A Family Divided (Dividing Line #3) (30 page)

Both Ryan and Rachel’s injuries were severe enough to get them admitted to the ward. Rachel was the less injured of the two and Jez sat with her while they waited for news on Ryan, who’d been taken for an x-ray on his knee. Due to their notoriety in the city, they were both given private rooms.

“
Thank you Jez,” said Rachel, grasping his hand. “I don’t know how I would have got Ryan out of there without you.”

“
I’m fucking furious at Alex, wanting to send you both to his butcher. This is all his fault too, if he’d handled the Jordans better it never would have happened. I told him they needed sorting but he wouldn’t listen, thought he knew best. Wanker.”

“
Ryan tried to tell me but I wouldn’t listen either. Then Thomas died.”

“
Don’t you dare blame yourself,” he said, shaking with rage. Rachel had never seen him so angry before. “You were only trying to help because Alex lacked the balls to deal with the Jordans. Newcastle and Liverpool didn’t know what Jan was up to, she’d gone rogue. Apparently she wasn’t related to them, they were Tony’s blood. Nick killing her means we won’t have any fallout from them anyway.”

“
Nick protected me, he stopped the others going too far. Tell Alex that won’t you? I don’t want him getting hurt.”

“
I don’t think he will hurt him, he was the one who told us where you were before Jan phoned. Ryan going in was all part of the plan.”

Despite her pain and exhaustion, her head snapped up.
“What?”

“
He was a distraction, giving Nick the chance to switch off the CCTV and the power so the rest of us could approach the house without them noticing. We got Mark Cameron in place, he was the one who fired through the window, bloody amazing shot. You remember Mark the hitman, we went to see him after Danny died?”

She recalled the tall craggy-faced ex-soldier.
“I do. But why did Ryan have to act as bait? Jan wanted Alex there.”

“
Alex wasn’t exactly an eager volunteer,” he said bitterly. “That blokes changing, the power’s going to his head. He’s not Frank or Danny.”

She recalled how he wasn
’t going to let her and Ryan get to a hospital and nodded. Alex had never been what you’d call a good man but he used to have some integrity. However, since he’d been in sole charge of the family, he was losing that quality. The old adage was true, power did corrupt.

They were interrupted by a nurse telling them they could see Ryan and Jez helped her limp down the corridor and into his room. She burst into tears when she saw him, his face even more swollen and bruised, left leg in a cast, fingers in splints. His bare torso and arms were riddled with cuts and bruises.

“Rachel?” he mumbled, only able to see through his left eye, the right one swollen shut.

“
I’m here Babe,” she said, hurrying to his side and taking his hand. “What did the doctor say?”

“
Fractured kneecap, broken fingers, cracked ribs, missing teeth, shit load of bruises.”

“
Oh God Ryan I’m sorry,” she sobbed.

He touched her face with his bruised, splinted fingers.
“You okay?”

“
Fine. You took the worst of it. You nearly died in there. What were you doing, just walking in like that?” she exclaimed, tears running down her face.

“
Had to,” he murmured. “Distraction.”

“
The Jordans could have shot you the minute you walked through the door.”

“
Risk…worth taking…for you.”

He
’d been given strong painkillers that were making him drowsy and he was desperately trying to stay awake but it was a losing battle and soon he was snoring softly, Rachel sitting by his side and stroking his hair, the only part of him that wasn’t bruised.

Jez left to help with the clean up at the farm and a detective constable in Alex
’s pay arrived to take her statement. She made up some crap about a gang attacking them in the local park and demanding money. No, she didn’t get a look at their faces, they were wearing masks. The constable told her he’d look into it and left. She knew she wouldn’t hear about it again.

Alex drove while Mikey, Frankie and Declan stared out of the windows in silence as they left the moor behind. All were tired and streaked with mud after ensuring the Jordans were buried where no one would ever find them. Robbie and Nick were in the car behind, being driven back to the city by Battler and Bruiser. They’d already agreed to work for the Maguires. If they hadn’t then they would have joined the rest of their family in a deep dark hole in the ground.

“
I need a drink. Anyone fancy coming to my new bar? It’ll be shut by now so we can have the place to ourselves,” said Declan.

“
Aye, I’m up for it Pal. I’ve some celebrating to do,” grinned Frankie, patting the holdall containing his hatchet and Jan Jordan’s hands.

“
Not for me thanks. I’m off to Amber’s,” said Mikey, just wanting to bury himself in her after the shitty night he’d had.

“
I’d better get home to Beth, she’ll be worried sick about Rachel,” said Alex. “Why don’t you take Robbie and Nick with you, sound them out just to make sure they’re definitely on our side?”

“
Will do,” said Frankie.

After dropping Mikey off at Amber
’s flat and the rest at Declan’s bar, Alex headed for home. Halfway there he did a u-turn and headed in the direction of his gentleman’s club instead. He was in no mood for Beth and her crap and he couldn’t bear the prospect of her questions about Rachel. He wished the Jordans had fucking chopped her to bits or Robbie had shot her, it would have been justice after what she did to Danny but once again she had lived to tell the tale, she’d more lives than a fucking cat. But that would have been unsatisfactory, he wanted to kill her himself, he wanted her to know that he was responsible for her death.

He snuck through the back door of his club and went straight up to Katia
’s room. She wasn’t there, occupied with escorting their clients about the club and he spent a few minutes wandering around her room, running his hands over the silk bed sheets, her clothes, breathing in the scent of her, it calmed him. When he could contain himself no longer he pulled out his mobile phone.

“
Hello?” she said when she answered. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you tonight.”

“
Come up to your room. Now.”

A minute later there was the sound of her high heels on the stairs then the door opened and she walked in, her smile falling.
“What happened? You’re covered in mud.”

“
Believe me, you don’t want to know.”

“
I’ll get you a drink, you are very pale.”

She poured him a brandy from the bottle sat on a sideboard and handed it to him, which he knocked back in one go.

“I can have your clothes washed,” she said.

He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it onto the white leather couch, revealing his impressive physique.

Katia studied him thoughtfully and smiled. “You look just like I imagined.”

“
Imagined it often, have you?”

“
Since the moment I saw you.”

“
God I want you Katia.”

“
I know. What’s stopping you?”

He thought of Beth, then looked at the goddess before him.
“Nothing.”

Grabbing her, he yanked her against him and kissed her hard. She groaned into his mouth, one leg wrapping itself around his waist as he pushed her up against the wall.

“If we do this Katia, it means you’re mine,” he said, hitching up her skirt. “No other man touches you, ever.”

“
I’m already yours,” she replied, unzipping him as he pulled down her panties. She cried out as he thrust inside her and started to move furiously. No man had ever made her feel sexual pleasure before, but Alex did.

“
If they do, I’ll kill them and you,” he panted, pushing up into her hard.

“
I swear, no other man will get to be with me like this.”

“
Mine,” he rasped, ripping open her blouse. “Just mine.”

She threw her head back, his name falling from her lips as she came.

“Jesus Katia,” he growled as she took him with her, slamming his palm into the wall next to her head as every muscle in his body tensed.

As they caught their breath he grabbed her roughly by the chin, forcing her blue eyes to connect with his.
“Do you understand that I mean it? Any other man touches you and you’re dead.”

“
I understand and I accept it if it means I get to be with you.”

He smiled and kissed her then pressed his forehead to hers.
“I’ll come here as often as I can but I will never leave Beth. She’s the mother of my children.”

“
I’ll never ask that of you. I’m happy sharing you.”

“
Good. Now take off all your clothes and get on the bed. I’ve only just got started with you.”

As she began to strip for him his phone rang. He frowned when he saw it was Beth. Rejecting the call he turned it off and shoved it back in his pocket.

When she was fully naked, Katia reclined back on the pristine white bed, enjoying how he lay beside her and spent a minute just admiring every part of her but her head was full of ambition. Despite her words, she fully intended to be the next Mrs Maguire one day.

CHAPTER 26

Due to the fact that Ryan
’s leg was in a long leg cast, he and Rachel were given a lift home in an ambulance the next day. The doctor had wanted to keep him in longer but he’d flatly refused.

To their mutual relief they arrived home to an empty house, the children still with Martina and the au pair had left a note saying she was stocking up on food.

After settling Ryan on the couch with the newspaper, Rachel made them both a cup of tea and sat beside him.

“
Great,” he mumbled, talking for him difficult with his injuries.

“
What is it?”

He held up the newspaper.
“Everyone knows Neil’s my brother.”

Splashed all over the front page of the local rag was a picture of Ryan beside a glowering mugshot of Neil, a slightly smaller and blurred image of Stuart Cutter beneath them.

“Who told them, the Police, or Neil himself?”

Ryan shrugged.
“Right now I’m too sore to care.”

“
No doubt the swarm of nosy sods will soon be back at the bottom of our drive.”

There was the bang of the front door and Alex and Mikey barged in, all smiles and bursting with a self-congratulatory ardour that got Rachel
’s back up.

“
Alright Rach, Ryan. How are you both doing?” smiled Alex.

“
How do you think?” she glowered. “Ryan’s got a broken kneecap and cracked ribs. He’ll be laid up for weeks.”

“
And what about you?”

“
I’m okay,” she shrugged.

“
It could have been a lot worse Rach,” said Mikey.

“
It could have been a lot fucking better too.”

They both put her bad temper down to feeling under the weather.
“We torched the farmhouse,” said Alex, “and the Jordans are currently buried deep in a field ten miles from it.”

“
What about Nick and Robbie?”

“
They’re fine. They work for us now,” said Alex with a wicked smile.

“
Did Jez tell you how Nick helped me?”

“
He did and we showed our gratitude by not killing him or his brother. Frankie spoke to the Geordies and Scousers and they don’t blame us. Jan was acting rogue and they’re very grateful that the woman who wasted Tony is dead, so all’s well.”

“
If you’d spoken to them first you’d have found out the truth and Rachel wouldn’t have had to meet with Jan,” said Ryan. It took him a while to get the words out but he was determined and eventually managed it.

Rachel
’s expression turned ice cold. If Alex had just checked then Ryan wouldn’t have been in that state and they’d still have their baby. Raw fury welled up inside her.

“
We’ll make ourselves a brew, shall we?” smiled Mikey, clapping his hands together.

“
No you won’t,” said Rachel, hauling herself to her feet. “You’re not staying.”

“
What are you talking about?” frowned Alex.

“
Are you stupid? Thanks to you we’ve lost our baby and Ryan almost died. If I’d just listened to him instead of you that wouldn’t have happened but I did, because I wanted to help and you know why? Because you’re my family and I love you. But what has that love got me? Nothing but pain and heartache. Well let me tell you, I’m damned if I’m going to lose Ryan like I lost Danny and I will not put another of my children at risk. I want both of you to get out and never come back. We’re done with the lot of you.” She looked down at Ryan, who nodded in agreement.

Alex and Mikey stared at her with their mouths hanging open.

“You can’t do that, we’re family,” said Mikey.

“
I’m a Law now, not a Maguire and you know what? I’m fucking proud.”

“
Really? If I remember correctly it was
my
family who set you up in business Rachel. Without us you’d just be a nothing, scratching out a living,” frowned Alex.

“
Actually it was your dad who set me up after I lost another baby thanks to the pressure your family put me under. That was my compensation but you can have the clubs back. Frank said I could have them as long as I kept the Maguire name above the door but I can’t do that anymore. And let’s face it, it’s not as if we need the money.”

“
You’re just upset, you’ll see sense when you’ve calmed down,” said Alex.

“
I’ve already seen sense, I just wish I’d seen it sooner. If I had we might still have our baby.” She felt Ryan’s hand grasp hers and she squeezed it tightly. “The Jordans could have shot Ryan the moment he walked into that house.”

“
But they didn’t.”

“
You weren’t to know that. You were willing to put his life at risk but not your own. Great leadership Alex.” If looks could kill, Rachel knew she would be dead. “Now please leave. I never want to see you again, either of you.”

“
You can’t mean that Rach,” said Mikey, visibly upset. “You’re like my sister, you believed me when no one else would. Without you, I’d be nothing.”

Her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry Mikey, I love you, I really do, you too Alex but I can’t do this anymore. I’ve been forced to make this choice. Martina can see the kids at the weekend like she normally does, I won’t take her grandchildren from her, but that’s as far as I want the interaction between our families to go.”

“
What about Beth and your godchildren?” glowered Alex. “Are you going to cut them out of your life too?”

Rachel was filled with pain. Beth had been her best friend since she was a little girl, stood by her when everyone else turned against her after she met Danny. But she was Beth Maguire now and she
’d be tainted by that association. She looked down at Ryan’s battered face and was decided. “Yes,” she rasped, a tear sliding down her face.

Alex looked disgusted.
“I’ll make sure to tell her that her best friend doesn’t want anything to do with her anymore. It’s going to break her heart. Come on Mikey.”

But Mikey wasn
’t so easily swayed. “Please Rach, just take a few days to think about this. When everything’s calmed down, you won’t feel this way. I’m going to be a dad, I need you.”

“
I won’t change my mind.”

He looked past her to Ryan.
“Can’t you talk some sense into her?”

“
I’m sorry but we’re in agreement on this,” he said gently but firmly.

“
Does this apply to Jez and Cathy as well?” said Alex.

“
Jez hasn’t dragged us into his mess. In fact he’s gone out of his way to keep us out of it.” Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “And he wasn’t the one trying to stop us going to hospital.”

Alex
’s expression turned positively hostile. “Fine, we’re done. Don’t come running to me when someone fucks you over, you’re on your own.”

“
Just the way we want it,” said Ryan.

Alex
’s glower told them they’d just made another enemy. “And by the way, how’s your brother Ryan?”

He didn
’t reply.

“
Why are you asking about Jez?” frowned Mikey. “We only saw him a few hours ago.”

“
You should read the fucking papers more often,” said Alex before kicking open the door and storming out.

Mikey however understood Rachel
’s reasons and he shuffled awkwardly before sweeping her into a hug. She clung onto him, burying her face in his shoulder. “I love you Rach.”

“
Love you too. I always will.” She smiled up at him through her tears and touched his face. “Good luck with Amber and the baby, you’ll be a great dad.”

He kissed her on the cheek and nodded at Ryan before leaving and Rachel crumpled into tears.

“Come here,” said Ryan, struggling to hold out his arms.

She lay beside him on the couch and snuggled into him.

“Are you alright?” he asked her.

“
No, but I will be. Life’s not going to be the same without them.”

“
I know, it’ll be a damn sight safer.”

They lay in completive silence, broken by Ryan.
“That wasn’t a dream you had, it was real.”

“
What do you mean?”

“
The dream you had about Alex shouting at you, it really happened. Beth told me that the day of the accident you went round to her house and found her on the floor crying her heart out because she couldn’t cope anymore, that’s why you hired Henrieta for her. Then you went to The Wherry Tavern to have it out with Alex and he threatened you.”

She sat bolt upright.
“Did he admit it?”

“
No, I haven’t even asked him about it. The barman saw you go into his office that day and after you’d gone Alex was in a foul mood. I think you rowed, you accused him of not looking after her properly and he turned on you.”

“
You don’t know that for sure.”

“
Yes I do. He knows about that night in Martina’s Bar, when you briefly split up with Danny.”

“
Me and you?”

“
Yes.”

She looked appalled.
“How?”

“
I’m not sure, one of your staff must have seen us.”

“
None of them would betray me like that.”

“
Maybe they don’t know they’ve done it? Some of your staff hit the bottle pretty hard after a shift, they could have been pissed.”

“
Why tell him now? That was ages ago.”

He shrugged.
“I don’t have the details but I know I’m right.”

Rachel thought he probably was. Ryan
’s IQ was in the genius bracket. “I suppose it explains why he suddenly turned against us.”

He grasped her hands.
“What if he thinks we were having an affair all the time you were married to Danny?”

“
But we weren’t.”

“
We know that but he might not. No doubt you told him we were innocent when you confronted him at the pub, but of course he’d only think you were lying. You weren’t dreaming Rachel, he did try to hit you when you were pregnant.”

“
He wouldn’t do that. He just helped save me from the Jordans.”

“
He did nothing and he certainly wasn’t going to sacrifice himself for you. He only went along with it because it was expected of him. Leaving you to die would have turned the others against him and shown Frankie McVay that he has no loyalty and I would have killed him.”

Rachel recalled the flickers of memories she had about that day and nodded.
“I think you’re right. When I was sat at those traffic lights I remember I was so angry but also a bit scared. That would explain those feelings.”

“
I think we’ve made a very dangerous enemy.”

“
And we’ve just pissed him off even more. God, I’m so tired of this,” she sighed, running a hand through her hair. “All I want is a nice quiet life with you and our kids. Is that really too much to ask?”

“
No Sweetheart, it’s not.“ He kissed the top of her head, his splintered fingers playing through her hair. “You know, a little bird told me many, many times how good it is living in Devon.”

She managed to raise a smile.
“You mean Mum?”

“
Yes. She’s always saying what a wonderful place it is to raise kids; quiet, peaceful, no Maguires.”

“
Are you suggesting moving there?”

“
Why not?”

“
But the businesses…”

“
We’ve got good people working for us, we can let them do everything and watch the money roll in. We’ve conquered this place, there’s not much more we can do here. How exciting would it be to start all over again, build up more businesses, meet fresh challenges?”

Her eyes glimmered with excitement.
“I like the sound of that.”

“
We could get that farm you’ve always wanted but best of all, we’ll be well out of all the mess here.”

“
Move away from Manchester? This has been home for us both our entire lives.”

“
Then it’s certainly time for a change.”

“
But the kids…”

“
Will adapt. Kids are resilient and I’m sure Leah won’t be able to wait to get down there when we tell her she can finally have that pony she’s been nagging for.”

As she looked at him the severity of his injuries once again shocked her, the memory of that gun being pressed to the back of his head causing her to go cold. If they didn
’t get out of Manchester then one or maybe both of them would get killed, it was inevitable.