Jackson concentrated his attentions around Jules’s belly button, feathering her bare abdomen with soft kisses, enjoying the warmth of her body and her fingers idly sliding through his hair. When he’d been inside her, gazing down at her he’d almost started to cry, a first for him. No matter what happened between them, he was just so happy she was alive and here with him.
“Did they treat you badly?” he said.
“Not really, it could have been worse.” She gave him a brief round-up of Jared’s treatment of her.
“You, in pink?” he sniggered.
“I know, hilarious isn’t it. It was really freaky, it proper creeped me out.”
He felt her shudder slightly and slid back up her body to kiss her lips. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just remembering it makes me feel cold.”
He smiled and wrapped himself around her. “Then it’s a good job you’ve got me to keep you warm.” Usually when he got soppy she pulled away from him, but this time she nuzzled into him. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “I’ve got you.”
“I’m glad you’re here Jax. Apart from my brothers you were the first person I wanted to see.” She decided not to mention Mikey, it would only hurt him and that was the last thing she wanted.
Jackson was very pleased, all this was almost unheard of from Jules. He recognised her experiences had altered her. Finally she’d realised she wasn’t alone, that there were people who loved her and who were willing to help. Most importantly, these same people would actually miss her if she were gone. Now she’d realised she had that love and support she was letting her softer feelings come to the fore instead of burying them beneath layers of hate and spikes.
“I had sex with Jared,” she said, casting her eyes down. “Don’t think badly of me, I had to get him to trust me. In the end I didn’t need to, the woman he got to guard me let me out.”
“Why did she do that?”
Jules shrugged. “No idea.”
“I’m not going to judge you Jules, you did what you had to do.”
“Thanks,” she smiled, touching his face. She didn’t tell him that deep down she’d actually liked Jared. It was just such a shame he was even more fucked up than she was.
When Jackson kissed her she smiled into his mouth. She hadn’t liked Jared as much as she liked this man. When she was with Jackson she even forgot about Mikey Maguire.
CHAPTER 40
“Jared,” said Hayden, surprised and dismayed to find him at Katia’s front door. “What can we do for you?”
“Can I come in? We need to talk.”
Hayden looked over his shoulder at Katia wrapped in a robe, who nodded. He stood aside to allow him to enter, trying not to look pissed off. They’d been enjoying some grown-up time together now the twins were asleep and Jared was spoiling it.
“Is something wrong?” Katia said when Jared stood in the centre of the room, staring around him blankly.
“I’ve not heard anything back from the two men I sent to do Ryan and Rachel for you.”
Katia fought not to glance sideways at Hayden, who she could sense was bristling. “What does that mean?”
“I’m assuming Ryan and Rachel killed them.”
Katia had never thought she would be relieved to hear that Ryan and Rachel were still alive but she was now. It proved how quickly Hayden had got under her skin.
“I’ve lost so many men to the fucking Laws and Maguires,” he growled.
“You killed some of theirs too,” she replied. Jared was twitchy, a ball of nerves and anger. Normally she’d be afraid of him but Hayden was here and with him by her side she was frightened of no one.
“Not enough. I wanted them all gone. Not enough,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. “Jules has gone too. I’m all alone.”
“What do you mean gone?” said Hayden, afraid he was going to say she was dead too.
“She escaped,” said Jared sadly. “I miss her.”
When he continued to stare blankly into space Hayden looked to Katia, who shrugged.
“Jared, are you okay?” she said.
He rounded on her and suddenly bellowed, “it’s Irina’s fault, she helped her escape.”
“Irina? She wouldn’t.”
“She did because apparently she loved me,” he said with a snort. “As if I could ever love a whore like that. Well she doesn’t love me anymore.”
Something in his voice made Katia’s stomach drop. “What do you mean?”
His face cracked into a bizarre smile. “She made my Jules leave, so I snapped her neck.”
Katia’s knees went weak. “No, no please.”
Without a word he marched to the front door, leaving Katia to collapse into Hayden’s arms, doing her best not to burst into tears. The only woman she had ever considered a friend had been murdered by this lunatic.
He pulled open the door and said, “bring it in.”
Two of his men hauled a large battered black suitcase through the door and dumped it in the hallway.
“What’s this?” said Hayden, gesturing to the suitcase.
“Rubbish. You sort it,” he snapped before leaving, slamming the door shut behind him.
Katia stepped into Hayden, dread turning her cold as she stared at the ominous suitcase.
“I’ll open it,” he said, kneeling down and unzipping it. He peered inside before hastily fastening it up. “I’ll get rid of it.”
“Wait, what’s in it?”
“You don’t want to know. I’ll sort it out. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
She placed a hand on his shoulder. “I want to see.”
“You don’t.”
“I do. I owe it to her.”
Hayden nodded before unzipping the case and peeling back the lid.
Katia gasped and staggered back two steps, already regretting her decision to look. She’d wanted to say goodbye to her friend but that thing crammed into the suitcase wasn’t Irina. Her neck was covered in ugly livid bruises, her head turned almost right round, so one surprised eye was staring right at her, the other eye ruined, nothing more than a bloody hole. Her body had been squeezed into the case in the foetal position, arms bent unnaturally. Jared had obviously beaten her first, her beautiful face was swollen and distorted out of all recognition. If it hadn’t been for her hair and clothes she would have had a difficult time identifying her. On her left index finger she still wore the ring her mother had given her when she was a child, inset with a tiny pearl that she’d so prized.
The thing in the suitcase blurred as tears filled Katia’s eyes and her knees buckled.
“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” said Hayden, his arms wrapping around her before she hit the floor. “Sshh, remember the boys are asleep,” he said as she felt the scream welling up inside her. From somewhere she found the strength to keep the scream inside, although she could hear it echoing in her head.
“I’m so sorry,” said Hayden, gathering her into his chest and stroking her hair, blocking her view of the thing with his body.
“She my friend, the only real friend I ever have,” she croaked, her accent thickening as the pain inside her intensified. “He kill her because she love him. He is a monster, a pig man.” Suddenly the hatred she’d harboured for the Laws and Maguires paled into insignificance as it found a new focus.
“A man who does things like this is a coward,” said Hayden.
She looked up at him, her miracle, this strong, powerful man who had suddenly come into her life and who she was so grateful for. “I hate him,” she hissed. “She my only friend. What will I do without her?”
He took her face between his hands. “You have me now. Leave everything to me, I’ll see to Irina.”
“It…it will be dignified? Please?”
Once again he weakened beneath the full force of those big blue eyes. “I’ll find somewhere nice for her to rest and I’ll put down some flowers for her.”
“Thank you, I appreciate that.”
&n
bsp; He kissed her. “I know. Why don’t you take a long hot bath then have a nice glass of wine and I’ll take Irina away. Don’t worry about a thing.”
“Thank you Hayden. I’m so glad you’re here.”
His smile was soft. “Me too.”
“I keep her ring, it remind me of her. Could you please…I can’t touch her.”
Hayden removed the ring from Irina’s pinky finger and placed it in Katia’s hand. “You’ll be okay while I’m gone?” he said.
She nodded, a tear sliding down her cheek as she slid the ring onto her own finger. “Yes, don’t worry about me.”
He kissed her again before zipping up the suitcase and picking it up, having to hold it in both arms.
When he’d gone Katia staggered into the bathroom to splash some water on her face, finally releasing her tears. “My friend,” she whispered before sinking to the floor to quietly cry, not wanting to disturb her babies. She’d warned Irina time and time again not to let Jared know she was in love with him but Katia hadn’t thought he’d actually kill her, she’d just thought he would hurt her feelings. But he’d said she’d let Jules escape. He’d broken her beautiful friend’s neck because of that stupid, nasty ugly bitch. She was furious. How could Jared destroy lovely Irina for that?
She was forced to put her grief on hold when Alex started to whimper in his cot, as though he could sense his mother’s distress, so she stood by his cot, softly singing and stroking his downy hair. This soothed him and he soon drifted back off to sleep. Katia was grateful for Alex’s timely interruption, it gave her the chance to get a grip on her emotions.
When she was certain he was soundly asleep she took Hayden’s advice and ran herself a bath, luxuriating in an oasis of bubbles and expensive scent with a glass of wine, reliving her memories of her best friend. Irina had been so wonderful after her babies had been stolen, supporting her, she’d truly cared. Not many people had genuinely cared for Katia in her lifetime. Even looking back on her relationship with Alex she realised he hadn’t really cared about her. She’d been another thing to him, just like his businesses and his cars. Hayden and Irina had made her realise that and one of those people was gone.
“Oh my darling,” she whispered, before starting to cry again. She couldn’t stop imagining Irina’s final moments, how hurt she would have been that the man she’d loved was going to kill her, that her precious love had been wasted.
Hayden returned three hours later, by which time Katia had got out of the bath and was sat on the couch wrapped in a light grey silk robe, drinking her fourth glass of wine. He look tired, his clothes muddied, a streak of soil on his right cheek.
“Well?” she said, the word a breath on the air, her throat closing up.
“It’s done. I found her a nice place in a wood. There were lots of bluebells. It was really pretty.”
“I’d like to see it.”
“Not just yet. Let everything settle down first then I’ll take you there.”
“Thank you Hayden. I owe you so much.”
“No you don’t.” He wanted to kiss her and hold her but knew she wouldn’t want him to touch her when he still had the earth of her friend’s grave all over him. “I’ll take a shower.”
She nodded, refilling her wine glass. By the time he returned, dripping wet and clad only in a towel, she was opening another bottle.
“Want one?” she said.
“Yes please,” he said gratefully. Digging Irina’s final resting place had been thirsty work. He accepted the glass she held out to him and ran his fingers through her hair. “How are you doing?”
“I feel so much pain,” she whispered into her glass.
“Jared’s a bastard. There was no need for that.”
“I know exactly why Irina did it. She saw he was falling for that bitch and she wanted her to leave, she was jealous.”
“She must have been crazy about him to take such a risk, she must have known he’d go mad when he found out.”
“When it came to Jared, Irina didn’t think with her head.”
“It’s not her fault, it’s his,” he glowered. “Fucking coward.”
“I want to kill him for this,” she hissed through her teeth. “I hate him.” Her eyes connected with Hayden’s. “He doesn’t deserve everything he has, he is not a fit leader.”
“You’re right there. He kills without thinking and I’m pretty sure he’s completely out of his tree.”
“What tree?”
“I mean he’s mad, insane.”
“He’s dangerous. Someone needs to stop him.”
Hayden’s eyes flashed. “Do you mean…”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“That’s a big ask.”
“We can do it.”
“Revenge is not a good reason to kill someone. It leads to grudges, years of fighting. Lots of people die, I’ve seen it happen before.”
“I know this, I remember with Alex. Everything he did to Ryan and Rachel was because he hated them. I think in the end he was mad too.”
Hayden was glad she’d finally made that connection. “He was and you remember what happened to him?”
“It is not just for Irina. I want him dead because one day maybe he come here and snap my neck if I annoy him.” She smiled inwardly when Hayden’s eyes flashed. He wouldn’t allow that to happen. Spotting her chance, she took his hand. “He is mad, he will kill anyone who annoys him. He even killed his own father in front of me. Jared has no control, if he doesn’t kill us he will drag us all down with him.”
“I hope you understand what you’re asking of me?”
“I’m not asking you, we can do it together, but he needs to be weaker first. He needs to be alone and vulnerable so no one will want revenge for him.”
Hayden leaned towards her, so close their noses almost touched. “I’m still trying to work out whether you’re the angel you look to be or a devil.”
She gave him a slow, deep kiss before saying, “like everyone else I am both and right now my devil is pissed off.”
“You are so sexy.”
“I know this,” she said, her smile playful. “And so are you.”
“If we don’t do this then you could be right. Jared is very unstable and one day he could turn on us.”
“You mean…”
He nodded. “But not yet. Let everything calm down first. He’ll be on the alert for an attack from Manchester.”
“Okay, we wait until the time is right.” She untied her robe then pressed her body against his, enjoying the feel of his bare, damp skin against her own. “Together we will go far. Would you like that?”
“I’d like anything that involves me and you,” he said, sliding his hands over her incredible peachy behind.
“We will rise just as high as the Maguires, no, we will go even higher than them.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
She gazed at her knight, this strong, capable man who she felt equal to, who she never had to be afraid of and her heart soared with excitement at the prospect of the future they could have together.
“Just one thing,” he said, expression turning serious. “You know Ryan’s an old friend of mine…”
“Yes I know and I don’t want to hurt him or Rachel anymore. I was angry at them because of Alex but he is gone now and you are here and that is even better.”
“You really mean that?”
The happiness in his eyes made her happy. “I do. I don’t want to hurt Ryan and Rachel anymore. They are the past. All I want to do is hurt Jared Slattery.”
“If that’s what you want then that’s what you’ll get,” he said, running his fingers up her bare thigh. “But when the time’s right. You must have patience.”
“I am still learning that but I will do my best. For you.” Her head fell back and released a moan as his fingers moved higher.
“And I’ll do my best for you,” he said as she grew hotter and wetter around his fingers. “One day soon it’ll be us giving the orders.”
Hayden had never had such aspirations before but Katia brought out the desire for more in him, the desire to better himself, which he hadn’t felt since his army days and he was so grateful for it. Life was finally good again now he had Katia.
Katia smiled into his shoulder as he made love to her. She’d not told him yet that she still fully intended to kill Mikey Maguire for stealing her babies. But that could wait until he was firmly under her spell, when he was willing to do absolutely anything for her. Like she’d said, she was learning to be patient.
Jared sat sulking at his desk, staring absently at the gleaming mahogany, thinking about Jules. She’d made a conquering return to Manchester with her cousin and brother, slaughtering the Starklaws, Nilsen, Brogan and everyone else who’d sided against them. All his contacts up north were dead and everyone else had rallied round Jez and Mikey, either too intimidated or too impressed to plot against them. Mikey and Jez had pulled off one hell of a feat, even managing to keep Toni McVay onside. His grand plan to conquer the north was finished. He’d been made to look like a greedy, grasping fool and that ponce Isaac Jones was trying his hand and had started attacking his businesses, the cheeky bastard. Jared dragged his hands down his face. He was facing another war but this time on his own turf. He didn’t like that, he wanted the war in another part of the country, that was why his plan to take Manchester had been so perfect - all the pleasure and prestige of destroying the heart of the Maguire-Law empire with none of the risk, his contacts up north doing most of the dirty work. But he’d overreached himself and now their roles had been reversed and Mikey and Jez were the fucking big men while he was the muppet.
On top of all that, he wanted Jules back but she wouldn’t come voluntarily and now her cousin and brother were back at full strength she was too well protected. He would watch and wait for his moment.
“What?” he snapped when there was a knock on the study door.
Petie, one of his men, walked into the room. “A package arrived for you Boss,” he said, clutching a padded yellow envelope in one hand, eating a doughnut with the other.
Reckoning Page 38
