Divided Loyalties (24 page)

Rachel noted that the posh accent slipped as he talked about his childhood, his natural Mancunian coming through and it sounded strange, not like Ryan.  He trailed off as he reached a point where it was hard for him to continue.

“I can’t say it,” he murmured, looking down at his hands.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want but just so you know, whatever it is I won’t think any the less of you.”

“I can’t,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“I think I know what you’re going to say.  Did they touch you?”

Shame filled his eyes and he nodded 

“The bastards,” she hissed.

“His friend held me down, I tried to fight but they were bigger than me.  Although I was tall for my age I was skinny back then.  They stripped me naked.”  He sighed again, attempting to control his rising emotions.  “They didn’t…rape me…,” he said awkwardly, “they just touched me and said next time they’d give me more.  Then they left.  I told Mum the moment she came home and when she didn’t look surprised I knew she was in on it, that she’d given me to them, probably to take the heat off her for a while.  She called me all of the names you heard earlier, telling them I probably encouraged them to do it.  Jesus, I can’t believe I’m telling you this.”

“Maybe you needed to tell someone?”

He anxiously searched her eyes for any sign of revulsion or an indication that she was going to walk out on him but he saw none.  This reassured him and he kissed her, wrapping his arms tight about her waist so she couldn‘t leave.

“Right then I knew she’d become my pimp.  I had to do something because there was no way I was letting them do that again.  Jay drank at a pub just around the corner from the estate and he always took the shortcut under the bridge home.  So I waited for him with a knife, he was too pissed to really know what was going on.  I was fifteen when I first killed someone and I enjoyed every second of it.”

Most women would have been freaked out by such an admission from their boyfriend but not Rachel.

“He deserved everything he got.”

“Oh I don’t regret it.  I’ve never felt a flicker of guilt in my life.  He would have done worse to me and probably my brothers.”

“I remember his murder, although I was quite young at the time.  Everyone thought it was a business rival.  No one was ever arrested for it, they were just glad he was gone, including the police.”

“What no one knew was that he’d stashed two kilos of heroin at our place so I continued to sell it a bit at a time.  Such a large amount coming onto the market at once would have drawn attention.  But even though I was so careful I still drew attention to myself from Stuart Cutter, another local dealer, although he was a much bigger fish than Jay.  He was curious to know where a schoolboy was getting his supply of heroin from when Jay was dead.  He invited me round to a car lot he owned for a chat.  I was too young to go to the pub,” he smiled wryly. 

He relaxed, the worst part of his tale over with.  Rachel noted the clipped accent had returned, he didn’t even seem to be conscious he was doing it. 

“Somehow he knew what I’d done to Jay and that I’d nicked the heroin.  So he offered me a job.  He taught me everything I know and I started to earn serious money.  I got myself a little flat off the estate, still close enough so I could keep an eye on my brothers.  Stuart saw how well I was doing at school; despite everything that had gone on I never let my studies slip.  He had big plans for me.  He used his influence to get me a scholarship to Cambridge, make contacts in the rich set and get him some real big business, which I did.  When he died I was twenty three and I took over everything.  So there you have it, my whole sorry history.  I really hope it hasn’t changed anything for you.”

She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair.  “Course it hasn’t.  If anything its made me even more crazy about you.  You fought so hard to survive and you won, against all the odds.  You did what you had to do in order to protect yourself and your little brothers.  Not many people could have endured a childhood like that and come out the other side.”

“I was worried you’d leave me when you found out.”

“It takes more than that to get rid of me.”

Relief washed over him and he kissed her tenderly.  “You know, I remember you off the estate when you were younger, a gangly girl with buck teeth.”  He ran a finger across her upper lip.  “What happened to them?”

“Braces.  I know what it’s like to be bullied, it happened to me often enough for how I looked but in a way it was a good thing, it taught me to fight, toughened me up.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“I was a real ugly duckling.”

He touched her face.  “And now you’re a swan.  I admired you all those years ago for the way you handled yourself, I’d never seen a woman fight like that before.  But I never imagined that one day I’d fall in love with you.”

He held his breath.  He’d never said these words to anyone before in his entire life and he was terrified of rejection or ridicule.

She paused momentarily before replying, thinking of Danny.  But he was gone and she had to live, to look to the future and this man could be just that.  “I love you too.”

“You do?” he said, surprised.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

He thought of all the fucked up stuff he’d told her and could think of many reasons.  But it was so good to hear those words from someone, especially Rachel.

He kissed her and they fell back into the couch together.

“Ryan?” she said as he kissed her neck.

“Yeah?”

“Will you say something in your real voice?”

He frowned down at her.  “What do you mean?”

“You got that accent at Cambridge not off the Montford.  I want to hear the real you.”

“You mean like this?” he grinned, dropping into the thick Mancunian again.

“Yes,” she laughed.

“What do you think?”

“Very cute.”

“Which is better?”

“The posh one is really sexy but I like the real you more.”

He gazed down at her.  “God I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Say it again, I like hearing it.”

“I love you Ryan,” she smiled as he slid the robe down to reveal her bare shoulder.

“Wow it’s even better when you say my name.”

“You’ve gone posh again.”

“Sorry can’t help it, I’ve used it for so long its become a part of me.”

“That’s fine, just as long as it is you and not an act.  I want you Ryan, not some persona.”

“You have me,” he said softly.

They grinned at each other before locking in an embrace.

CHAPTER 23

As Leah was having a sleepover at her grandmother’s, Ryan invited Rachel to spend the night at his house.

He didn’t know what woke him exactly, a noise perhaps?  He lay still for a while, listening.  Then he caught the sound of a footfall downstairs.

“Rachel,” he said softly, gently shaking her awake.

“What?” she mumbled.  She hated being woken up.

“I think someone’s broken in,” he said, texting the pre-arranged SOS to Jez and Alex.

He was glad she was a smart woman who didn’t waste time asking useless questions.  Instantly alert, she climbed out of bed and drew her taser from her handbag while Ryan pulled on a pair of jogging bottoms and threw back the rug to reveal a floor safe.

“Stay behind the bed,” he whispered, drawing a gun and hunting knife from the safe before moving for the door.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him back, shaking her head negatively.

“I’ll be fine” he said quietly.

After kissing her he crept out of the room, disappearing into the inky blackness.

Rachel was stark naked and started to shiver with cold so she pulled on Ryan’s robe and hunkered down behind the bed, giving her a good view of anyone coming in.  She heard someone approach and pressed herself flat against the floor, unable to believe that she was in this situation
again
.  Maybe Ryan had got it wrong, he had been left shaken by Estelle’s visit.  That must be him coming back.  He’d look sheepish and say it was nothing.  Then they’d climb back into bed together and get warm.

But she could tell the shadow wasn’t Ryan from their shape, they were too short and skinny.  Clearly whoever it was didn’t know they’d been sussed because they were creeping up to the bed, the discarded duvet creating a lumpy shape that looked like a sleeping body.  The figure aimed a gun at the bed and fired, the only sound a dull thud as the bullets slammed into the mattress, the sound muffled by a silencer.  Rachel remained absolutely silent as the figure studied the bed and she frowned.  There was something vaguely familiar about them.

As they walked around the bed Rachel hastily pushed herself backwards.

“Don’t fucking move,” growled a voice.

Cold steel was pushed against her temple and she froze.

“Toss the weapon.”

She let the taser drop to the floor.

“Put your hands on your head and get up.”

She obeyed slowly, the gun never wavering from her head.

“Let’s see what we have here,“ said the figure.

The second figure she hadn’t even noticed switched on the light and her eyes widened.

“Joe, what the fuck are you doing?” she scowled, astounded to find herself looking into the face of the manager of The Wherry Tavern.

He smiled.  “Rachel, what a pleasant surprise.  You know, you really do have appalling taste in men.”

“What are you playing at?”

“I’ve got a sponsor, I’m tired of being the grunt, the one in the background who’s always being bossed about for no thanks and little money.”

“You get plenty of money.  You manage a very successful pub, you’re on a good wage and you’ve known our family for years.  Most people would love to be in your position you greedy bastard.”

He laughed.  “I love your spirit but you all saw me as a nothing, you never even noticed when I hung around outside the office, eavesdropping on your meetings.  I was just invisible but not anymore.”

He moved the barrel of the gun lower, using it to push open her robe.

“Don’t touch me,” she spat indignantly.

“It’s a new order Rachel and you are obsolete.”

“Fuck you.”

“Oh I fully intend to do that first,” he smiled lecherously.  “I’ve always fancied a piece of you.”

“You try it and I’ll rip your cock off.”

“We’ll work out the details later.  Right now we need to take care of your boyfriend.”

“He’s going to kill you,” she said coldly.

“I don’t think so.  There’s more of us downstairs.  He should be dead by now.”

“No,” she croaked.

Joe tilted his head to one side and smiled evilly.  “You seem to doom men, don’t you Rachel?”

But she didn’t hear his taunt, she was too busy being overwhelmed with fear and grief. 
Not Ryan too, please God
.  She was lost in her thoughts so she didn’t see the blow coming.  Joe’s fist connected with her face, knocking her sideways onto the bed.  This snapped her out of her fugue and she instinctively rolled out of his reach but she found herself face to face with his accomplice’s gun.

She was helpless to do anything as Joe flipped her onto her back and pinned her to the bed, untying her robe.

“I’ve been looking forward to this,” he leered.

There was a loud bang and the accomplice dropped to the floor, dead.

Ryan stalked into the room looking furious, his gun trained on Joe’s head.

“Drop it Ryan or I will kill her,” said Joe, jamming the gun into her neck.

“Alright,” he said, slowly lowering it to the floor then holding up his hands.  “Just don’t hurt her.”

“Now you can watch another of your men die,” Joe hissed in Rachel’s ear, aiming the weapon at Ryan.

Fury overtook her.  “Fuck you.”

She grabbed his arm and knocked it downwards, the bullet slamming into the floor, simultaneously jamming her elbow into his face.  She rolled off the bed and out of the way as Ryan flew at Joe with the knife, knocking him to the floor and thrust it into his abdomen.

Ryan grabbed him by the throat and yanked him towards him, eyes burning.

“Don’t you fucking touch her,” he snarled, twisting the blade in his gut.

“If you kill me….you won’t know…who sent me,” gasped Joe.

“I already know,” he spat before yanking the knife out of his stomach and plunging it into his heart.

Ryan got to his feet, breathing hard and kicked Joe’s inert body.  He looked at Rachel.  “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she rasped.  She hadn’t been around violence for a while and she was surprised by how strongly it was affecting her now the danger had passed. 

Her knees went weak and Ryan pulled her to him and rocked her gently, whispering reassuring words. 

There was the thunder of footsteps on the stairs and she gasped.  “There’s more of them.”

“No, it’s okay.  I had some help.”

Jez and Alex burst into the room.

Alex’s face fell when he saw Rachel.  “What the hell are you doing here?”

“What do you think?” she replied quietly.

He looked from Rachel to Ryan incredulously.  “You and him?”

She nodded.

“How long has this been going on?”

“A few weeks.”

“Weeks?  And you never said anything?”

“We didn’t want to until we knew it was going somewhere,” she replied.

“And is it?”

“Yes.”

“But…”

“Please can we discuss this later?” interjected Ryan impatiently.  “I can appreciate it’s a shock for you but I have three bodies in my house.”

“There were three of them?” said Rachel.

“Four actually.  We kept one alive.  He told me Richard Spencer was financing them.”

“Why?”

“We haven’t got that far yet but I’m going to find out.”

“I don’t want to know,” she said, pulling away from him.  “I’ve been out of this shit for nearly two years and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you pull me back into it.”  She started furiously gathering up her clothes and fixed Alex and Jez with a glare.  “Will you please give me some privacy?  I need to change.”

“Alright,” replied Alex, “but we will continue this discussion later.”

“Whatever,” she snapped.

When they’d gone she took off the robe and started pulling on her clothes, yanking on the left stocking so hard her toe went through the end and she swore.

“Rachel, will you please calm down?”

“Calm down?  I’ve just been attacked by someone I thought was a friend, his body’s still warm on your bedroom carpet and you want me to calm down?  I’d put all this behind me and now look what’s happened because of you.”

“I didn’t know this was going to happen.”

“I’m well aware of that but your work brought them here.”  She zipped up her skirt, stepped into her shoes and picked up her bag and coat.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.  I’m leaving before you start torturing your prisoner.”

“Please don’t leave like this, not after everything we said to each other today.”

She paused and sighed.  “I meant every word Ryan but what if Leah had been here tonight?”

The same horrifying thought had already occurred to him.  “I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing you can say.  I’m going home.”

“Can I see you tomorrow?”

She nodded sadly, knowing exactly how that conversation would go. 

He could see it in her eyes and swallowed hard, realising he was going to lose her, the one person he loved and who loved him back.

Without another word she strode out of the room and he followed her downstairs.  She paused when she saw the dead body lying on the living room floor, stabbed to death and the man tied to a chair and whimpering with fear.  She was so tired of violence and death. 

“Rachel,” called Alex.

But she ignored him and walked out, jumping into her car, the tyres kicking up gravel in her haste to get away.  Ryan watched her go, feeling defeated.

“Problems?” said Alex with a touch of sarcasm.

Ryan ignored the question.  The Sugar Brothers arrived to start clearing up the bodies.  As they worked Ryan looked at their prisoner, his face set hard, determined to take all his fury out on him.

“How the fuck did you get in here?” he demanded, jamming the knife under their prisoner’s chin.

“Spencer gave us a key,” he replied, grimacing as the tip of the blade dug into his skin.

“A key,” frowned Ryan.  “How did he get hold of a key to my house?”  Then it dawned on him.  “Estelle.”

“Mum?” said Jez.  “She was here?”

“She came round this afternoon, asking if she could stay here.  Naturally I said no.”  He hurried to the drawer in the sideboard where he kept the spare key.  “Shit it’s gone.”  He thought back carefully over the day’s events.  He’d briefly turned his back on her to move Rachel’s handbag out of her reach.  She’d only been out of his line of sight for maybe ten seconds but that’s all Estelle needed, she was an accomplished thief.  “Spencer must have paid her to do it.”

Ryan’s eyes met Jez’s, both seeing their own sadness reflected in each other at this fresh betrayal.

“I’ll leave it to you two to sort out that one,” said Alex.  “But we need to pay Spencer a visit.  Now.”

Ryan nodded.  “Let me pull on some clothes.”

As he moved for the stairs Alex called, “I hope you’re not treating Rachel like you treat all your other girlfriends.”

Ryan stopped and turned to face him.  “No I’m not.  I love her Alex.”

As he jogged up the stairs Jez and Alex stared after him with their mouths open.  They never thought they’d hear those words from Ryan Law’s lips.  Whereas Jez was ecstatic for his brother, Alex was angry.  Danny hadn’t been dead very long and already Rachel was in a serious relationship with another man and not just any man but a Law.  But that would have to keep.  Right now he needed Ryan to help sort out Spencer.

Richard Spencer had thought his house was a fortress after all the extra security he’d had installed after the Maguires’ visit until he woke up in the middle of the night to find Alex Maguire and Ryan Law looming over him.

With a gasp of surprise he reached for the revolver he kept in his bedside cabinet but Ryan punched him and he groaned and sank back into the pillows.  Richard had never seen such hellish fury in someone’s eyes before, he looked almost demonic.

“I had four men break into my house a couple of hours ago,” Ryan began, his cool, clipped accent suddenly terrifying.  “They’re all dead now but before they died one of them told us that you had sent them to murder myself and Rachel Maguire.  You’d also given explicit instructions that Rachel was to be raped before she died.  Would you care to explain yourself?”

“They’re lying, I never did…”

He was interrupted by Alex playing out a message that Joe had recorded on his mobile phone, a message from Richard Spencer relaying exactly what he wanted them to do.

“Sounds like you.”

“But it’s not,” he shrieked.

“Have some dignity Richard, we know,” said Alex icily.  “You were stupid not to disguise your voice.  Looks like Joe intended to blackmail you once you’d paid him for services rendered.  Tell us the truth and we might go easy on you.”

Richard sighed and dragged his hands down his face, realising he had little choice.  He knew how these men operated; if he didn’t tell them willingly they’d torture it out of him.