“You’ve just split up with Jackson.”
“And? It’s only sex, we’re not in love or anything. Besides, she’ll make me feel better.”
“What about Mikey?”
“We’re not a couple. I’m not cheating on him or anything.”
“But…”
“Listen, I’m only going to have some very pleasurable fun with a friend. Is that so bad?”
“Not when you put it like that. I just don’t want you getting hurt again.”
“I don’t need to worry about that with Raven.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Night wee bruv.”
“You’ve been hanging around Brodie too long,” he said before heading up the stairs to bed.
Ryan and Battler were the last to retire, Battler stitching up Ryan’s left arm.
“You were lucky,” commented Battler as he worked. “A few inches to the right and it would have got your heart.”
“But it didn’t and we’re all safe.” He breathed a sigh of relief and slumped in his chair. “Leah’s safe.”
“Thank Christ.”
Ryan regarded him with sad eyes. “When are they going to stop coming for our family?”
Battler didn’t reply. He didn’t want to say that he thought they never would.
As he headed to bed, Ryan paused to check in on Leah, who was curled up in bed with Bianca, both of them holding onto each other. The scene was a sweet one and it helped calm him down. His wife and children were safe, Reid and his friends were dead. The threat was gone. The knot inside him tightened again. But at some point someone else would come to hurt them and he was afraid that one day he’d be too old to stop them. He and Rachel and the others could only keep up this pace for so long.
Ryan pushed these thoughts aside. Thinking like that would drive him crazy. For now, everything was good.
He walked into his bedroom, smiling at the sight of his wife fast asleep on her back. Quietly he stripped off and slid under the duvet, resting his arm on her waist, careful to avoid her injured ribs.
“Everything okay?” she murmured, turning onto her uninjured side to face him.
“Fine. Everyone’s settled.” He kissed her hair. “Get some rest.”
She soon fell back to sleep but he remained awake for a while, despite how tired he was, staring up at the ceiling, wondering how he could stop maniacs coming after his family.
Robbie was being moved to a more secure location. As he’d agreed to give evidence against some very dangerous criminals he was being put under protection.
He’d been transferred to another bed and was being wheeled through the hospital to the exit, handcuffed to the rails of the bed.
It was drizzling outside, Robbie enjoying the cool rain on his face. His body was protected by a thick red blanket, so it wasn’t uncomfortable. He was making the most of the outdoors because he wouldn’t be seeing it for a while. Even if he did escape a prison sentence, he was going to be in hiding for a long time.
He frowned when the two police officers escorting him dumped his stretcher outside the ambulance he was going to be transported in.
“What’s going on?” he said. “I’m getting wet here.”
He gasped when Katia and Mick stepped out from behind the van. “Katia,” he breathed, elated to see her again. He didn’t even pause to consider what her presence here really meant.
“Make it convincing,” one of the officers told Mick.
Mick nodded and whacked him around the back of the head with a cosh, knocking him out and he fell to the ground. He punched the second one in the face, splitting his lip before knocking him out too.
“Are you here to spring me?” grinned Robbie.
“Leave us,” she told Mick, who nodded and retreated back behind the van, disappearing from view.
“I knew you’d come,” said Robbie when that angelic face loomed over him.
“How could I keep away,” she said softly, running her fingers through his hair. “My friend.”
“Your best friend. You’re my world Katia and now finally we can be together.”
“Oh poor, sweet, stupid Robbie.”
“Eh?”
“You betrayed me.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes you did. You planted cameras in my home, you invaded my privacy. Don’t deny it, I know the truth. I trusted you so much, the only one of our crew I allowed into my home when I wasn’t there, who I trusted to protect my boys and you did that to me. Why?”
“I wanted to keep an eye on you. I was worried about you with Hayden, he was never good enough for you.”
“Is that why you told the police about him?”
He nodded, reaching out to touch her face. “I only did it for you and the boys.”
“You spoke to the police. That is something we never do. But worst of all, you took my husband from me.” She drew the knife from her handbag with a speed to rival Jules Driscoll herself and pressed it to his throat.
“What are you doing?” he cried.
“No one takes my husband from me,” she hissed, eyes so wild she looked demented. “No one, especially not a pathetic, treacherous little worm like you.”
“Katia,” he gurgled as she dragged the blade across his throat, the gush of warm blood spurting across her face but she made no attempt to wipe it away, revelling in the feel of the lifeblood of the traitor cooling on her skin. She clamped her hand down over his mouth, stifling the sound of his gurgles, gazing down at him coldly as he grew weaker and his skin paled.
His eyes remained locked on her as he died, one shaky hand attempting to touch her face, but she batted it away.
When he breathed his last, she sighed with relief. Mick stepped out from behind the van, holding out a wad of tissues.
“Nice one,” he said as she wiped the blood off her face.
Her blue eyes burned. “And soon my husband will be home.”
Jules woke the next morning in the annex in the back garden of Rachel and Ryan’s house, feeling better than she had since she woke from the coma. Taking down The Bear, then Slattery and then tackling Reid and his friends had proved that she still had it. Plus she’d had some very good sex with Raven and her body felt relaxed and tingly. It had been wise of her to go with not only a woman but a friend so soon after breaking up with Jackson. Raven had helped her find her confidence with her body again, made her feel feminine and attractive, something she’d been seriously lacking since she’d found out she no longer had a womb.
Raven was asleep on her side, facing her. Jules admired those beautiful feathers adorning her smooth skin as well as that lithe, honed body. Raven when she wasn’t working was actually quite relaxed and good fun, a laugh even, the complete opposite to her professional persona.
Jules kissed her shoulder then sat up on the bed to check her phone, smiling when she saw a couple of missed calls from Mikey.
So as not to wake Raven, she wandered into the kitchen stark naked and switched on the kettle while she called him back.
“Hello sexy,” she purred when he answered.
“Jules,” he exclaimed, the delight in his voice making her smile. “It’s so good to hear your voice. I thought you were ignoring me when you didn’t pick up last night.”
“Couldn’t I’m afraid, I was a bit busy.”
“Doing what?” he said, trying to sound casual and failing.
He listened in silence as she relayed the previous evening’s antics. When she’d finished the silence extended for another beat before he exploded. “You fucking what?”
“Alright, take it easy. You hurt my ear then.”
“Sorry but it’s a hell of a shock.”
“You can calm down, everyone’s fine. Well, except for Reid and his arsehole friends,” she snorted.
“I’m glad to hear it. I’ll give Rach a ring.”
“Don’t call too early though. Everyone will be having a lie in.”
“I won’t. So, are you staying in Devon for a bit longer?”
&nb
sp; “Yes, don’t worry. A few more days and I’ll be back in Manchester. I don’t want to run out on Ryan and Rachel just yet.”
“No, course not. They’ll need your support after what they’ve been through. I can’t wait to see you again though, I’m not going to lie.”
“Can you not now?” she purred, knowing what he meant because she felt exactly the same. Raven had helped her see what had been right in front of her all these years, but it couldn’t be rushed. She didn’t want to risk spoiling it.
“No, so don’t be too long,” he said.
“I heard you kicked Amber out?”
“I have, thank God. Me and the boys are so much happier.”
“I’m glad to hear it. You all deserve better.”
“Hopefully we’ll get it soon?”
“Maybe,” was all she was willing to say, although she was smiling as she said it.
On the other end of the phone she heard a wail and Mikey said, “I’ve got to go, Zach’s awake. Well, I’ll see you soon and no doing a disappearing act. Don’t forget, no matter where you go, I’ll track you down lady.”
“I hadn’t forgotten.” She hesitated before adding, “you don’t need to worry about me doing that again. Manchester’s my home.”
“Thank Christ for that,” he said before hanging up, making her grin.
“Morning,” yawned Raven, wandering in completely naked, running a hand through her long hair. Because of her tattoos Raven never appeared to be naked, even when she wasn’t wearing any clothes, the black feathers making it look as though she was wearing a cloak. They covered her arms, her entire back and fanned out across her chest, grazing the tops of her breasts. Jules admired her own handiwork. She had a real talent for tattoos and she missed her work. She resolved to get back into it on her return to Manchester.
“Morning beautiful,” she smiled. “Brew?”
“Please,” she replied, plonking herself down on a chair at the table.
“We didn’t get the chance to catch up properly yesterday,” said Jules, placing a mug of tea for them both on the table and taking the seat opposite her. “So how’s that smoking hot husband of yours?”
Raven sighed and stared miserably into her brew. “Still as crazy as a shithouse rat. If he’s not careful one day someone will take him out and that might just be me.” Her face tightened with pain. She loved her errant husband dearly but they couldn’t live together, their relationship was far too volatile. Every so often he’d turn up, bringing mayhem with him. They’d spend some intense, passionate time together then he’d vanish again. “I’ve not seen him for almost a year,” she continued, voice soft with sadness. “That’s the longest he’s stayed away but judging by the stories I’ve heard he’s still alive and kicking.” She shook herself out of it. “On top of that, I have another pain in the arse.”
“What’s that?”
“A rival on my patch. He’s been snatching up my contracts, taking out my hits before I get the chance to. He’s done it twice now and he’s ruining my reputation.”
“Then he’s got to go. Need any back-up?”
“Thanks for the offer. I might need to take you up on that but for now I’ve got it.”
“It’ll be my pleasure, a thank you for helping out last night.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “No worries.” Raven grinned, a gesture not often seen. “I think I freaked out your younger brother.”
“It’ll do him some good, stop him getting too cocky. He’s too used to people being afraid of him.”
“Your brothers are very impressive, especially Ryan. Such a pity he’s spoken for.”
“He is that,” said Jules proudly. “But Rachel’s the only woman for him.”
“Shame. Doesn’t matter anyway, I find his sister much more fascinating,” she said with a flirtatious smile.
Jules ran her hand up Raven’s bare thigh, who moaned and leaned in to kiss her.
“I noticed a Jacuzzi bath in there,” said Raven, nodding down the hallway. “Care to join me?”
“Love to,” replied Jules, kissing her.
CHAPTER 48
Everyone gathered in the kitchen later that morning, lured out of their comfy beds by the smell of cooking. Ryan and Cass worked the hob, Rachel sitting at the table, looking pale, still cradling her sore ribs. The only ones not present were Bianca and Leah, who were still fast asleep and Jules and Raven, who hadn’t yet left the annex.
Brodie stood at the window, looking out at the view. Ashley got up to refill his coffee cup, both their attention drawn to the annex when Jules and Raven emerged.
“Do you think they…,” began Ashley.
When the two women stopped to kiss as Jules locked up the door, Brodie cleared his throat and said, “aye, I do pal.”
They watched in fascination as the two women walked to the back door and stepped inside.
“What?” said Jules when they continued to stare at them. Her lips curled into a knowing smile. “Maybe we should have invited you to watch?”
Ashley blushed and hurried back to his seat, head bowed while Brodie stared back at her, determined she wouldn’t wrong-foot him again. He was used to being the one doing the wrong-footing, which he was far more comfortable with. “No thanks doll. I’m no’ desperate.”
Jules sashayed up to him, that steady grey gaze making him slightly nervous, leaning in to whisper into his ear, “I’m quite sure you would have wanted to see me with my tongue inside her.”
Brodie flushed with heat as well as anger that she’d done it to him again. “I…I…dammit, how do you keep doing that?”
“I know which buttons to press,” she said, planting a kiss on his neck before staring up at him with those intense eyes.
For the first time in his life, Brodie found himself attracted to a gangster.
“Jules,” said Ryan. “Put him down.”
Her face cracked into a malicious grin and she laughed. “Is the grub ready bruv? I’m starving,” she said with a pointed look at Brodie.
Rachel noticed Cass glaring at Jules, her hands curling into fists, furious at the way Brodie was smiling at her. When she realised Rachel was looking, she forced herself to relax.
Raven sat opposite Jez and stared at him grimly, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat, looking everywhere but right at her, missing the way her lips twitched.
The awkward atmosphere was broken by Leah and Bianca walking in, both looking considerably brighter than they had last night and they all marvelled at the resilience of children. Ashley was delighted when his daughter hugged and kissed him, which she hadn’t done in years and she sat beside him at the table. Leah similarly hugged her parents and sat beside her mum while her dad and Cass dished up the food. Ryan put some meat down for Teddy, who wolfed it down then flopped onto his side on the kitchen floor, purring loudly, eyes heavy with contentment.
“We’re ready to tell you all what happened,” began Leah, Bianca nodding.
“You don’t have to do that now honey,” said Rachel.
“We want to. We think you all deserve to know after you risked your lives to save us.”
Leah took a deep breath before beginning. “Reid intercepted me after school,” she began. “He’d disguised himself as a teacher, making himself look a lot older. It was really convincing, I didn’t even recognise him until he spoke. He had a gun in his coat and he threatened to shoot my friends if I didn’t get in his car. In the crowd, Sarah’s dad didn’t even see me. He made me send Sarah a text telling her I couldn’t go to her house then he took me straight to the unit at the business park. Bianca was already there.”
“And how did you get there?” Ashley asked his daughter. “Bianca?” he added when she hung her head.
“I’d been seeing Reid for a while. I’m sorry Dad,” she said, starting to cry when he looked furious.
“I’m not angry at you,” he said, taking her hand. “I’m angry at him. How long had you been seeing him for?”
“Three months.”
Ashley sighed and hung his head. “I should have realised something was going on.”
“I hid it from you really well Dad. You were great, wanting to give me my privacy now I’m older and I took advantage of that. I’m so stupid.”
“Now I hope you both understand why us parents set you rules,” he said severely, looking from his daughter to Leah and back again. “We don’t do it to be mean. We do it to protect you because there are dangers out there.”
“I’m so sorry,” said Bianca, eyes shining with tears. “I’ll never keep anything from you ever again, I swear.”
“It’s alright sweetheart. Tell us how you ended up in that unit.”
She smiled at him gratefully before continuing. “Reid messaged me. He told me to meet him at the corner shop on my dinner break. He was already waiting for me. After we went for a walk he said he’d drive me back to school but he took me to the unit instead. He tied me up and shoved me into the small room at the back of the unit. Then he brought Leah.”
“We want to tell you all,” said Leah, blushing. “That neither of us did anything with Reid, if you know what I mean. We both kissed him but that’s it.”
Ashley sighed with relief and hugged his daughter. “Thank God. I hope you both treat this as a lesson. So many girls have been in situations like yours and not all of them are lucky enough to get out alive.”
“We promise we won’t do anything like it again,” said Leah. “Will we Bianca?”
She nodded. “Promise.”
Rachel smiled and wrapped her arm around her daughter’s shoulders, who nestled into her with a contented smile.
They all ate in tired, companionable silence, except for Jules, who was the only one with any energy, reenergised by all the excitement.
“You’re all welcome to stay longer,” said Rachel when they’d finished eating. Yes it certainly was a houseful but she felt comforted by their presence. They’d gone through something awful together and she felt close to each and every one of them, even Raven.
“Thanks hen,” said Brodie. “But we need to be making tracks back up north,” he added, looking to Cass, who inwardly sighed with relief. She’d been so worried he’d end up in bed with Jules. “We leave it much longer and I might get home to find my business run into the ground by the turnips who work for me.”
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