Alex had evidently decided to take matters into his own hands. He quickened his pace, walking faster and faster until he broke out into a trot. Within a few seconds, he was almost upon him, and I just stood there, aghast.
‘No, Alex,’ I murmured to myself. ‘Let it go.’
But he couldn’t hear me, naturally. I started to run, looking on as Alex reached Rick, who span round and looked at him, horror etched into his face. Alex made to grab the – whatever it was – but Rick was having none of it and pushed at him. Within seconds it was a full-blown tussle, stopping only when Alex suddenly crumpled and fell to the floor, clutching his side.
‘He’s stabbed me,’ he said, through gritted teeth, as I reached him.
Eighteen
Him
I stood there, looking down at him in horror, before turning to see Rick walking off quickly along the Embankment. He hadn’t noticed me, or he’d be running. As it was, he was moving as fast as he could, without attracting attention to himself.
I looked back down at Alex.
‘Don’t just stand there, Sir,’ he gasped. ‘I’m okay. Just get the fucker.’
I hesitated, but Alex glared at me, his face bunched up with pain. ‘Go!’ he said.
A group of passers-by were already coming over, looks of concern on their faces. I hesitated a second longer, then turned and ran along the Embankment, as fast as I could.
Rick must’ve heard me coming, because he turned and looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened, and he broke into a sprint. I upped my speed to match him and, for a minute or so, the distance between us didn’t seem to diminish. After a few hundred yards, though, I could sense I was gaining on him, and I wondered what I’d do when I reached him. He had a knife, after all, and I had…nothing. Why the fuck hadn’t I brought some sort of firearm? But it was never meant to come to this. It was supposed to be an exercise in surveillance, nothing more.
We were almost at the Golden Jubilee Bridge by now and, as he reached it, Rick turned and ran onto it. I followed him, rounding the corner at top speed, until I pulled up short.
A few yards ahead of me, Rick was standing looking at me. From the angle I was at, the London Eye, behind him and on the other side of the river, seemed to encircle him, its illuminated white frame outlining his body almost perfectly, like some fucked-up DaVinci sketch.
I walked towards him.
‘You stabbed Alex,’ I said. I could still hardly believe it. They’d been almost like father and son since Alex had taken him under his wing. ‘Is there nothing you won’t do for money?’
‘Not at the moment.’ Rick moved backwards away from me, as I advanced upon him. ‘I’ll do anything it takes, trust me.’
‘I offered to help,’ I said. ‘I offered again tonight. You’re out of control, Rick. Don’t come begging to me when it all goes to shit.’
‘I won’t,’ he said. ‘I’ve got other avenues to explore.’
‘I wish I understood what your problem was,’ I said and sighed – this was all so unnecessary.
‘I’ve told you my problems,’ he said, his voice rising sharply. ‘I haven’t got a choice.’
‘You’ve had plenty of choices, Rick,’ I said. ‘You’ve just made bad ones, that’s all. I can’t let you go, I suppose you know that. You’re a fucking liability.’
‘What are you going to do, then?’ he said, almost jeering. ‘Call the cops?’
I pursed my lips in anger. He knew that wasn’t even a possibility, the fucker. ‘No, but I need that tape before you do something we all regret.’
‘I won’t regret it,’ he said, still edging away from me.
‘You will,’ I said. ‘The way you’re acting…it’s bordering on suicidal.’
‘Maybe I am,’ he said. He looked thoughtful suddenly.
I drew back, wondering what he was planning to do. I still couldn’t tell what he had in his hand – was it the package? The knife? His phone? I wasn’t getting close enough to find out.
‘Maybe I am suicidal,’ he said again and, before I even realised what he was planning to do, he jumped over the rails of the bridge and into the river below.
Nineteen
Hm
I hesitated only for a moment. Alex was injured, Felicity was still in danger of being – quite literally – exposed, and if I let Rick go now, I might never get the tape back. I didn’t have a choice – I had to follow him.
I didn’t even stop to take off my jacket. I clambered over the railings, took a deep breath, and dived into the murky waters below.
The drop was astounding. I hadn’t realised it was so far down. It had to be a good twenty metres, if not more. As I hit the water, the force of it, coupled with its cold bite, took my breath away. For a moment, I just hung there in the freezing wet blackness, my lungs compressed and my eyes unseeing. I knew I had to act. I could freeze to death in these temperatures, if I didn’t drown first. I forced my way frantically to the surface, kicking with my legs and pulling off my jacket as I did so.
When I finally broke through the slapping waves, I paused again, gasping for air and looking around me. Everything was quiet and dark, but for the moonlight playing silvery across the water. It was a pallid light, and it gave the silent river an ethereal feel, but was enough for me to catch sight of him, under the bridge. The current was driving him into one of the pillars, and he was trying to push himself away, back into the swim.
As I neared him, he succeeded and was swept away downriver. I kicked as hard as I could and followed him, narrowly avoiding plunging straight at the same pillar he’d hit. As I rushed past it, I pushed against it with my hand, trying to force myself out into the same wash that had carried him away. It was so dark under the bridge; I could barely make him out as the river swept him further and further from me.
It was a matter of seconds before I was past the pillars on the other side of the bridge and out in the open river. I must have finally hit the same current as him because, with a sudden rush, I picked up speed, and started to gain on him. I was struggling to stay afloat, my clothes making swimming almost impossible and threatening to drag me down with every stroke I took.
It looked as if Rick was having the same kind of struggle. In the brief glimpses I caught of him, I could see him holding up one hand, as if trying to grab at an unseen rescuer.
What the fuck had I been thinking of, going after him like this? We were both going to end up dead at this rate, drowned in the filth of the Thames. A fitting end for the Filth Monger, I thought, laughing almost hysterically, as the waves chopped at my face and mouthfuls of water forced themselves down my throat.
It was going to be the end of one of us, it seemed. As I struggled to get closer to the shore, I became dimly aware of a platform – some sort of jetty, probably for the river taxis – coming closer to me. With the last of my strength, I pushed with my legs and, reaching out with my arms, got alongside it. I reached up to grab hold of the side, but it was too high, and my hands slithered down the sides, barnacles scratching at my wrists and palms.
I tried once more, this time managing to snag hold of a rope. I pulled myself up, until my shoulders were almost out of the water, my legs still being dragged forward by the pull of the river.
But I was safe, I knew. Safer than Rick, at least. As I looked out across the moonlit water at him, his hand – still stretching upwards for some sort of salvation – sank beneath the surface and didn’t reappear.
I carried on watching for a minute or two, but there was no further movement, and my heart sank. Despite everything, I wished it hadn’t had to end like this. I turned to the jetty and started to haul myself around it to a place where I could get a purchase to climb on board. It was flat and empty – tethered, but still drifting slightly with the current. I put my hands up again. They were practically numb, which made gripping the rope both painful and difficult, and I was starting to yawn. I knew I had to get out, or risk hypothermia setting in.
Finally, I managed to heave my exhaust
ed, waterlogged body up out of the river. I sat there for a few minutes, getting my breath back and staring out across the river in the direction I’d last seen Rick. I wondered how Sandy would feel when it became apparent he was never coming home. Would she forgive him? Would she remember him fondly? Would she tell his girls how great their daddy was? I doubted it, and in some fucked-up way I felt responsible. I’d sort something out, make their life easier than it otherwise would be.
But for now, I needed to get ashore and get myself sorted. Hopefully, the tape had ceased to be a problem, and I could allow my mind to think of other things for the first time in days. I had to find out where Alex was, and how he was doing. I also – and I felt almost guilty thinking of something that gave me so much pleasure, straight after watching Rick drown, cold and alone – had to get back to Grace.
And that was when it hit me. I’d gone into the water fully clothed. My phone had been in my pocket. I couldn’t contact her.
Twenty
Her
I checked my phone again when I got up. Still nothing. I’d been checking it all night, on and off, from when I got back from Liv’s gig until I finally fell asleep, but my text had gone unanswered. Even though I’d already realised he wasn’t interested in me in the way I’d hoped, it still left me feeling lost and dejected.
It hadn’t helped that Leo had rung me almost as soon as I got in. I’d been worried about returning home alone, as it was, after the debacle the night before. I’d half-expected to find him hiding behind the sofa, ready to launch himself at me as I walked through the door.
When the phone had rung, I’d physically jumped and, when I’d seen the name on the caller display, my heart had started to race. I wasn’t sure whether to just answer it and deal with whatever shit he was going to throw at me, or leave it and risk incurring his increased wrath.
In the end, I decided to answer.
‘Hello,’ I said, trying to keep my voice calm and level.
‘Grace?’ He sounded almost as nervous as me. ‘Oh, thank God.’
‘What?’ I said. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing.’ He gave an embarrassed laugh. ‘I…just didn’t think you’d pick up.’
I didn’t answer. I didn’t know what to say.
‘Listen, Grace,’ he said. It was hard to make out what he was saying. He was obviously out somewhere. There was the sound of traffic in the background. ‘I’m so sorry about last night. Really.’
I still didn’t know what to say. ‘Oh, look, Leo…’
‘No, wait, listen.’ His tone was urgent. ‘It was bang out of order. It was. I...’
‘Look, Leo, it doesn’t mat…’
‘It does, Grace,’ he said, cutting across me and speaking quickly. ‘I know I was in the wrong. It’s up to you what you do. I deserve it. I deserve all of it.’
‘I…’ I felt so awkward. I’d never imagined feeling like this with Leo. Awkward – and torn. Half of me wanted to tell him to come over, so we could sort it out. The other half kept remembering last night, and the other times he’d come home drunk and handy with his fists.
‘Listen, I’ve been training hard – showing willing. I don’t want to lose my career. I don’t want to lose you.’
‘It’s a bit late for that,’ I said, trying to sound sympathetic, even as I said it.
‘It’s never too late, Grace,’ he said. ‘I still love you, and you love me.’
Again, I didn’t know what to say.
‘Don’t you?’ he said. ‘You still love me, don’t you, Grace?’
‘Yes,’ I said, feeling uncomfortable. ‘No - I don’t know, Leo. I just don’t know.’
‘That’s okay,’ he said. ‘It’s understandable, but listen, I’m still up for that promotion. Sam’s in talks with a few of the bigger teams.’
‘Which teams?’
‘I…I’m not supposed to talk about it.’ He gave a self-conscious laugh. ‘To be honest, I think he just wants rid of me. Johnno’s on the transfer list, too, but I think he’ll be going down.’
‘Oh,’ I said. Johnno was older – he’d been Team Captain for years. It made sense he’d be on his way back down the divisions.
‘I’m getting by,’ he said. Oh – well done, you. ‘But it’s not the same, Grace. I need you. I’m far more likely to get this transfer, if you stand by me. We’re a team.’
‘We weren’t when you were gangbanging that girl in Hull,’ I said. I couldn’t help myself. ‘You were in quite a different team that night.’
‘Don’t you think I regret it?’ His voice was plaintive, rising with emotion.
‘I’m sure you do,’ I said. ‘But only because you got caught out.’
‘No!’
He said something else, but I couldn’t catch it. Something – a lorry or a bus – had gone by.
‘I can hardly hear you,’ I said, straining to catch his words. ‘Where are you?’
‘I’m out,’ he said. ‘I’m in Islington.’
Islington? God, what was he doing over there? I’d only just left. He could’ve come into Jackaroo’s. He could’ve seen everything. Christ, he’d have killed me.
‘Oh,’ I said, trying to sound nonchalant. ‘Well, you’d better get on with whatever you’re doing.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Listen, one day, we’ll look back on all this and laugh.’
I almost laughed as he said it. I couldn’t believe it – the gall of him was quite incredible. It would’ve been funny if it weren't so tragic. ‘Leo,’ I said, in measured tones. ‘I will never laugh about this.’
‘Look.’ There was an irritated edge to his voice. ‘We’re going to have to sort this out sooner or later, Princess. I know you don’t want to hear it right now, but it’s you and me. Always has been, always will be.’
I didn’t speak for a moment. He just wasn’t listening. I didn’t know how else to get through to him. Finally, I took a deep breath. ‘There is no you and me, Leo. I should have left you a long time ago. You’re a violent, egotistical creep. Now, leave me alone.’
There was a silence. When he spoke again, his voice was cold and hard. ‘You’ll see sense. I’m going to be a big name soon – you wait and see.’
‘You’re a big name already,’ I said. ‘And for all the wrong reasons.’
I’d cut him off after that, and he hadn’t rung back. The fact that he’d been in Islington had weighed on me. That, coupled with waiting for an answer to my text, kept me awake until Liv came crashing in at gone midnight. The fact that she was clearly drunk and had Gav in tow – despite having supposedly finished with him – meant that I was kept awake even longer. The sounds of them laughing, whispering and bumping into things gave way to the strains of their loud and protracted shag session. When I finally slipped into sleep, it was into a mixed-up doze, full of mashed-up parts of my fantasies. I kept waking with a start, before sliding back into slumber, because everyone in them had Leo’s face.
I must’ve got some restful sleep in the end, because I only felt slightly groggy when I woke. Liv and Gav had started up again, and the upper floor of the house was suffused with the sounds of them. The grunts and mutters of Gav, and the rhythmic knocking of the headboard against the wall, were punctuated only by the occasional hushed-up cry from Liv. I lay there, listening to them, and wishing I wasn’t. Not only did it make me feel awkward and uncomfortable, but – I couldn’t help it – it turned me on too.
As their lovemaking grew to its crescendo, my thoughts turned once more to the Aussies and, from there, to the so-called Filth Monger. Even though he seemed to have abandoned me, I still couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to sleep with him - to have him above me – his finely-chiselled face looking down on me, his glorious blue eyes fixed on mine as he crashed into me.
Even though I knew it would be nothing like I imagined it – I’d never looked a guy in the eye during sex in my life – the very thought of it was enough to send shivers of ecstasy through me. As Liv and Gav came together, I came to
o, apart and alone but for the shady, insubstantial presence of the guy that had turned his back on me in my hour of need.
Liv had got up soon after and had a shower - the sound of her singing lulling me back into a dreamless sleep. When I woke again, they’d both gone. I wondered how she’d managed to get out at all - considering how drunk she’d sounded the night before - and whether she’d been late for work.
Work. I looked at the clock. It was time I got up too, if I wanted to see Max this morning. I wondered what he’d say – whether he’d let me back to work on Monday, and whether he’d be sympathetic still, or just irritated at having been left to fend for himself.
Well, there was only one way to find out. I got up and headed to the bathroom. If there was one thing I needed to do, it was to wash the touch of Stef and the rest of them off me before I went to face il capo.
Twenty One
Him
I hadn’t slept well. The sight of Alex, laying there on the Embankment clutching his side; Rick’s hand, vanishing into the Thames; the images wouldn’t leave me. Even after I’d finally dropped off, I kept coming to with a start from a nightmare that didn’t evaporate on waking. How was I going to be able to make it up to Sandy, without giving away the fact that Rick was dead?
The only bright note was that Alex was okay. He’d rung Ronnie to tell her as much. He was in St Thomas’s but was expecting to be discharged in the morning, as long as the Consultant agreed. I’d put Stephens on alert, ready to go and take him home as soon as he was out, and Ronnie was organising for food and general provisions to be delivered on his arrival. Alex was a confirmed bachelor, and I knew what his idea of eating-in consisted of – the tail-end of the previous night’s takeaway, when I’d gone over there once. It was no wonder he had the start of a paunch developing but then, as he’d said, that was what had saved him.
Bad Grace: A Billionaire Romance Romantic Suspense (The Filth Monger Book 2) Page 7
