Blood for Blood

by Simon Smith-Wilson

  River had to make a choice.

  He had to fill four of the seven places at the new store with his staff.

  They had the weekend customer assistant role, two full-time customer assistant roles and the manager position was going to be filled by a member of his staff too. The other bad news was that they wanted him to cut down on his superstore staff by releasing two people, as the wage budget for North City was apparently too high. That wouldn’t be a tough choice, as he had a few members of staff that did very little. Losing four good employees was going to be a real kick in the teeth. It felt like things were starting to come together in the job.

  He picked up Ashley’s photo.

  His heart instantly melted.

  She was gorgeous and a good contender for the manager’s job.

  His eyes full upon Kerry’s smiling photo.

  He had to give the manager’s job to Kerry. She deserved it more than the others. Kerry and River had worked together for almost five years. She could easily run a store on her own. In truth, he didn’t want to lose either of them, but one of them had to go. The manager’s job would either go to Kerry or Ashley.

  ***

  Smiles were exchanged, as fingers stroked through soft fur. Hazel giggled with excitement. A wet nose was sniffing her hand. Anne was as excited as her little sister. All sorts of weird and wonderful sounds filled the air of the small pet store. A sweet old lady was stood by the counter. She was the type of person you could tell loved animals. She also had a vested interest in the safety and well-being of the animals. The old woman wanted her animals to go to good homes and live a nice long and happy life. Anne looked down at the little white puppy with the big paws, wagging tail and bushy moustache. Was this the latest member of the family?

  ‘What’s his name?’ asked Hazel.

  ‘That one doesn’t have a name yet,’ replied the old woman.

  ‘What do you want to call her?’ asked Anne.

  ‘Willow,’ said Hazel, ‘Can I call her Willow?’

  ‘She is your dog,’ said Anne, with a big beautiful smile. ‘You can call her Willow.’

  ***

  Karl swallowed down the lump in his throat. He hadn’t felt this nervous in god knows how long. He felt like a teenager again. How can a forty-seven-year-old man be feeling like this? It was ridiculous. Summoning up his courage, he knocked upon the front door. His ears could hear movement in the apartment. By now her partner should have gone to work, which meant she would be all on her own. It was wrong. He knew this. He was married. Yes. He was married, but to a twenty-one-year-old party animal that was only after his money.

  The door opened.

  ‘Morning, Karl.’ Ariel greeted him with a big warm smile.

  It was the type of smile that could melt hearts.

  Unconsciously, he looked her up and down. Ariel was wearing dark blue jogging bottoms and a baggy t-shirt. She even made this look sexy on her. Her long red fiery hair was tied back in a ponytail but was hanging sexually across her shoulder and down the front of her body. Ariel was just perfection. She had a certain sex appeal that just drew him in.

  ‘I brought you some stuff for Alisha,’ said Karl, finally remembering why he was here.

  He handed a small box of toys to Ariel.

  Her eyes lit up with excitement.

  ‘Thank you, Karl. Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes. Lisa doesn’t play with them anymore.’

  ‘I appreciate it. It is hard to find good children’s toys these days.’

  Ariel turned away and walked into the apartment.

  He followed, closing the door behind them.

  Ariel placed the box down on the living room table and sank into the couch.

  ‘Did you bring the other stuff?’ she asked.

  He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small see-through pouch. In the pouch was a small amount of white powder. Ariel’s smile was so wide that it nearly threatened to consume her eyes and ears. The lust dust was incredibly addictive but harmless. It was easy to get hold of, as there were sellers of the stuff on most street corners. It was the ultimate high, which increased libido and sexual sensitivity. It was the new drug to sweep North City.

  ***

  ‘You don’t have to do this,’ begged Liam.

  Strong hands were hooked under each arm. He was being dragged down the corridor. Still he somehow managed to clutch his briefcase to his chest. The two strong muscular men hadn’t even said a single thing since they pulled him from the cleaning cupboard. Not once did his thoughts drift to Jillian. The men kicked open a door at the end of the corridor. Liam groaned painfully, as he was thrown down onto the floor.

  A pair of black boots came into vision.

  Wide eyes looked up at their owner.

  Liam swallowed hard.

  JR was standing in front of him.

  The boy was about eighteen years of age but looked younger. Had he even had his first shave? He had spiky black hair and the baby face features of a young man. He wore body armour from some Middle Eastern conflict, and black combat trousers. A frightening looking handgun sat holstered on his hip.

  ‘Welcome to North City airport,’ said JR, with a sickening smile.

  Liam said nothing in reply.

  He could sense his life was close to ending.

  JR knelt down onto one knee.

  ‘You are going to give me everything you have, and I might let you live, deal?’

  ***

  The elevator door closed with a ping.

  ‘FUCK!’ Danny punched the wall. ‘FUCK. FUCK. FUCK!’

  His shoulders heaved, as blood trickled from his knuckles. He glared at the indentation in the wall. ‘How could she do this? How could she be such a fucking slut? We are the Murdock Crew. We don’t bow down to other people. Why is she fucking the leaders of the twelve families? Why is she making deals with sex? Does she not know how weak she looks?

  He took in a deep breath and stepped back.

  He could feel his frustration subsiding.

  ‘She killed my father,’ he told himself. ‘She has tainted the name of the Murdock Crew. I will end them all. Travis, Elizabeth, Mother and the twelve families. They betrayed my father. I will destroy this city and everything they want. I will kill them all.’

  ***

  She waited for the men in black suits to finish their conversation and leave. A quick glance confirmed that nobody was paying her the slightest bit of attention. Chelsea opened the door to the Riggs Crew meeting room and pushed her vacuum cleaner inside. The door closed with a satisfying click. Her eyes scanned the shadows of the room. The lights were out and the blinds drawn. She was alone.

  A smile split her lips.

  She had been waiting so long for this opportunity.

  There was no time to waste.

  She prompted the hose of the vacuum cleaner up against the desk and headed for the filing cabinets at the far end of the room. The entire far wall was comprised of filing cabinets. The Riggs Crew had reports on everything, everyone and every deal done in North City. One by one she pulled open the metallic draws. Deep brown eyes scanned the contents, as the tip of her index finger flicked through the pages and pages of the report. Time was against her. At any moment, someone could walk in. How could she explain what she was doing? It would be the quickest way of losing her job. Her heart beat grew faster, as her breathing became sharper.

  ‘Please, please, please,’ she pleaded with the universe. ‘Let me find it.’

  She moved to the next cabinet.

  Every few seconds she glanced nervously towards the door.

  ‘I got it!’ she sang, excitedly.

  She pulled the file from the cabinet and quickly closed the drawer. Her feet skipped across the carpet, as she returned to the vacuum cleaner. She stuffed the A4 folder into her rubbish bag. Nobody suspected Chelsea of stealing anything, but even if they did they were not going to be rummaging through the garbage. A sense of pride exploded within her heart. This was the firs
t step to finding out the truth. The report had detailed information about that terrible night. It had witness statements, names and pictures. Finally, she would learn the name of Riley’s assassins. And then she would pay them back for killing the man that she loved.

  ***

  The darkness was a welcome comfort. He could lose himself in here. For a brief moment in time, he could forget about the outside world and be still. Marcus was rudely brought back to reality, as the door to his office creaked open, bright lights momentarily blinded his eyes. He had to squint to see. A silhouette was stood in the door. It was a sensual silhouette of a perfect hourglass figure. His eyes mapped out her gorgeous legs and curved hips. Something pleasant was happening between his thighs. She had this effect on him. Melissa’s perfume teased his nostrils.

  How could she smell so good?

  ‘We have information coming in from the Murdock territory.’

  Her voice was like hearing an angel speak.

  Did she know how he felt about her?

  ‘What is that mad woman doing now?’ he asked.

  ‘Jasmine Murdock has moved against the King family.’

  Marcus considered this for a moment, nodding his head.

  ‘It was bound to happen sooner or later. This might work in our favour. The council of the twelve families is starting to fall apart.’

  ‘What should we do?’ asked Melissa.

  ‘We do nothing. They can have their little power struggle and fight it out amongst themselves. They are just making themselves weaker and weaker by the day. For the moment, we will stay focused on JR.’

  ‘Should I report this to Father?’

  ‘No,’ he replied, already instantly. ‘He doesn’t need to know, but get him on the line. I want to talk to him about JR.’

  ***

  ‘What is she doing?’ asked Hazel.

  ‘Sniffing,’ giggled Anne.

  The little puppy was working its way around the living room. It was sniffing every inch of carpet, under the chairs, investigating behind the couch and searching the corners. Its tail wagged the whole time. It ended its search by sniffing all around Hazel, as she sat on the floor in the centre of the room. The teenager laughed out loud at the feel of the wet nose exploring her body. The more she laughed, the more the puppy climbed over her.

  ‘Where is she going to sleep?’ asked Hazel.

  ‘Where do you want her to sleep?’

  ‘Can she sleep in my room?’

  ‘You don’t have to ask me; she is your dog.’

  ‘She can sleep in my room then. Thank you, Anne. I am so happy.’

  Anne felt giddy with joy. Their little family had just gained one more member. She never expected that she would find so much happiness in North City. She had come here fleeing charges of murder and corruption. She had run away from her old job on the South City police force. Anne had met Travis when applying for the position as a pole dancer at the Murdock club, but now she was a big-time gangster with more money than she knew what to do with. This city was theirs for the taking. She owed it all to Travis.

  ***

  A manic grin split her lips, as she fell backwards into the corner of the couch. The white powder covered her nostrils. Ariel could feel the effect almost instantly. Her nipples were hardening, as a welcoming moistness was gathering between her thighs. A tingling sensation filled her stomach, as an orgasmic feeling of ultimate bliss blossomed from the core of her body. Her eyes looked across at Karl in the armchair. He had a look of euphoria upon his face. Something hard was protruding from within his trousers. He was as aroused as her. That is the power of the lust dust. It was an extremely addictive drug that gave you the feeling of ultimate sexual delight.

  ‘What would your wife say if she saw you getting hard with another woman?’

  ‘She wouldn’t care,’ he replied. ‘She is most likely off with another man.’

  ‘Doesn’t that bother you?’

  ‘Not really. We are not in love. I didn’t want Lisa growing up without a mother. I was just lonely after my first wife died. I am with Cindy because she likes to have fun, do lust dust and fuck all night.’

  ‘Sounds like my kind of night,’ laughed Ariel.

  ‘Oh?’ he raised a naughty eyebrow.

  A sweet ache throbbed between her legs.

  Ariel moaned a soft, satisfying sound.

  ‘If I wasn’t with River,’ she said, to the question he never asked.

  He gave a knowing nod.

  ‘Are you going to stay with Cindy?’

  ‘I am thinking of breaking it off. She is hardly home. I prefer your company.’

  Ariel smiled a naughty smile.

  ‘It is the same for me. I love spending time with you. It gets all weird and uncomfortable when River is home. It feels like we have drifted too far apart.’ Unconsciously, Ariel was slipping her hand down the front of her jogging trousers. Her panties were pulled to one side. Her body was acting on autopilot. This is what lust dust did to people. A single finger caused her to arch her back and cry out. It felt so good. Karl unzipped his jeans.

  They both smiled.

  He pulled it out.

  It stood erect in the air.

  Ariel licked her lips at the sight of this magnificent specimen.

  Lustful urges roared through her body.

  He began to stroke himself, as she watched.

  ‘You are so fucking beautiful, Ariel.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she told him. ‘You know nothing can happen between us.’

  ‘I know,’ he said, defeated. ‘Isn’t this pretty bad?’

  ‘It is,’ she giggled, ‘but it’s okay as long as we don’t touch each other.’

  ‘I want you so bad.’

  ‘I know you do.’

  ‘Can I see them?’

  ‘Is that what you want?’ she smiled.

  ‘You know I do.’

  Ariel was happy to oblige, as she began to remove her sweater.

  ***

  Shame filled Liam’s heart, as urine drenched his pants. He had pissed himself. JR was giving him a comical look. The youngster thought it was funny. The bodyguards had backed off to the edge of the room, leaving Liam on his hands and knees in a puddle of wee. JR was sitting on the edge of a wooden desk with his arms folded, as he waffled on. Liam caught bits and pieces, but the voice of panic inside his head was distracting.

  ‘Are you paying attention? Or should I kill you now?’ asked JR.

  ‘I’m paying attention. I am paying attention,’ replied Liam.

  ‘Good. In five days, a plane is going to land at my airport. I am giving you the opportunity to be on that plane when it leaves. You can start a new life in the United Islands. In exchange, all I want is the locations of your money vaults. I know you people have hidden banks across the city in an attempt to keep your money safe and not all in one place. This is a chance for you to buy your freedom. You can either give me everything you have, or I will shoot you in the fucking head, what do you say?’ he ended it with a smile.

  ‘I will be broke...’ said Liam.

  ‘You will be alive.’

  Liam hugged his suitcase tighter.

  All he had was his money.

  All he wanted was his money.

  What was life without money?

  ‘Think it over,’ said JR, as he hopped off the desk. ‘You’re money or your life.’

  ***

  The day was starting to drag. In truth, most days dragged at the store. It was the people that made the big positive difference. Kerry looked forward to coming to work and chatting with her friends. She hadn’t done much chatting today. Her thoughts were too consumed by the possible transfer. The constant internal dialogue had kept her out of the loop of today’s gossips and conversations. It made the job feel harder, as time appeared to be moving slower.

  She headed down into the shadows of the stockroom.

  The muffled voices of the others began to fade.

  ‘He will give it to me,’ she told he
rself.

  Positive thinking was the way to go.

  ‘He has too. I am the most qualified for the job. Plus, we're friends, right? He wants me to do well. River is my friend. He will see sense. I have been here the longest. I am one of the hardest workers, but more than anything we are friends. He will give it to me.’ She didn’t sound too sure. ‘He WILL give it to me,’ she repeated. ‘He WILL give it to me.’ She continued to say those five words continuously inside her head, as she cracked on with her job. It was all she could do. Beating herself up about the job was going to stress her out. She had to stay positive, work hard and trust in River. Her heart weighed heavy within her chest. Trusting a man was not something she was good at. They always managed to let her down in one way or another. This time it would be different, at least that is what she told herself.

  ‘River WILL give me the job.’

  ***

  Jillian rocked back and forth in the dark cupboard.

  ‘Don’t give up. Don’t give up. Do what you have to in order to survive,’ she said, repeating her mother’s words. ‘There is a way out of every situation. You will find happiness. It doesn’t matter how hard things get. Don’t give up. Don’t give up. Believe in yourself. Do what you have to in order to survive,’ she repeated the words over and over. Her mother had been an intelligent woman. She had escaped an impoverished and violent town and become a very successful lady. Her mother wasn’t beautiful, but she was smart. She found ways to get the attention of influential men. They enjoyed her company. Her mother did what was needed in order to stay alive in this world. She taught Jillian all that she knew. The first rule was the power of positive thoughts. Positive thoughts allow you to change the frequency and find hope in desperate situations. These tools had kept Jillian alive so far. Now she needed them more than ever.

  Light stung her eyes, as the door was thrown open.

  Liam bounced off the wall and fell beside her.