Reckoning

by Heather Atkinson

  “Uncle Frank did a deal with his dad for some serious heavy duty weaponry. He’s got an in with some brutal Yardies. Anyway, Isaac took over when he was only nineteen after his dad dropped dead of a heart attack and he’s done a fucking good job. Frank continued to do business with him, he took him under his wing, gave Isaac advice when he needed it. Their territories were too far apart to ever be a threat to each other.”

  “The world’s shrunk since then.”

  Mikey thought that was a very Ryan thing for Jez to say. “True, but Isaac feels he owes Frank a debt of loyalty.”

  “Which is why he’ll only do business with a Maguire?”

  Mikey nodded.

  “Do you think you can make the journey?”

  Mikey thought of Jules’s sad, resigned eyes watching him as he was dragged into Mark’s car. “Yes. The Doc said it’s just a flesh wound. I can do this.”

  “Fine but you have to see Amber before you go, she’s frantic.”

  “I will. And what will you do up here?”

  “Fuck up Nilsen and the Starklaws,” he hissed.

  CHAPTER 25

  “Jez, any news?” said Ryan.

  They’d settled the children in bed for the night, leaving them free to contact Manchester without worrying about Leah realising something was wrong.

  Rachel anxiously watched as Ryan’s body sagged with relief. “Jules wasn’t in the compound, looks like she’s still alive,” he relayed to Rachel.

  “Thank God for that,” she replied. “So where is she?”

  He listened to Jez before saying, “they think Jared’s taken her back to Essex. Mikey’s got an in with Isaac Jones, a local gangster who thinks he can help get her back.”

  “They’re going to attack Jared on his own territory?” Her smile was wicked. “I like it.”

  “And what are you doing Jez?” Ryan said into the phone.

  Rachel watched the muscle in Ryan’s jaw throb as he listened. He nodded stiffly before saying, “I’ll talk it over with Rachel.”

  Her heart sank. He was going to get involved, not that she could blame him. This was personal now.

  “You’re going to Manchester, aren’t you?” she said when he’d hung up.

  “No, I’m staying right here.”

  She tried not to smile. “I’m not going to deny that I’m really happy about that but why? I thought you’d be tearing up there.”

  “Because Katia’s still alive.”

  Her smile fell. “What?”

  “Apparently she turned up at the house where Mikey had stashed Alex and Daniel with Hayden Brody. He helped her take them back and he knocked out Annie, the woman Mikey had hired to look after them.”

  “And you think she’s going to pursue her vendetta against us?”

  “Yes. Jared’s going to be cocky right now, he might decide now’s a good time to hit us.”

  Rachel didn’t even bother to say how sick she was of being in danger, of people coming after them. It was just a way of life for them now. This was payment for all her and Ryan’s past sins, which combined were considerable. “I’ll call Battler and Bruiser.”

  Katia decided against directing Hayden to the brothel. He had an old fashioned code of honour that she thought might be offended by her business. Neither did she want to go back to her house because it had been compromised. Instead she took him to a flat Robbie had rented for her under an assumed name. It was fully furnished and he’d ensured she and the babies had everything they needed.

  When they pulled up Robbie was standing on the steps of the swanky block of flats, as always reminding her of an eager puppy.

  “Everything’s ready for you,” he smiled when she climbed out of the car, very pleased with himself. “I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything.” His smile fell when he saw Hayden. “What the hell is he doing here? He works for the Maguires.”

  “Not anymore. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have my boys. I will be forever grateful to him,” she said, making Hayden smile.

  Inwardly Robbie was furious. He’d been in love with Katia even when she was with Alex, which had been a very precarious position for him to be in because if Alex had realised he would have killed him, he’d been insanely jealous when it had come to Katia. After he’d died Robbie had always hoped she’d finally realise that he was indispensable to her, that she needed him and one day her feelings for him would develop into something more. Then in walked Hayden Brody, tall and powerful with his square jaw and intense blue eyes. Not only that, he’d got Katia’s babies back. She’d never, not once, smiled at him the way she smiled at Hayden.

  He watched as Hayden ducked into the back of the car to unstrap Alex from his seat while Katia took out Daniel. Once she had Daniel comfortably settled in one arm, Hayden placed his brother in her other arm and Katia proudly walked up the steps to meet Robbie, feeling whole again.

  “Thanks for getting them home,” Robbie mumbled, holding his hand out to Hayden, who accepted it.

  “I always thought they should have been with their mum. If I’d known she was still alive I would have done something sooner.”

  “I suppose you want to be getting back, it’s a long drive to Manchester,” said Robbie, but they both ignored him.

  “Hayden, you must come up to the flat so we can discuss your future,” said Katia. She looked to Robbie. “He can’t go back to Manchester after helping me.”

  “No, I suppose not,” he replied, disappointment settling in his gut.

  “Well, it’s time to get these two settled,” said Katia, gazing down at her sons, who stared up at her happily. “Thanks for all you’ve done Robbie, I will see you tomorrow.”

  Robbie was painfully aware he was being dismissed and he was forced to watch as Hayden went upstairs with Katia and the boys. Angrily he kicked over a plant pot as he stomped his way back to his car.

  “Robbie has done very well,” smiled Katia, pleased with the flat. It was just her style - tasteful and luxurious, everything kitted out in cool greys and cream. Two beautiful wooden cots stood proudly in one of the bedrooms, which had everything the babies needed.

  “I need to change the boys,” she told Hayden. “Why don’t you help yourself to a drink and I shall join you when I’ve got these two to sleep?”

  “Okay. Do you want anything?”

  “A big, chilled glass of white wine.”

  “Coming right up,” he said before disappearing.

  Katia was so happy she was almost light-headed. She had her children back, who were staring up at her contentedly. They couldn’t talk but they could still convey to her how pleased they were to be back with their mummy. She hummed a soft lullaby as she changed their nappies and put them into fresh babygrows. She would throw away the ones Mikey had given them, she wanted nothing of his anywhere near her children. She was also happy because she liked Hayden. The start of the journey back to Essex she’d been terrified it was all a cruel trick and he was really taking her to Mikey so he could kill her properly. Gradually she’d relaxed the further they’d got from Manchester until she’d found herself responding to his conversation. She’d even opened up to him about her life in Slovakia and the sister who was training to be a doctor she supported by sending money back to her and how her parents had been murdered by local thugs. Alex had never bothered to ask about her past, he hadn’t cared about where she’d come from but Hayden had seemed genuinely interested. Plus he was very handsome and those eyes of his felt to penetrate deep inside her, as though he had already learnt everything about her and her words were just confirming what he already knew. She had only ever met one man with eyes like that before and that was Ryan Law, but she hated him, he had killed Alex. She’d thought she would never be interested in another man again after he was murdered. Then along came Hayden Brody, her knight in shining armour who had given her back her children, who was big and powerful and handsome. He used to be a solider too, which excited her.

  Once the boys were cleaned and changed she laid them
down in their cots, their eyes soon closing, lulled to sleep by their mother’s presence and her soft, melodic singing. She watched them sleeping, tears rolling down her face. No one was going to take them again, on that she was determined.

  Hayden appeared in the doorway holding two glasses of white wine. “They’re safe,” he said quietly, so as not to disturb them. “Come and sit down, you need to rest.”

  It was true, she was exhausted but she didn’t want to let the boys out of her sight for a single second. Fortunately Robbie had prepared for that eventuality too and - as well as the standard baby monitor - he’d linked up a camera that ran off her laptop. She followed Hayden through to the lounge after bringing up the green night vision image of her sons safely asleep in the next room. She sat beside him on the couch and took a huge gulp of wine. “That’s better,” she smiled.

  “You must be so relieved,” he said.

  “It is like…” She paused to try and find the right words to express how she felt. Her English was excellent, she just wasn’t sure the words existed that were powerful enough to convey how relieved she was. “It feels like I’m alive again.”

  Hayden was pleased, it hadn’t all been for nothing. Suddenly leaving Manchester didn’t seem like such a big sacrifice.

  “Anyway, we need to talk about you,” she said. “What will you do now?”

  “Not a clue but there’s always work for a man like me. I don’t want to work for Jared Slattery though, I don’t like the way he operates.”

  “You could work for me,” she suggested.

  “Don’t you work for Slattery?”

  “No. He has a share in my business but I am my own woman.” Katia wanted to start her own crew, to build around her a team of strong, capable men who would protect her and her boys as well as her businesses. Robbie was sweet and good at what he did but he lacked that killer instinct. A man like Hayden Brody would be a huge asset to her. “I want you to be in charge of my security,” she said.

  “That’s a very generous offer but you hardly know me.”

  “I know enough. I pay you very well too. Mikey might try to take my boys again and I can’t allow that to happen, I just can’t.”

  Just as she knew it would be, Hayden’s sense of chivalry was stirred. He’d spoken about his life as a soldier with pride, because he’d felt he was doing something useful, he’d been protecting people. Then he’d left and become a contract killer, which hadn’t felt so good. By saying he would be protecting her and the boys he would feel as though he was doing something worthwhile again, something positive.

  “So, do you accept?” she said, hoping she sounded relaxed when in truth she was on edge. With this man in her life she’d start to feel safe again.

  “And I definitely wouldn’t be working for Jared?”

  “Definitely not,” she assured.

  Hayden studied this woman who had been Alex Maguire’s mistress. Mikey, Jez and all the others had said she was deranged and evil but he’d seen none of that. All he saw was a woman - a very beautiful woman - who need his help. “Alright then.”

  “That’s wonderful,” she smiled. “You have made the right decision Hayden.”

  “I hope so, just as long as we’re clear that I work for you, not Jared.”

  “Why are you so against him? Because of what he did to Mikey?”

  “Because I’ve already betrayed Mikey once, which I don’t regret. I don’t want to double that betrayal by working for Jared.”

  “I understand.” Katia was starting to adore his sense of right and wrong, she’d never met anyone like him before. It had been a long time since she’d thought of what was right or wrong and she was intrigued to see how her life would change with him in it. “Hayden is a very interesting name,” she said. “What does it mean?”

  As he explained she leaned back into the couch to listen, feeling the tension and horror draining out of her, so glad he’d decided to stick around. He would kill anyone who tried to take her boys, even if that person was Mikey Maguire.

  “Oh, you’re back,” said Jules disinterestedly.

  Jared closed the door behind him then stood over her, trying to intimidate her with his huge presence, but it didn’t seem to be working.

  “We need to talk,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.

  “Are you breaking up with me?” she quipped.

  “You’re funny,” he replied flatly. He spotted the water bottle on the floor, which was empty, not a drop spilt. Eerily the cap had been replaced, screwed back on properly, mocking him. “Did you drink that?”

  “I did,” she replied smugly.

  He regarded her hands and feet, which were still bound. “How?”

  “You should know I’m a genius. Literally. My IQ is one hundred and seventy seven.”

  This obviously meant nothing to Jared, who was unimpressed. “Anyway, I think you know what we need to talk about.”

  “You want me to betray Jez and Mikey but you can fuck off.”

  “You’ve not known them long. Are you really going to sacrifice yourself to protect them?”

  “Basically, yes.” Her smile was vicious. “They’re still alive, aren’t they? Why would you need to ask me that if they were dead?” Her grin only broadened when his eyes flickered with annoyance. “You’d better let me go before they tear up here after me.”

  “Do you really think that’s going to happen?”

  “It doesn’t matter because I’m going to escape.”

  “You’re optimistic.”

  “No, just a genius, like I said.”

  “Bollocks.”

  “Then explain how I drank the bottle of water without spilling a drop with my hands and feet tied.”

  Jared couldn’t and it annoyed him. “I don’t give a fuck about the water bottle. I want to know about your family’s businesses.”

  “Now who’s being optimistic.”

  “Don’t think I won’t torture you just because you’re a woman.”

  “I know you’re going to and I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Oh yes. If you torture me the only thing you’ll succeed in doing is turning me on.”

  A bellow of rage tore from his chest and he grabbed her by the throat and started to squeeze, intending to scare her. He realised she hadn’t been joking when her eyes slid shut and she released a moan of pleasure.

  Jared released her and started to pace the room. Jules rolled onto her side to watch him, knowing she’d pissed him off and wondering where it was going to get her. When he stopped pacing and turned to her with a nasty smile she thought it was going to get her killed. This thought only gained clarity when he called two of his men into the room.

  “Hello boys. Are we going to have a party?” she grinned.

  “Yeah and you’re the guest of honour,” said Jared, dragging her off the bed backwards and hauling her out of the room, his men following. To her dismay she was pulled into the room that was the source of the stink. Although not as clean or clinical as the cellar in the compound, it was still built for torture, a table in the centre of the room, a medieval-looking chair at the far right, stained leather straps attached to the arms.

  Damien was waiting with a sadistic smile, resting his weight on his good leg, the one she’d shot bandaged. “At last, payback time,” he said as Jared dumped her on the floor.

  “You’re going to pay for underestimating me,” she glowered.

  Damien picked up a pair of bolt cutters and waved them in front of her face. “You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that. If they weren’t just metaphorical I’d snip them off.”

  “Metaphorical? Big word for a small man.”

  “You’re a fucking bitch,” he yelled, drawing back his fist. Jules moved her head at the last second and instead he punched the concrete floor. When he released a cry of agony she swept his legs out from under him with her bound feet, sending him crashing to the floor. Before she could bring her boots down on his throat,
Jared had picked her up and tossed her onto the table.

  “Fuck me, she’s a one-woman army,” grinned Kirk.

  “My hand, she broke my fucking hand,” exclaimed Damien.

  “You broke it yourself,” said Jared, unconcerned. “Go to the hospital and get it checked out.”

  “No way. I want to see this bitch in pain.”

  Jared grabbed him by the back of the shirt and threw him out the door. “Go to the fucking hospital,” he bellowed at him, causing the man to scurry away. “And if you backchat me again you’ll be the one strapped to the table,” he yelled as he disappeared up the stairs.

  “He’s a prick,” said Jules.

  “You got the right,” replied Jared. “Lie down.”

  “Ooh, exciting. Do you have a whip?”

  Jared looked at his remaining men, who appeared to be developing a begrudging respect for her. “Don’t you understand that you’re going to be tortured?” he said to her.

  “Yeah and I’m looking forward to it.”

  “She’s tapped, must be,” said Curtis. “This isn’t normal.”

  “I’ve been seeing a therapist, I’m working on it,” she replied.

  “You should ask for your money back,” said Curtis wryly.

  Jared stared down at Jules, face expressionless. “We’re going to cut your hands and legs free. Think you can behave yourself?”

  “Fuck no. I’ll rip your faces off the second I’m free.”

  Jared looked to his men. “She means it. Hold her.”

  As he cut the tape binding her hands together, Jules struggled and fought but Curtis and Kirk pressed down on her upper arms, so she was powerless to move. Once her arms were safely strapped down her legs were freed then likewise strapped down.

  “Comfortable?” Jared asked her.

  “Smug bastard,” she snarled back.

  “Then let’s begin. Tell me everything you know about Mikey’s deal with Toni McVay.”

  “Frig off you tosser.”

  “If you don’t tell me anything I will hurt you and it won’t be enjoyable, no matter how perverted you are.”

  “A challenge? I accept.”