The Downfall Series Box Set

by Edie Baylis

  “Liability? That doesn’t sound too good. In what way?”

  Passing the flask to Seth, Phil squinted his eyes against the low winter sun. “Going too far at the wrong time.” He savoured the hot burn of the rum in his throat. “He’s a great one to have on board but needs to be kept in line. You get the drift. I trust you’ll have no problem telling him what’s what?”

  Seth took a long slug out of the flask and smiled lazily. “Consider it done. Ok, we’ll have a meet and discuss the finer details.”

  “Also,” Phil glanced at Seth, unsure how he would take this. “We want Jane.”

  Seth’s head snapped up. “Jane? What for?”

  “She’s gold dust mate. You know that and more than capable.” Phil studied the emotions he could see running over his friend’s face. “That’s why she’s privy to all the info.”

  Seth’s face set in a stony expression. “I don’t want her in the van.”

  Phil took another slug of the spirit and met Seth’s eyes. “We want her as the decoy. Plus if the shit did hit the fan, you know as well as I do that she’d do the business.”

  Seth studied Phil in silence. He was right on everything he’d said. Everyone did trust Jane. He trusted her but still didn’t like her being involved. “I’ll talk to her. If she’s ok with it, then I guess it’s fine by me.”

  Phil laughed. “Like you’d have any fucking choice if you liked it or not! You know what she’s like!”

  Despite himself, Seth couldn’t help but smile. “Leave it with me.”

  IN MCDONALDS ELIZA EYED Maggie warily. Flicking her cigarette in the small foil ashtray on the table, she sipped her root beer.

  “I don’t like it Eliza,” Maggie moaned, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I really don’t like it.”

  “So you keep saying,” Eliza muttered uninterestedly.

  “She has to tell him.”

  Raising her eyes from the plastic cup, Eliza glanced at the clock on the far wall. How much longer was she going to have to listen to this? “Why?”

  “What do you mean ‘why’?” Maggie gripped Eliza’s arm and a lump of ash fell to the table. “It’s Seth’s baby isn’t it?”

  Eliza glared at Maggie. “Of course it is!”

  “Then we should tell him.”

  Eliza looked at Maggie incredulously and pursed her lips. “Less of the ‘we’! It would be the last thing we did on this mortal coil!”

  She felt like screaming. If Seth found out, Jane would go loco. After all, it was only thanks to her big gob last week that Maggie knew about any of this. She’d dropped herself right in it yet again. “Look Mags, it really isn’t any of our business.”

  Maggie stared at Eliza. It was their business. Jane was their friend and they - more than most, owed it to her to be there for her this time.

  Biting her nails, she admitted she’d been horrified when she realised the true extent of the weird shit going on in Jane and Seth’s life. She didn’t want to even think about the rest of the stuff Jane had done or what she was involved in. The bit she’d seen with her own eyes was scary enough.

  And now a baby.

  Maggie groaned inwardly. Ok, with their combined genes the kid would be beautiful, but it would also be a fucking psychopath. It didn’t bear thinking about.

  WALKING INTO THE KITCHEN, Jane decided she may as well eat the tin of indistinguishable soup she’d spotted in the cupboard a few weeks ago. Bending down, she moved a box of ammunition out of the way and sighed. She wished Seth wouldn’t put things like that in there. She’d spent ages picking bullets off the floor the other week after they’d tipped out a cereal box.

  Finding the one saucepan they possessed, Jane eyed its sheared-off handle and scowled. Fuck it. She’d have to use it as it was. Grabbing the soup, she walked towards the cooker and promptly stopped. One week on and she still forgot they no longer had one. Her head was scrambled. She glanced down at her stomach.

  The sooner this was all sorted the better.

  Jane gritted her teeth, still angry about Seth’s stunt of chucking her through that window last week. The cops had wrestled her to the ground before slinging her in the back of the police car. Unsurprisingly they hadn’t bought her pathetic excuse that she’d put herself through the window, nor had they been convinced the pile of clothes on the floor had been hers.

  All they’d had to do was follow the trail of blood from the shop back to the flat. Leaving her cuffed in the back of the car, they’d gone in for Seth.

  Jane scowled. They’d really have to get a new door now. It had been crappy enough in the first place, but now it had been kicked in twice, it just wasn’t worth having any more. Not that it ever seemed to be closed.

  As Seth had been shoved in the back of the police car, he’d launched into a volley of abuse at her so she’d head-butted him. The cops hadn’t been able to wait to get them into separate cells and add another couple of charges to their seemingly never-ending records.

  To make matters worse, when they’d finally been released, they’d returned home to a terrible acrid burning smell which proved to be Seth’s tea from the night before, charred to a crisp in the bottom of the oven.

  Jane had angrily stomped into the bedroom whilst Seth ripped the oven away from the wall and launched it down the stairs where it still remained, buckled and smashed in the courtyard.

  SETH RETURNED FROM his meet with Phil after a quick detour to the Oak Apple for a lunchtime pint, which had turned out to be several and then some. As a result, by the time he’d got back to the flat, he was feeling rather mellow.

  Finding Jane curled up on the sofa, Seth tried to kiss her, but she launched into him about busting a bloody saucepan. He wished she would just cheer the fuck up! She’d been acting so strange recently he didn’t know what to think anymore. He knew he’d been hard work lately but fucking hell, so had she.

  Trying to change the saucepan subject, he broached Phil’s request, of which Jane immediately agreed to. He still didn’t like it, but was determined to stay in a good mood.

  OH GOD. SHE JUST COULDN’T do it. Come on! Breathing in, Jane attempted once more to force the zip up on her size eight skin-tight jeans and wiped away the tears starting to pool in her eyes. Swallowing down another wave of nausea, she popped a few more tablets.

  She couldn’t cope with this. Seth would notice soon. She willed herself to snap out of the emotional turmoil relentlessly thundering through her head. Concentrate Jane! Time was ticking for getting to the Bluebell where he’d arranged to meet a guy who should prove a nice contact for a shipment due next week.

  “You ok in there?” Seth called through the bathroom door, giving it a light tap. “We’ve got to be on the road in half an hour!”

  Painfully squeezing her swollen breasts into her bra, Jane pulled her T-shirt on and tried to make her voice normal. “Coming now.” Quickly pulling the jeans off she scuttled out of the bathroom.

  “Going out like that?” Seth laughed watching as Jane’s half-dressed figure retreated into the bedroom.

  “Jeans are dirty,” Jane called breezily as she rummaged around for something else. She cursed inwardly for owning mainly skin-tight or fitted clothes as they only accentuated the new roundness of her belly.

  She’d thought she’d have several more weeks before she showed and by then it wouldn’t matter because the abortion was booked for next week. Even though she was only nine or ten weeks gone it was beginning to become obvious.

  Running her hand over her bump, a lump formed in Jane’s throat. What was the matter with her? There was no time for emotions. Fear began to rise. Seth couldn’t find out. He’d be over the moon, but they couldn’t do this the way they were. It was all too fucked up. However, there was only five days to go before it would all be over and the sooner it was sorted, the better.

  Jane jumped out of her skin when Seth unexpectedly came up behind her and grabbed her hips. The towel around his waist fell to the floor and she felt his erection pressing agai
nst her back.

  “Not now Seth. We’ll be late,” she snapped. The last thing she wanted was him looking at her.

  “Oh well, looks like we’ll be late then,” Seth murmured, his fingers reaching around and slipping inside her.

  Letting out a moan of pleasure, Jane felt helpless to protest when Seth pulled her clothes off and pushed her backwards. She wanted him too badly to refuse.

  His mouth greedily teased a nipple into a hard aching point and as he entered her, waves of pleasure crashed through her body.

  Thrusting in long, slow strokes, Seth grinned when Jane came almost immediately. Watching her orgasm, he quickened the pace. “You’re on heat baby. Let me give you some more.”

  As her body immediately began to ramp up again, Jane realised with a wry smile it was exactly this that had got her into shit in the first place.

  Switching positions, Seth entered her from behind, one hand touching her with feathery circular movements and when his hand ran over her belly, Jane stiffened but was too in need of further release to worry.

  Rolling onto his back Seth pulled Jane on top of him and groaned loudly as she pushed down onto him.

  “Jane...” he moaned as she worked him. Sliding up and down his length slowly but hard, she brought his arousal to an excruciating level. He panted heavily and clenched his teeth in an attempt to control himself.

  Seth’s cock twitched and jerked as Jane began to ride him faster and he roared as he spilt into her. Meanwhile Jane made sure she milked him of every drop as she came again hard around him.

  LYING IN A SPOON POSITION afterwards, Seth pressed his body close and wrapped his arms around her. He’d finally worked out what was going on and was extremely happy about it.

  Jane was pregnant. He just knew it. He’d wanted this to happen since he’d met her and now it had. Closing his eyes he let his happiness and the afterglow of sex wash over him.

  Suddenly a rush of cold flooded Seth’s body as the memory of throwing Jane through the window seeped into his mind and sank like a brick in water. His arms tightened around her, his hand splaying across her belly.

  If anything happened to this baby because of his fucking temper he’d top himself. He wanted this child more than anything. He wanted to be a father, but more importantly wanted to be the father of Jane’s child.

  That was it. He was going to put this right. All of it. He’d do this last job and then get them out of here. They’d go straight and he wouldn’t lose his temper anymore. Seth’s brows furrowed. There was no way she was being the decoy or even marginally involved in anything from now on and he’d tell Phil as soon as he could that Jane was off the job. He wouldn’t let her or his child down. He’d take care of her and protect her.

  As Seth’s fingers started gently probing her again, Jane’s breath hitched knowing it wouldn’t take much to bring her up again. She turned towards his mouth as he moved his body over between her thighs and smiled. “Aren’t you done for a while?”

  “I’m never done,” Seth grinned, bringing his lips down onto Jane’s. He entered her gently and brushed hair out of her eyes. Smiling, he picked up a slow leisurely pace. “You’re beautiful Jane. Even more so now you’re pregnant...”

  Oh shit. Shit. SHIT, Jane thought, panic rising.

  “When were you going to tell me?” Seth’s mouth brushed hers, gently biting her bottom lip. “I know a fair bit about women, but more importantly, I know everything about you!”

  “How long have you known?” Jane whispered, her hips moving to meet his. She groaned as his cock reached even deeper.

  Seth ran his finger over her lips, swollen from his kisses. “I didn’t until just now.” Raising himself up, he ran his eyes over her body. “Furthermore, I know your body better than you do.”

  Resting one hand lightly on Jane’s slightly rounded belly, Seth increased his pace slightly. Rotating his hips he ground into her and ran a finger softly down the contour of her face.

  He stared into her eyes feeling her body start to pulse around him. “My baby. Our baby. It’s amazing and I love you Jane.”

  Jane cried out as she climaxed again. Looking into the green eyes of the man she loved so fiercely, she managed to trick herself for one moment that it would all be alright.

  THIRTY FOUR

  IT HAD BEEN QUITE A while since Jane had been in the King’s Head, but Benny had greeted her as if she’d never been away.

  Wrapping her in a massive bear hug, his big beer belly strained further against his shirt buttons than it had done the last time she’d seen him. Insisting she have a drink on the house, Jane wasted no time in getting it down her neck.

  “Please tell me you’ve told Seth?” Maggie whispered as she pushed her cheese and onion roll around the blue chipped plate.

  Jane scowled as she sat down. Why the fuck did Maggie have to remind her? She’d been desperately trying to forget about the pregnancy, which was easier said than done. In the past two days since he’d found out, Seth had been unable to contain his excitement and she was scared she’d start feeling something other than numb. She couldn’t afford to get attached.

  Fishing a bottle of pills from her bag, Jane quickly slipped a couple into her mouth and washed them down with the remains of her pint.

  Lighting up a fag, she walked to the bar for a refill and forced herself not to turn to look at Maggie who she knew was staring at her. She leant heavily against the bar and hoped Lee would hurry up with her pint.

  Jane hadn’t been able to wait to get out of the flat earlier thanks to another six drugged up bastards lying around the lounge waiting for Seth to sort out their deals. He was supposed to be getting rid of all that sort of shit not ramping it up!

  Yesterday the biggest load of dope, pills and coke they’d ever had arrived and it was now all in the spare room with the televisions. And the guns. It was now a guaranteed fact that if the cops raided them they’d be dead in the water, but she didn’t care anymore. It was only a matter of time.

  Why couldn’t he see they couldn’t possibly have a child like this?

  Almost snatching the fresh pint out of Lee’s hand as he placed it on the beer towel, Jane slugged half of it down in one go before walking back to the table.

  “So, when are you due?” Maggie smiled brightly, speaking just that little bit too loudly as Jane flopped down onto the bench.

  Jane quickly glanced around to see if anyone had heard. “Will you shut up!” she hissed through gritted teeth.

  “I bet Seth’s over the moon isn’t he?”

  Jane cringed. Did Maggie just not get it?

  “You’re starting to show a little bit already aren’t you babe?” Maggie continued blindly and watched Jane self-consciously pull her top down further over her skirt. “I can’t wait to be an auntie,” she gushed. “I mean, I know I won’t really be its auntie, but you know what I mean.”

  Please stop going on about it. PLEASE, Jane thought feeling her eyes begin to fill with tears and she fought against the unwelcome emotions she couldn’t afford to have.

  “Imagine it! You and Seth being a mummy and daddy. It’s all ve....”

  “SHUT THE FUCK UP MAGGIE!” Jane snapped and grabbed her bag from the table.

  Maggie stared open-mouthed. “W-What have I said?”

  Leaning across the table, Jane spoke quietly. “I’m getting rid of it.”

  “W-What?” Maggie stuttered, confused. “Why?”

  “If you have to ask that, then you really don’t understand a fucking thing!”

  Maggie looked horrified. “But you can’t, Jane!”

  “Watch me,” Jane snapped, anger replacing emotion.

  “B-but that will make you a murderer?”

  “Nothing new there then?” Jane hissed. Fixing Maggie with a stare she stood up. “Got to go.”

  Walking away from the table and out into the late afternoon sunlight, Jane darted into an alley. Leaning up against the cool brick wall, she took some deep breaths and rested her head back, looki
ng unseeing up to the sky.

  A single tear ran down her face. Of course she wanted this baby. She could already picture its black hair and bright green eyes, but it just couldn’t happen. She wouldn’t bring a child into a life like this and she’d just have to live with that decision wouldn’t she.

  End. Of. Conversation.

  Switching off her emotion like a light, Jane wiped away the tear and stepped back out into the street.

  SETH FIDDLED IMPATIENTLY with his Zippo and did a quick line of coke whilst he waited. He glanced at his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes and pulled a face.

  They’d got to be over the Chapter House soon to discuss the finer points of the job soon and Jane wasn’t back yet.

  As it was he wasn’t remotely pleased his instructions not to be involved had fallen on deaf ears. Jane had gone berserk, saying if he treated her like a leper then she’d fuck off.

  Leper? He wasn’t treating her like a bloody leper! Was it unreasonable to say being as she was pregnant she shouldn’t be involved in an armed robbery? Apparently it was, because she’d stood her ground and insisted she was doing it whether he liked it or not.

  Well he didn’t like it.

  He’d said everyone would completely understand why she couldn’t be involved when he told them why, but this had only made Jane even angrier and she’d screamed that if he told anyone, she’d leave him.

  Seth smiled. If Jane thought he’d let her go, then she had rocks in her head. Furthermore, if she thought he’d let her walk away pregnant with his child, then she had fucking boulders in her head!

  Eventually he’d had to back down. He needed to keep Jane calm. Besides, he’d got two weeks to ensure she was nowhere near when it happened. She’d be none the wiser until the last minute.

  MAGGIE WAS STILL IN shock. She turned to Eliza and eyed her scornfully. “And you knew about this? I can’t believe she wants to get rid of it!”