‘More than I care to mention, fella. But no harm done, huh?’ He looked down at Kenny’s bare legs and his running gear. ‘You out for a little light exercise?’
‘Yeah,’ answered Kenny, kicking his legs out to keep them warm and then changed the subject. ‘Didn’t you realise that there was a hotel just down the road?’ Kenny gestured behind him with his thumb.
‘They’re full, man. I arrived fairly late yesterday. Just a spur-of-the-moment thing. Thought I would get in some fishing.’ He looked over his shoulder at the loch. Kenny followed his line of vision to see just through the trees and ten yards down the lochside that there was a small beach. A couple of men were already thigh deep in the water, their lines cast.
‘You going far?’ the man asked.
‘Nah,’ answered Kenny. ‘Another half hour.’ He gave each leg a little kick, took a deep breath and turned away. He waved over his shoulder at the tourist. Paused, smiled and said, ‘Have a nice day.’
He was still chuckling to himself five minutes later.
Ten minutes later he arrived in Balquhidder and thought again about the tourist guy. Pretty nondescript. He’d have trouble picking him out of a police line-up.
16
Mason Budge pursed his lips as he considered the sport of fishing. The nearest he wanted to come to a fish was when it was served up with a nice garlic sauce. The thought of standing in cold water up to his balls for hours on end just did not appeal.
Placing his hands on his lower back he arched out his spine. And groaned. Jeez, it was great to get out of that car. What a horrible night. He hated the dark out here in the country and because it had been a cloudy night it had gotten really dark. He shuddered. Man, the countryside was messed up. Nature could go and fuck itself for all he cared. All those noises. All those critters scrabbling about in the dirt; heavens only knew what diseases they could pass on.
If you asked him, that was where AIDS came from right there. Some fucker went camping and caught it and then infected the rest of the world. Gay plague, my ass, he thought and grinned at his unintentional joke. Them right-wing scientists couldn’t work out where the disease came from and thought, I know, I hate gays, let’s blame them.
As for those midges. Man, it was a wonder anyone stayed outside the cities in this country. Nasty little fuckers. He had gone for a little walk before dark, going for a little recon, and got bitten on every available piece of skin. He’d raced back to the car and blessed its airtight seals for the rest of the night.
It was the army he turned to when his gramps’ money ran out. He thought about going back for more but realised that was a waste of time. Best to find a way to hurt people and get paid for it. The Canadian army welcomed him with open arms and then when it realised he had a knack for it they moved him to Special Ops and from there to NATO’s peacekeeping corps. Peacekeeping, my ass.
He had a ball.
At first.
Before Bosnia, he could pretty much take on anything; after a week in a basement waiting out a sniper, with a dead colleague at his side, he developed issues.
Budge looked back down the road at the runner. Good set of shoulders on him and an easy stride pattern that was eating up the road. What a dick, thought Budge. Who could be bothered? The army tried to beat a love of exercise into him. Didn’t work.
Fortunately, he was naturally fit. A few press-ups and sit-ups here and there was enough for him. Also, his job was physical. Beating up people on a regular basis tended to keep him healthy and strong, he thought with a grin.
He sat back in the car, turned on the engine and wondered how far on the runner was. Thought about the shape of him as he vanished into the distance. They were of a similar height and weight. A thought occurred to him. Might be interesting to find out if they were the same size all over.
No point in coming all the way out here without having a little fun now, was there?
17
Kenny loved the sensation of having an endless source of energy in his thighs. That’s what keeping fit did for him. A night of no-conscience shagging, followed by a deep sleep, followed by a run: life just didn’t get any better. He gave a wee skip when he reached the red telephone box at the village hall – laughed at himself – and considered going on till the A84. He could feel the power in his legs, the evenness of his breathing and the hormones feeding his system. Felt like he could go on forever.
Then he thought about Alexis lying in the hotel bed, the softness of her skin and her words hot in his ear last night urging him on to bigger effort. He felt a stirring. Stopped and turned. He could go for a run any morning.
Back at the hotel, a wink to Davie behind the reception desk and he was up the stairs to his room three at a time. He opened the door and slid in. The curtains were still shut but enough light came in the door behind him to see that an Alexis-shaped bump still warmed the sheets.
He considered jumping in beside her. Right, and a smelly, sweaty body was going to receive a welcome. He shucked off his clothes and walked over to the bathroom. The shower was hot and brisk. His groin tingling with anticipation as he soaped himself clean of his efforts.
A quick rub-down with a towel and he was ready.
He lifted up the quilt and slid in behind Alexis. She made a happy little mewling sound as he put an arm round her.
A moan as he slid deep inside her.
‘O’Neill,’ she said with a husky voice, ‘you’re an animal.’
Kenny felt his breath shorten as he moved in and out. The feeling was delicious. He savoured her heat and wetness as he slowed down his movements. He groaned. She was so wet. She was always quick to respond to him, but not this quick.
‘Mmm, yes, Kenny. This is so nice.’
Kenny closed his eyes and stopped moving. He didn’t want to come just yet.
Alexis had a chuckle in her voice. ‘You’d think once in the morning would be enough for you.’
Her words didn’t register for a moment as he began to slowly move.
Then he stopped.
‘What do you mean, “once in the morning”?’
Alexis laughed and he could hear her head move on the pillow as she turned to face him. ‘You animal.’ She laughed again. ‘You just had your way with me minutes ago.’
Kenny sat up. ‘What do you mean, “minutes ago”?’ He reached across her to the bedroom lamp. ‘I’m just back from a run. You sure you weren’t dreaming about me? Again.’
‘Again, my backside,’ Alexis said and pushed at his chest. Her smile faltered on her face as she read the look on his face. ‘Kenny O’Neill, you are a horror.’ From her expression she expected him to admit he was teasing her. ‘Stop kidding me on.’
‘I’m not kidding, Alexis. Look.’ He pointed to his running gear in a damp slump by the bathroom door. He gripped her arm, suddenly anxious. ‘Tell me. Did you think you had sex with me already this morning, or were you dreaming?’
Alexis was staring at his running clothes as she tried to work out just what had happened.
‘I can still feel you. Inside me,’ she said. ‘I was still half asleep. At the start. It wasn’t a dream.’ Her head moved slightly. ‘And where did those flowers come from?’
‘What...?’ Kenny followed her line of sight and saw a large bunch of flowers on the floor by the door. ‘Where the fuck did they come from?’
‘Oh my god. Ohmyfuckinggod.’ Alexis brought her knees up to her chest, her face tight with horror. ‘Someone came in here and...’
‘Alexis.’ Kenny reached for her.
She jumped up as if burned. ‘Get your fucking hands off me.’ She stood, her hands over her breasts. ‘What the fuck is going on?’
Her face stretched in horror as her mind replayed recent events. ‘You... he... someone was behind me. He just slid in a little...’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘Didn’t last long. I thought... Kenny, what happened?’
&
nbsp; ‘Fucked if I know,’ said Kenny, grabbing his jeans. ‘But I’m about to find out.’
He dressed in record time and ran down to the reception. Davie looked up from his computer terminal. He instantly read the anger on Kenny’s face.
‘Has something gone wrong, sir?’
‘Apart from your guests, has anyone else come in the hotel this morning?’
‘Just the usual deliveries, sir. Oh, and did madam like the flowers you ordered for her?’
‘What flowers?’
‘There was a man. He... he... he turned up not long after you went out for your run. Said he was making a delivery. Asked for the room number for the couple...’
‘Did you not think it was a bit fucking unusual for a flower delivery at six-thirty on a Sunday morning?’
‘I... eh... is something wrong with the flowers, sir?’
‘It’s more with the delivery!’ Kenny shouted. He paused and his head shot round to the front door. He had seen those flowers before. He walked out the door, noticed one of the urns was empty. Davie appeared at his shoulder.
‘Ooh.’ He blanched.
Kenny brushed past him and ran back up to the room. Alexis was dressed and was throwing her things back into her overnight bag.
‘Take me home, Kenny. Take me home now.’
‘Alexis, what the fuck is going on?’
She had been crying, her eyes were puffy and her bottom lip was trembling.
‘Alexis.’ Kenny tried to force some composure into his voice. ‘Tell me what happened. Tell me everything.’
‘I... I was half asleep, you know, and then... you…’ – disgust framed her face –‘...whoever the fuck it was slid across the bed. He... fucked me. I fell asleep again and next thing I know you... you were inside me and...’ Her face lengthened in grief. ‘I’ve been... again.’ She tore at her clothes. ‘I need a shower. I need to clean myself. I need...’
Kenny strode over to her and gripped her arms, thinking about the guy in the Blue Yaris.
‘Can you describe him?’
‘One, I don’t have eyes in the back of my head. And two, even if I did the room was dark.’ Alexis fought to get her arms free from Kenny. Such was the force of her movement that when Kenny let go her fist connected with his cheekbone.
He rubbed at it. ‘Fuck.’
‘Wish I could do that to the bastard who...’ Alexis turned and started to unbutton her cardigan as she walked towards the bathroom. ‘I need to shower.’
‘No.’ Kenny caught up with her. ‘Did the guy...?’ He made a face.
‘Yes, he came, Kenny, but his junk will be mixed up with yours and besides...’
‘On this occasion you are not a hooker,’ said Kenny, knowing where she was going with this. ‘You’re here with your boyfriend and you’ve been violated. The police have to listen to you.’
‘You think I’m going to the police?’ Alexis was leaning forward, one arm out of her sleeve. ‘I’ll deal with this in my own way.’ She stood in front of a mirror and put her arm back in the sleeve. ‘Occupational hazard, don’t you know.’ Her eyes were full of loathing. Whether for herself, or for the man who had done this to her, Kenny had no idea.
‘But the man, whoever he was, had no idea you were a hooker...’ He tailed off as the implications of what she said hit home. ‘You know this man?’
‘I told you before, Kenny. It was dark. It was just another cock.’ She spat the words out.
That part of his ego that was always wondering how Alexis felt about him got its answer. He was just another cock. Just another customer. He put it to the side for the moment. There was much more important issues at play here than his male pride.
This was no accident, he was sure of it, and if Alexis didn’t know who had raped her, she knew why.
‘What aren’t you telling me, Alexis?’
‘Fuck you, O’Neill.’
‘You either know this guy, or you know why you were targeted. C’mon, tell me.’ Kenny only realised that he was gripping her arms again when she shrugged him off. He automatically moved back out of her reach in case another fist connected with his face.
‘Take me home, Kenny. Please,’ said Alexis as she slumped to the floor on her knees.
There was a knock at the door and Davie’s face appeared. Then he stepped into the room, tugging at his sleeves and all but shrinking with every step he took. ‘I’m sorry, Mr and Mrs O’Neill, the hotel management would like to know what they can do to...’ He tailed off as he wondered what exactly had gone on and how on earth they could compensate. ‘There will of course be no charge for your stay and I have written down the number of the local police station...’
‘There will be no police.’ Alexis managed to get back to her feet, stepped forward and pulled the paper from the man’s hand. ‘Nothing happened...’ – she looked at his badge and offered him a thousand-watt smile – ‘…Davie.’ Davie almost buckled at the knees. ‘There is no need either to tear up our bill, we are happy to pay.’
‘Are we fuck,’ roared Kenny. ‘This fuckwit gave a bogus flower delivery man our room number and...’
‘Kenny,’ Alexis said firmly, ‘if you want this relationship to continue, you will do as I say.’ She squared her shoulders and turned to face Davie. ‘We have to go back to Glasgow. A business emergency of sorts. Please prepare our bill.’ Again with the smile and Davie was mallow.
‘Yes, of course, Mrs O’Neill.’ With a furtive look at Kenny, Davie fled the room.
‘If you think...’ Kenny began.
‘Kenny, I’m not arguing with you,’ said Alexis, her face showing all the expression of a mime’s mask. ‘We are leaving now and we will speak of this no more.’
‘Yeah, that’ll be fucking right,’ he replied. Alexis raised her eyebrows, but her eyes shone with tears betraying the fact that her hard-fought control was moments away from being lost again. Kenny swallowed what he was going to say next and thought, give it a couple of days and if she doesn’t explain what the fuck is going on, there will be no deal.
They gathered their belongings and flung them without any care in their respective bags. Alexis left the room before Kenny was finished packing. His eyes followed her out of the room and he read fragile defiance in every step she took. What strength it took to do so he had no idea, but he had never admired anyone more than he did in that moment.
At reception Kenny ignored the middle-aged couple who were about to step up to the desk.
‘Davie,’ Kenny said and nodded to the side.
Davie excused himself with the couple and walked to the side of the desk. He stepped to where he might have with a ‘normal’ customer, took one look at Kenny’s face and took a step back.
‘Describe the flower guy,’ Kenny said. It was not a request.
‘He was about your height.’ Davie screwed up his face as he thought. ‘Lean. A bit of muscle on him. Cropped hair, army style.’
‘Face, race, colouring?’
‘White, average,’ Davie said hesitantly. ‘You know, to be honest, if I had to pick him out of a police line-up I don’t think I could.’
Kenny said nothing. He had thought exactly the same thing.
He looked at Davie, who seemed to shrink under his gaze. He threw a card at him. ‘Anything else occurs to you, you phone me, okay?’
‘Okay, sir. I’ll do that.’ The relief that his ordeal by Kenny was almost over was palpable.
‘As for your bill,’ said Kenny, ‘you can shove it up your arse.’
The male customer at the far side of the desk opened his mouth as if to complain at Kenny’s language. At the intake of his breath Kenny turned to face him. Reading Kenny’s face, the man stopped as if the words were stuck in his throat like a bone.
18
Kenny needed to kick ass. He sent a text to his cousin, Ian.
You
want to meet down the gym?
Half an hour later he got a reply.
Busy, dude. Got me some chill-out stuff, if you know what I mean. Another time?
Kenny did know what he meant. Other than alcohol he had never been tempted by drugs. He was too afraid of losing control. With alcohol he knew where he stood, but with drugs there was always a chance they contained an unknown substance. Fuck that for a carry on. Mug’s game. However, on this occasion he could almost see the attraction. Wouldn’t it be nice to just give up his worries to the weed for a few hours?
Nah.
The worries would still be there when the shit wore off.
He considered his options. There was the drive around town until a road-rager ran into him option. Or he could go down to The Hut. This was actually a hut – well, two or three large huts nailed together and just this side of health and safety safe. It was called King’s Gym, although everyone who used it preferred ‘The Hut’ and it was a Mixed Martial Arts gym where some of his bouncers trained. Monday night was a free night. Guys often turned up to see if there was someone available to spar.
An hour later he was in his shorts and vest and a guy just shy of seven feet tall was rubbing his face in the mat. He reached back for a pressure point but the other man – ‘Shug’ was the only word to be issued from his thick, rubber hose lips before the sparring began – managed to move out of reach.
Kenny shifted. Brought his hips up and his head down at the same time. Managed to move onto his back, but it was only a moment’s respite before Shug’s forearm was across his throat and Kenny was wondering about the wisdom of this visit. His skills weren’t suitable for this kind of fighting. Once it got down on the ground he lacked the moves to get himself free from his opponent if he was pinned.
A grappler he was not.
Shug kept his centre of gravity low and his weight over Kenny’s chest. His vision started to spark. It was only a wee sparring match. He should tap out, but he was fucked if he was giving in. His breathing, already laboured before he got into this position, was getting shorter. He couldn’t fill his lungs. His feet scrabbled for purchase on the mat. He punched at Shug’s kidney area and it had all the effect of hitting the man with a bath sponge.
Beyond the Rage Page 9
