Retribution

by Heather Atkinson

  “Cara was so happy to see Cindy. She’d be a better mum to her than I can be, plus she’s having your child. You should be with her.”

  “Do I get a say in this? I don’t want to be with her.”

  “Then you’re an idiot.”

  “No, just in love with you.”

  “Same thing.”

  “Don’t do this to me Jules. I waited and waited for you to wake up, I prayed for it every day. If I’d wanted to get with Cindy I had plenty of time to do it but I never did because you are my wife and it’s you I want to be with. Not her. I don’t know what else I can say to make you see that.”

  Jules felt that black depression and lethargy settling over her once more, draining the energy from her body. “I was right, it would have been better if I’d died. Then you could have been with her without feeling guilty.”

  “You stop that talk right now,” he retorted, forcing himself not to shout, conscious of the children in the next room. “Now instead of feeling sorry for yourself in here, why don’t you watch your daughter playing?”

  “She doesn’t want me around.”

  “Stop being such a defeatist Jules,” he said, taking her hand and leading her back into the lounge. “It doesn’t suit you.”

  Cara and Emily were playing with a small pink plastic tea set, pouring out drinks for the dollies they’d arranged in a circle.

  “Why don’t you join in?” Jackson said to Jules.

  “She won’t want me to.”

  “She never will if you don’t try. She might cope better with Emily here.”

  Jules thought that wasn’t a bad idea, so she knelt beside Cara. “Can I join in?” she asked her daughter.

  “No,” she retorted.

  Emily looked up at Jules with huge blue eyes just like her mother’s. Jules couldn’t help the wave of anger and pain that swept through her at the sight, all aimed at Jackson and Cindy but the little girl didn’t know that and she leaned away from her.

  “You scare Emily,” Cara scowled at her.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

  “Go away,” said Cara.

  “Sweetheart, please, I’m your mum.”

  “No you’re not,” she screamed at her.

  “Cara, that’s enough,” said Jackson.

  Jules stared back at her daughter, stunned, who glared right back at her with her furious little red face. Slowly she got to her feet, feeling as though she’d just been punched.

  “She didn’t mean it,” said Jackson.

  Jules looked up at him, a tear sliding down her cheek. “Yes she did.”

  He wanted to go after her when she charged upstairs but he didn’t dare leave the children alone downstairs unsupervised.

  He was relieved when Jules came back downstairs half an hour later, glad she’d got over the shock so quickly but his heart skipped a beat when he saw she was carrying a suitcase.

  “No,” he said, trying to snatch the case from her. “You’re not going.”

  She moved it behind her back where he couldn’t reach it. “I’ll only be at Jez’s. Me being here is doing no one any favours.”

  “You can’t run from this. If you leave now you’ll never get Cara back.”

  “Don’t you see that I’ve already lost her? My presence here is only upsetting her. She doesn’t feel comfortable in her own home and that’s not right.”

  “But this is your home.”

  “No it’s not. My home is gone. The Slatterys destroyed it.”

  “We can make a new one. Together.”

  She shook her head. “It’s too late.”

  His eyes filled with tears. “Why are you giving up on us so easily?”

  “It’s for the best. Just forget about me. Make a new life. With Cindy.”

  “I don’t want her, I want you,” he thundered, following her as she made for the door.

  She stopped and turned to face him, taking a deep breath, desperately trying to control her tears. “Yes you will, the moment you hold your newborn child. It’s best if I leave now, so I won’t get in the way. It’ll save us all more heartache.”

  He stood before the door, blocking her exit. “I’m not letting you go.”

  “You going to keep me prisoner here?”

  “If that’s what it takes to make you see sense then yes, I will.”

  “And my brother will be straight round to find out what’s going on.”

  “If you think I’m scared of him then you’re wrong.”

  “Just get out of my way. You’ll soon see this is the right thing to do.”

  “Not for me,” he said, a tear sliding down his cheek. “What about last night? That was amazing.”

  “Think of it as a goodbye.”

  “No.”

  She kissed him on the lips and he clung onto her. “We’re over Jax,” she said softly.

  This comment floored him and when the taxi she’d ordered pulled up outside, his knees almost gave way and she managed to push her way past him.

  “No,” he said, galvanised when he saw her leaving. “Come back Jules.”

  She shoved her suitcase into the back seat and hopped in after it, slamming the car door shut and locking it, Jackson frantically yanking at the handle.

  “Jules, open up,” he yelled.

  “Drive,” she told the driver, who didn’t need telling twice, anxious to get his precious motor away from the big angry man.

  “Jules,” Jackson yelled after the car as it set off down the street.

  CHAPTER 29

  Katia and Hayden returned home to their luxurious flat, tired but happy after their honeymoon in Hawaii.

  Daniel was fast asleep in Hayden’s arms, exhausted after the journey so he put him straight to bed. Alex was still awake and demanded something to eat, as usual his appetite insatiable, before he would settle down to sleep too.

  After enjoying a hot shower, Katia sank onto the couch beside Hayden and nestled into her new husband’s arms.

  “How are you Mrs Brody?” he said, kissing her hair.

  “Wonderful my husband,” she purred. Their wedding had been the big white church affair she’d envisioned ever since she was a little girl and she’d been overwhelmed with pride to marry her handsome soldier.

  “Who would have thought when we first met and you pointed a gun at me we’d end up here like this,” smiled Hayden.

  “That is because life is wonderful,” she sighed with happiness. But something was spoiling her little slice of heaven and she wanted it gone. “If only I had been successful in spoiling Mikey and Jez’s deal with Toni. And getting revenge for my boys.”

  “It’ll happen one day. Look how far we’ve come in such a short time. We’re just at the start of our journey.”

  His words relaxed her. He always knew what to say to make her feel better. “Yes, you are right. I don’t want to spoil our special time with talk of those idiots.”

  “Quite right,” he said, tilting her face up to his for a kiss.

  They both sighed when the sound of crying emanated from the boys’ bedroom.

  “Sounds like Alex,” she said, getting to her feet. “I will go.”

  If it had been Daniel, Hayden would have offered to go but little Alex only cooperated for his mother, so while he waited for her to come back he switched on the television to watch the football. However his eyes kept flicking from the television screen to the wedding band on his ring finger and he was unable to keep the smile off his face. Christ life was good.

  “It’s alright my boy,” soothed Katia, stroking Alex’s hair back off his red, angry face. She knew nothing was wrong, he only wanted his mother’s comfort and she was more than happy to give it, she loved her children so ferociously it took her breath away. Alex settled down immediately and soon he was fast asleep. She glanced at Daniel but his brother’s crying hadn’t disturbed him. After watching them sleep for a couple of minutes she padded back into the lounge.

  “I’m going to have a big glass of wine,” she
said. “Would you like something?”

  “Beer please gorgeous,” he said with a wink.

  “Coming right up,” she smiled.

  She wandered into the gleaming kitchen and happily poured out her wine and took Hayden’s can of lager out of the fridge. The fridge door slipped from her hand and slammed shut with a bang. Katia frowned when she heard something clatter on top of the fridge. She didn’t keep anything up there.

  She brought a chair over from the kitchen table, placed it before the fridge and climbed up on it to peer over the top. Her heart almost stopped when she found a small camera.

  Picking it up, she climbed back down. “Hayden?”

  He wandered in, yawning and running a hand through his hair. “What’s up?”

  “Did you put this on top of the fridge?” she said, holding the camera out to him.

  “No,” he replied taking it off her, looking as puzzled as she felt. “Isn’t it one of the cameras you put up to keep an eye on the nanny?”

  “No, I put it on top of one of the cupboards, not there.”

  “Well I didn’t put it there.”

  Cold dread gripped Katia. “Then who did?”

  Hayden’s eyes flashed with anger. “Who’s the only other person who has free access to the house?”

  “The nanny?”

  “Apart from her.”

  She swallowed hard. “Robbie.”

  He nodded, jaw tense. “Yes, that little weirdo.”

  “Calm down Hayden, we don’t know it’s him.”

  “I’ll check the rest of the flat, see if there’s any more.”

  Katia anxiously drank her wine as she waited in the kitchen for a determined Hayden to finish his search, which took a while as it was a very large flat.

  When he did eventually finish he returned to her clutching three more cameras, looking very pissed off.

  “Where did you find those?” she said.

  “The lounge, hallway and…” His chest heaved with rage before he said, “our bedroom. It was aimed right at our bed.”

  “Oh God,” said Katia, putting down her glass. “I feel sick.”

  “I’m going to find who did this and tear their fucking head off.”

  “You’re sure there aren’t any more?”

  He nodded grimly.

  “You really think it could be Robbie?”

  “I’m positive it’s that little toad.”

  “I know you don’t like him but he’s my friend. When Alex died he was the one who helped me, who brought me down here, away from Manchester, kept me safe. I’ve trusted him with the boys too.”

  “He’s obsessed with you Katia. He wants me gone and you all to himself. Didn’t you notice how pissed off he looked at our wedding?”

  Katia nodded, indeed she had. Everyone else had been partying and enjoying themselves and he had looked so angry. When she’d questioned him about it he’d said his girlfriend had just dumped him. She hadn’t been aware he even had a girlfriend but she’d believed him because she trusted him. She’d even sat with him, consoling him and making him feel better. “That doesn’t mean it was him.”

  “Of course it’s him. Even the rest of the crew have noticed that he’s totally in love with you.”

  “They have?”

  He took her hands. “You’re so smart but when it comes to him, you’re blind.”

  She snatched her hands from his. “Do not insult me.”

  “I’m not trying to insult you, I would never do that. I’m only trying to make you see that he is dangerous.”

  “But we don’t know for sure it is him. You are only guessing.”

  “Alright, I’ll get you the proof.”

  “How?”

  “These cameras are linked to a mobile phone. My guess is that’s Robbie’s phone. I’ll get it from him and we’ll go through it. Together.”

  She nodded. “Alright, this sounds a good plan.”

  “It is.” He cupped her face in his hands. “All I want to do is protect you. I would give my life for you.”

  She melted into his arms. “And I you. Now make love to me my beautiful husband.”

  Hayden took her over the kitchen table, the intense pleasure his brand new wife gave him heightened by the thought of finally getting rid of that creepy little bastard Robbie Jordan.

  “Oh my God, what’s happened?” said Cathy when she opened the front door to Jules, her face red and puffy from crying.

  “I’ve left Jax,” she said, stumbling inside with her suitcase. “Is it okay if I crash here for a few days?”

  “Course it is.”

  “I won’t be under your feet for long, I just need to get myself together.”

  “Stay as long as you like, it’s not a problem.”

  “What’s going on?” said Jez, wandering into the hallway, eyes widening when he saw the state his sister was in. “What the hell’s happened?”

  “Jules has left Jackson,” said Cathy, wrapping an arm around her.

  “What’s he done now? I’ll kill him.”

  “Nothing,” said Jules. “It just wasn’t working. Don’t forget you promised to leave him alone.”

  “I hate what he’s done to you.”

  “Please Jez,” said Cathy. “Don’t start. Come on Jules, let’s get you settled,” she said, leading her into the lounge, glad the kids were at school, except for George, who was asleep upstairs in his cot.

  Jules slumped onto the couch, the picture of misery.

  “Do you want anything?” said Cathy.

  “A bottle of vodka and a male prostitute,” she muttered.

  “I can’t do that but I can stretch to a cup of tea.”

  “It’ll have to do I suppose.”

  “You sure this is what you want?” Jez asked Jules while Cathy went into the kitchen to make the tea.

  “It’s not how I saw my life panning out, no but it’s the right thing to do. Cara hates me being there, she’s so angry at me and she thinks I’m going to hurt her rabbit and her friend. I refuse to upset her a second longer.”

  “And what about Jackson?”

  She swallowed hard. “That’s for the best too. He’s got a new life with Cindy and the baby.”

  “That’s what he said?”

  “No.”

  “So you mean you decided for him, in typical Jules fashion.”

  “You didn’t see him at the hospital with her, with the scan photos. He was so happy, happier than I’ve made him in a long time. What have I ever given him except misery?”

  “So you don’t really want this but you’re doing it for them?”

  She nodded. “Because I love them.”

  “And where does that leave you?”

  She shrugged. “Back to square one I suppose.” The old Jules lairiness returned. “I had nothing before and I have nothing now, so what have I really lost?”

  “That’s a load of shit and you know it. You don’t have nothing, you still have all of us. Besides, I don’t think you’ve given it enough time.”

  “I’ve saved us all some pain. When Cindy has that baby they will become Jax’s priority. Cara adores Cindy and she’ll love the baby too, leaving me nowhere. I’m doing this for me too because I couldn’t bear to be slowly pushed out.”

  “Alright, I get that,” he said. “But it’s not right, after everything you’ve been through.”

  “I got through that and I’ll get through this too.”

  “That sounds more like the old Jules,” he smiled.

  “There’s more. I want to come back to work.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’m up to it physically.”

  “I don’t doubt it but you’ve just broken up with your husband. Will you be able to keep your mind on the job?”

  “Yes, in fact it’ll be great to have something to take my mind off it all.”

  “Well, if you’re sure?”

  She nodded. “I am.”

  “Actually I’m pretty relieved. We’ve had some trouble lately. I
’ll get you up to speed later,” he added when Cathy walked into the room clutching a tea tray.

  Jules felt better the next morning when she was sat around the table in the kitchen of the bungalow, which they used to discuss business. Apart from herself and Jez, Grant, Mark, Shane and Declan were present. Mikey was with his solicitor, going over the final details of the divorce to make sure nothing had been missed before serving Amber with papers. It had taken him a few weeks to ensure everything he didn’t want her to have was well out of her reach.

  “There’s no sign in the city of any more of Katia’s men,” said Grant. “The package we sent her was delivered but so far there’s been no response. But she has been busy. She’s just married the traitor Hayden Brody.”

  Disapproval rumbled around the table.

  “Then let’s hope she’s decided to back off,” said Mark.

  “In my experience Katia doesn’t know when to back off,” said Jez. “It’s certainly not the last we’ve heard of her.”

  “Want me to go down there and eliminate her nice and quietly?” said Jules.

  “It’s so good to have you back Jules,” grinned Shane.

  Jules smiled and gave him a wink.

  “No,” said Jez. “Let’s see how it plays out. We don’t want another war with Essex, even if the players are different. Hayden would not let Katia’s death go, even if we used to be friends and I don’t want any trouble if we can help it. Another war would probably be the final nail in the coffin of our deal with Toni McVay and we all know what that would lead to.”

  “Alright, fair enough,” said Jules, the rest of them nodding in agreement.

  “Good. I’m glad that’s settled.” He looked to Declan. “Any lead on the numbers you found on the phone you took from Katia’s heavy?”

  “Nah, sorry. All untraceable numbers, which is only to be expected.”

  “I suppose,” he replied, noticing Jules’s eyes flick to Declan.

  Jez nodded. “Alright. Grant, Mark, it’s your turn this week to escort the shipment. Keep your eyes open, just in case Katia does decide to come back at us.”

  “Will do,” said Grant as they both got to their feet.

  Mark ducked under the table, produced a box and held it out to Jules. “We all clubbed together and got you a welcome back present.”