Perfectly Obsessed

by Ellie R. Hunter

  “Not as much as I’ve missed you,” I assure her.

  On closer inspection she is looking tired. Her eye make-up tries to hide the fatigue and bags that have been developing over the last few months but today, it does nothing and it worries me.

  “You don’t tell me in your letters how tired you are,” I say, “How many hours are you working? Bearing in mind I can find out if you don’t tell me the truth,” I warn her.

  She has a tendency to withhold information she thinks I won’t like hearing, that is when I have to extract the truth from Marg. Although the closer they become the harder it is.

  “The same hours as usual, I just haven’t been sleeping well lately. Whoever has moved into the flat above us likes to throw a lot of furniture around while they argue all hours of the night,” she says, softly.

  It is things like this happening that frustrate me the most. If I was home it wouldn’t be a reoccurring situation.

  “Why haven’t you told Stan? He’ll make sure they’ll shut the fuck up,” I growl.

  She knows she can go to Stan for help if she needs to.

  “I don’t want to pester him all the time, if I went to him over everything I would constantly be on the phone to him,” she snaps, then immediately frowns, “I’m sorry, I’m fed up of having to go to him for help. I’ll sort it out myself.”

  “You shouldn’t have to, just because I’m not there doesn’t mean you have to sort out pricks like them.”

  “Fine, I’ll call him when I get home. Happy now?”

  “Extremely,” I mumble, “Don’t let anyone shit on you Cam, if anything affects you when it shouldn’t, do something about it because otherwise you are going to be left the mug for putting up with it.”

  I have told her numerous times not to put up with anything she isn’t happy with but she muddles along letting it get to her.

  My leg shakes with building anger that once again I’m not there to help when people take the piss.

  “Lorna is planning on coming up again soon, she fell in love with London as much as I did when I first came here,” she tells me, I know she is trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.

  The thought of Lorna coming again doesn’t fill me with the same amount of anxiety as it did last month.

  Cammie promised me she wasn’t left high and dry in a dodgy pub because she wanted to get laid. I believe her, Cammie might hold back petty information but not the kind that is that significant to me.

  “That’s good, how long this time?”

  “Only for a few days, she hasn’t got many holiday days left. She wants to hit the places we didn’t have time for last month. I think her and Stan have been in contact too, maybe he has something to do with her wanting to come back.”

  “Yeah, he’s mentioned her a few times when I’ve called him.”

  “She hasn’t outright mentioned him, she skirts round the lines but I can work her out.”

  “And Marg, how is the romance of the century going?” I ask, causing Cammie to laugh.

  “It’s going, that’s for sure. William is everywhere Marg is, at the café, when she goes shopping, he even went with her to her hair appointment. She didn’t moan because he paid.”

  “Sounds like she’s found someone good,” I say, happy for Marg.

  “Yeah, I think she has.”

  “What about you? Do you still think you found someone good?” I ask.

  She fidgets in her seat and moves closer becoming serious.

  “I know I found someone good for me. You being in here hasn’t changed a thing.”

  A smile creeps across my face, I can’t deny hearing her talk so adamantly about us is a big turn on.

  “I knew you were special the first time I saw you,” I tell her.

  “You must have seen something to come back after all that time,” she smirks.

  I chuckle, “You must have too, because you remembered me.”

  I’m not a soft man, being in love with Cammie is the first time I have let my guard down and allowed the light in. I’ll even go as far to say I found a sensitive part to me I never knew existed. It has always been looking out for myself, I checked in on Marg and made sure she was okay but I never had to look after her. Cammie is the one who managed to seep through the darkness of the Deveroux heart and she proves with every visit she treks here, every night she makes sure she is home for when I call and with every letter she writes that I was right to go back for her when I last got out of prison.

  “I don’t think anyone could forget you,” she sighs.

  “I only care what you think. Do you want to know what I’m thinking of now?” I ask, lowering my voice.

  She leans forward and pins me with her attention.

  “I’m thinking of how many positions I could have you in on this table.”

  Her cheeks blush instantly and I can’t help carrying on, “On your back, bent over, you riding me on this chair, my imagination is endless. I miss how you feel when I am inside you, it’s never felt so good. And just the thought of how tight you’re going to be after not taking me all this time makes my dick hurt.”

  Her eyes glaze over and she shudders softly imagining everything I am telling her.

  “Bloody Christ, Drake. You’re making me hurt now,” she says, releasing a long breath.

  “Good, I want you hurting for me all day, every day,” I smirk.

  “Just so you know, when I’m lying in bed at night I touch myself thinking of your head between my legs working me up before you…”

  “Stop. I can’t take anymore. You’re so fucking sexy, I’m going to cum right here.”

  I’m not fucking around either. If we carry this on I will throw her over the table and fuck her senseless. It has been too fucking long to joke about, I don’t know why I brought it up in the first place.

  “Tell me more about Marg, she’s enough to make me flop,” I laugh, but I’m deadly serious. It is plain to see Cammie needs the distraction too because she quickly shifts in her seat and starts waffling on.

  Yet another visit over and done with. I hate the goodbyes even more than she does. Knowing she has a way to go till she is home while I am stuck here makes want to punch the cold, hard bricks with as much force as I can gather.

  If I can get back to my cell without showing any emotions I will make it through yet another day keeping my head down.

  I pass everyone and take the stairs two at a time until I reach the second landing where my cell is.

  My earlier conversation with Maxwell completely forgotten about, I am about to haul out this guy who thinks he is welcome to enter my fucking cell uninvited.

  Lucky for him he turns around and I am met with Tommy the Tank and all frustrations about Cammie slither away.

  “I was told you were stopping by today,” I laugh, slapping him on the back.

  He hasn’t changed one bit. Still the size of a fucking tank, hence his nickname and covered head to toe in tattoos. Many more than I have.

  “I’ve been wanting to talk to you for fucking ages, mate. I have an offer you won’t be able to refuse.”

  “In that case, make yourself at home. Mi casa su casa?” I say, spreading my arms around the small cell letting him know I’m good to see him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Drake

  “I’ve been hearing rumours about you, Deveroux,” Tommy says, with a huge grin.

  “Oh yeah, care to enlighten me?” I laugh.

  There are always rumours going around, I stopped caring about them a long time ago. Around the time I cemented a good reputation for myself.

  “I’ve been hearing you’re losing your touch.”

  I laugh out loud, if that is what the rumours are then I dare anyone to prove it right. They will be in for a shock.

  “I wasn’t sure whether to believe them. Maxwell told me you haven’t been in a ruck since you came here. That’s not like you at all.”

  “I have my reasons for keeping my head down but it isn’
t because I’m losing my touch,” I laugh again.

  “Ah so it’s the girl I heard you settled down with?”

  “Might be,” I shrug.

  “The same girl who got you banged up again?” he asks.

  I sit up straight. I don’t like the implication he is intending towards Cammie.

  “What are you going on about? What are these fucking rumours you’ve heard?” I demand.

  “That the girl you settled down with is the reason you got sent down and now she’s living in your flat and working in the café with Marg. She’s quite a looker too from how some of the guys are talking about her.”

  He has my full fucking attention now. Just how much is Cammie spoken about in this place? I knew she would be known of by association with me but to be spoken about at length is a different matter. And soft, I’ll show him soft.

  “And who is talking about my girl?”

  Between Stan and Tommy, I’ve known Tommy the longest and while I wouldn’t trust him to look after my money, I do trust him with information.

  “At least three guys in here in the last hour. Mate, as soon as I asked where you were, they were all too happy to fill me in on your bird,” he explains.

  “Well, why don’t I give you some entertainment after dinner tonight,” I smirk. I think it is time these fuckers learn their place and not to talk about things that don’t concern them.

  “And here I was thinking the rumours were true.”

  “They’re true to a point. The truth is, I’m in here because she needed something only I could give her. Calvin James, you know him?”

  Tommy nods and listens intently, “He took something from her and she needed some closure,” I say, swallowing the lump forming in my throat remembering that night she lost our baby.

  I can still hear her cries as she writhed around in pain in the hospital.

  “I heard you nearly killed him.”

  A short sharp burst of laughter leaves me and he shuts up.

  “He wishes I killed him, let’s just say he deserved what he got.”

  “I’m not saying otherwise. He’s always been a weasel who drinks too much. I have to say, I never thought you would get serious with anyone though.”

  “I’ve never been this serious about anything and I will kill to keep it,” I vow, let that get around.

  “I believe you, that’s why I think you’re going to like my offer.”

  “Let’s hear it then,” I tell him, laying back on my bunk and making myself comfortable.

  He pulls the wooden chair across the small space and rests his elbows on his thighs letting his hands fall loosely between his knees. He lowers his head and whispers loud enough for me to hear, “This would be our biggest robbery to date and with only you and I carrying out the job, the pay out, fifty-fifty, would be more cash than we could spend.”

  “What are we talking? Bank?” I ask.

  “Nah, something much easier than that. I’m talking about a diamond. One diamond that will make us rich beyond our wildest dreams.”

  “And who does this diamond belong to?” I ask, trying not to laugh.

  A fucking diamond? Who the hell does he know who acquires diamonds? Tommy comes up with the most absurd shit sometimes.

  “Some Lord up north, he purchased it three years ago at a private auction and is too much of a posh prat to lock it away. He likes to flaunt his riches over everyone and is always throwing parties. I’m telling you Drake, this is perfect for us. In and out without a damn fuss.”

  When I see he is being deadly serious I throw my legs over the bunk and sit facing him. Leaning my head nears his, I keep my voice as low as Tommy’s and ask, “How do you know about this diamond? I’ve known you a long time and I know for a fact that you don’t have it with Lords’.”

  Lord of the back street scum in and around London but not wealthy, high ranking men up north. He has been thinking about this for months and now asking me to go in with him, I want to know every detail there possibly is about this lifelong promise of my own wealth.

  “Let’s say, I know someone particularly close to him and they know everything we need to, to get this done without any comebacks on us.”

  I need more information than that.

  “Details,” I say, “I need much more detail than that, you know how I work and if you want me in with you then you need to tell me everything.”

  He knows if I feel anything is missing I won’t take the job on. Especially as I have Cammie in my life now. If this goes wrong down the line, then it’s a life on the run because I promised her I wouldn’t come back here and leave her alone and that is the only promise I intend to keep.

  “His wife,” Tommy mutters.

  I can’t help it, I laugh.

  “His wife? And how the fuck do you know his wife so well? The last time I saw you outside of this place you had Jazzy the whore hanging off your arm. Not the wife of a Lord.”

  Jazzy is the biggest, dirtiest whore you will ever come across. She will commit any sex act as long as she gets enough for a wrap of crack to see her through the night. Ultimately she is a disgusting human being and although she has tried, she has never gotten to close to me. I’d rather pay her not to touch me but a usual glare sends her on her way and onto someone who has no qualms about going there.

  “She was down in London shopping with her daughter and ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time, fortunately for her I was there to save the fucking day,” the way he smiles is not warm, “Of course she took a liking to me, she isn’t happy with him and never has been. I’m her dirty fun and her way out. As long as I give her that then she makes us rich.”

  “What’s she doing while you’ve been locked up? She might have changed her mind?”

  “Nah, she’s in love. She hangs on my every word, she says I make her feel safe, amongst other things,” he grins, wiggling his eyebrows.

  The image of Tommy fucking his posh totty is an image I could live without.

  “You’ll see her on the next visit, she visits every month without fail.”

  I shake my head. He is starting to piss me off now.

  “If I agree to this and at the moment that is a big if, I don’t want her knowing who I am. I don’t have a clue who she is a part from a spoilt rich bitch looking to slum it because her sugar daddy is pissing her off.”

  My words sting him and he straightens up on his chair.

  “It’s not like that, she was living a life she hated with him. Meeting me has made her happy again.”

  “Yeah, because you’re going to steal a diamond from her husband and make how much?” I snort.

  Of course the bitch would be happy, if everything goes wrong she can claim her ignorance and when she says she has never met Tommy before, they will believe her over him and his criminal record in an instant.

  “I’ll take responsibility over her, if you don’t want her to know who you are then fine. It’s a deal. But I swear, this will be the easiest job we’ve ever done, or will ever do. Come on, what do you say? Are you in or out?” he asks.

  Taking a job on normally involves weighing the pros against the cons. Basically, will the price be worth getting caught for? They usually are otherwise I wouldn’t be interested. Again, this time I have Cammie but the pros are I can give her everything she deserves for the rest of our lives because nothing is ever coming between us, I won’t let them. The biggest con of all, getting caught. I don’t doubt I have many more times up in court before the judge sends me down for the remainder of my life because I haven’t reformed from my many previous convictions.

  One little diamond in a house that we can get easy access to and have someone on the inside.

  “I’m in,” I smile, holding my hand out to seal the deal between us, “Let’s face it, we have plenty of time to get through all the details and make a solid plan.”

  His face lights up and he shakes my hand firmly in return. I lay back on my bunk ending the conversation for now. Like I said, we have plenty of ti
me to talk this through. Right now isn’t the time.

  Marg has told me Cammie only uses my money to help pay the bills her small wages from the café can’t cover. The rate she is spending at there will be more than enough to cover us until this diamond job rolls around.

  “Drake?”

  I open my eyes to see Tommy lounging back on the chair looking directly at me.

  “Yeah.”

  “What did Calvin take from your girl? I can’t imagine you letting him getting close enough to her to take anything?”

  He has no idea how much his words fuel my guilt. I saw the argument start and then watched as it escalated into a physical fight. By the time Calvin was pushed and landed on top of Cammie it was too late for me to move. I should have been closer, if I was she would never have lost our baby.

  “Drake? If it’s something I can get back for her, I’ll see what I can do,” he offers, “Calvin is strong but he isn’t smart.”

  “It’s been handled, thanks for the offer but you won’t find what he took from her.”

  “What the fuck was it?” he asks again.

  I didn’t want anyone knowing but Tommy is the closest I have to a friend in here and if I am to tell anyone in this place it would be him.

  “My baby,” I murmur as quietly as I can.

  It is the first time I have spoken out loud about it with anyone but Cammie and even then we rarely speak about it, choosing to write what we are thinking in our letters. She regrets not taking notice of her monthly cycles, she writes if she had known she was late she would have taken a test. All her regrets are what ifs, I try to express to her she can’t live like that and sometimes I think she listens.

  He hisses, exhaling heavily and crosses his bulky arms across his wide chest.

  “I would’ve fucking killed him,” he growls.

  “I wanted to make him suffer, didn’t expect to be grassed up and sent down for it.”

  “Who opened their mouth? They must have a death wish to speak out against you,” he points out, as if I hadn’t thought of that before now.

  “Never heard of the guy they had down as the witness. I arranged for him to be tracked down shortly after I got here but by the time Stan found out about him, apparently the cunt had died.”