Betrayal

by Martina Cole

  Jade had heard it before, so many times. She knew that he meant every word he said, but the intelligent thing to do would be to walk away for her own peace of mind. Because Aiden was a complete headcase and he would never change. But, even knowing that, she still couldn’t bring herself to leave. As bad as he was, they had a connection that was as toxic as it was necessary for them both.

  ‘I love you too, Aiden. I never loved anyone until I met you. Now we have our boy, and we have a life together − a good life together. Eric wants us to take over from him, he trusts us as a partnership because we work so well.’

  Aiden could feel his heart rate slowing down at last. The fear that Jade would walk away was gone. He knew she was capable of walking away from him. That she was the stronger of the two. There were times when he hated her – when he wanted to punish her for what he saw as her disloyalty in going to Eric behind his back. Those were the times when he wanted to rub her face in the fact he could have any bird he wanted. But, deep down, his biggest fear was losing her; losing not just the partnership built on real love, but also losing her as his voice of reason. Losing the only person who could tell him he was in the wrong, and who he would listen to. She had introduced him to the world they now controlled. She had shown him how to take advantage of opportunities, and how to use those opportunities to the best advantage. He knew that, without her by his side, he could never have achieved as much as he had. Jade was the person who put all his plans into action; she was the woman who made him feel invincible, who would always have his back. She had proven that even if it rankled. He depended on her much more than he would ever admit.

  As he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, he felt her melting into him. No matter what happened between them they could never resist each other physically.

  Chapter Sixty-Six

  ‘For the love of my life.’

  Jade forced a smile as Aiden bowled in with a huge bunch of flowers. This was his usual way of saying sorry to her for his fucking outrageous disloyalty. For treating her like she was nothing in the grand scheme of things.

  Since the upset with Destiny Smith he had made a point of proving to her that he was some kind of a changed man.

  She took them from him, saying breezily, ‘You keep spoiling me, Aiden! I could get used to this.’

  It was what he wanted to hear, she knew. It was like a game but one she didn’t like playing any more, even though she had no choice if she wanted to keep him by her side. The sex was still amazing − that would never change. They had some kind of animal fucking lust that somehow transcended everything else. But day-to-day they were both aware that they were trying too hard − or, more to the point, Aiden was trying too hard.

  Aiden was watching her intently and she felt as if she was on display. She didn’t know how to react to this new Aiden − they were both on their best behaviour, and it felt wrong, as though they didn’t really understand one another any more, when that had always been their strength. She was pussyfooting round him, spending a lot of her time making him feel good about himself. It was a shame he didn’t return the favour; after all, she was the one who was always left feeling angry and humiliated.

  She made them coffee and as she sat down to drink hers she said brightly, ‘We’re meeting with the Clarks at Treacys in Barking later. It’s close by for all of us and we can talk in peace − I asked Michael to make sure no one sits nearby. More to the point, if it does get a bit aggressive we are surrounded by friends. But I think I can talk them into a good deal, Aiden.’

  Aiden grinned happily, ‘OK, then. I will meet you there, but I think I could talk them into anything that I wanted if the need arose.’

  Jade didn’t answer him; she knew it was pointless.

  He kissed her on the lips. ‘I’m going into the offices in Canary Wharf this morning. I need to sort out the clubs. Patsy is meeting me there, so he will probably be coming to Treacys too.’

  Jade nodded. She had expected as much. ‘That’s fine. I have a few bits to do this morning with Eric. See you later.’

  She waited till he had left the house and then she sat back heavily. She was nervous as fuck; the Clarks were not going to be as amenable as Aiden expected. But it was a deal already brokered by Eric Palmer and, no matter what Aiden might think, it was basically set in stone. Eric Palmer might be taking a step back, but he would not appreciate his word being overlooked. This was his last hurrah, and it would make sure they earned for a long time. Eric Palmer was shrewd enough to know that this was one deal Aiden couldn’t be allowed to broker. Aiden wouldn’t see the long-term benefits. Actually, Aiden wouldn’t see any of the benefits because he didn’t like the Clarks. His biggest fault was he could never see further than his own fucking nose. Eric Palmer had already given them his word so the meeting today was nothing more than lip service. Eric wanted this, and Jade knew she had to ensure that it all went off without a fucking hitch of any kind. Eric’s word was his bond − it had to be, that was the only way they could conduct any kind of real fucking business.

  Although her Aiden’s reputation as a shrewd businessman had grown, his unpredictability, coupled with his knack of finding a slight where there wasn’t one, and his insistence on bringing trouble to people’s doors on a whim, had caused him to lose a lot of his credibility. His violent nature would always cause people to think twice about crossing him, but it also made other people chary of dealing with him − that was what he could never get through his thick fucking skull. Too much, too soon really. He had been given everything by Eric Palmer at such a young age, rather than coming through the ranks like everyone else. He just couldn’t get that the people in the world they lived in had to sometimes swallow their knobs and deal with men and women they would avoid if given the opportunity. That the golden ticket was about getting on with the people you were dealing with.

  Aiden was capable of so much more than anybody realised. He had such a bad attitude that he made himself unpopular, but he could sniff out a deal in seconds and broker it so everyone felt they had gained something. He was as sharp as a fucking tack where money was concerned. But then somewhere along the line, he would nause it all up through abject stupidity. He would suddenly turn away from the guaranteed earn, arguing that he believed there was something untoward occurring when the deal was being done. That he believed there was skulduggery afoot in some way. That he felt slighted and thought he should mention it. He would upset everyone on a whim.

  Jade was expected to straighten all that out, which she would do, of course, making sure that everyone involved was made to feel like they were the only important person. She had a knack for that. Then, when Aiden came down off the drink and the drugs, he would act like a Vestal Virgin.

  Without her interference, Aiden O’Hara would not have the creds he had. Eric Palmer counted on her to keep him on the straight and narrow. Eric Palmer knew that, without her on board, Aiden O’Hara would just destroy everything they had achieved overnight. She was the person that Eric Palmer trusted to keep his earns on an even keel. She was the person who made sure that nothing went wrong. In reality, she made sure that Aiden didn’t fuck up. She did just that because Aiden listened to her. He trusted her.

  But the real problem was, she wasn’t sure that she trusted him any more. That was the fucker of it all. For all the flowers and attention, he was treating her like shit, and she wasn’t a woman who suffered fools gladly. Aiden was flying a bit too close to the wind for her liking. He had fucked her off to such an extent that she could happily stab him, with a large smile on her face. That she had been reduced to helping out his latest paramour so that he didn’t get the chance to violently harm the girl really made her angry. She knew that she was wrong to forgive him every time that he hurt her. If she wasn’t so damaged, she would have had the sense to walk away from him a long time ago. But she couldn’t do that because, no matter what he did, she still loved him.

  Now they were to meet the Clarks and, without her beside him, Aiden would
not have the patience required to bring the meeting to the conclusion expected. Eric Palmer really understood the long-term benefits that the Clarks could bring to the table. Aiden would only see that he didn’t like them, because they were like him − all about the front. Like Aiden, they were forever on their dignity, looking for a slight, angling for a row with anyone they thought wasn’t giving them their due. Well, they didn’t need to be friends. This was business and Jade understood that they could earn a lot of money together. Like Eric Palmer, she was more interested in the earn than in personalities. That was how you garnered money and power. You worked with the people who could best serve your purpose. It was a lesson that Aiden could never understand.

  Well, he would have to rethink all that now, because the Clark brothers were exactly what they needed at this particular time, and they were willing to take the big risk this deal entailed. She only hoped that Aiden had the sense to see that. Because if he didn’t she was more than willing to point it out to him. And not in a good way either.

  Chapter Sixty-Seven

  Eric Palmer was happy with his decision. He had a great crew working for him, and, even though he was taking a big step back, he made sure that everyone who mattered knew that he would be straight back on board should the need arise. He might not be hands on any more, but he was willing to forego all that if he felt in the least mugged off.

  As he sat in Treacys restaurant he wondered how Aiden could be so foolish as to let someone like Destiny Smith bring him so much grief. He had told him as much and he could tell Aiden hadn’t liked that. Eric knew he took criticism badly. For such a clever bastard where work was concerned, Aiden had no sense when it came to women. That was his big weakness, like many a man before him. He didn’t see that women could be the downfall of even the strongest of men, that they were far more dangerous than they appeared. Those women had a different mind-set and were willing to throw caution to the wind when they wanted something bad enough. Aiden was a dangerous fuck, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t one day meet his nemesis and find himself on the receiving end of a situation that he could not control; Eric had seen it so many times in the past. Eventually, everyone came up against a will greater than their own. It was the way of the world.

  Eric stood up smiling easily as Colin and Timmy Clark came into the restaurant.

  They were both imposing, powerful men, who always made an entrance, not just because of their size, but because they were both very loud and very jovial. They were also very good-looking, with thick blond hair, dark blue eyes and fantastic bone structure they had inherited from their mother − a Swedish beauty who had married a huge Irishman, as handsome as he was feckless.

  ‘Good to see you, lads.’

  The Clark boys shook hands with Eric and he was reminded of just how physically strong they were. They might not be the brains of Britain but they were still men you wouldn’t cross without a fucking good reason. They had their creds; if they didn’t, he wouldn’t be dealing with them now.

  ‘You’re looking well for a man about to retire!’ Colin Clark was smiling happily as he sat down at the table.

  ‘Not so much retiring as taking a step back, lads. I will still have an interest in the businesses, of course.’

  Timmy Clark, the younger brother, laughed loudly. ‘Yeah, heard that before. But good on you, mate. As long as you are still our main point of contact we are happy little bunnies!’

  Eric heard the threat and, as he had expected as such, he smiled lazily. He knew that Aiden wasn’t a man you took on lightly, though he had to wonder if the fucker had done his homework.

  ‘As long as you only get in touch with me in emergencies, I’m happy enough, guys.’

  Eric knew that he had told them what they wanted to hear. He could understand that they were not too enamoured of Aiden, though they both liked and respected Jade. But Aiden O’Hara, for all his fucking faults, and they were legion, was still the person who he saw as the only man to take over his position. As long as he had Jade by his side, there was nothing he couldn’t achieve. That was the truth. If these bastards wanted a step up then they had to understand that. He had a feeling that they did, but he wasn’t holding his breath.

  The waiter brought over a very expensive bottle of red wine and they chatted amiably as he poured them a large glass each.

  ‘This is the life, eh? Good wine and the knowledge that we are going to make a fucking big profit. But I warn you, Eric, you have to keep your young puppy in order.’

  Colin was laughing as he spoke but they were aware of the seriousness of his words. It was a warning, and not a very veiled one.

  Eric Palmer was a man with more creds than these cunts could ever hope for. The fact that he was even talking to them at all was a fucking big deal. That Colin thought he could start a conversation with a fucking threat was a joke. Eric wasn’t laughing now. Not even smiling. The Clark brothers were suddenly reminded of why Eric Palmer was at the top of his game, why he had been there for so long.

  Leaning forward in his chair, Eric said nastily, ‘With all fucking respect, boys, you two will be working for me. And I would advise you both to keep that in the forefront of your fucking little minds. I don’t like feeling that I’m being mugged off, or that I’m being threatened by people who I could wipe out on a whim if the fancy took me. Do you two get my fucking drift?’

  The Clark brothers were both immediately apologetic, especially when they saw that the restaurant was empty other than people who clearly worked for Eric.

  ‘Listen, Eric, there was no insult intended. But you have to see our point of view, mate.’

  Eric took a large swallow of his wine before he answered seriously, ‘That puppy you mentioned is my boy. He is who you will be dealing with on a daily basis. He is the man I trust with not only my life, but with all my businesses. A man who I know would eat you two for breakfast, and fart you out two hours later. If you two can’t hack that then you have come to the wrong fucking place.’

  The Clark brothers knew when they were being put in their place. And they also knew that Aiden O’Hara was going to be who they had to deal with. That was their biggest fear, if they were honest. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but they were sensible enough to know that they had tried to push their point of view over, and Eric Palmer had basically told them that they could go and fuck themselves.

  Colin Clark knew when he was beaten. He was a realist, if nothing else. ‘Of course, Eric. If that is your wish then we are obliged to go along with it. No insult intended. We just needed to know the score.’

  Eric grinned. ‘As long as you understand the situation, I’m a happy camper.’

  The lines had been drawn and Eric Palmer had got his point across. He might be stepping back, but he had shown them that he wasn’t about to be treated like a fool. He was stepping back in name only. What could they say to that? The Clark brothers were shrewd enough to know when they should retreat. They had believed that Eric Palmer was taking a big step back and, after what they knew about Aiden and his penchant for a bit of strange, they had thought that they could push for a better deal. It had not worked out for them. They were gutted but they weren’t about to lose any sleep over it. They had tried it on, that was expected. Eric Palmer had put them in their place, and made a point of telling them that he was still a figurehead.

  All in all, Eric Palmer felt that he had paved the way for Jade and Aiden. He trusted them to do the job. Whatever happened between them, they were a good working partnership. He had arranged to meet the Clark brothers an hour early so that he could get all the shit out of the way. He had been right to do that. Now the Clarks would think twice before they tried any funny business. Especially as Aiden would not be in the mood for anything that was even remotely irritating.

  Chapter Sixty-Eight

  Colin Clark was not a nice person. He would actually be the first man to admit that. He was more than aware of his limitations. He had a problem with most people around him. He just wasn’t wha
t was called a ‘people person’. He was an antisocial fuck, as the prison psychiatrist had so colourfully explained to anyone who would listen to him. Especially when Colin had nutted him during the course of one of their weekly sessions, something which Colin insisted had just been his natural reaction to their lively banter.

  Colin took that description as a massive compliment and mentioned it whenever he could slip it into a conversation. The psychiatrist had also mentioned that Colin was as cunning as they came, and was the proud possessor of an above-average intelligence. He had also refused to ever see the man again, something else that Colin took as a compliment to his status as a nutbag.

  Colin was a hard fuck to understand, let alone work with. He believed that everyone around him was a complete cunt until they proved themselves otherwise. He was willing to work with anyone, for the simple reason he believed that he could sort out anyone at any time, if the fancy or indeed the need took him. That was his strength in many respects; it helped enormously with the world he lived in and was what had got him as far as he had. He had a reputation for not suffering fools gladly, but he also had a reputation for making sure that anyone who worked alongside him earned. He knew how important that was. People didn’t have to like you − they just needed to trust you. If they fucked up then that was it as far as he was concerned. As long as they didn’t dare to fuck him over, they were in. You didn’t ask people to invest in a business that wasn’t worthy. That was a given. More so because he knew that, without investors, he had no fucking business, anyway.

  That wasn’t to say that he didn’t sometimes cook the books in his favour, obviously, and offered less than he knew he would actually provide. In fact, he was known as a man who could not be trusted one hundred per cent. Not that it bothered him. As far as he was concerned, he provided a decent wage and that was enough for him, and the people he dealt with got a good earn, and it was a fucking good earn. Especially as they were people who he was willing to take a chance on, who he introduced to the world of fucking villainy. Without him they were basically fucked. After all, he wasn’t fucking Woolworths. Everyone he dealt with was on the fucking rob in one way or another.