by G. Bailey
"I’ll make sure she does," I say, trying to keep the disgust out of my voice. What the hell has Emilia gotten herself into? My brother wouldn't take it well if they found out she has been feeding Arthur details about their lives. I can't say I'm any better. This is all so fucked up.
"Just what I want to hear. You are good at that, aren't you?" Arthur says, grinning at me before watching Emilia with clear interest. "As my good little toy, you can chase her if you want. Just make sure no one sees you, especially not her husband or her mother-in-law."
"Got it," I reply.
"Also, I need you to kill the champion in the cage next week,” he says.
"Consider it done," I automatically reply, even though I know I can't do that. I can't kill Emilia's brother, she would never forgive me...but if I don't, Arthur won't trust me like I need him to do.
"After the fight, I want to show you the vaults. I know you've wanted to see them," Arthur says. Finally, just what I wanted him to tell me. I’m smart enough to know the reason he told me this after demanding I kill Emilia’s brother. If I don’t kill him, then there is no way he’ll show me the vault.
"I'm interested to see if they’re different from the many others you have. I liked the weapons stored in Germany's Cage vault," I finally say, controlling my panic and worry.
"Between you and me, these vaults are the biggest storage I have. They are interesting, very interesting. I want you to look after them when I leave," he tells me like it's a secret. For the last three years, the cops have been telling me the same thing: this is the place they want the passwords to. This is the place that will destroy Arthur forever, and even if it doesn't, my work will make sure he’s gone for good either way.
"I can't wait to see them," I reply, lifting my empty glass at a waitress who passes by us and she nods, running off to get me a drink.
"In the meantime, have some fun in your hometown," Arthur says, patting my shoulder before sliding out his seat and walking off into the crowd. I will have fun in my old town, but not in the way Arthur thinks. I will have fun destroying every bit of The Cage until it can’t ruin anyone else's life ever again.
125 Emilia
"You really should have your hair touched up. Or at least have some highlights added. The harsh black colour washes you out your already pale skin," my darling, asshole mother-in-law suggests. I think this is the twenty-something insults she has come out with since she came over this morning. I look her over, wishing I could be honest and say that I don’t think the fake nose she had recorrected recently looks good on her pulled back, injected face. Her fake tan is too orange, and her blonde hair is too bright. But I’m not a total asshole, so I keep those things to myself as I keep ushering her to the door, wishing she would just leave. I don't know if she means well, or if she just can't help the words that escape her mouth. Parker loves her, and she is good with him, that’s what I make myself remember every time she is here.
"Well, as usual, it was lovely to see you," I say, lying my ass off. Parker shouts my name from the kitchen where I left him eating his dinner that I cooked while he played toys with his grandma. "Right, well I have to go and check him."
"Oh, okay," she says, actually moving quickly to the door now, which is a relief. Thank you, Parker. After I wave goodbye to her, I go into the kitchen where Parker is struggling to get ketchup out of the bottle.
"Here," I say, taking the bottle off him and undoing the lid. I pull the plastic cap off before putting the lid back on and handing it back to him.
"Thanks, mum," he says, pouring a load of ketchup all over his chips and chicken nuggets. And the salad. This kid has ketchup on everything. The doorbell rings again, and I frown, wondering who it could be considering Eric is pretending he has work on a Sunday to escape his mum and me. I go to the front door, pulling it open to see Tilly, Maisy, and Allie.
"Hey guys, I wasn't expecting you all over," I say, running my eyes over their causal appearances and the iPad Tilly has in her hands.
"We came to talk to you and left the kids with their dads," Maisy explains.
"It's called an intervention. I got the idea from this old tv show," Allie fills me in on the real reason they are all here.
"I know what an intervention is," I say, stepping aside. "I'm just curious what it is about."
"Luke," Allie says, winking at me and I let out a little groan as I shut the door behind them all.
"What about Luke?" I ask, almost not wanting to hear the answer.
"Wait, we have to skype Izzy before we have this conversation," Tilly says, walking into the lounge with Allie and Maisy following. I glance in on Parker, seeing him slowly eat as he watches videos of some kid opening toys on his iPad. Parker could watch those videos all day, and I know he’ll come to find me if he needs me. I walk into the lounge and sit on the sofa next to Allie as Tilly rings Izzy on iPad that she’s holding on her lap so we can all see. A few moments later Izzy's face pops into the picture, a pretty beach right behind her, and she already has a tan and a nice glow about her. Lucky girl. Her blonde hair is down, and it almost looks white now as it moves slightly in the warm breeze. I spot Blake in the ocean in the background, looking like he’s having surfing lessons with an instructor.
"Holy crap you look hot!" Allie shouts, and Izzy laughs as does everyone one else. “Lucky Blake!”
"How is your honeymoon?" I ask her.
"Perfect. So damn perfect," Izzy sighs. "But I'm not here to talk about me. Tell us about Luke and you."
"There is no Luke and me," I quickly counter.
"Liar, liar, pants on fire," Allie mutters and elbows me in the side. I look towards the closed door just to double check Parker can’t hear before telling them the kind of truth.
"We kissed yesterday, and he made it clear he isn't going to give up on me. Luke knows I'm not exactly in a happy marriage," I explain to them, and Allie does a little cheer. Maisy, Tilly, and Izzy grin like they already knew. If they knew we kissed at The Cage, they might not be so thrilled.
"Happy? You hate your husband who sleeps with the entire town. Literally," Maisy gently says, showing her dislike for Eric in the tone of her voice. They all hate him and think he is horrible to treat me the way he does. I don't see it in that way, because we don't really have a relationship so I can't expect him to be loyal to anything.
"Maisy has a point. You aren't happy, and there was always something between you and Luke. You clearly had sex at some point to have Parker," Allie says. “Which you’ve never told us, even on our drinking nights! What kind friend are you to let us miss out on this story!”
"You’re so overdramatic,” I tease, and she winks at me. “It was two times. One when I was younger and stupid. My brothers nearly killed Luke for that night.”
"I remember," Izzy says, realization appearing over her eyes. “Maisy was pregnant, and Luke got beaten up outside The Cage. He was in a bad state for a bit.” I remember the night in vivid detail. My oldest brother made his friend hold me as they beat Luke up until his brothers got there and stopped it. I hated Darren for doing that, but he died two weeks later on a job for Arthur. It’s hard to hate the dead, and I knew there was no point to it. I’ve never been extremely close to my brothers as we all grew up apart. We all have different mums. I wish I could speak to my mum about all this, but I haven’t seen or heard from her in five years. If I’m honest with myself, I think she’s dead, and I haven’t had time to process that. I don’t speak to my father anymore, not unless he comes with my mother-in-law to a family party and we exchange words for a moment before I walk away. I can’t forgive him for selling me and my brothers to The Cage. I don’t want him around Parker; he’s a bad influence.
"The second time was after a meal at Harley's. Luke promised he wouldn't leave me. Then he did," I eventually say, and I can see they have all picked up on my sadness with the looks on their faces. I wish I could tell them why thinking of the past makes me this way, but they wouldn’t understand. Tilly knows I work there, but tha
t’s it.
"But Luke is back," Izzy says. “And he looks at you…well, like you’ve never been apart.”
"Yeah, I guess he is back," I mutter, not really understanding why he looks at me differently.
"Then I think you should both try to make a relationship somehow," Maisy says. "It would be good for you. You've been sad and lonely for years, trying to pretend everything is fine for Parker, but it's not enough. You know it is not enough."
"You deserve love, babe," Allie says, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "You're a good person." I hate that none of the people in this room actually know the truth and I'm not a good person at all. I spy on them for Allie's dad. I send him photos, information, and anything else he asks for. I strip dance every weekend, teasing men with my body and losing a little bit of my soul each and every time.
"I don't deserve him," I say, pushing up off the sofa and walking to the door. "I never did." None of them says anything as I walk out, heading straight for my son because he is the only good thing in my life. He always was.
126 Luke
"You look, well, smartly dressed for a playdate," Harley points out as I come down the stairs and look down at my suit. Yeah, it might be a bit too much.
"Parker and Emilia are coming over, and we’re going to tell him everything. It's not a normal playdate, and I have no clue what to wear," I admit. Harley rubs his chin, before putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Parker won't care what you are wearing, but it might impress Emilia," he says, grinning.
"Emilia is married," I reply, leaving out the off-limits rule. Whatever happens between us has to stay quiet, and I won't push her to come to me. I know she isn't happy, and I've spent five years waiting to come home, to claim what is mine. And Emilia is damn well mine. I fucking hate that any other guy thinks he has some kind of claim on her.
"Not happily," Harley replies, moving his hand. "She doesn't look at her husband like the way she looks at you." That’s a small relief, I suppose.
“Before you went away, we found our mum. We all go and see her every Friday for a few hours. She would love to see you,” he says, bringing up a subject I didn’t really want to talk about.
“I don’t know,” I mutter, rubbing the back of my head.
“Dad messed up her head and hurt her. Mum isn’t all there, but she remembers bits. Several times she has asked about her baby Luke. Trust me; you’re angry at a memory of a woman that you think abandoned us. She didn’t leave by choice. Come and see her, Luke,” he asks me. I want to see her; I’m just scared all those feelings of hate for the mum that left me as a baby will come back. Harley says she didn’t leave by choice, but in some dark, twisted way, I know she shouldn’t have had me. Having more children with that lunatic was a bad thing to do.
“I will,” I say, knowing it’s going to be hard to see her at all.
"Daddy!" Hope shouts from the kitchen and Harley nods his head for me to follow him as he walks into the kitchen to where hope is sitting on the countertop, a chocolate bar in her hand and a cheeky grin on her lips.
"Did Mummy say you could have that?" Harley asks and Hope shrugs her shoulders, holding onto the chocolate bar for dear life.
"Mummy said no chocolate before lunch, but I wanted it," she cheekily replies, putting these puppy dog eyes on that anyone would have trouble saying no to.
"Right then Miss Hope, that means you can't have it," Harley says, putting his hand out for the chocolate bar when he gets to her, and she reluctantly places it in his open hand, rolling her eyes as she does.
"Daddy!" Hope giggles as Harley picks her up off the counter, ticking her as he does and carrying her past me as he hangs her upside down.
"Good luck. Parker loves the treehouse. Just a hint," Harley tells me before leaving the room with Hope giggling the whole time. I pace around the kitchen, aimlessly cleaning the sides and placing dirty dishes and glasses in the dishwasher until I hear a car pulling up. I rest my hands on the counter for a moment, knowing this day is beyond important. I never wanted to be a father, not with how my own father brought us up. The games, the torture and the intense amount of pain he gave us like gifts was no way to live. Then I saw how Sebastian was with Jake, and how a father should be around their children. I don't know how to be a father, or if Parker will even accept me as his after all this time, but I have to try. I can't give up on him, and I don't want to. I walk to the door and pull it open, stepping out onto the doorstep as Emilia climbs out of the bright yellow mini she is driving. Interesting choice of car. She smiles at me, almost nervously but I can see the panic in her eyes. She’s scared of how Parker will take this news, and I don't blame her. It's a lot for a kid his age to take in. Emilia walks around the car and opens Parker's door before leaning in and undoing his car seat, I imagine. I take the time to run my eyes over Emilia's tight, high waisted denim jeans, and a thin black top tucked into them. She has these amazing black boots on that stretch to her knees and add an inch to her height. Parker climbs out the car with Emilia's help and frowns when he sees me. He always seems to frown when he sees me.
"Why are we here, Mum?" Parker asks Emilia as she shuts the door and takes Parker's hand, leading him over to us.
"To see Luke. I explained we’re going to hang out with Luke today," she kindly tells him.
"But why?" Parker asks, flashing another frown in my direction.
"Hey Parker," I interject, crouching down to his level and offering him my hand to shake.
"Kids don't shake hands with strangers. My dad taught me that," he says, lifting his chin and I try to swallow the defensive feeling I get in my gut that my son calls someone else dad. I have to accept that in Parker's mind, his dad brought him up and I am nothing to him…yet. I hope one day he will feel like I'm his dad, but it will take time. A lot of time.
"I'm not a stranger though," I counter, and Parker clearly thinks about it for a moment before lifting his tiny hand into mine, and I gently shake it before letting go. "Uncle Harley told me you like the treehouse in the garden, but I've not been in it for years. Not since I was a little kid. Want to show it to me?"
"Okay," he warily says, walking past me and Emilia gives me a shaky smile as I step aside for her to walk in. I can't help but run my hand against hers as she passes me, the little contact making me want to be closer to her even more. Emilia has this addictive, sexy as hell personality and connection to me that I can't explain. I know it's something special, something worth fighting all the odds for. Our kiss in The Cage is branded into my head because she tastes better than I remember, and I want more. I’ll always want more. I hear Emilia suck in a deep breath as our hands touch and I know it isn't just me that is feeling this.
"I didn't bring a coat," Emilia says when we walk through the house and pauses. "I could go and ask Tilly if I could borrow one."
"Here, take my jacket," I say, sliding my jacket off my shoulders and handing it to her. She blushes as she accepts my jacket and we both get stuck in each other's gaze until we hear Parker open the back door. I turn away from Emilia, knowing I need to somehow find a way to focus on Parker and not Emilia today.
"Are you ready for this? There is no going back once we tell him," Emilia warns as Parker runs across the garden and towards the treehouse.
"I've spent five years fighting, being used and doing everything to save my future and my family's future, and Parker is my family. I am not going anywhere. I'm sure," I reply, wanting to make sure she understands.
"What did Arthur make you do all this time?" she carefully asks me.
"Meet up with me tomorrow night at Elliot's club, and I’ll tell you everything," I tell her. I need a drink and to be alone with Emilia for that story.
"I can't...Eric isn't stupid. He won't let me go out," she replies, rubbing her arms.
"Since when do you let anyone control you, Emilia?" I say, grinning at her as we get to the treehouse. I roll my sleeves up and take my tie off, chucking it on the ground and undoing some buttons on my collar.
I step back once Parker has climbed to the platform like a little spider monkey, before running and jumping, catching the top part of the ladder, and pulling myself onto the platform.
"That was cool," Parker says, his eyes wide.
"So was your climbing skills, spider monkey," I reply, and Parker giggles. His laugh is so sweet; I realise this is the first time I'm hearing my son laugh. That I made him laugh. I spend a creepy amount of time just watching him until he frowns at me, and walks across the treehouse, sitting down inside the main part. Someone has kitted the treehouse out since I was last here. There are big cushions, a fabric door that Parker pushes aside and clips, and it looks like there are a lot of toys in there, too.
"I'm not good at climbing like you guys," Emilia says, and I turn around, trying not to chuckle as she climbs the last step. I reach down, offering her my hand and she lets me pull her up until our chests are pressed together, and I don't want to let go of her hand.
"Thank you," she says, and I grin.
"No problem. I can catch you on the way back down if you want," I offer.
"Depends, are you a good catch? That sure would be a good trust exercise between us," she playfully says. I love seeing her like this, relaxed and laughing with me.
"I'd always catch you, sweetheart," I say, loving the way we can flirt like nothing has changed in all these years. Like we’re still teenagers. It feels like nothing has changed when everything is so different now.
"I know," she whispers, flashing me a sad smile before walking over to Parker. I follow her into the treehouse, where Parker is playing with a truck on the one side, and Emilia goes to sit next to him.
