Aftermath (Dividing Line #6)

by Heather Atkinson

  “She’d understand that I only did it to protect us. You know nothing about me and Rachel. We’ve lived through hell together too many times and I’d rather wipe out the entire human race than let her endure one more day of it.”

  “I didn’t think you were naïve Ryan. There will always be someone hunting you. You really thought you could just walk away from your old life, didn’t you?” She smiled, baring her teeth. “It will never let you go.” He squeezed slightly harder, making her gasp for breath but she stared back at him unflinchingly, without fear.

  “Aren’t you scared?” he said, eyes narrowing.

  “I’m scared of nothing.”

  It annoyed him that she didn’t look afraid. He could feel her pulse beneath his fingertips beating steadily when he wanted it jumping with fear.

  “Not even death?”

  “No.”

  “Let’s put that to the test.”

  He squeezed as hard as he could, cutting off her air supply, but rather than the expected panic and flailing, her eyes rolled back in her head with pleasure and a groan rumbled in the back of her throat. Her thighs wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled him against her. Ryan was sickened when she undulated her body against his, her good hand reaching for his crotch.

  He recoiled, releasing her, unwrapping her legs from around him and jumping to his feet.

  Jules laughed, the sound low and malicious. “I should have told you strangling only turns me on.”

  “You’re one messed up bitch.”

  “Runs in the family.”

  “I meant the Maguires.”

  “You just tried to kill me. I’d say you’ve got some twisted DNA too.” She massaged her neck. “Good grip. Why don’t you sit back down?” she said, patting the space on the bed beside her. “We could have a great time together.”

  “We’re brother and sister,” he yelled at her.

  “So I’m your sister now that it’s convenient to you. Make your mind up. Anyway, I think it just makes it more exciting. It’s taboo.”

  “You’re nothing to me but a threat and I eliminate threats.”

  “Go on then, finish what you started. What a way to go, mid-orgasm.”

  Ryan felt sick. “You’re insane and I can’t let you be unleashed on the world. The only reason you’re alive now is because of Rachel, but when Mikey and Jez get here I’ll do all in my power to convince them to have you killed. Enjoy your last few hours on this earth. I hope you use them to reflect on your wasted, pointless little life.” He cocked his head thoughtfully. “Who will mourn you? No one. You’re not loved or wanted and the sooner you stop using up valuable oxygen the better.”

  This comment cut Jules deeper and harder than the threat of her own death. It was what they used to say to her. Rage welled up inside her, overflowing into a gushing torrent of bile and venom. “I’ll kill you, you fucking bastard,” she screamed, strength borne from pure fury launching her off the bed.

  He grabbed her by both shoulders and threw her back down on the bed, her new-found energy leaving her and all she could do was stare up into his furious face.

  “I recommend you spend what little time you have left making peace with whatever god you believe in, or in your case, the devil.” He pulled a few strands of hair from her head. “For a DNA test,” he said, holding them up. “I’m taking your word for nothing.”

  With that he swept from the room, leaving Jules to listen to him locking the door.

  “Shit,” she sighed, frantically trying to work out how she could get herself out of this mess, but she was so exhausted sleep started to overtake her and she was powerless to stop it.

  Ryan took a moment on the landing to recover himself, running a shaky hand down his face, convinced he’d just made everything ten times worse.

  Rachel knew something was wrong the second Ryan walked through the door. Their house was filled with normality - Ethan and Aaron were running around making lots of noise, Leah was sat at the kitchen table doing her homework, cartoons were playing on the television and the smell of roasting chicken emanated from the oven. The comfort these sights and aromas brought was dispelled by the melancholy radiating off Ryan.

  Without a word Rachel took his hand and led him into the smaller of the two living rooms, away from the children.

  “Where are the bodyguards?” he said.

  “Lurking in the garden. Battler sent Fletch and Leo. I didn’t want the kids to see them, they’ll only get scared.” Fletch and Leo had worked security for some of Rachel and Ryan’s businesses in Manchester. Battler and Bruiser had been so impressed with them they’d hired them to work as their second-in-commands.

  “Good thinking.”

  “What’s happened?”

  “Nothing,” he replied. When her dark eyes searched his, demanding an answer he sighed. “I spoke to Jules.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She managed to convince me that she’s completely insane.”

  “Are you sure she wasn’t putting it on to throw you off balance?”

  He thought of his hands gripping her neck and her thighs around his waist. “God I hope so.”

  “What did she do to you? I’ve never seen you so rattled.”

  “It’s more what I did to her.”

  Rachel turned ashen. “Is she still alive?” she repeated in a small, scared voice.

  “Yes. I nearly strangled her.”

  Rachel sighed and shook her head. “Is she alright?”

  “Fine. I stopped when I realised it turned her on.”

  “She likes pain. You should have heard the noises she made when I was stitching up her shoulder. Jesus Ryan, how could you?”

  “Because I feel nothing for her. She’s just a psychopath who tried to kill you and she’s here for a second try.”

  Rachel didn’t even bother to argue the point with him, she was so tired. “Let Mikey and Jez deal with her. We’ve got enough on our plate with Lexie.”

  “Jules said we will always be hunted because of who we are. She’s right, isn’t she?”

  “I think so,” she said, hugging him.

  He sighed and nuzzled his face into her hair.

  On the other side of the door Leah listened with tears shining in her eyes. When she heard her mum and dad approaching she raced back into the kitchen and buried her nose in her schoolbooks.

  CHAPTER 21

  Jules was still weak the following morning when Mikey and Jez arrived, so the interrogation was conducted in the bedroom that had become her cell. She was sitting up in bed still wearing the same clothes, an irritating smirk on her lips as they gathered round the bed with Rachel, Ryan, Battler and Bruiser. Lexie had been told to remain downstairs.

  “Have you been smoking in here?” frowned Rachel.

  “Yeah. Got a problem with that?” retorted Jules, in pain and pissed off.

  “Yes I do. No smoking in this property. It’s a disgusting habit,” she said, snatching Jules’s leather jacket up off the bed and taking out a crumpled pack of cigarettes.

  “Hey, give them back. I need them,” exclaimed Jules.

  “I repeat, no smoking in here.”

  “If I don’t get my nicotine fix I’m going to get very nasty very quickly. Even with one arm I can still tear this room apart.”

  Rachel hesitated before tossing the packet onto the bed. “Fine but be careful with them.”

  “I will.” Jules looked to Mikey and Jez and flashed them a wicked smile. “So, this is my little brother and cousin. What a happy reunion.”

  Mikey sat on the bed beside her, the same spot Ryan had occupied the day before, only his hands had been squeezing her throat.

  “Mikey Maguire,” said Jules. “I know you’ve been looking for me.”

  “And I find you in Devon,” he replied. “Funny that. Why are you here?”

  “I already told big brother. I’m here to meet my family but he didn’t believe me so he tried to strangle me.”

  They all turned to look at
Ryan.

  “As you can see I didn’t go through with it, even though I was sorely tempted,” he coolly replied.

  “Only because it got me hot,” she grinned. Jules’s eyes fixed on Ryan and, to everyone’s surprise, she spoke in Latin, darkening his countenance.

  “What did she say?” Rachel asked him.

  “I refuse to translate. It’s disgusting,” he replied.

  “I know all about your education Jules,” said Mikey in a gentle but firm voice that drew her attention. “It rivals Ryan’s but you didn’t grow up in poverty like he did. You had a rich adopted mummy and daddy.”

  Her eyes filled with darkness. “They were not my adopted parents, they bought me. There’s a difference.” She looked to Ryan. “Estelle tried to sell you to them too but they only wanted girls. Lucky you.”

  Ryan didn’t know what to say so he remained quiet.

  “I visited Alice Parker in the nursing home, or what’s left of her anyway,” continued Mikey. “She’s one giant hairless scab, her good looks burnt away by the fire that, the police suspected, was started by you but they could never prove it.”

  “She told me she burnt her mother with a lighter to get her to tell who her real parents were,” said Ryan. “Did you set that fire to cover up what you’d done Jules?”

  “Yes, only it went wrong. She didn’t die. The fire brigade arrived too quickly.”

  “You wanted to kill her because she bought you?” said Rachel.

  “No. I wanted to kill her because of what her sick husband and his friends did to me,” she snarled.

  “Alice told us all about it,” Mikey continued. “The Parkers sold your virginity to the highest bidder when you were thirteen.”

  “Oh God,” said Rachel quietly. She knew there had to be a reason why Jules was the way she was and she was unable to resist giving Ryan a ‘told you so’ look.

  “Everything was good up until then, wasn’t it Jules?” continued Mikey in that soft yet firm voice. “They spoilt you rotten, treated you like a little princess, sent you to the best schools, you wanted for nothing. But they didn’t want you to grow up, they wanted a little girl to dress up like a doll and make a fuss of. When you became a teenager you became disposable. They bought another little girl to replace you. Terry Maguire arranged it. He had a lucrative little sideline going that not even Frank knew about.”

  “Cara,” said Jules in a soft, faraway voice. Her eyes were riveted on Mikey, forgetting the others were even there. “She was a beautiful little blond thing with big green eyes. I knew they’d do the same to her, that she’d be tied to a bed and raped by the highest bidder while the others watched. That wouldn’t be the end of it for her, they’d keep selling her to sick perverts who liked underage girls, who would attack her so badly they’d make her bleed out. The Parkers would spend the money they made on toys and pretty clothes for her replacement. I wasn’t the only one. They took in other young girls and sold them for sex too before moving them on. It had to end.”

  “It did and you ended it.”

  She nodded. “I met Jasper when I was sixteen. He was in his early twenties. At first he was a friend, I confided in him and he taught me how to defend myself and how to use a knife. Mummy dearest got the shock of her life when she tried to hit me and I put her on her skinny arse. Then I tied her to a chair. She wet herself when I pulled the knife. She was only tough when she had her husband with her. I used the lighter on her until she told me who my real parents were. I didn’t want to get into trouble with the police so I set the house on fire around her.”

  “You got all the girls out,” said Mikey.

  “Yes. I carried Cara out myself, she was only eighteen months old. Social Services found a decent family to adopt her, I visited her regularly to make sure they weren’t like the Parkers. She died of leukaemia when she was nine.” Jules’s eyes filled with tears but she blinked them away. “When I was eighteen and Social Services finally got out of my life Jasper took me in and together we built up the club.” She gave another bizarre grin that quickly faded. “I came up with the name. When you’re with the Parkers you feel like you’re living in Lucifer’s Shadow.”

  “One thing the police and Alice are still puzzled about is what happened to Leighton Parker. He wasn’t in the house when the fire started and he’s never been seen since. You tried to blame the fire on him.”

  “Daddy dearest was a convenient scapegoat. The police didn’t believe me but Alice was too afraid of me to make a statement.”

  “What happened to Leighton Parker?”

  “That’s my little secret and one I’m not willing to share.”

  “Why not?”

  “I have my reasons.”

  “Is he dead?”

  “What do you think?”

  Mikey moved on, knowing he wasn’t going to get a straight answer. Rachel was impressed by how well he was handling Jules. She seemed perfectly happy to answer his questions and his coaxing tone encouraged her to keep talking.

  “Why are you here Jules?”

  “I was curious about my family.”

  “Why come to Devon and not to me?”

  “I wasn’t sure what you’d do if you found me.”

  “Are you a danger to Rachel?”

  “No.”

  “Liar,” hissed Ryan.

  This caused the shutters that Mikey had so patiently opened to slam back down on her past and that infuriating smile returned. “I’m not. In fact I bring you information you really want to hear, information you couldn’t get yourselves.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “Ryan, please let her speak,” said Jez, earning himself a scowl from his brother. “Go on Jules,” he encouraged.

  “I know where Katia is.” She smiled at their shocked expressions. “Couldn’t find her yourselves, could you?”

  “How did you find her?” said Ryan.

  “It’s my job,” she replied.

  “You were Jasper’s assassin.”

  “And in order to kill people you have to find them first. I’m good at it too.”

  “Where is she?” said Mikey.

  “Hold your horses. I want some assurances first.”

  “What assurances?”

  “That I’ll get out of this room alive for a start.”

  “You have my word.”

  “Just yours?” she said, casting a suspicious eye around the rest of the room.

  “We all promise no harm will come to you as long as you cooperate and as long as you’re not a threat to any of us,” said Mikey sincerely.

  “I’m not sure he can keep that promise,” replied Jules, nodding in Ryan’s direction.

  “He’ll behave, won’t you Ryan?” said Rachel.

  The muscle at the side of Ryan’s jaw pulsated as he gave a curt nod.

  “Very well,” said Jules magnanimously. “I found her in a private hospital down south. She’s had the babies. Two big healthy boys.” She paused for dramatic effect, relishing what she was about to say next. “Alex and Daniel.”

  The room was stunned into silence.

  “She’s even given them the surname Maguire.” Her lips curled into a smile. “Ooh, I can practically see the ghosts in the room.”

  Rachel was particularly disconcerted and wrapped her arms around herself, a shiver running down her spine.

  “They’re back,” said Jules, the grin splitting her face.

  “Stop it,” said Ryan.

  “Aren’t you worried? Granted, they’re only babies now but one day they’ll be big powerful men, just like their daddy. What if they go looking for the people who killed him? I’m sure Katia will drum it into them as they’re growing up that you’re the enemy and must be destroyed.”

  “I said stop it,” yelled Ryan. He looked to Mikey. “You see what she’s doing? She’s trying to wind us up into another war, but we’re not in the habit of killing babies.”

  “Not even to protect Rachel? So you’re not willing to do anything for her after all.” />
  “Shut the fuck up you toxic bitch,” he said, lunging for her.

  Jules released a maniacal laugh when the others rushed to restrain him. “That’s it big brother, strangle me again. I’m already wet just thinking about it.”

  Rachel grasped Ryan’s face firmly in both hands. “Calm down,” she yelled at him. She looked to Jules. “Stop winding him up, it’s really not helping your cause.”

  “Rachel’s right,” Mikey told her. “You’re on fucking thin ice right now.”

  Mikey was the only one who seemed able to reach her and she nodded. “Fine. It’s just so easy to do.”

  When Ryan opened his mouth to yell back Rachel shook her head, so he closed it again.

  “Did Katia ask anything of you?” Mikey asked Jules.

  “Yes. She asked me to kill Rachel.”

  “I knew it,” said Ryan, taking two steps forward before Rachel grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “She’s here to hurt her.”

  “I only said I’d do it to get her to trust me. I’ve no intention of carrying it out.”

  “Why the hell not? We slaughtered your precious club,” snarled Ryan.

  “Keep your voice down,” Rachel told him. “Lexie’s just downstairs.”

  “I don’t give a shit about that daft bint.”

  “Calm down and let her finish bruv,” said Jez.

  “Fine, finish your lies Jules. The sooner you’re done the sooner you can be disposed of.”

  “As I was saying,” she continued with a raised eyebrow at Ryan. “Once I said I’d do it I gained her trust and she started to open up to me. She wants Rachel dead only because it will punish you Ryan. You’re the one she really hates because you killed Alex.”

  “How does she know that, she wasn’t even there. Did you tell her?”

  “Not me. Robbie Jordan.”

  “Robbie Jordan’s dead. I shot him myself,” said Jez.

  “You hit him in the shoulder, hardly enough to kill him,” replied Jules with a hint of sarcasm.

  “Shit,” he sighed.

  “He saw everything then reported back to Katia. She’s got the two youngest Sugar brothers with her too, silly little boys who don’t know what they’re doing. They’ve got the back-up of the Slatterys.”