“Well that was amusing,” said Ryan, winking at Rachel.
“Amusing?” spluttered Thane. “You’ve made things ten times worse. They’ll come back here tooled up and with more of their ugly friends.”
Ryan’s look was disdainful. “Do you take us for amateurs?
“We teach them the error of their ways before they even leave here,” said Rachel.
Thane was ashamed of himself when the wickedness in her eyes turned him on.
CHAPTER 6
Head Gorilla gasped when he was doused by a bucket of ice cold water.
“Looks like it’s finally awake,” said Ryan.
The gorilla’s eyes widened when he realised he was on the floor and they were all staring down at him. “You knocked me out,” he cried with surprise and a touch of indignation.
Ryan grinned at Rachel and Thane. “Did you hear that? What rapier-like intelligence.” He brandished the hatchet the man had dropped. “I had a friend who used to love these, they were his weapon of choice. Perhaps you knew him? The name was Frankie McVay. We might be many miles from Glasgow but his name travelled far.”
The gorilla’s huge Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in his neck. “You were friends with Frankie McVay?”
“His sister Toni’s running things now and we’re also friends with her. She’s particularly fond of my wife. Frankie liked the axe,” he said, slicing through the air with the hatchet, making the gorilla wince. “But Toni’s different. She likes eyes, she plucks them right out of the heads of her enemies while they’re still conscious then puts them in glasses cases for safe-keeping.”
Thane turned his incredulous look on Rachel for confirmation, who nodded back at him. “Jesus,” he said under his breath.
“I’ve done that myself to a man,” continued Ryan. “Popped his eye right out of his head. It’s so ridiculously easy to do. Then I made him eat it.”
The gorilla blanched. “You’re taking the piss.”
“I know you’d like to think that but I’m perfectly serious.” He knelt by the gorilla’s side and applied pressure to his left lower lid with the tip of his thumb. The man’s entire body spasmed. “What do you think Rachel?” Ryan called over his shoulder. “Would Toni like these as a gift? They’re not a particularly attractive colour and are seriously lacking in intelligence but I think she’d appreciate the sentiment.”
“I agree,” she smiled sweetly, pausing to kick gorilla number two in the face when he started to come round, knocking him out again. “After all, a collection is a collection.”
Ryan turned to Thane, thoroughly enjoying how ill at ease he was, for once. “What do you think Your Lordship?”
“I think we should stop this now, before things go too far.”
“That’s a really good idea,” said the gorilla eagerly.
“I don’t know why you’re showing them any sympathy.” said Rachel. “They would have attacked you and your property without a second thought.”
“This may be your world but it’s not mine,” replied Thane.”
“Well excuse us Lord-lah-de-dah,” said Ryan. “We’re trying to help you out here. We should have left you to get battered instead.”
“I could have held my own.”
Ryan straightened up and threw down the hatchet. “Fine, we’ll leave you to it then. Come along Rachel.” When she stayed where she was, looking from Ryan to Thane and back again, he rolled his eyes. “You heard him, he doesn’t want our help.”
“I appreciate what you’ve done,” said Thane. “You didn’t have to get involved but I’m the one who’s got to live here. You’ll be gone in a couple of days.”
“All the more reason to get this sorted now,” said Rachel. She loomed over the head gorilla, glaring down at him. “Me and my husband have put a substantial amount of money into this estate, we’re Thane’s business partners so we will be royally pissed off if anything happens to him or his property. Now let me tell you what’s going to happen. You and your sad little friends will leave and never come back. If you do decide to bother Thane again then not only will you have the McVays to contend with but the Maguires too.” It said a lot for her family’s reputation when the gorilla blanched. “Unlike the McVays they won’t come after your eyes. They’ll come charging up here with guns, knives, machetes, baseball bats, scalpels, blow torches, the fucking works. They’ll take you apart piece by piece while you’re still awake then burn whatever’s left. No one will ever find you, it will be like you just dropped off the face of the earth.”
This clearly disturbed the gorilla because his lower lip started to wobble.
“We’re related to the Maguires by blood so they’ll be more than happy to take you apart for us. So I suggest if you want to remain in one piece then you fuck off back under the rock you crawled out from under and never bother Thane again. Are we clear?”
The gorilla nodded, tears in his eyes, recognising Rachel meant every word.
Ryan gazed adoringly at his wife then glanced at Thane and frowned. He was regarding her with a ludicrously soppy look on his face. Ryan had noticed Rachel’s darker side affected men in two ways - either it scared the life out of them or it turned them on. Personally Ryan loved her dark side just as much as her gentle one. It seemed Thane agreed. Great, that was all he needed, His Lordship even more crazy about his wife.
The gorilla’s two friends were woken and dragged to their feet and they stood there swaying like two ugly, gnarled trees about to topple over.
“Go on then Your Lordship,” said Ryan, gesturing at the two men. “Make sure they never come back.”
He shrugged. “Not a problem.” With that Thane picked up the hatchet and whacked one of the men in the face with the handle and head butted the second, sending them both back to the dirty floor. “You don’t need to be raised on a dodgy estate to know how to fight,” he told them both with a pleased smile.
When Rachel beamed at him, Ryan’s scowl deepened.
The knock at the door irritated Jules. She was studying for an important exam and this interruption was the last thing she needed.
“What?” she barked, yanking the door open. “Mikey,” she said, surprised. “Has something happened?”
“No, I just need your advice.”
“You need my advice?”
“Can I come in?”
“It’s your flat.” Mikey had set her up in the flat he’d bought from Ryan and Rachel that Amber had initially occupied so he could keep an eye on her.
He followed her inside and closed the door behind him.
“Do you want a drink or something?” she said. Jules wasn’t used to hostessing, the only visitors she got were the one night stands she brought back who weren’t allowed to stay past a morning cup of tea, and Jax.
“No, I’m fine thanks. Sorry, was I interrupting?” he said, indicating the books spread out on the dining table.
“I was just studying.”
“Studying what?”
“I’m taking an online honours degree in mathematics and physics.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“I’m not all about sex and violence,” she said wryly.
“I know that Jules,” he replied, picking up a book and frowning at the cover before putting it back down, unable to understand a word. Jules’s IQ was even higher than Ryan’s and, just like him, she enjoyed flexing her mental muscle.
Jules retook her seat at the table while she waited for Mikey to work himself up to what he wanted to say.
“I’ve decided to visit Jake,” he eventually said.
“Jake, your brother?”
He nodded.
“The same brother who set you up for poisoning his friends and helped Terry try to kill Rachel and Danny?”
“The very same,” he sighed before sinking into a chair at the opposite end of the table.
“Why now?”
He shrugged. “It’s been on my mind ever since…I mean…”
“Ever since you found out I’d
kept my adopted father locked in a cellar for two years until you smothered him with a pillow?”
Mikey tried not to grimace at the memory. That had been a mercy killing after Jules had tried to poison him and fucked it up. “Yeah,” he said softly. “You should take a degree in psychology, you’d be good at it.”
“I doubt it, I can’t even get my own psychology right, but I do get you Mikey.”
The scary thing was she was right. “I’m visiting him tomorrow morning.”
“Any idea what you’re going to say?”
“I want to see if he’s changed.”
“I think you’ll be disappointed. Want to know what else I think?”
“I’m not sure I do.”
“Yes you do, it’s why you came here.”
“Go on then.”
“You want to show him exactly who you’ve become and rub his nose in it.”
The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. “Alright, I do. When I was locked in that mental hospital for something he did he came to tell me he was working with Danny, that he was going to be a big shot and I would always be nothing. I want to show him how wrong he was.”
“You want to throw your life in his face?”
“Yes I do but I want to see how he’s doing too. He’s still my brother.”
“He doesn’t deserve your compassion.”
“Ryan and Jez didn’t think you deserved theirs once.”
“I didn’t poison two people and set up my little brother to take the fall.”
“True.”
“I know the main reason why you’re going.”
“I’ve already told you why.”
“You want to see if he’s a liability.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s a weakness. He knows things about the Maguire inner circle.”
“He did years ago, when Frank was alive. Everything’s changed.”
“Someone could still use his knowledge against you. How often was he in the compound? I bet the layout hasn’t changed since the day it was built.”
“The compound?” he frowned.
“I know you think your stronghold is your strength but it’s a huge weakness.”
“How? It’s impossible for anyone to break in and I’ve made sure no copper will ever get a search warrant for it.”
“The whole city knows where it is and what goes on in there, it’s part of local folklore and nowhere’s impregnable, no matter how good the security.”
“Impossible, I’ve thought of everything.”
“There’ll be something you’ve missed and my advice is that you move your headquarters.”
“I couldn’t do that. Frank built that compound.”
“There’s no room in our business for sentiment. Keep it by all means, let everyone think it’s still your main base and quietly set up elsewhere, but only let a select few know.”
“A decoy?” he said thoughtfully.
“Exactly.”
“You know Jules, once I had serious doubts about you but you’ve turned out to be a real asset.”
“Is that all I am to you, an asset?”
Their eyes locked and Mikey cleared his throat.
“I meant I’m your cousin too,” she said as he grew increasingly uncomfortable.
“Oh, right,” he said, relieved, heart thudding a bit harder than he would have liked. He still couldn’t understand the powerful effect this woman had on him. He got to his feet before he ended up kissing her again. “Well, thanks for your time. I’ll let you get back to it.”
Jules considered many jokes and comments that would embarrass him but she decided against them all. “I’ll do my best.”
“I left the field wide open for you there,” he grinned.
“I know but I got the feeling you’re not really in the mood for jokes.”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
When he’d gone Jules tried to return to her studies but her concentration had been broken. Instead she stared at the chair Mikey had occupied, her mind ticking over his words.
After seeing the three gorillas off the estate, limping and bleeding but cowed, Thane took Ryan and Rachel back to the bar for a drink.
“Whisky,” exclaimed Thane, jubilant. “Just give me the bottle, I’ll pour,” he told the barman. “Those three loons have been an albatross around my neck for years,” he said, pouring out three shots of his best whisky from the estate’s distillery. “I hope they’ve finally got the message.”
“I anticipate the name McVay will keep them at bay,” said Ryan, enjoying the smooth burn of the whisky.
“I think you’re right. I thought they were going to wet their pants,” he grinned.
“So are they the reason why you were desperate for us to invest in the estate?” said Rachel.
“Part of the reason. What I told you was true, the recession was partly to blame.”
“Why didn’t you tell us about them sooner?” said Ryan. “We could have seen them off before now.”
“Pride I suppose. I couldn’t bear to tell you I was being bullied by three inbred sheep-shaggers. I thought I could handle them on my own.”
“But you couldn’t,” said Ryan.
“No but they’re gone now,” he said cheerfully. “To my fantastic business partners,” he said, raising his glass and wrapping an arm around Rachel’s shoulders.
“Cheers,” smiled Rachel.
“Yes, cheers,” replied Ryan non-too enthusiastically.
Gill and Rick arrived with the children, who were all bright-eyed and brimming over with excitement. Rachel was heartened, it was so good to see them looking like happy, normal kids after all they’d been through.
“How was the petting zoo?” smiled Rachel.
“Lovely,” replied Gill. “Ethan loved the chinchillas and rabbits. I tell you that boy’s a natural with animals.”
“Aaron cried because a Llama spat at him,” grinned Leah.
“Made a right mess of his hair it did,” said Rick. “I tried to get the worst out but some of it’s stuck in,” he said, indicating the mess of mucous and straw attached to the top of the boy’s head.
“Your llamas are a disgrace,” Ryan told Thane.
“Hey, llama’s spit. I can’t control that,” he retorted. “How about a nice whisky?”
“He’s too young,” sniffed Ryan, pointing at Aaron.
“I was referring to Gill and Rick.”
“Ooh, lovely,” grinned Gill. “We’re having a great time, aren’t we Rick? You’re so lucky to live here,” she told Thane.
“I think that every day,” he smiled back.
“Thane, can I have another cocktail please?” asked Leah.
“Course you can.” He did a double-take at Ryan’s thunderous look. “It’s just cordial with a parasol stuck in it,” he told him quietly.
“That’s alright then,” he said, giving him a warning look.
“So, how was your morning?” Gill asked them, settling herself onto a bar stool with her whisky, cheeks pink.
“Thane gave us a tour of the estate and showed us how the new projects are coming on. That was it.” Rachel hated lying to her parents but sometimes it was just easier.
CHAPTER 7
Jez and Mikey frowned when Jules entered the latter’s office at the compound, looking edgy.
“What’s going on out there?” she demanded, jerking a hand at the window. “It’s full of hairy-arsed builders scratching their hairy backsides and drinking tea.”
“We’re having some remodelling done,” replied Mikey.
“What sort of remodelling?”
“Just some alterations to tighten security.”
“You took my advice,” she smiled, pleased.
“Her advice?” said Jez, addressing Mikey. “I thought it was your idea to make alterations to the compound?”
“It was, she just inspired me.”
“Hmm,” frowned Jez. “Anyway, it’s your compound, your decision.” He looked to Jules, who
couldn’t keep still, stuffing her hands into her jean’s pockets before removing them and running them through her hair before stuffing them back into her pockets. “What’s up with you?”
“I’ve just been to see Alice,” she replied.
“Alice?” said Jez, puzzled.
“Alice her mum,” said Mikey as though he were simple. “Adopted mum anyway.”
“I visit twice a month to see how she’s getting on and to make sure she’s still keeping her mouth shut,” muttered Jules, throwing herself into a chair, folding her arms across her chest and frowning at her boots.
Mikey and Jez glanced at each other before Mikey said, “how did it go?”
“As well as it can when you’re talking to someone who resembles a rice krispie.”
Both men winced. Jules had set her adopted mother on fire in order to escape the horrible life of abuse she’d been subjected to and Alice had suffered burns so bad that she had to be looked after in a care home.
“She keeps asking about Leighton.” Jules’s eyes flicked to Mikey who suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
“Does she know?” he said.
“Do you think I’m daft? Course not. She thinks he did a runner to save his own skin and that’s the way it’s going to stay.”
“It better.”
“Please credit me with some common sense. Did Dane contact you?”
“No, he contacted Jez and he told me. Does Dane have a problem with me?”
“He’s just afraid you’re going to kill him,” she said dismissively.
“Why?” he said, surprised.
“Because he kept his relationship with me from you, that’s if you class frantic fucking as a relationship.”
Mikey swallowed hard at the images that comment stirred in his head. “I thought you were going to try and speak more politely at work.”
“Sorry, I thought we were just chatting. Do you want to kill Dane?”
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