Aftermath (Dividing Line #6) (24 page)

“You’ll see,” replied Ryan, unable to bring himself to look at her.

“Can I help?”

“Maybe. You do have certain…skills.”

“A compliment from big brother. Things are looking up.”

“Do you have to be so irritatingly cheerful?”

“Someone has to be. You’re a miserable bunch.”

“We weren’t until you arrived. In fact life was pretty damn good until you brought your shit and Lexie brought her husband and his henchmen.”

“And that’s why we’re here, to discuss what we’re going to do,” said Rachel. “Jules, you’re returning to Manchester with Mikey and Jez. That just leaves Lexie to be…”

“Taken care of?” said Jules with a raised eyebrow.

“Her situation, yes. Someone invaded our house last night, they got close to our kids,” she said, eyes turning black. “It needs sorting today.”

“I love it when your eyes do that,” purred Jules.

“And we’ve come up with an idea to resolve all this,” said Ryan, talking over her. “But we don’t want Mikey and Jez involved. The last thing we need to do is make this about the Maguires.”

“What’s taking Lexie so long anyway? You’ll have to be going soon,” said Rachel, face expressionless, being careful to conceal how this was making her feel.

Well aware of his wife’s feelings about his plan, Ryan took her hand under the table, rubbing his thumb against her palm, encouraging her to stay strong. Her gentler side was rebelling against what they were about to do.

“She’s still getting over the fact that she had sex with a woman last night,” smiled Jules, draining the last of her coffee and getting up to refill her cup.

Ryan’s grey eyes settled on her. “You’re coming too. We need one more body in this.”

“Happy to help,” smiled Jules.

“We can do it. You need someone you can trust,” said Battler, glancing at Jules.

“I appreciate that but your presence might make them nervous,” said Ryan. “Fletch is keeping an eye out at the school. I want you to stay here with Rachel while we do this.” His eyes flicked to his sister. “It will also be your chance to prove yourself to us Jules. Don’t let us down and we’ll be willing to overlook you sleeping with Lexie and shooting at us outside the clubhouse. Rachel has very graciously agreed to forgive you for attacking her in the barn. I will only do the same if you prove yourself today.”

“What do you want me to do?”

He went over the plan he’d agreed with Dane and Rachel that morning.

“Cold,” said Jules, surprised.

“You understand what you’ve got to do?”

“Perfectly.”

Ryan glanced at his watch. “We’ve got to go.” He got to his feet and bellowed up the stairs, “Lexie, get down here.”

“Why?” she called back.

“We’re going to sort this out once and for all.” He looked to Jules. “Not a word to her about the plan.”

“I can keep a secret big brother.”

Ryan was doubtful.

CHAPTER 26

Lexie was curled up in a ball on the backseat of the very plain and very dull Vauxhall that Ryan had selected for this particular errand. Ryan and Dane were sat up front and Jules was beside her looking tense and solemn for the first time since they’d met, which scared her. Whatever was going on was very serious. She’d asked where they were going but they’d refused to tell her. What frightened her most was Rachel being left behind. Whatever was about to happen was obviously something Ryan didn’t want her near and if it was dangerous for Rachel Law then it was going to be bloody lethal for her.

“Please tell me where we’re going,” said Lexie for the fifth time.

“You’ll see,” replied Ryan from the driver’s seat.

Lexie bit her lip as her vision blurred with tears but she refused to start crying. They all thought she was weak and silly and she refused to prove them right.

“Jules, what’s happening?” she whispered.

“Sshh baby girl,” she replied, taking her hand.

Annoyed, Lexie snatched her hand away. She’d liked the nickname last night but being called baby girl in the cold light of day made her furious. She wanted to scream and shout, lash out, do something to get a serious reaction from them but if she tried she’d come off worse, especially with Jules. She was under no illusions as to what type of people these were, even the really hot nightclub owner up front. Growing up with Stuart Cutter for a dad had taught her to spot a dangerous man when she saw one. It was what had attracted her to Cole in the first place. Despite his protestations at being an innocent businessman she’d known what he was but it had excited her. The same thing had attracted her to Ryan, but of course she hadn’t known he was her brother back then. That lust for danger was leading her to her doom, she was sure of it.

Lexie wiped her hands on her jeans, feeling dirty from Jules’s touch. Her stomach churned whenever the fragmented memories of last night came back to her and she closed her eyes, cringing with embarrassment and - if she was really honest with herself - lust. She didn’t know why, she wasn’t attracted to women, never had been, but Jules had known just how to touch her. Lexie chanced a sideways glance at Jules’s hands folded neatly in her lap, recalling what they were capable of, her gaze sliding up her body to her red lips.

Jules caught her looking and smiled wolfishly. Flushing red, Lexie snapped her head round the other way, eyes firmly fixed on the window for the rest of the journey.

Her heart started to frantically drum in her chest when Ryan steered the car up a road that was nothing more than a dirt track, leaving civilisation behind.

Oh my God, they’re going to kill me,
she thought, sitting bolt upright, seatbelt tightening around her painfully, keeping her trapped.

“Where are we going? Tell me?” she practically screamed at Ryan.

He didn’t reply, concentrating on steering the car around the tight bends, climbing higher and higher, the bright blue water below spreading out in welcome.

They’re going to throw me off the bloody cliff. No one will know, they’ll think I’m a suicide
. Lexie studied the area as they continued up the cliff, hoping to spot a house, a building, anything to indicate there were other people up here, but there was absolutely nothing except grass and birds and the water below.

“It’s alright Lexie. Take it easy,” Jules told her, patting her hand.

“Get off me,” she exclaimed, pushing her away.

Jules’s eyes narrowed. “If you start freaking out I’m going to knock you out.”

“Behave Jules,” Dane told her, turning in his seat.

“We’re here,” said Ryan as they turned the last bend and the ground evened out.

He rolled the car to a halt too close to the edge of the cliff for Lexie’s liking and the others jumped out while she remained sat there, frozen with fear. When the door opened Jules unclipped Lexie’s seatbelt for her then Ryan took her arm and pulled her out.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Just tell me.”

“You’ll see,” was all he replied, leading her from the car.

Lexie fully expected to be taken to the edge of the cliff so when he led her onto firmer ground instead her knees weakened with relief and she almost fell. His fingers dug into her skin, getting a better hold so he could drag her across the grass.

“Will you just answer me?” she screamed at him.

“Why don’t you ask him?” said Ryan, coming to a halt.

Lexie thought she might throw up when she saw the blue BMW waiting for them. The door opened and, just as she’d expected, Cole got out. He was a good looking man, slender with short black hair, pointed cheekbones and blue eyes that smiled, but he was also short, no taller than Lexie herself, which made Jules snigger.

“No, no, please, you can’t give me to him,” she cried, turning pleading eyes on Ryan.

He looked down at her, his expression cold and pitiless. “You brought this shit to our door. Rachel was almost kidnapped and they got into our home. You knew trouble would follow you here and you didn’t even have the decency to warn us. This is what you get for betraying us.”

“Betrayal, me? You’re the betrayer, you bastard.”

“Here you go Cole,” he said, dragging her forwards. “I’m sick of her.” She tripped and fell, landing on all fours at his feet.

“Darling,” Cole smiled down at her. “There you are. I’ve been so worried.” He looked back over his shoulder at his three stooges. “Search them.”

Jules grinned broadly when she saw his henchmen all sported cuts and bruises from their last encounter, the one she’d stabbed in the knees limping badly and leaning on a cane. “That looks nasty boys. Maybe next time you’ll think twice before picking on women.”

“How’s the shoulder?” Stevie retorted. “That must have hurt.”

“It did and it really turned me on.”

While Stevie looked puzzled Ryan rolled his eyes. “Enough Jules. This is serious.” He turned his attention back to Cole and held up his arms. “We’ve nothing to hide.”

The skinny guy and goatee checked Dane and Ryan while Stevie took Jules. She continued to smile at him sweetly as he ran his hands down her sides and over her waist, following the curves of her body.

“Oy Hitler, you missed the best bit,” she said, thrusting her breasts into his face.

“You’re a fucking nutcase,” grumbled the man, rubbing a finger across his moustache. “Take off the jacket. I remember what you had strapped to your arms last time we met.”

She shrugged out of it, letting it slip to the ground and stood before him in black vest and jeans. “See, nothing,” she said, indicating her bare arms.

His eyes settled on the dressing taped to her shoulder and smiled viciously. “That’s got to hurt,” he said, before pressing his thumb into the wound.

To his surprise her head fell back and she released a loud, sexual moan. Shocked, he retreated a few steps. Jules raised her head and laughed, the sound low and wicked.

“Stevie, no,” called Cole when he drew back his fist to punch her, annoyed at being made to look a fool.

“Go on boy. Heel,” she smirked.

The look he gave her was murderous but he did as he was told.

“Jules, settle down,” said Ryan. He turned back to face Cole. “Are we good?”

He looked to his three henchmen, who all nodded.

“They’re clean,” said Stevie.

“Yes we are Mr Law. Now don’t cry my darling,” said Cole, helping Lexie to her feet. “You know I love you. Why are you so frightened of me?”

She just stared back at him with horror-filled eyes.

“You took something from me Lexie. Where is it?”

“What did she take?” said Ryan.

“Four hundred thousand pounds.”

Ryan glared at her. “You kept that to yourself too. No wonder he’s been chasing you.”

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not just about the cash. She’s my snuggle bunny, aren’t you Lexie?” he said, nuzzling her cheek with his nose, making her cringe. His hand went around her throat, shaking with the effort of restraining himself from strangling her. “And what am I?”

“My cuddly bear,” she whispered, a single fat tear dropping from her long eyelashes and rolling down her cheek.

“That’s right. Don’t forget it again.” He looked back at Ryan. “Why are you giving her up so freely?”

“Because I want you and your men to fuck off and leave us alone.”

“I’ve done some digging, I know who you are. I’d expected more of a fight.”

“I’m not interested in fighting anymore, especially not for her. She is nothing to me.”

“Heartless. I respect that,” he smiled. “Come along dear, I’ve got us booked on the next flight back to Spain. First class of course. Only the best for my snuggle bunny.”

Lexie looked back over her shoulder at Ryan as she was gently encouraged towards the car. “You can’t do this to me, please. What will Riley say?”

“He won’t even know. You were never here. Get her out of here will you Cole?” he said before walking away, Jules and Dane following.

“Certainly. Come on my dear, let’s go home. It’s fortunate you like our villa so much because you’re never leaving it again.”

She screamed, fighting in his arms. “Ryan, don’t do this, I’m begging you. Think of our dad.” Her eyes widened with hope when he hesitated and turned to look back at her over his shoulder.

“He’s dead,” he told her before continuing on his way.

“No,” she screamed when Cole tried to force her into the car. “Please.”

Her cries were silenced when something warm and sticky splattered across her face. In his surprise Cole released her and she sank to the ground, frantically wiping the mess off her face, panicking when she realised it was blood. A knife stuck out of the side of Stevie’s neck, who was gurgling, tongue lolling from his mouth, eyes wide, fingers attempting to pull out the weapon but unable to function properly, the digits snapping open and closed uselessly. From behind Cole she could see something glittering in Jules’s hand then a second knife embedded itself in Stevie’s right carotid artery with perfect precision and he finally fell.

Before the other two could react, Dane threw himself at the skinny man, who was knocked over like a twig in a hurricane. A punch to the throat followed by a rock in the temple quickly finished him off. Ryan wrestled with the man with the goatee. He snaked his arm around the man’s neck and Lexie’s mouth filled with vomit when Ryan gave a sharp tug and she heard Goatee’s neck snap. He turned to look at her, still gripping goatee man’s head, his glare almost feral, as though he was deciding whether to break her neck too. She held her breath, able only to hear the frantic pounding of her heart as she swallowed the vomit back down, unable to tear her eyes from Ryan’s, which contained all the fury of a wild beast. When she released a small whimper and scurried back from him he shook himself out of it and got to his feet.

Finally Lexie could appreciate what was happening. They weren’t giving her back to Cole, this was all a set-up. It was an empowering realisation. She kicked Cole’s legs out from under him as he tried to jump into the car and he fell, landing face down in the driver’s seat, legs sticking out. Lexie leapt up, took a firm grip of the door and slammed it shut repeatedly on his head as hard as she could. “I hate you, you silly short arsed little bastard,” she screamed.

“Alright, take it easy,” Ryan told her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back. “We’ll sort him out.”

He took a firm hold of her shoulders and steered her back to the car. As she passed Dane she saw him grip Cole’s head and twist. For the second time she heard someone’s neck snap. She didn’t look back.

“Thank you,” she whispered, going weak, falling sideways into Ryan.

He caught her and held her firm as he guided her back to the car, placing her in the front passenger seat.

“I thought…I thought…you….I…” She couldn’t talk, the words choking her as she started to sob violently and shake.

“It’s okay, take it easy. The adrenaline’s wearing off and shock’s setting in.”

His gentle, sympathetic tone made her cry harder.

“Sorry to scare you like that but we couldn’t tell you, it had to be convincing or Cole would have known it was a set-up,” he explained.

“I…I understand. Thank you, thank you.”

He straightened up. “Jules will take you back to the house. Me and Dane will sort everything out.”

“Okay,” she said, wiping her eyes, determined not to disintegrate completely, at least not until she was alone.

Ryan shut her door while Jules jumped into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

“Alright baby girl?” she said cheerfully, lighting up a cigarette before turning the car around and heading back down the cliff.

“I…I don’t know,” she gasped through her tears.

“Here, clean yourself up,” said Jules, tossing her a tissue.

“How did you…the knives…where…” she said as she scrubbed at her face with the tissue, desperate to get the still warm blood off her but not wanting to look at it.

“I’d taped them to the soles of my boots. All that messing around with Stevie distracted him from doing a really thorough search. Fucking amateur,” she said contemptuously, the cigarette bobbing up and down between her lips as she talked.