“Thought you’d want to join the fun.” Ash managed a grin that I wasn’t going to tire of wiping off later. “Didn’t think you’d stay pussy whipped for long.”
I decided later wasn’t soon enough, so I stepped over and planted a right hook in his face. The sound sated me, made the beast that had been growling inside start to calm because I’d hurt him, the way he’d hurt me years ago, the way he was hurting me now. I couldn’t look at Jameson right now, didn’t want to see her disgust with me on her face, so I stared at my cousin, the man who should’ve been one of my best friends but had become my enemy.
Behind me, Sharp growled. I turned round and took out my gun, pointing it at him. “You’ve pissed me off. Stay away.”
He took out a knife, his weapon of choice. No one let Sharp near firearms, not if they valued their life. But I knew this was bravado, an act. To use the blade he’d need to come closer and we both knew he wouldn’t make it.
When I looked at Jameson I felt relief of sorts. She didn’t look roughed up, her hair was the same as it had been when she’d been in my home, her skin still perfect. Her eyes looked at me and I saw a flicker of fear that nearly killed me.
I went over to her, needing to be closer, wanting her to need me. She was fully dressed, a blanket that I recognised as coming from one of the hotels had been put over her, but her hands and feet had been cable tied, which wouldn’t have been comfortable. I didn’t look at my cousin, knowing I’d want to go back and tear his limbs off his torso for doing this to her, but also understanding she didn’t need to see me like that. I could wait.
She couldn’t.
“I’m going to get you out of here. They’re not going to touch you. Trust me.” I waited for her to nod, and after a second it came. Relief had never felt so good.
I pulled her so she was sitting, her back against the wall, and put the blanket round her. They’d used chloroform or something similar to knock her out, an old trick we’d practiced on each other as kids. She’d have a headache and feel sick, but nothing worse than that. Nothing had gone wrong with it. She was here and she’d leave, I just wish I could wash those memories away into the sea.
I had a blade in my pocket which I could use to cut the ties, but doing that meant I’d have to put the gun down, and I didn’t trust my cousin right now to not pull some stunt.
“I’ll get those off you as soon as I can. Just try to relax for now, I won’t let them hurt you.” I pulled her into my side, half shielding her with my body, my back mostly screening her from him.
The punch had floored him, but he was now getting back up and he looked pissed.
“Come near me or her and you won’t be walking any further.” I watched Ash as he tried to take a couple of steps towards me.
His two goons were standing sentry-like near the door, but they weren’t shifting near me. The reputation I’d built for boxing and having a knockout blow when I was a kid had never gone away, and I still had the gun in my hand. I’d heard Ash brag about my fighting from time to time, usually to try and put someone off messing with him.
“We’ve not touched her.” Ash shook his head, his eye starting to swell already. “I swear we’ve not touched her. I just need to get my money back.”
“What money?” Jameson’s words were shaky. “Is this why…”
I pulled her closer to me. “Marcus caused some problems. Ash ended up paying.”
She closed her eyes, still groggy.
“It’s going to be okay.” I went to move, to pick her up.
“You can’t take her.” Ash moved closer. “Her step-dad’s on his way.”
“Not my step-dad.” Jay’s eyes flickered open again. “They’ve split. And if you’re trying for a ransom, my mum won’t pay.”
Ash’s eyes widened. “She’s not going to fucking leave you here, is she?” He was getting twitchy, impatient. This was the idea of someone who’d not been thinking straight in a long time and his plan was about to crash, and he knew it.
“No.” She was coming to a little more now. “That’s why we have security. Who assess the risk. They won’t think twice about you. Do you have any idea how many threats we’ve had made against us?”
My cousin had gone paler. Whether it was because of what she’d said or the blow to the head, I didn’t care. Ash wasn’t going to register on my radar anymore. We were done.
“A shit load. Someone tried to abduct my sister once. Tried.” She coughed, her throat sounding dry and I wished I’d thought to bring a drink. “What happened to Carmel?”
Ash looked confused. “Carmel?”
“The girl who came looking for you because you’d disappeared.”
He rubbed his head. “Fuck. Fuck knows. She was a party girl. Fuck. Just stop talking. Stop fucking talking. I need to think, fucking bitch.”
I started to rise, some good sense making me pass the gun to Jameson, ready to put my hands around his neck and squeeze all the shitty fucking life that was left in him, only I didn’t need to, because the next thing we knew Lawrie and a tall guy who I’d seen around Safir burst in, another couple of men behind him.
Security. The reason why Livi didn’t need the police to be involved. Her safety net, why she was calm when I spoke to her, telling me she’d be there. Thanking me for the information.
