"Think about it rationally."
"I have." She stated cutting me off. April stopped as she reached the door and turned quickly to glance over her shoulder, "Thank you." She said sincerely before leaving.
I ran my fingers through my hair and paced the room in disbelief. Polar had certainly done a job on her over the years that was for sure but I was concerned about her safety. I knew he smacked her about a little but the beatings were becoming more frequent and brutal. I needed to step up my game and do what I'd been planning for so long, Polar needed to be next.
Chapter 9
Locke
Present Day
It had been a busy morning, we'd secured another deal with the Costello family which had put Onyx in high spirits. The Satan's Wrath had been distributing drugs for them for the past three months on a trial basis but today it had become official.
"Pass me the bottle Hustler." Polar was downing drinks like there was no tomorrow, it was only a matter of time before things got out of hand. Polar took a quick swig and went to hand it back to Hustler but he declined. Polar simply shrugged, "More for me."
I noticed April stroll into the room and walk over to the bar where Wes poured her a drink.
Polar also noticed, "April, come here babe." He shouted with an unreadable expression.
That was the thing with Polar, you never could tell what mood he was in even if he was smiling.
I could see April roll her eyes at Wes before she took a sip of her drink and sauntered towards us.
"What's up?" April asked as she snaked herself onto Polar's lap and rested her head in the crook of his neck.
"I want you to suck my cock."
Her smile soon dropped but she tried to put on a brave face as she brushed her hand across his chest before getting to her feet. April wiggled her fingers towards Polar encouraging him to take her hand, "Come on, let's go in the back."
Quick as a flash he stood and pulled back his fist, pushing through to make contact with April's cheek. She let out a scream as she skidded across the floor from the force.
"Now do as you're fucking told and get my cock out." Polar said calmly as he settled back down in the chair and took a swig from his bottle.
I clenched my fists at the sight before me but the most shocking thing was that no one reacted. April didn't created a fuss and knelt brushing herself down, she moved her jaw from side to side probably making sure that nothing was broken before she stood. April glanced at me quickly as she made her way over to Polar, I felt for her and quickly tried to think of a way I could stop this without creating a scene.
April positioned herself between Polar's thighs and unfastened his belt buckle as he looked at her arrogantly. It fucking annoyed me, how he controlled her in this way, if he took her as his old lady she would give him everything he wanted and more but his pride got in the way of happiness.
April pulled down his zip and slipped her hand into his boxer shorts to pull out his cock.
"I know the outcome was what you wanted today but how did the meeting go?" Poet asked. I was thankful that a conversation was now flowing as I couldn't bear sitting here watching the spectacle in front of me.
Onyx nodded, "Hector's still a prick but he can help generate a lot of money for the club."
"Yeah, sometimes we have to work with pricks." I glanced in Polar's direction as he lifted his bottle in appreciation of my comment towards him, as April continued to suck his cock.
Onyx sniggered, "I'll drink to that."
"He's still gonna review it each month but we'll just have to be better than everyone else." Hustler stated.
"For fucks sake woman, can you suck it properly?" Polar shouted and flicked his hand to clip April around the head.
April stopped what she was doing and raised her head, "My lip's swollen Polar, cut me some slack it hurts."
Polar stood abruptly, pushing April out of the way before grabbing a clump of her hair, "Don't get fucking lairy with me."
April put her hands on top of her head to try and stop Polar from ripping out her hair, she instinctively kicked and screamed trying to get free as he dragged her past the seating area with menace on his face.
"Leave it. It has nothing to do with you."
I glanced from April to Onyx who was now staring at me. "What? Are you gonna sit here and let that shit go on?" I pointed in the direction that April had just been dragged. Her screams could be heard and the guys looked between themselves probably wondering if Polar had taken it too far by their expressions.
"I'm not letting this go on." I stood abruptly and stalked towards the back room as the screams become muffled.
Pushing open the door I saw Polar on top of April with his hands firmly around her throat. She thrashed around on the bed and tried to loosen his grip but he was too strong.
I rushed over to the bed and wrapped my arm around his neck and yanked him back, he was like a man possessed and it took me two attempts to pull him off and get him to the floor. I threw myself on top of Polar and punched him repeatedly in the head. He moved his arms to cover his face revealing his torso, I caught him in the ribs and chest as my blows rained down on him. He wasn't so brave now as he grunted and tried to recoil.
"That's enough!"
I continued my onslaught ignoring Onyx's orders until I was forcefully pulled from his chest by Slick.
"You fucking prick!" I fought aggressively trying to get back at Polar as he rose to his feet.
He reached into his cut and pulled out a blade before charging towards me. I could see the fury on his face and he would have made contact if it wasn't for Onyx's boot kicking the knife from his hand.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he asked turning to Onyx. "He punched me I deserve retribution."
"She's not breathing!"
We all turned towards Poet to see him on the bed next to April with his fingers in the crook of her neck trying to find a pulse.
"What do you mean that she's not fucking breathing?" Polar asked joining him on the bed.
I shook my head, "You're fucking unbelievable." I shrugged free from Slick's hold so I could tend to April, she deserved better than this.
Polar leaned over April and tipped her head back to give her mouth to mouth. "Fuck this shit!" I couldn't do this, I couldn't stand here and watch how this shit played out. How many people was this man going to hurt before he was finally stopped?
I stalked from the room slamming the door behind me before making my way over to the bar.
"Do you want one?" Wes asked holding up the bottle of whiskey.
"Make it a double."
Wes sniggered, "For a man who never used to drink, you're been hitting it a little hard lately."
"When I want advice I'll ask for it." I took the drink from the bar and knocked it back.
"Don't take it out on Wes," Onyx stated as he sat beside me on a stool. He pulled out his cigar tin from his pocket and offered me one. I declined and stood from the stool, I wanted to go home and get cleaned up.
"She's breathing, barely but she's breathing." I nodded my head and turned heading for the door.
"Why don't you take yourself off for a couple of days? Go and visit that aunt of yours."
"That sounds like a good idea." I stated walking from the clubhouse.
I breathed heavily and moved my neck from side to side trying to loosen the tension that was mounting before I straddled my motorcycle. I needed this break to get my head together and come up with a plan. I was too busy living from day to day but had no set time frame or anything prepared.
I rode home in a daze contemplating what had actually gone on this evening and how long I'd like to stay away in order to clear my head. I needed company, I needed CJ. He was the only person on this earth that actually got me, he knew about family values and we'd become friends from the very first day we met. I smiled at the thought reminiscing, if there was one thing I missed from doing all of this shit it was him.
I entered my bedsit and went about quick
ly stuffing the essentials into a rucksack making sure I had enough for at least a couple of days. I still had clothes at my flat in Waltham Abbey which made it easier to travel light on occasions like this but there were still a few items that I wanted to take.
I started the long stretch of my journey by joining the M1 and made sure that I travelled at a steady speed. What would usually take two hours in a car would take more like three on my motorcycle but I wasn't in a hurry, I loved the feel of the road beneath me it made me feel free. This journey was giving me time to think, April had survived this latest attack from Polar but how many more beatings would she be able to live through before it went horribly wrong.
The closer I got to London the busier the roads become so I decided to move into the slow lane. As I did I noticed a motorcycle do the same thing further down the motorway. I'd clocked it a couple of times during the journey but it had stayed at the same distance behind me for the past thirty minutes. I couldn't see who was riding or be sure of what bike it was, and it could be totally innocent but spending so much time with the Satan's had made me suspicious.
To put my mind at rest I decided to take the next exit and find a service station. I needed fuel anyway but this act could possibly confirm my suspicions. I indicated giving the rider enough time to see what I was doing and eased into the services. The motorcycle continued its journey down the motorway, the rider didn't even turn his head to look at me. I sniggered at the thought of becoming so paranoid, this had become my life and would continue to do so until I finished what I'd set out to achieve. The problem I had was the longer I spent with the Satan's the more I worried of becoming one of them, and would find it difficult to break all ties once I had my retribution.
I spent half an hour in the services and managed to grab something to eat and take a piss break. It was hard going, on the body during such a long run and I was looking forward to a nice hot shower once I arrived back at my flat in Waltham Abbey.
CJ didn't know that I was coming back, none of the Aces did as I hadn't had time to contact them before I left. I was hoping that he didn't have much on over the next couple of days so that we could hit the town. I needed a beer and most importantly a mate, not that I spoke much I just needed to listen to someone moaning and CJ was really good at that.
I joined the M1 and continued to travel south, I was nearly home and my stomach flipped at the thought. I couldn't wait for all of this to be over, then I could return home and think about starting a normal life. I laughed to myself, normal, I didn't know what normal was. My childhood wasn't exactly rosy and after the death of my family I'd drifted from one foster home to another looking for something to fill the void but nothing ever did as my desire for revenge was too strong.
Something caught my eye ahead and pulled me quickly from my thoughts, there was a lay by further in the distance and the motorcycle that I had suspicions of following me was parked up. I didn't have enough time to pull in and confront the rider because of the speed I was travelling at but I managed to slow down enough to try and see who it was. I didn't recognise the motorcycle and the man turned away as I drove past.
I now knew that I was being followed but by who and why I didn't know. I needed to come up with a plan, I couldn't go back to my flat through fear of him following me, I needed to check into a hotel and preferably not in Waltham Abbey or Epping as they were too close to home. Think Jake think!
The club thought that I had an elderly aunt with dementia in a home, I had used this excuse to get me out of a hole on more than one occasion. It would confirm my story if I managed to lure them to an old people's home but where could I take them? I vaguely remember dropping Kathy off at a nursing home after one of her shifts from the club. Her mum worked there and made a point of making me a hot drink for my troubles of dropping her daughter off safely. I'd explained that I was going that way anyhow but she still wanted to thank me all the same. The problem being I couldn't quite remember where it was, I'd have to take a flier on it and when I did arrive I hoped that they'd let me in.
I turned off the motorway and headed for the nursing home in Enfield. If I was being followed I'd need to make it look authentic as someone obviously had their suspicions of me. I pulled up outside Sunnydale and removed my helmet. The rider hadn't followed me directly into the car park but I knew he would be waiting to see if I entered the building and stayed for a while.
Walking to the door my heart raced, I didn't know what the protocols were but I knew I wouldn't be able to just turn up and be allowed in if I wasn't visiting anyone.
I pressed the buzzer and waited for someone to respond as I looked through the window to see the hustle and bustle of the nurses behind the work station simultaneously stop what they were doing, as they stared at me through the protective glass. I sighed loudly and knew that I should've removed my cut so I looked a little friendlier.
I pressed the buzzer again and waited for the women to answer as I heard the low rumble of a motorcycle behind me. "Come on, open the door. Please open the goddamn door." I whispered under my breath.
In the distance I saw Kathy's mum and knocked on the glass. Her bright smile gave me hope as I saw her mutter something to the ladies that stood behind the desk and walk over to the door to let me in.
I sighed with relief, "Hi darling, you're a sight for sore eyes."
"Well this is a pleasant surprise but something tells me that you haven't come back just to see me after all these years." She sniggered and directed me up the hall, "I'm taking my break now." She shouted to the ladies that looked at us with their mouths wide open.
"Please take a seat, can I get you a drink?" she asked reaching into the fridge and offering me a coke. I nodded my head and she brought it over along with her lunch box.
She placed the drink onto the table, "So why are you here? Is there something wrong with Kathy?"
"No Kathy's fine, well she was the last time I saw her. No, I just needed somewhere to go for an hour."
She looked at me confused, "So you choose here?"
I sniggered, "I needed somewhere not associated with the club."
"Has it got anything to do with the two bikers outside?"
"Two?"
"Yeah, another one pulled up as I let you in. I suppose you had other things on your mind not to realise." She took one half of her sandwich from her lunchbox and pushed the container towards me, "Cheese and pickle."
I smiled and took the sandwich, "Thank you."
"So what can you tell me?"
That's what I remembered about Margaret, she was a good old straight talking lady from the east end of London. What you saw is what you got and I appreciated that. "I need to stay here for about an hour. If you need to return to work I can help out or simply stay in here but I'd appreciate your help."
"Oh, a man in distress," she stated lifting her sandwich to take a bite. "I've got a half hour break and then I've gotta get back to work."
I smiled, appreciating her hospitality and the fact that she'd just saved me from a fucking awkward situation.
"If I remember rightly, Kathy told me that you're a locksmith." I nodded my head as I ate the sandwich, I found it difficult to make small talk but I knew that I needed to out of politeness. "So how's business?"
"Good."
"That's the other thing I remember, you're a man of many words." She stated sarcastically with a large grin plastered across her face.
The door swung open wide and a frail lady who looked to be in her seventies shuffled into the room. Her eyes grew wider as she registered me sitting at the small table in the corner of the room, and quickly glanced at Margaret for a way of explanation.
"Mavis, this is Jake Kathy's boyfriend." The lie reeled off her tongue easily as she sat eating her sandwich. I appreciated what she was doing and knew that I needed to be family for it to be accepted that I was back here.
Mavis glared at me through narrowed eyes, "Well, as long as you can continue with your work then I don't have a problem with him
visiting as long as it's not a regular occurrence."
Margaret rolled her eyes before turning towards Mavis, "He'll be gone in less than an hour." She stated flatly before turning her attention back to me leaving the old lady to size us both up. Once Mavis had taken everything in, she wandered back out of the room.
I sniggered, "I thought she was a lost patient when she walked into the room."
"If only she were, Mavis does my nut in and just needs to bloody retire." Margaret scoffed.
"I really don't want to keep you from your work." I stood and pushed the chair in.
"Don't be silly." Margaret secured the lid onto her plastic container and placed it into her bag. "I've gotta get back to work but you'll just have to keep me company." She stood from her chair and made her way towards the door before turning to look at me, "Are you any good at making beds?" I scrunched my nose, "Nah I didn't think so, you look like the sort of guy that would rather have fun making them untidy!" She sniggered to herself as she left the room but held open the door briefly so that I could follow. I shook my head as I smiled to myself at her cheeky comment.
"So what does your job involve here?" I asked genuinely interested.
" I look after the patients making sure that they are comfortable, and generally help out and assist the nurses. It doesn't pay much but it gives me a sense of worth and I feel like I'm making a difference although a small one."
I smiled as I looked at Margaret, "I think you're selling yourself short. I'm sure you make a big difference to these people's lives."
She blushed slightly before opening the cupboard door and removed some bedding. "We'll start in room eight as I know Ian has gone out with his family today."
I followed Margaret swiftly down the corridor and into the small room ready to help her with the job at hand.
"So who do they think you've come to visit here?" Margaret asked as she removed the pillows from the bed.
I leaned over to help her and pulled back the blankets, "My aunt."
Locke (Aces MC Series Book 4) Page 8