by Bowes, K T
Dane wrinkled his nose and reached behind her, securing his arm around her shoulder. “His name’s Animal,” he said, filling her with even less confidence. “And we’ve all got your back, Soph.” He kissed her temple and allowed her to collapse against his chest.
“This is a disaster,” she muttered into Dane’s jacket, drowned out by the raucous, crackly voices screaming through the speaker by her left leg.
Chapter 17
Foxhall Motors
“Is this the place, bro?” Animal put the gear stick of the ute in park and turned to face Dane as though Sophia didn’t exist. She clutched her roiling stomach as the effects of his erratic driving subsided.
“Yeah, this is it.” Dane leaned across Sophia’s legs to peer through her window and she smelled his aftershave as it sent up a welcome reminder of his proximity. She reached out and touched his cheek and saw Darren’s gaze grow hard in her peripheral vision. Dane pointed towards the Grey Street sign opposite the garage forecourt two hundred metres away. “They took the photo we saw over there, by that corner.” He sat up and leaned forward, his head obscuring the brothers’ view of Sophia. “Let’s make a plan.”
Sophia waited while the males took everything out of her control, formulating distractions for them to create and questions for her to ask. “Put your hair up,” Dane hissed as Darren opened the door for her and she shook her head.
“Why? Nobody here knows me.”
“You can’t be certain of that,” he replied, taking an elastic band from his wrist. “Tie your hair up and put your sunglasses back on.”
Sophia eyed the dirty rubber band dangling from Dane’s fingers and shook her head. “I’m not putting that in my hair! It’ll get stuck.”
“Then I’ll cut it out.” He nudged her and with a heavy sigh she pulled her hair into a ponytail and clamped the band round it, forming it into a knot at the back of her head. Its absence left a deep groove in Dane’s wrist.
“Why do you wear that?” she snapped as her fingers caught in the harsh elastic, making her cross.
“I ping it when I need a cigarette,” he replied. “You’re making me need one now. Just do as you’re told, will you?”
“This is ridiculous,” she grumbled. “The woman won’t be here because she’s not real and even if she is, she won’t know me.”
“We don’t know that,” Dane repeated, his tone tense. “I can only see Edgar’s Facebook page and one of her messages asked about you and how you’d taken the news of the move. Yeah, the only photo I could see on his profile showed you as a little kid but he said he’s been emailing; that’s how it started remember? He sent his CV. I’ve found her return email and it looks like it came from the same garage. They haven’t spoken that way for a few months but he might speak on the phone or in video calls and let her see you in the background. We can’t be sure, so do as you’re told.”
Sophia snuffed through her nose and exited the ute, allowing Darren to guide her down with his hand in the small of her back. She glanced back but Dane didn’t notice, the conspiracy putting him off his usually perceptive game. “Everyone know what they’re doing?” he asked and they all nodded. Sophia took a deep breath and set off towards the garage, swinging an empty handbag over her shoulder to give her the appearance of adult sophistication. The boys watched her walk away and then headed off at right angles towards a different corner of the forecourt, splitting the attention of forecourt staff. Like exocet missiles, two salesmen embarked on an intercept course, expecting either an easy sell of a high interest loan or hooligans.
Sophia nosed around a set of small cars with bonnets and boot lids open to the elements. Sunshine sparkled off steam cleaned engines and alloys shone in almost new condition. The prices made her bite her lip and wonder if she’d ever afford a decent car without a bank loan and a stint in prostitution.
“Can I help you?” The young man approached her sideways on, practiced in the art of putting single women at ease and sending them away with a lighter bank balance.
“I’m just looking,” Sophia answered, backing away and acting scared, just as Dane coached her. She made her words appear forced, but the nervousness was genuine. “Do you have a lady salesperson?” she asked. “I’d feel better talking to a woman.”
The man’s dark head shot back on his neck as though he’d never heard anything so ludicrous and hope faded from Sophia’s eyes.
“It’s fine,” she stammered. “I’ll go somewhere else.” She backed away at speed as disappointment crossed his face, misjudging her distance from the nearest car and pitching sideways into the wing mirror. The metal hit her in the ribs, digging into the vulnerable place beneath her arm and she groaned in agony. Her breath came in gasps and the ugly patent handbag Dane borrowed from Maisie, tumbled to the concrete floor.
“Are you okay?” the salesman asked, his colour heightening in anxiety.
Sophia nodded and clutched her side, willing her breath to return in even strokes instead of the awful ragged gasps she heard herself making. She wanted to kick something hard to distract her from the pain and embarrassment. Sophia felt Dane’s interest from the other side of the forecourt and knew the moment he began to jog over.
“I never touched her!” The salesman jumped back in guilt as Dane arrived, backing away as the teenager pulled Sophia’s chin up with his index finger.
“I’m fine.” Sophia stood upright and turned to face her adversary. The chrome of the old Chevrolet blinked back at her in the sunshine, its design features including solid, metal wing mirrors which didn’t move on impact. She rubbed the sore spot over her ribs while Dane bent to retrieve her handbag. “I asked to speak to a lady sales person,” Sophia said to Dane, communicating failure through her eyes. “It’s fine. Let’s go somewhere else.”
His brows knitted into a dark line and he nodded, handing the bag over and turning to leave. The salesman took a step forward. “The owner’s a woman. She’ll be in tomorrow morning if you want to come back.”
Dane raised his eyebrows and looked at Sophia. “Wanna do that, sis?” he asked.
She nodded, the action slow and deliberate. “Okay.”
“Come into the office and leave your name and phone number,” the man said, walking backwards as though leading the teenagers on a lunge rope. Sophia paused and Dane jabbed her in the back.
Inside the flashy showroom Sophia froze, propelled along by Dane’s firm hand in the small of her back. The man approached an immaculate desk and snatched up a notepad and pen, looking expectantly at the teenagers. “What’s your name, love?” he asked.
“Anna Macky.” Dane answered for her and Sophia peered sideways at him, surprised at the deviation in plan. “She’s a student up at the university. Just needs an old dunger to get her up the hill.” Dane rattled off his own phone number and the man wrote it down.
“And you are?” He eyeballed Dane, pen hovered over the page.
“Her brother,” he replied. “Just visiting.” The intensity in Dane’s eyes made the salesman decide not to press for a name and he dropped the pen onto the pad with a flourish.
“Right then. We’re open from ten until twelve tomorrow. See you then.” The man’s brow knitted. “But you’re wasting your time; we do high end vehicles, not old dungers; you might wanna try some of the other garages on Fitpatrick Street.”
“Thanks.” Dane led Sophia away and kept her moving until they crossed over the boundary and onto the street. “Keep walking,” he said, “we’ll meet the others in that cafe.”
Sophia sank into a chair and rubbed her ribs. Dane stalked to the counter and ordered coffee, returning with a concerned look on his face. “Want me to have a look?” he asked, glancing around the other customers. Sophia nodded and turned so he could lift her tee shirt and inspect her injury. “Just a nasty bruise,” he concluded, pulling her shirt down. “You whacked it pretty hard. What happened?”
She closed her eyes and passed a shaking hand across her face, struggling to get her words out.
“It’s stupid. He walked towards me and my mind emptied. I couldn’t remember who I was meant to be or what I wanted. All I could see was that photo of Melody whoever-she-is and when I asked to see a lady saleswoman, that dude looked at me like I’d gone mad. It made me feel like a twelve-year-old again and I wanted to run away.” She sighed, a heavy, defeated sound. “This will all be for nothing. You’ve put your faith in me; you, Darren and Animal. They’ve borrowed a car and I owe you for petrol. We still need to find somewhere to stay for the night and I keep expecting Edgar to ring me in a rage because he’s spoken to my mother and knows I’m not at hers. We won’t find Melody and if we do, she’ll be a poor innocent woman with a husband and kids who’s had her identity stolen by a catfish.” Sophia felt close to tears and her heart sank as Dane rubbed her back, a slight smile on his lips. “What part of that was funny?” she demanded.
“No part,” he replied, his eyes on the street. “But I don’t think you should worry over Darren and Animal not having a good time. It’s not what I told them to do though.” His expression clouded.
Sophia turned in her chair to see a black Hummer go blasting along the road, double figures over the speed limit for the centre of town. Darren hung from the passenger window squealing and waving his fingers in an inverted victory sign. Animal drove, hunched over the steering wheel like he meant business and a sick looking salesman clung to the handle above the rear passenger window. Dane snorted and shook his head. “Idiots! I figure they owe you now. Ain’t no salesman in our town stupid enough to let those morons near an expensive set of wheels like that.”
Sophia looked at the tiled floor beneath her feet and nodded. Dane leaned closer. “It’s fine, Soph. Tonight’s taken care of. I’ve still got your phone and will stall Edgar and we’ll know for sure if that woman’s the one phishing your dad by this time tomorrow. Then we’ll go home.”
“What do you mean, phishing?” Sophia cocked her head and a curl dangled in front of her face. “You said it differently. You mean like catfishing?”
“Na. There’s money involved, Soph. A catfish is conducting a relationship based on false pretenses which this woman is kinda doing. But he’s offered her money to visit Hamilton and now he’s talking about buying into her garage. It’s a massive con with the potential to ruin Edgar if he lets it. The catfish part is only the beginning.”
“He’s so stupid!” Sophia exclaimed, dragging the elastic band from her hair. It hurt as it released and dragged out a clump. Dane pulled her hand away and snapped the band, easing it from her curls.
“Sorry, you said it’d do that.” He held it up to the light and then discarded it on the table. “I’ll just smoke if I need to.”
“You won’t.” Sophia grabbed his fingers and hauled them into her lap, examining the scars on his knuckles from fighting a man three times his age. “Who’s Anna Macky?” she asked, remembering the name he used with the salesman. “You told me to be Maddie King because I’d remember that.”
Dane shook his head. “Yeah. Not sure where that came from.” He sighed. “It was Mum’s name before she met the little kid’s dad. Anna McArdle. My real dad used to call her Anna Mac.” He sounded sad and Sophia squeezed his fingers. A frantic honking in the street drew their attention to the windows and the sight of the Hummer tearing back along the street and rounding a bend on two wheels. The salesman acting as chaperone had passed the point of realising his grave mistake and his face turned a horrid shade of green just before he puked against the rear window.
Chapter 18
The Alpha
“That was epic!” Darren’s stocky body shook with laughter as the boys crashed into the cafe, faces lit pink with adrenaline and excitement. Their eyes sought the couple sitting in easy silence over their drinks and they made a bee line for the two vacant chairs at the table. Sophia experienced a moment of misgiving at the way Darren’s gaze moved from her hair to her breasts and back up again. She told herself she imagined the flicker of interest in his expression.
Animal dragged out a chair and clattered into it, reaching for the bottle of water on the table and Sophia’s glass. He sloshed the liquid into it and slurped loud enough to disturb most of the cafe. His laugh sounded high pitched and eardrum jarring. “That dude’s wrecked the back seat,” he snorted. “What a pussy!”
Dane studied their companions with a calm demeanor but Sophia recognised the ticking vein in the side of his neck and her body stiffened, anticipating trouble. “I don’t remember a joy ride being part of the plan,” he said, his voice cold and commanding. Darren swallowed and fear back-lit his expression but Animal bridled and puffed out his chest.
“Whatever!” he replied, insolence in his stance. “You’re not the boss of me, McArdle. I’m just here for the entertainment.”
Dane leaned forward, his tone dripping acid. “You’re here because I invited you. If you can’t be useful and do as you’re asked, grab a bus home, baby.”
Two years older, chunkier and far more street wise than Darren, his brother considered Dane with narrowed eyes. Having spent six hours staring at the back of his close cropped, blonde head, Sophia suffered a prolonged bout of anxiety at the expression on his near-handsome face. Fair and swarthy he attracted enough female attention to be considered successful on the interest front. Only when he opened his mouth did they realise something went wrong at conception and he possessed neither sense nor social skills. Dane hired him as added muscle and Sophia wondered how much currency changed hands in the transaction. She swallowed, realising she owed her boyfriend more than she could repay.
“Screw you, McArdle. Get me a drink, bitch.” Animal looked Dane straight in the eye as he spoke, a sneer gracing the rugged features. He leaned back, his chair tipping on two legs as he exercised his limited levels of factor X. The tension at the table hiked to unbearable limits and Sophia felt the testosterone reach gagging point, stripping oxygen from the surrounding air. Darren looked like he wanted to throw up.
“Okay.” To everyone’s surprise, Dane stood and walked to the table behind Darren, leaning over to grab a pot of condiments. Sachets of various types of sugar nestled in the metal cup and he brought them back to their table, setting them down with precision in front of Animal. Sophia watched Dane’s expression change from detached to thunderous as he kicked the chair out from beneath Animal, the teetering two legs failing to hold the bulky boy upright. Dane moved away having calculated the drop with frightening precision. Animal grappled around him to stop the backward trend, taking two more chairs with him as he hit the hard, tiled floor. Dane looked around at the awful noise and smiled at the barista as he ordered four more coffees. “Sorry,” he said, gorgeous dark eyelashes cloaking the twinkling blue eyes. “My mate’s a bit of a dick.”
Darren barked out an awkward laugh and the tension disappeared with an almost audible pop. Sophia held her breath while Animal clambered back onto his seat, leaning behind him to right the other two chairs. He rubbed the back of his head looking sore and glanced sideways at his brother, spite in his blue eyes. “Don’t bother.” Darren’s undertone silenced the beginnings of whispered cussing and Animal stared at the table, working his square jaw and controlling a volatile temper. His brother leaned in close and Sophia heard the advice borne of painful experience. “You can’t take him down, bro’. Heaps have tried. You just gotta do what he asked, get paid and then go home. Okay?”
“Maybe.” The other boy rubbed the back of his head again, investigating a lump where he hit the floor and his expression hedged towards doubtful. Sophia stole a glance at Dane; tall, strong and dangerous. He looked like any other teenage boy, his exceptional good looks gaining him a free pass with girls and his intelligence showing him how to manipulate situations for gain. It occurred to her for the millionth time; she saw such a tiny part of who he was at any given moment. She knew his darkest secrets and trusted his hands on her. His presence set off butterflies in her stomach and she teased and cajoled him under her will, believing herself in char
ge. But this was new. The man on a mission, a commanding alpha male took her into different territory and she felt like a trespasser on ground she shouldn’t tread. It was one thing knowing a person’s reputation and another seeing how they earned it.
Dane returned to the table with a tray of drinks and placed it in the middle with care. When he leaned across Darren, the other boy ducked and then jerked back as though electrocuted, eager to be out of Dane’s reach. Sophia watched the sinewy hands and veined arms clear the tray and lay it on the table behind, his face giving nothing away. Trepidation formed a knot in her chest and when Dane sat next to her and put his arm along the back of her chair, she didn’t know whether to be relieved or afraid. The vein still ticked a coded warning in his neck.
“Why are we here?” Darren asked and Sophia choked on the froth from her coffee. She swallowed her amazement that he’d borrowed a vehicle and driven six hours without a reason; a dedicated foot soldier in a war she’d never understand. She waited for Dane to answer, no longer feeling qualified to open her mouth.
“We’re looking for someone,” Dane answered. “I think we’ve found her but she might not be who we believe. We’ll hang around until tomorrow and Soph and I will come back here later. I’ve booked us a camp site on the edge of town and you can do whatever you want tonight.” He flapped a sachet of sugar at Darren. “Don’t get so smashed that you’re over the limit tomorrow though. I need you to share the driving back to Hamilton.”
“Sweet!” Elation crossed Darren’s face at his leave pass and the possibilities opened up in front of him. Animal showed no excitement, sipping his drink and rubbing the bruise on his crown.
“Dunno why I’m here,” he grumbled. “I could get pissed in Hamilton cheaper.”