by Frost, Ada
“You need to leave your sister and Izzy alone. They don’t –”
“She’s my daughter; I can take her whenever I want. The law is on my side, and if you had any sense so would you be.” Her voice had strangely sobered. There was nothing but pure rage in her eyes.
“Listen, you crazy bitch, I am the fucking law where you’re concerned. You try to take Izzy and I’ll have you in front of a judge so fast your head will spin.”
She laughed, a crazy maniacal sound that sent chills down my spine.
“God, men are so stupid. She may have you fooled because she spreads her legs, but my sister is skint. She saw the fancy suits and hot bike and saw a meal ticket. Why do you think I have so much power over the silly cow? Emily can’t afford to take me to court; she can’t afford the mortgage on her house. She has more debt than you probably make in a year. All because she got knocked up, and when that thing died, she wanted my kid. Izzy is the one thing she desperately wanted with that spineless wimp, but she couldn’t even give him that – I could.”
“That spineless wimp was my fiancé,” Emily’s soft voice echoed through my chest. I turned to see her distraught face, but she walked away before I could speak.
“Didn’t stop him shagging me, did it?” Rhea shouted. Emily’s shoulders stiffened before she whispered something to Phil and disappeared through a door at the back of the bar. He glanced our way with a scowl on his face. I’d faced what I thought was the vilest, most hateful woman in the world when we confronted Ryan’s real mom, but this piece of work was beyond evil.
“You vile –”
“You will be the same; they all turn to me eventually, when the frigid bitch doesn’t satisfy them.”
I laughed. There was no humour to it; I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You really are stupid.” I chuckled and stood from my stool. I towered above her. “You think a meaningless fuck is all they want?” I shook my head. “Sweetheart, you are their biggest mistake; you’re a waste of a condom. Why? Because they lose the real prize by taking second best. And that is all you will ever be, because Emily is the goal; she is the fucking prize. She is the perfection we desire in a woman; she’s the perfection we want. You are an easy, forgettable tramp. Have any of the guys who fucked you begged you to stay? Have they banged on the door in the middle of the night because they couldn’t take being away from you? No? Now tell me, how many men have begged Em? Because I can count two right off the bat. I’d get on my knees and beg for her to grace me with that killer smile. Now fuck off and leave us alone.”
She let out a sardonic laugh; not what I was expecting. “Oh, baby, I hold the power here and you will do as I say, especially now I know my bitch of a twin has you wound so tight.”
I glanced at her, hating the satisfaction in her voice. She was beyond twisted.
“You will dump Emily. You’re going to tell her you’ve been fucking me and she was just an easy lay.”
I shook my head with a disbelieving smile and turned to walk away; she was wasting precious oxygen. Her claws dug into my arm, making me wince.
“You will do as I say, or I will take Izzy. I will make sure to break her heart so badly you’ll be looking for pieces of it when you’re old and fucking grey.”
“Why the hell do you hate her so much? She’s your sister.”
She ignored my question. “You will break up with her.”
“No, I won’t.”
She patted my arm, as if comforting a child. “You will learn, William; I always win.” She stumbled away.
Like hell she’d win. Over my dead fucking body.
I sat back on the weight bench. My muscles were tight and my legs were ready to fucking snap. I ran every day, but it had been a long time since I’d entered a gym. I glanced across at Ryan, who seemed completely in the zone; his massive arms bulged as he lifted the weights like they were paper airplanes. I wiped my face with my towel and chugged down cool water.
“You’re getting old, Willy boy.”
“Fuck you. You’re older than I am.” I grinned at him in the mirror opposite us.
“By what, thirty-seven days?”
“At our age, everyday counts.” I laughed as he threw his towel at me.
“You talked to Emily yet?”
I shook my head, taking another drink of water. “Haven’t found the right time. I’m thinking, nothing has happened, so I don’t see any point causing shit.” I’d told Ry all about the chat I’d had with Rhea the night we went to the bar a few weeks ago. Ryan insisted I tell Emily exactly what her sister had threatened, but when we got to her house, talking was the last thing on our minds. When morning came, Izzy came into Em’s room and started asking loads of questions as to why I was sleeping over. She was cool with it though, and started asking when I would be staying again. So most nights I would go over after Emily finished work and spend the night with them. Then when morning came, I would help with the school run. Which, I had to say, was fucking mental. Seriously, you took your life in your hands when you headed near a school at that time of a morning.
“It’s been what, a week, two?”
I bobbed my head, feeling like shit. I knew I should have told her what Rhea had said, but the thing was, she hadn’t followed up with any of the threats. Nothing. It was like she’d disappeared.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. Rhea hasn’t been anywhere near Em or Izzy. It’s like she’s just given up –”
“People like her never give up. It’s like they have this insanity of evil growing inside them. I’ve lived it, bro. She isn’t stable, and if I were you, I’d warn Em.”
“Tonight, I’ll mention it tonight. She’s picking me up from Jo’s after we have dinner.”
He bobbed his head in agreement. “I don’t want you losing that chick over some mental nutjob.”
“I won’t.”
“Come on; let’s go see the little guy.”
I stood, my back protesting. Fuck, I was getting old. “I don’t think Jo would appreciate the nickname anymore.”
“I was talking about Alfie.” Ry winked and I followed him into the changing rooms, chuckling. He so wasn’t talking about Alfie at all; it was a habit he would never break. Jo would always be his little buddy, regardless of their ages.
I drove us to Johan’s house and we knocked. Both of us laughed when we heard Alfie squealing inside in excitement. I glanced at Ry to see he had a huge grin plastered on his face. It was the first time since his arrival I’d seen genuine joy cross his features.
The door opened and Alfie wrapped his little arms around my legs.
“Uncy Wiw.”
“The kid has been tearing the place apart waiting on you guys,” Jo laughed.
I picked the squirming little bundle up and hugged him to my chest. “We going to have some man time, little guy?”
“Ice cweam,” he whisper-shouted. I tickled his sides, but then he spotted Ryan behind me. “Uncy Ry-run. Ry-run,” he screeched and I had to juggle the squirming kid as he climbed over my shoulder.
“Jesus, he can move fast.”
I turned to watch as Ry hugged him gently against his massive frame. I mean, I was tall, but Ry was as wide as he was tall. The man was a frigging machine. Alfie ran his hands over Ryan’s buzz cut. The kid was obsessed with it.
“Hegwog.”
We all laughed at the cute little guy.
“Come inside; Lou will be back soon. I have until four before I have to get back to the office for my next meeting, so stop yakking and go eat.” Johan ushered us through the house.
“Isn’t it a little late to go back in at that time?”
“It’s an international phone conference; its works out better with the clients if I do it that way. Plus, I get to have time with this little guy, and see your ugly mugs.”
Ryan pointed his finger at Jo and stared at me in shock. “Did the kid just disrespect perfection?”
“I believe he did,” I said dryly. Ryan settled his huge frame on
to a chair and placed Alfie on his knee.
“Here, I can put him in his highchair.”
“Nah, the kid’s good. Aren’t ya, little buddy?”
“Ry-run samich.”
Ryan glanced around the table to see what Alfie wanted. Jo stepped forward and passed him a jelly sandwich.
“See, we’re good,” Ryan said, smiling like he had everything under control. Alfie ripped his sandwich in two and forced a chunk into Ry’s mouth. I covered my mouth when Ryan gagged. He hated jelly.
“Cheers, bud. Jo, we gotta teach the kid to eat real food. That shit is vile.”
“Shit vile,” Alfie laughed, bread flying out of his mouth. Ryan’s mouth fell open and Jo glared at him.
“I’m not taking the rap for that. Lou will put my balls on lockdown for a month. I can’t take that torture, not even for my brother.”
I burst out laughing; between the look of shock on Ry’s face and horror on Jo’s, it was the funniest thing I’d seen in a long time.
“We’ll blame him,” they said in unison, pointing in my direction.
“Oh, no, I’m not taking the rap. Lou terrifies me.”
“I don’t get it,” Ry said, shaking his head. “You’re both scared of tiny women? It’s like being scared of a hobbit.”
I glanced at Jo, who was grinning at me. “I dare you to say to that to Lou.”
“Or Emily,” Jo added.
Alfie reached out and grabbed a chocolate bar from the table.
“It would be rude to say such a thing to a lady.”
“Chicken shit.”
“Jo –”
“Chick-shit,” Alfie copied. I slapped my hand to my forehead as Jo muttered a curse.
“That’s blue balls for a month.”
“You two are whipped. It’s pathetic,” Ryan laughed. “We sharing, buddy?” he asked Alfie, who was happily munching on his chocolate bar.
“No.”
“There’s loyalty for you,” Ry huffed. We all laughed and sat around snacking and talking shit. It felt good to be with my brothers like we used to be, with the added bonus of the little guy.
***
Jo put Alfie to bed for his nap while Ry and I tidied the kitchen table and washed the dishes.
“So, I had something to ask you both,” Jo said nervously. The insecure boy we once knew flashed before us and we both paused what we were doing to give him our full attention.
“Well, I asked Lou to marry me, and obviously she said yes.” He chuckled, but the tension rolling off him was making me anxious. “You can say no, but I wanted to know if you would be my best man – men. Both of you…would you stand with me?”
“Jo –”
“I know you have busy lives, and I’m not sure of the date, but I don’t want anyone else. I just thought –”
“Jo!” Ryan’s deep voice broke through his rambling. His eyes met ours.
“You do realise Lou will probably ditch you when she sees my hot ass in a suit, right?” Ry said, beaming at Jo. The pride shining from his eyes nearly floored me.
“You’ll do it?”
“I’d have kicked your ass if you’d asked anyone else, you little douche,” I said, grinning at him.
“I know the speeches are going to suck balls because I get that you’re supposed to talk about the past and growing up together –”
“Jo,” Ryan stepped around the table and patted him on the shoulder, “you’re my only good memory, kid; you make me proud to be your brother. I can’t say I won’t talk shit about you, but I can guarantee I’ll let everyone in that room know there is no one I am more honoured to know.”
Johan nodded and stepped into Ryan to give him a strong hug. “Thank you.”
The front door opened and slammed shut, breaking the moment, but both Ryan and Jo seemed to have a peace about them.
Lou walked into the kitchen. She pressed a kiss to Jo’s cheek, sliding her arm around his waist. “Well, what a welcome home this is. Three hot men in the kitchen, doesn’t get much better than this.”
“Ryan taught Alfie a bad word.”
“You little snitch.”
I chuckled at the pair. Lou smiled at me. I think she, too, saw the light in both of them.
“I was an innocent bystander,” I offered. Lou opened her mouth to talk but my phone started ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket and smiled when I saw my pixie’s picture.
“Hey beautiful –”
“She’s gone. I went to school and they said her mum picked her up. And that wasn’t me, so it had to have been Rhea. She’s gone,” Emily gasped down the phone. I could hear the tremble and desperation in her voice.
I stood tall, my muscles clamping and my skin crawling with apprehension. “Whoa, slow down. What are you talking about?” What a fucking question; I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“I went to school to collect Izzy, and her teacher just looked at me like I was insane. She said this afternoon I’d been to collect her to take her to the doctor. I never collected her, Will. Rhea must have taken her. But she isn’t answering her phone. Jack hasn’t a clue where she is, either. What do I do, Will?” Her voice cracked and I could tell she was crying.
“Tell me where you are.” I looked up to see Jo, Lou, and Ryan watching me with concerned expressions.
“I'm at Jack’s house. He came home from work early when I called him.”
I clenched my jaw and fought down the jealous desire to pummel the dickhead’s face. It was irrational; he was Izzy’s dad, but I wanted Em to turn to me, not him.
“Okay. I'm at Lou’s, so she’ll give me directions. Stay there and I’ll come get you, okay?”
“Okay. God, I hope she’s okay. Why would Rhea do this? She’s never picked her up from school.”
“Just wait there.” I swallowed down the sick feeling in my stomach. I ended the call and glanced at the trio in front of me.
“That was Emily. She just went to collect Izzy from school and Rhea had already been to collect her without telling Em. Now she isn’t answering her phone and Em hasn’t a clue where they are. She’s frantic.”
Ryan shook his head and his blue eyes seared into me.
“Don’t look at me like that, Ry; I don’t need to hear it.”
“Hear what?” Jo asked, looking between us both. “Do you know where Rhea took Izzy?”
“Of course not,” I snapped.
“He knows why she took her, though.”
“Shut the hell up,” I growled. Lou stepped forward and glowered at me.
“A few weeks back, Ry and I went for a drink and Em was working. Anyway, Rhea started talking shit and demanding I break up with Em. I refused and she essentially threatened to take Izzy. Nothing happened, so I thought she was bluffing.”
“Does Emily know this?”
I shook my head.
Lou rubbed her eyes. “I am so sick of that woman ruining Em’s life.” She let out a frustrated breath. “And you haven’t told Em any of this?”
“No, I wanted to, but I just never found the right time.”
“Or the balls,” Ryan interjected, so not helpfully.
“I can’t listen to this. I need to go see her.” I stormed out of the house, wanting to both smack Ryan upside of the head for being right and slap myself stupid for being wrong. She’d fuck Emily over until I let her go; I wasn’t letting go, so now we needed to fight.
One Week Later
I grabbed the bag from the passenger seat, vacated the car, and slammed the door on my guilt for spending what I considered an obscene amount on an item of clothing. Will wanted to take me out to a fancy restaurant, one he said he’d had to book weeks in advance. I hadn’t even heard of it before, but apparently it had three Michelin Stars and we had to travel south to get to it. He said the entire night was a surprise and not to worry about anything but getting myself dressed. I didn’t worry that he didn’t realise we were at least five hours from London and travelling that far south was going to be a serious issue. A
nd I didn’t fancy travelling on a train in my new attire. We were staying overnight in a hotel and Izzy was staying with her daddy. It wasn’t my idea, but a few weeks back when we had been watching Master Chef, I’d mentioned I’d never tried Champagne or been to a fancy restaurant. He had gotten on his phone and booked a table there and then. So, for weeks I had stressed over what to wear and how to act. I’d even looked up online the correct cutlery and glassware so I didn’t embarrass him. It was so far out of my comfort zone I felt like I was ready to hyperventilate with the pressure. Even though I was incredibly nervous, we needed it.
He’d been pulling away lately. I had a feeling it was all to do with the shitstorm Rhea was creating by pulling stupid arse pranks with Izzy, but I refused to let her rule me any longer. Will being in my life had brought some light and love, and it was precisely what I needed. I’d gotten into numerous arguments with her over taking Izzy from school without Jack’s permission or letting me know first. She never kept her for long, and hour or so, but the initial fear of going to collect her from school and she not being there was heartwrenching.
So on my lunch break that day, I went into town to the nicest boutique I could find and tried on so many dresses I was exhausted, but I finally found a cute dress. It was simple in style, plain black with delicate diamante beadwork over the shoulders and down the back to meet in an arch over my buttocks. I didn’t have the bottle to wear any bright colours; I wanted to blend as much as possible. It had a high neck, but when I turned around it scooped so low you could almost see my arse. It fit snugly to every curve I had, and some I didn’t even realise I had, so I would definitely not be eating too much unless I wanted to burst the seams. It hugged tightly over my bottom before flaring out in a flowing skirt. I had to admit, even though it cost me near a month’s utilities, I felt elegant and almost worthy to be beside my sexy giant, especially knowing how delectable he looked in a suit.
Three hours later, I was primped, polished, and looking like someone I had never seen before. I smiled at myself in the mirror, liking what reflected back at me. Will was going to love the tightness of the dress; it was like a second skin, it was so fitted. I turned and my smile grew when my entire back was naked. He’d once said it was one of my sexiest assets, and the curve of my back drove him insane.