Ryan’s heart sank when Rachel released a heavy sigh and hung her head, watching anxiously as she scribbled something down on the notepad they kept next to the phone.
“What is it?” he said, secretly sneaking some fish to Teddy, who was crouched under the table.
“That was Billy. He’s found Teddy’s owner.”
Ryan froze, surprised by how hard the news was hitting him. Beneath the table Teddy nudged his hand in thanks with his fuzzy wet nose.
“He can’t go,” said Leah. “This is his home now, he’s happy.”
“I understand sweetie,” said Rachel. “We’d love to keep him but think how much his owner will be missing him. It’s not fair to keep him when he has a home already.”
Leah shot to her feet, tears in her eyes. “It’s not fair,” she yelled before running out of the room and storming upstairs.
Ryan didn’t tell her off, he felt like doing the same thing himself.
“The owner said he can meet you in an hour, he’s only in in Ashburton. Best not drag it out,” Rachel told him. “The sooner he leaves the sooner the kids can get over it.”
“Yes, of course,” said Ryan as Teddy gave his hand a full on rub with his face. “I’ll do it now.”
Rachel watched her husband slink out of the room to fetch the cat carrier, looking miserable.
Ryan arrived at the arranged meeting point on a supermarket car park which, as it was late evening, was deserted. He sat in the car, Teddy in his carrier on the car seat beside him, staring at him accusingly.
“Look, I’m sorry,” said Ryan. “If I had my way you’d stay with us but you need to go home to your real owner.”
Teddy just continued to stare.
Ryan threw his hands in the air. “What do you expect me to do? I can’t abduct you. You need to go home.”
Teddy gave him a haughty look before sticking his nose in the air and turning his back on him.
“Fine, have it your own way,” said Ryan, folding his arms across his chest. He sighed and shook his head. “Listen to me, having an argument with a cat.”
When a red Hyundai pulled into the parking lot Ryan flung his door open, walked round to the passenger side and took out Teddy in his carrier, cringing when he let up a mournful meow.
“I’ve no choice,” Ryan furtively whispered to him before the driver’s door of the other car opened.
“Mr Law?” called the man.
Ryan turned, clutching Teddy’s carrier, feeling his jaw go tense with anger. He didn’t want to relinquish the cat but it wasn’t this man’s fault. “Yes,” he replied, forcing a pleasant smile. “You must be Ian?”
“I am.” The man grinned at Teddy. “There he is, the little bugger.” He extended his hand out to Ryan. “Thanks. I’ve been really worried. This guy’s been with me for three years. I was lost without him.”
Right then Ryan knew he was doing the right thing. “He’s perfectly alright, he’s been well taken care of.”
“So I can see,” said the man, taking the carrier from him, Ryan having to force himself to release it.
Teddy stared at him through the gaps in the door accusingly.
“Well, thanks,” said Ian, shaking Ryan’s hand again before heading back to his car.
Ryan sighed and kicked at a pebble on the ground. Rachel had suggested getting another cat to fill the gap Teddy would leave but he was irreplaceable.
Just before he climbed into the car instinct told Ryan to look back and he was horrified to see the man shaking Teddy in his carrier and swearing at him as he placed him in the car.
“Stupid bastard cat,” he heard him snarl at Teddy, who was crouched at the far end of the carrier, hissing and growling. “You’re going to get a battering when you get home, messing me about like that. Thought you could get away, didn’t you? But you couldn’t.”
Ryan’s eyes hardened as he marched back over to the car. “Ian?” he called.
The man raised his head, once again looking pleasant, the nastiness hidden away. “Yes?”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“About what?”
“Teddy. He’s coming home with me.”
“You can fuck off, he’s my cat.”
Ryan’s smile was cold. “Not anymore.”
Rachel was surprised when Ryan walked back into the house carrying a very contented Teddy in his arms.
“What happened? Did Ian not show?” she said. “And where’s the carrier?”
“Oh he showed but he was a nasty bastard who started shaking Teddy about and saying he was going to get a beating when he got home.”
“Oh my God,” said Rachel, hand flying to her mouth. “He sounded so nice on the phone.”
“Well he wasn’t and there was no way I was leaving Teddy with him, so he lives here now. Permanently.”
“That’s fine by me,” she replied. “But where’s his carrier?”
“I was forced to leave it behind as I shoved Ian’s head into it and shook it around. I thought he deserved a taste of his own medicine.”
“You did the right thing,” she said, stroking Teddy’s cheek, who was purring away. “And the kids will be made up.”
“Precisely.” Ryan stroked Teddy with a smile. “You know, I was thinking maybe we could put a blanket on the bottom of our bed, for Teddy to sleep on?”
She smiled and kissed him. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
On arrival back in Manchester, Jez went straight home to see his wife and kids. Mikey knew he should do the same but there was someone else he wanted to see first. He just had to know what Jules had decided, especially when Grant told him she was back at the bungalow.
After telling Shane and Mark to go home and get some rest and sending Grant on an errand to make sure they had total privacy, Mikey entered the bungalow, pausing before the office door to take a deep breath before entering, not sure how he’d feel when he saw her.
Jules was sitting in his chair with her feet up on his desk. She slowly rose and they stood there staring at each other, unsure what to say.
“How was your trip?” she asked him, breaking the silence.
“Successful.”
“Thank Christ for that.”
“And thanks for grassing us up to Ryan and Rachel. Me and Jez have both had bollockings off them for going to Glasgow.”
“Sorry about that, it just came out.”
“It’s okay. How was your trip?”
“Good thanks. I got a lot of stuff worked out.”
“You did?” he said, almost afraid to ask.
She nodded. “I’m going to marry Jax.”
Mikey released a sigh and shook his head. “I had a feeling that’s what you’d say.”
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“Is it?” he said, staring at her intently.
“Yes,” she replied, steadily meeting his gaze.
In two strides he was before her, kissing her, Jules enthusiastically responding.
“I love you,” he told her, taking her face in his hands.
“Oh bloody hell Mikey,” she said, wrenching herself free and turning her back on him. “Why did you have to say it?”
“Why not? You already knew.”
“But it’s different hearing it out loud.”
“I want you Jules.”
“I’m well aware of that.”
“I don’t mean that. I mean I want to be with you.”
She turned back round to gape at him. “Have you lost your sodding mind?”
“No. I’ve been driving myself crazy thinking about it but I was only trying to fool myself. I know what I’ve wanted for a while now and it’s not Amber.”
“You’re not serious, this is just a physical thing.”
“No it’s not and we both know it. I want to leave Amber for you.”
“You have a kid together,” she exclaimed.
“It’s not fair for us to stay together for him because it will only make us all miserable.” He took her face i
n his hands again. “You’re the woman I want to be with.”
“We’re cousins, first cousins.”
He shrugged. “I couldn’t give a shit. We’d be fucking amazing together Jules.”
Jules gazed into those sea green eyes of his that were so wide and earnest and full of hope. “I know we would but we’d also be so dangerous together. One reason why I love Jax is…”
“You don’t love him,” he barked.
“Yes I do and one reason why is because I like myself when I’m with him. I’m nicer, softer and that’s what I need to be a good mum. With you I’d be even more on the edge than I usually am.”
“It wouldn’t be like that.”
“One of the first times we were alone together you killed Leighton.”
“That was a mercy killing.”
“After I failed to do it properly. That’s what we’d be like all the time, pushing each other to the extreme and that’s not right, not when we have two kids to think of. Plus how would you feel raising Jared Slattery’s child as your own?”
“I wouldn’t mind,” he said, eyes flickering.
“Course you would but Jax doesn’t have a problem with it.”
“Jax,” he spat.
“Come on, you like and respect him and so you should, he’s a lovely man.”
“You know what you said about why Ryan and Rachel’s marriage works so well? We could have that. Together. With Jax you’d always be keeping secrets from him about your work. With me you’d have total honesty.”
“He knows we can’t share everything and he’s fine with that too. I know you think I’m settling but I’m not. I really do love him and my future lies with him.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
“I’m not.”
“But we love each other.”
“Sometimes that just isn’t enough.”
Mikey released her and turned his back on her as everything he’d finally dared to hope fell away.
Jules didn’t know what to do when he just stood there with his back to her, shoulders heaving. Part of her wanted to go to him, to hold him and do naughty things with him just one last time because she fully intended to be faithful to Jax. It would be a struggle but she was determined to do it.
Unable to resist, she wrapped her arms around his waist. He grabbed onto her hands, gently squeezing them before releasing her.
“You’d better go,” was all he said.
“Okay, if that’s what you want,” she replied, disappointed.
She’d almost reached the door when he changed his mind, grabbed her and pulled her to him. “No, it’s not.”
Mikey kissed her hard, pressing her up against the door, her legs wrapping around his waist. Any guilt about cheating on Amber went right out of his head as he instinctively knew this would be the last time this would happen with Jules.
She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it open, Mikey groaning into her mouth when she ran her hands down his bare chest. He yanked her black hoodied jumper off over her head, thinking he must be dreaming when he saw her breasts encased in a black satin bra. The bra was cast aside too and he dipped his head to kiss her full breasts, lightly running his tongue over one hard pink nipple.
His hands wandered down to the zip of her jeans, every part of him screaming to do it but something stopped him.
“I can’t,” he said, releasing her and stepping away.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I wish I was. Aw Jesus, you’re so gorgeous,” he groaned when she stood there, hands on hips and bare breasted. “But if I have you once I will never be able to let you go, I’ll want it again and again with you and that won’t be good for anyone.”
“But if we do it once we might get it out of our system.”
“No we won’t and we both know it. This is about trying to end something, not start it.”
“I can’t believe you’re turning me down.”
“Jesus Jules, I don’t want to. Can’t you tell?” he said, gesturing to his bulging crotch. “I’ve dreamt of nothing but this ever since we met but I’ve got to think of the future and if that can’t be with you well, I’ve just got to accept that. Starting now. I’d rather imagine what could have been rather than find out and keep wanting more. It would drive me out of my fucking mind. I can’t believe I’m saying this but please, put your clothes back on.”
Jules hesitated as a manic look came into his eyes, as he was almost overwhelmed with desire.
“Fuck,” he yelled, turning his back on her and picking up his shirt.
Jules decided it would be best to dress too. She was disappointed but she knew he was right. If they tasted each other once they wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off each other and her marriage to Jax would be over before it had even begun.
“I suppose you’re right,” she said, pulling on her bra.
“I would have given you the world Jules,” he said, keeping his back to her, afraid he’d weaken if he looked at her.
“I don’t need the world. I just want to feel happy and secure for the first time in my life.”
“Sounds like your shrink talking.”
“She helped me see what I need. From now on we’ve got to keep everything purely professional when we’re at work and just be cousins when we’re not.”
“Agreed. As much as it pains me to say it.” He turned to look at her over his shoulder, eyes smouldering. “You’d better go before I change my mind and fuck you against my door.”
She pulled on her jacket, opened the door and hesitated. “If only I didn’t think we’d be lethal together things might have been different.”
“Don’t give me what-ifs Jules,” he said coldly. “They mean nothing.”
When she’d left, closing the door behind her, Mikey slumped onto the edge of his desk. He’d been sure she would have accepted his offer and fallen into his arms but she’d thrown him over for Jackson Driscoll. It was even more annoying that there was nothing he could ridicule about Jax. Handsome prize winning cage fighters weren’t exactly easy to take the piss out of. Still, he’d treat her well. But the prospect of Jules and Jax’s future happiness did nothing to soothe the disappointment of his own. He was married to Amber and that was that. Maybe he could improve things with his wife, take her away for a romantic weekend, try and rekindle what they’d had when they’d first got together. But she’d been pregnant with Josh then and he was desperately trying to ignore the fact that that had been the attraction.
CHAPTER 26
Hayden had arranged to meet up with Isaac at a busy café on the sea front in Brighton, well away from Kent. They couldn’t risk anyone seeing them and reporting back to the Slatterys. Jared might be down on his luck but he still had friends. The only way either of them would meet was in a busy place with plenty of witnesses. They were hunched over a table together in a corner of the room.
“Glad you could make it,” said Hayden, shaking Isaac’s hand.
“Yeah, you too,” said Isaac.
They both took their seats, not talking business until their order for coffee had been brought over.
“I wasn’t sure you’d call,” said Hayden.
“Don’t talk like that,” said Isaac. “You make it sound like we’re dating.”
The joke worked. Hayden smiled and the tension was broken. “You’d have to buy me more than a coffee.”
“And you’d have to give me a fucking tranquiliser,” said Isaac good naturedly.
“Okay, now we’ve established that we don’t fancy each other can we get down to business?”
“Fine by me. What’s your proposal?”
“Me and Katia aren’t interested in power or running things.”
“Seriously?” said Isaac with a sceptically raised eyebrow.
“Seriously. All we want are the Slatterys dead. You see, Tanya’s got this weird thing for Katia’s boys, Alex and Daniel. We’re sure she’s going to try to take them off her.”
“Why would she do that?
I mean, I know she went bat shit crazy when her daughter died and she’s always been after a replacement but they’re not her blood.”
“Because they’re babies, that’s all she needs. Katia’s paranoid enough about someone taking them from her after Mikey Maguire stole them once.”
“Understandable I suppose.”
“So we need the Slatterys gone. Jared’s a liability, he’s crumbling under the pressure. Tanya’s the one running things now because he can’t cope.”
“And once they’re out of the way what would you want? And don’t give me any crap about nothing because I know you’ve been gathering your own crew about you.”
“For protection against the Slatterys. We’re on borrowed time with them. All me and Katia want is to run our businesses in peace. We could work alongside you, like we do with the Slatterys. You’ve seen my skills, you know I could be useful to you and Katia, well she’s one hell of a businesswoman. Whatever she touches turns to gold. She’s not just got her high class escort agency anymore, she’s branched out into a modelling agency, hospitality. She’s got businesses all over the place, legal businesses that launder a lot of the Slattery’s money. She’s more than willing to do the same for you.”
Isaac’s interest was indeed piqued. He had plenty of illegal businesses but legal ones were seriously lacking, apart from a couple of boozers. This could be very useful to him indeed. “Alright Hayden, you’ve got my interest but the Slatterys would need to be got out of the way first.”
“I’m already all over that. Jared doesn’t trust his own men anymore and Tanya sees that they’re fucking useless. They’re both turning to me and Katia more and more, we often have private meetings with them. It would be so easy for me to take them out.”
“Then why haven’t you done it already?”
“Because Slattery still has friends and I need a strong ally who they wouldn’t dare fuck with.”
“You want protection against any retaliation?”
Hayden nodded. “Everyone knows you’re the next serious contender after the Slatterys. No one would dare touch us if we had your back-up.”
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