by AJ Adams
“Bitch!” He picked me up with one meaty paw. “Now it’s my turn.”
“Bastard! Coward!” I was dangling in the air, trying to kick him but it was no good, Pig was too strong. “I’ll kill you!”
Just like Jason, Pig pulled back his arm. “Right smack in the face,” he sneered.
The fist was coming straight for me, and I thought I was for it when a hand pushed me lightly aside. Pig dropped me, and before he could grab again, an open-handed quick whack to his temple casually spilled him off balance.
Pig spat with rage. “Fuck off, Winslow! She’s mine!”
“No, she isn’t.” Rex, sounding calm.
I was picking myself off, shaking with mingled reaction and temper. I would have gone for Pig again, but Rex grabbed me by the scruff. “Stop.” And then he hustled me over the grass, down the steps, and into the cavernous kitchen. “I told you to stay out of his way.”
“He’s killing me! Didn’t you see?”
“He’s trying to get to you.”
“He’s succeeding!” Just the thought of what would happen to Mia if my career tanked made my heart drop into my shoes. “I need to work,” I whispered.
Rex patted my shoulder. “It can be fixed, don’t worry.”
“There are thousands of girls out there, dying to do my job. They’re younger, prettier, and cheaper.”
“You’re a pro, you’ve got fans, and you’ll survive,” Rex countered calmly.
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him about Mia, and my dreams for her schooling, but habit stopped my tongue. Here’s the thing: when I got pregnant, I took some major life decisions.
Before my baby bump showed, I worked like a demon: topless waitressing, stripping, pole dancing, you name it, I did it. I never crossed the line and sold myself for sex, but I came pretty damn close. I’m not apologising, and I’m not sorry. I did it because I knew I’d have a baby to care for.
So, I piled up the cash, and when I started to show, I swapped my expensive but centrally located London bedsit for a little country cottage. I’d made friends in London, but I used the move as an excuse to cut ties.
I wasn’t ashamed of my job, but there’s no denying that the adult industry has its share of creeps. Keeping Mia safe and happy was my number one priority, and it seemed safer to have everyone think I was single, footloose and fancy-free.
When the time came, I had Mia at the local hospital and not a soul knew about it. As far as my new neighbours were concerned, I was a single mum, and as I made sure to keep my distance from them, nobody asked questions.
Later, when I went back to work, I kept my business well away from home. Of course, there were the odd rumours in the village as some of the lads saw my photos but I’d picked a remote community and the gossip stayed purely local.
Maybe I should have told Rex right there and then about Mia but the habit of silence was so ingrained, that I thought it best to keep mum and suck it up. “I guess this is just one of those career bumps people talk about.”
“It will take some time to fix the Horde,” Rex said. “Until then, you can stay here. That’s not a problem, right?”
The thought of not seeing Mia for weeks gave me the shivers. With some modelling gigs taking days to shoot, I’d trained myself to understand that business trips were necessary. I needed to put food on the table even if it tore my heart to be away.
I had thought of giving up modelling when Mia was a tot, but I was crap at school. With my certificates, I barely qualified as a supermarket checkout girl. It was a hard choice, but in the end, I plumped for overnights away and cash, thinking it would give Mia a better start in life.
Was I right? I still don’t know. It’s tough being a single mum; every damn day you’re second-guessing yourself, hoping you’re not screwing up your baby.
“Lacy,” Rex said again. “Is staying a problem?”
For a split second I wanted to tell Rex about Mia, I felt instinctively that he was to be trusted, but then my head reminded me that I’d thought Jason okay. I don’t mind if bad choices kick me in the arse, but I won’t let Mia suffer. So I kept my secret. “Of course not. Why would it be?”
Rex was sensing my evasion. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing.” I’m not good at lying, but I kept my eyes wide and innocent. “I’m just upset, that’s all. Have you seen what he’s been saying about me?”
Rex hesitated and then shrugged, “He claims to know nothing.”
“He’s a big fat liar.”
“Yes, I agree. He refused a kill fee too.”
“A what?”
“I offered to pay for him to ditch Barrows’ commission.”
“Oh.” Frankly, it took me aback. “You did that for me? Thanks!”
“It didn’t work. He says Barrows paid in full and then dropped out of sight.”
“I know where he lives!” I was eager to get cracking.
Rex shook his head. “Speed and Zero went to Barrow’s place this morning. He’s gone. The place has been rented to new people, even.”
“What? I don’t believe it!”
Rex’s phone beeped. “I have to go.”
“No, wait!”
“Lacy, I have ten thousand people out there,” Rex reminded me. “I have to go.” His phone beeped again and then rang. “More fake tickets? Fuck! Okay, I’m on my way.”
Bogus tickets didn’t seem a big deal compared to my problems, so I hung on to his arm. “Rex, please. My life’s going down the toilet. What can I do?”
He thought for a moment. “Nothing. We’re looking for Barrows, and as long as you stay here, you’re safe.”
“But there must be something I can do?”
He shook his head. “They’re trying to get you to leave here. Stay put, and let us deal with it.”
I knew he was right, but it got to me. Feeling the prick of tears, I blinked rapidly. I wasn’t going to let anyone see me blub.
Surprisingly, Rex took my hands. “Lacy, I know it’s hard, but trust me, okay? I will help you, promise.”
He was sincere, that soft look I’d seen glimpses of was out in force. Without conscious thought, I was hugging him. “Thanks. Sorry, Rex. It’s just that - well, it’s all gone bad so fast!”
To my amazement, he hugged me back. “I know, that’s what makes it so powerful. But Lacy, see this for what it is: scare tactics.”
“It’s working. I’m dead scared.”
He stroked my hair. “Those tweets will be disappearing soon.”
“What? How?”
“I have a tame hacker team. I’ll get them onto it.”
“Wow!” It really knocked me back. Then I was giving him kisses. “Thank you so much!”
I would’ve asked more, but that phone was beeping again. “Lacy?”
“I know. You have to go.”
I got a smile, and then he was off again.
Maybe I should have gone out, chin up, and show the world my strong face, but I sat down and howled. All the nerves and tension came out. Afterwards, I felt better, but my mirror had me wailing in horror.
“Are you going to sit here and feel sorry for yourself?” I asked my reflection. Thankfully, I found my backbone. It took me an ice pack and an hour to repair the damage, but with that and some super dramatic makeup, I was ready. A quick glance at my Twitter feed gave me a boost: the posts were disappearing. One vanished right before my eyes.
Blessing Rex, I went straight out and ran slap into Viper, standing on the kitchen doorstep. “Rex says I’m to make sure the Horde don’t mess with you.” That cheered me up, Rex did care a little, but Viper was pretty cold, so much so that he didn’t even look me in the eye.
It bothered because I liked him. “Rex and I are friends now,” I told him.
“He’s a good man,” Viper reposted.
“Meaning I’m a cow?”
Viper just shrugged. “Blackmail’s ugly.”
“I was forced into that,” I reminded him. “I needed him
to help me.”
“You could’ve asked someone else.”
“No,” I corrected him. “I would’ve had the crap beaten out of me.”
Viper still wasn’t getting it. “So? By all accounts, you like it rough.”
“Are you fucking insane?” I let him have it. “You think a friendly spanking in the bedroom is the same as having your frigging ribs broken?”
“No, of course not,” Viper snapped.
“Then what? I deserve it because you think I’m a slut?”
“I don’t think that,” he protested. “At least, you’re not as big a slut as Rex.”
“Considering he fucks for England, that’s probably true.”
Viper grinned, and suddenly we were friends again. “Did your ex really put the Horde on you?”
“Yes.”
He sighed. “Then I do get it. The Horde are a bunch of freaking nutjobs.”
“Thanks.” Honestly, it was a relief. I liked Viper; he was a decent bloke.
Viper frowned, “This Barrows, what’s he like?”
“The soul of an artist and a scum bucket centre.”
“Never mind,” Viper said comfortably. “We’ll fix them.”
I decided to be positive and believe him. After all, the Disciples had serious clout. “Great. Well, let’s go have some fun.”
It wasn’t easy, but I went out and partied like a queen.
“Those awful tweets? Yeah, some hacker arsehole is trying to ruin me. I’m ignoring it.”
“Pooh, girls like me are always being trolled. Hey, shall we follow each other in Instagram?”
The only sticky bit was running into Inspector Harding. “I might have known you’d end up here.” His disgust as he glanced at Viper was patent. This man was definitely not in cahoots with the Disciples. “I want a word with you.”
“But I don’t want to talk to you,” I clapped back.
“You can’t refuse.”
“Sod off.” I was annoyed.
“Actually,” Viper was speaking up. “She can refuse to talk to you.” That sounded good, but then he added. “You can arrest her, of course.”
“Viper!”
“I’m just saying,” he defended himself. “Anyway, he wouldn’t dare, would you, Harding? Rex would have you busted down to the ranks if you caused trouble here.”
From the tide of red, Viper was spot on. But Harding wasn’t giving up. He stepped up close and whispered, “You’re screwing Rex, aren’t you? I’ll make a deal with you. Get the dirt on the Disciples, and I’ll make all your troubles go away.”
I shoved him away. “Get lost.”
“I can make life very difficult for you,” Harding warned me.
“Go ahead! But I’m not telling you a thing about Rex!”
Viper was on it like a flash. “He wants you to spy on Rex? That’s low, Harding. Real low.”
Harding didn’t bother to reply. He just vanished into the crowd.
“I guess you did make up,” Viper grinned. “You weren’t even tempted?”
“What? You think I’m a snitch?” I was furious. “What kind of girl do you think I am?”
“You did blackmail Rex.”
“Oh. Right. Well, that was different.” And then, suddenly, I realised I was shattered. To my surprise, it was almost two in the morning. “Viper, I need some shuteye.”
“I’m good at cuddling.”
I had to laugh. “I’m truly forgiven?”
Viper nodded. “The way you handled Harding? Absolutely.” He looked around the diehard fans, begging the band on stage for another encore. “You know what? I didn’t realise how much work goes into your job. You’re as good at working the crowd as Rex. I’m impressed.”
Beside the main stage, the signature burnished hair shone in the lamplight. Rex was nose to nose with a brunette who, by the way she was rubbing her enormous tits against his chest, was after him. She was pretty too. As she put her arms around his neck, smiling up at him, a group of wildly dancing fans surged by them. When they moved on, Rex and the girl had disappeared.
Suddenly depressed, I turned to Viper. “Thanks for hanging with me.”
“It was a pleasure.” He grinned at me, and I suddenly saw that underneath the goofiness, he was a good-looking bloke. “Come on. I’ll walk you inside.”
“It’s only a few steps.”
“Rex gave me strict orders. I’m not to leave your side.”
So he did care, at least a little. “He said that? Really?”
Viper put a friendly arm around my shoulders. “Yes, he did. So, despite everything you like him, huh?”
I was too wound up to be cautious because I was blabbing, “I hated blackmailing Rex,” as we walked around the side of the big house. Pushing open the kitchen door, I was still wittering, “And honestly, I wouldn’t have snitched. Not in a million years. I was way too grateful to dump him in it.”
“Is that so?” Rex was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. “What are you grateful for?”
“Erm, nothing.” I was focused on the fact that he was alone. “Where’s the brunette with the big knockers?”
“Kimberley? Hopefully, she’s found another neck to hang from,” Rex said indifferently. “But what’s this about not snitching?”
“Harding asked her to spy on you, and she told him to sod off,” Viper was in total share mode. “She said she’s grateful to you. She was jealous too when we saw you getting off with Kimberley.”
“Oh,” Rex said surprised.
“I think she fancies you,” Viper underlined his point of view.
“Right.”
“She turned me down.”
“Amazing.”
“I thought so,” Viper grinned. “Anyway, it’s late.”
“Yes, thanks for watching Lacy. I appreciate it.”
“No problem.” Viper ran his fingers through his hair and headed for the door. “I’m going to console Kimberley.”
As he exited, the music blasting swiftly through the room, Rex frowned, “What exactly were you grateful for?”
I didn’t want to go there. “I don’t remember.”
“But that makes no sense,” Rex pushed. “I never thought to ask, what the hell were you doing at Goxhill anyway? There’s nothing there but a bombed-out hanger.”
“Reynolds -” I clammed up quickly as I didn’t want to go there. “I don’t remember.” But all those memories were flooding back. I must have been exhausted because I was teary. “I forget.” But I was shaking too. “Look, I’m wiped.”
Rex put it together. I saw the knowledge click into place. “Oh hell,” he sighed. “That fucking bastard. He brought you there and raped you.”
“Yes,” I was trying not to cry. “So you see, I was g-grateful when you killed him. It was like k-k-karma.” And then I was howling, “I wouldn’t have blackmailed you, but I was terrified it would happen again!”
“Oh hell,” Rex sighed, and then he was sweeping me into his arms. “You should have told me,” he growled. “Bastard!”
For the second time that day, I wept. But this time I had Rex’s rocklike support. “Sorry,” I sniffed. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“You’ve had a shitty time, and it’s all my fault,” Rex said. He was hugging me, stroking my hair. “That stops now. We’ll sit down, talk, and then I’m going to fix everything.”
I’m independent, a feminist, but I was hanging around his neck, totally watery. “Really? You mean it?”
“Yes, I’m sorry. I was a complete arsehole.”
“Me too,” I confessed. “I was a total bitch.”
Rex was smiling. “Friends? For real?”
“Yes, please.” I wiped my eyes, certain I was spreading my mascara into panda eyes. “I must look like hell.”
He produced a hanky, a real one, made from the softest cotton, and wiped my eyes. “You look sweet.”
“Liar.” But I did feel better.
“Would I lie to the girl who told Harding
to fuck off?”
“He deserved it, the minging shit.”
“Don’t hold back. Say what you feel!” Rex laughed. Then, holding me close, and brushing back my hair with careful hands, “Were you really jealous?”
I wasn’t going to throw myself at him. “Pooh, no way.”
“Ha! You were!” Rex crowed. He took my hand and tugged me to the stairs. “Come on, let’s go to bed.”
Chapter Ten
Rex
“If you want this to stop,” I belted him in the belly, “tell me” another thump, “where” bash, “you” bash, “got” bash, “them.”
He’d thrown up twice, and he wasn’t standing up anymore, but as he was a skinny runt, it was easy to hold him up by the collar. Mind you, I was pissed off enough to lift two of him. The runt had been selling fake tickets.
“Well?” I whacked him once more.
“I think he’s passed out,” Crush said.
“Fuck! Already?” I gave him a shake and saw a glimmer of fear in his rapidly swelling eyes. “Nope, we’re good to go.”
“W-w-wait!” The runt couldn’t take it anymore. “The Green Knight. I got them at the Green Knight! In Lincoln!”
“Thanks.” I whacked him again, right in the kisser. “Don’t” whack, “come” whack, “back.”
“He didn’t get that,” Crush observed. “He’s out again.”
I dropped the runt and kicked him in the ribs. “I think he’ll understand.”
Crush was counting. “There’s seven hundred quid in his back pocket and fifty-four tickets.”
That earned the runt another kick. He landed in the ditch, and good riddance too. We were in the little wood, just half a mile from the beach, so he’d have a long walk when he came to.
“Give me those tickets.” We rode back, enjoying the twists and turns of the quiet country lanes. Going through the gate, I handed them to Fred. “Sell these.”
Crush chuckled. “Seriously?”
“We deserve the extra, seeing we’ve got fucking Pig turning up.”
“He owns the Green Knight.”
“I know.”
“We can’t retaliate. We can’t go to war just yet.”
