinned.
“What are you going to do?”
“It would really fuck you and Ryan up if he knew you’d been with another man.”
/> “No, you’re not doing that to me,” she cried, trying to clamber off the bed but he grabbed her legs and held her down as he climbed on top of her. “No, oh God please no, not that,” she screamed. She’d rather be beaten or tortured, anything else.
“It would tear you both apart,” he grinned humourlessly, pushing up her skirt. “Your life with him would be over.”
“No,” she cried, lashing out with her feet while writhing furiously but he simply flipped her onto her front. With her arms pinioned behind her she was helpless.
“Get off me,” she yelled when she felt his hands on her thighs.
“Danny told me about these stockings, he fucking loved them. I’ve been curious to see for myself for a long time. I understand now what he meant.”
“Alex, don’t. Think of everything we’ve gone through together, how we used to be, like brother and sister. You cross this line and there’s no going back. Think what your dad would say if he could see what you’ve become.”
He bent over to whisper in her ear. “I’m going to fuck you like you fucked my family.”
“No Alex, please,” she said, disintegrating into tears.
“Not so tough now. You’ve gone soft Rach,” he said, pulling down her panties.
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” she said, lashing out with her feet. She couldn’t see what she was doing but she felt her feet connect with something.
“Ow you bitch” he said, punching her in the back of the thigh, causing her to scream with pain. He grabbed her legs and pulled them apart. “This will hurt.”
When she heard his zip go down she buried her face in the blanket, praying it would be over quickly. “Ryan,” she whispered.
“You may as well forget about him because I’m going to break you….oh what is it?” he said when the door creaked open.
“Daddy?”
Rachel closed her eyes and sighed, her heart breaking. Archie. What must the poor boy think seeing his dad like this?
Gus appeared behind the boy. “Sorry Boss. Alfie distracted us so he could get up here.”
“Can’t you control a couple of kids you useless bastards?” Alex sighed heavily. “Go downstairs Archie. I’ll be down in a minute.”
Rachel heard the door close and held her breath, fearing what he would do next. She almost wept with relief when he got up off the bed and fastened himself up. All she could do was lie there with her bare backside on display. He pulled her underwear back up and her skirt down then hauled her to her feet.
“Congratulations you’ve just scarred your son for life,” she said but her voice was tired and flat. She was exhausted and felt like she could fall over at any moment.
“Don’t think I’m done with you. There’s another way to show you what happens to slags.”
He led her back downstairs and shoved her through the door, steering her back into the armchair then he stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him, leaving Gus to watch over them.
Alfie and Archie ran to Rachel and hugged her.
“Thank you boys,” she said, kissing the tops of their heads. She couldn’t hug them because she still had her hands tied behind her back.
“Did…did he…,” stammered Beth.
“No he didn’t, thanks to these two.”
“Was he going to?”
Rachel took in a deep shaky breath. “Yes.”
“Oh Rach, I don’t know what to say. He’s turned into a monster. Do you think…Martina…?”
Rachel nodded. “Yes, unfortunately I do.” She was shaking badly and her heart was racing. After everything she’d been through that had been the single most terrifying moment of her life. “Where’s Nick?”
“I don’t know,” rasped Beth, a tear sliding down her face. “We went to Plymouth, that’s where Alex found us. He went out for supplies and never came back.”
“No talking,” snapped Gus.
It was a relief to Rachel when anger coursed through her and the shaking subsided. “You don’t get to speak to us you piece of shit.”
“What did you say?” he said, advancing on her.
“Move back boys,” Rachel told them.
They obeyed, their eyes locked on Gus, ready to defend her should the need arise.
Beth was heartened when Rachel got to her feet and squared up to Gus. She’d been afraid Alex had pushed her beyond breaking point but now she was the old Rachel, her eyes jet black and Gus didn’t have a clue what he was dealing with.
“Sit down you silly cow before you get…”
He didn’t get to finish the sentence because Rachel’s forehead slammed into the bridge of his nose and he went down, out cold.
“Alfie, find his phone,” she whispered.
Almost gleefully the boy searched his jacket pockets and produced a mobile phone. Rachel tried to calm herself and remember Mikey’s phone number. She couldn’t call Ryan’s mobile, it had been lost in the fire. Finally it came to her and she recited the number so Alfie could type it in then he held it to her ear.
“Hello?”
“Mikey, it’s me.”
“Oh Rachel, thank God. Are you alright?”
Before she could reply she heard someone shout give me that then Ryan’s voice came on the line. “Rachel?”
“It’s me.”
“Christ it’s good to hear your voice Babe. Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m okay. I’m in Manchester in some shitty run-down house.” She looked to Beth. “Do you know where we are?”
“Somewhere in Moss Side.”
“I heard that,” said Ryan. “We’re still an hour away.”
“Beth’s here with the kids. They’re okay too but we don’t know where Nick is. I think Alex is getting ready to move us.”
“Can you keep hold of this phone? We can try and track the signal.”
“I can leave it switched on but I’ve got to put it back in Gus’s pocket, he’ll come round any minute.”
“That’s my girl. Just hang in there, we’re on our way.”
“I think he’s going to separate me from Beth and the kids.” She thought over what Alex had almost done and feared what he had planned for her next. She struggled not to reveal her fears to Ryan, it would only drive him crazy and she needed him focused. “I’ve got to go, I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Swallowing back her tears she nodded at Alfie, who hung up. “Put it back exactly where you found it.”
He slipped it back into Gus’s inner jacket pocket and looked up to her for approval.
“You two are such clever boys,” she told them fondly. She was distracted by a groan from Gus. “Quick, he’s coming round. Beth, make a grab for his gun.”
Eagerly she leapt up and knelt by his side. The weapon was tucked into the waistband of his trousers.
“Don’t actually take it,” she told Beth.
“Why not?”
“Even with a gun we couldn’t get past them out there and one of us might end up getting hurt. This way he doesn’t know we used his phone and it stays switched on so Ryan can track us.”
Beth’s eyes filled with fire as she roughly shoved Gus onto his side. Before she could grab the weapon he finally came round and jumped up, drawing the gun. “All of you sit down,” he yelled, swaying slightly.
Alex burst in. “What the fuck is going on now?”
“She head-butted me,” he replied, nodding at Rachel.
“Is that all? At least she didn’t knock you out.”
Gus appeared to be on the verge of confessing then decided it wouldn’t be wise, to Rachel’s relief.
“You’re coming with us,” Alex told Rachel.
“Are we going too?” said Beth.
“No.” He pulled Rachel to the door. “Let’s go.”
“No,” said Beth, pulling her friend back. “She’s staying with us.”
“Let go you daft cow.”
Rachel grimaced as she was pulled one way then the other, Alex’s fingers digging painfully into her arm
.
“You’re not taking her,” said Alfie, wrapping his arms around Rachel’s waist while Archie pulled at her leg.
“Get off,” roared Alex, pushing the boys away and pulling her to him. Beth threw her arms around Rachel’s neck. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” she managed to call as she was carried out to the car by Alex, straining to keep Beth and the kids in her line of sight. Another group of faces she loved that she’d probably never see again.
CHAPTER 27
They didn’t drive far thank God because at least that meant she was still in the city. Gus was driving so Ryan could still track her. Col had stayed behind with Beth.
The area they stopped in was affluent so she was confused when they pulled down a quiet alley and she was taken through the back door of a building she’d never seen before. Rachel was surprised by the interior; it looked nice, classy even with wood panels, thick carpet and expensive décor. The corridor was long with lots of rooms leading off it. Was it a hotel?
They entered one of the rooms, which was sumptuously decorated with a king-size bed, wardrobe and its own private bathroom with a big hot tub.
When she was tossed onto the bed she was afraid he was going to continue where he’d left off, but he just glared down at her.
“Where am I?” she said.
“A special little place of mine that not even Mikey knows about. No one does so they’ll never find you.”
“And what happens here?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.” The door opened and a tall redhead entered the room. She was very beautiful but her face was hard and cold, detracting from her beauty.
“Who’s she, your bit on the side?” said Rachel.
“Danielle works for me, that’s all. She’ll prepare you.”
“For what?”
“You’ll see. A slag like you will probably enjoy it.”
“What are you talking about? What goes on here?”
Alex called in two gorillas in suits, who were obviously the building’s security. They held her down while the tape was cut from her hands. The moment she was free she fought but she was no match for them and they cuffed her hands to the bed frame. Rachel watched as they hung the keys on a hook over the bed. Then they left but Alex stayed behind to watch as Danielle produced a pair of scissors and cut her clothes from her, leaving her in only her underwear and stockings. Rachel was no longer in any doubt as to what this place was. She was in a high class brothel.
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