eventually let go of her hand. I saw that fucking ring again and wanted to rip it off her finger. Hugo the posh cunt was dead. He had no claim on her anymore.
I got off the bed, needing to clear my fucking head. As I stood, Cheska’s eyes rolled open and she looked down at her hand, empty now that I’d pulled mine away. “What’s your mobile number?” I asked, that fucking devastated expression on her face hitting me too bloody hard in the chest.
“The same one as always.” Cheska stared at me, and the look she was throwing my way made my chest tighten. “I didn’t want to change it.” She took a deep breath, favouring her side when she did. “Just in case …”
Just in case I ever called her again, needed her again. She’d been waiting. This fucking bird had been waiting for me to come back to her.
What she didn’t realise is that I ran this town. I didn’t need to call her to check in on her. I could have found out what she was up to on any given day and she’d know nothing about it.
“Sleep, princess,” I said and watched her close her eyes. No one would dare enter this fucking house unless they had a death wish. She was safe here. And until I found out who had come for her, she wasn’t setting foot out my front door.
I waited until her breathing evened out, standing at the end of her bed like some demon ready to snatch her soul and drag her to my lair in hell. When she was out, I made my way back to the living room, replaying everything she’d told me in my head. Ronnie and Vera were at the church now too. Good. It was time for a fucking family meeting.
They watched me in silence as I entered the room and poured myself a gin. I downed a glass, then refilled it to the brim. I turned to them, leaning against the bar’s counter. “Her old man and fiancé were murdered tonight, along with her two best mates. The attackers tried to kidnap Cheska too, but she got away. Came to find me. That’s why she turned up at the club.”
“Fuck,” Freddie said, shaking his head, and Ronnie got to her feet. If there was one thing that lit a fire under Ronnie’s arse it was women being attacked. Even more so if it was by blokes.
“What do you need?” she said, anxious to channel her anger into work.
I had just the job for her. “They sent her a video of her old man and numpty of a fiancé being shot and killed. I want to see that fucking video.”
“Number?”
I rattled off the mobile number, not even giving Charlie the time of day, feeling the knowing stare he gave me as I recited the digits off the top of my head. Ronnie left to go to the office and get me what I wanted.
“And the posh bird?” Vera asked, an edge of curiosity to her raspy voice.
“She’s staying here.”
“The police could deal with this, Art,” Eric said. “She’s a rich one. Someone they actually give a shit about looking after. They’ll be all over her arse with protection. Let the pigs deal with it. We’ve got enough going on.”
“I SAID SHE’S FUCKING STAYING HERE!” I shouted, and Eric held up his hands as my voice echoed around the room.
“Alright, Artie. Simmer the fuck down. I was just saying.” The fucking smug smirk on his face told me he knew exactly what he was doing by pushing me. Prick. Betsy covered a small smile with her hand. It was probably the first time in ages she’d actually smiled at Eric and not sent him daggers.
Freddie was playing on his phone. He met my eyes. “It’s just hit the news, Artie.” He turned his phone so I could see the screen. “They’ve reported the deaths of the dad and fiancé. Coppers were sent the video of them being shot by an anonymous number. They’ve reported the deaths of her best mates too.” Freddie read the article. “Suspecting Cheska has been kidnapped. No leads. The CCTV all around that part of the city had briefly been cut.”
“They won’t get her here. They won’t even know to come looking. She’s not going anywhere while those cunts are still out hunting her.”
“She’s staying with you then?” Betsy asked, and I saw that fucking spark of something in her eyes. Something like