Brutal, page 20
‘I wouldn’t let our Reeny hear you saying that, if I was you,’ Nick snorted. ‘She ain’t gonna give him up without a fight, and she’d make mincemeat of you. So how’s about you and me make a little pact, eh? I won’t tell Reeny you’re after her man, and you can give me a bit of what you’ve been giving Karel. Yeah?’
Revolted by the idea of this animal putting his filthy hands on her, Viktorya drew her head back and spat in his face. Then, opening her mouth wide, she screamed out the name she hadn’t known until that moment: ‘KAARRREEEELLL . . .!’
Jolted into action, Nick threw his hand over her mouth to silence her, and let out a strangled cry of pain when she sank her teeth into his flesh. Raising his fist to punch her, he hesitated when the door opened and light filtered in from the landing.
‘What the fuck are you doing?’ Gaz hissed, staring in at him.
At the sound of his voice, Viktorya released her grip on Nick’s hand and scrambled off the bed.
‘Help me!’ she cried, running to Gaz. ‘He was try to rape me!’
‘Was I fuck,’ Nick countered, wiping the spit off his face with his sleeve and stuffing his injured hand under his armpit. ‘I was trying to shut you up, you stupid bitch.’
‘Why are you even in here?’ Gaz asked. ‘You were only supposed to be locking them in.’
‘You what?’ Nick glared at him. ‘I don’t answer to you, you little prick.’
‘No, you answer to Karel,’ Gaz reminded him. ‘And he specifically told you to leave this one alone, so, if I was you, I’d get out of here before he wakes up and catches you.’
‘Catches him doing what?’ Karel asked, walking in at that exact moment and looking from Gaz to Nick.
‘Nothing,’ Nick muttered, flashing a hooded look of warning at Gaz. ‘I was only getting the tarts’ underwear off ’em for the wash, and this crazy bitch started mouthing off.’
‘I ask speak to you,’ Viktorya said, rushing to Karel’s side and clinging to his arm. ‘He say no, and then he hit me and try to rape me.’
‘No, I fucking didn’t!’ Nick protested, turning to Gaz. ‘You saw everything. Did it look like I was trying to rape her?’
Gaz gazed coolly back at him, and his silence weighed heavily in the air for several moments. But just as Nick was beginning to think the man was going to throw him under the bus, Gaz looked at Karel and shook his head.
‘He’d only been in here a minute, and she was biting him when I walked in.’
‘You bit him?’ Karel raised an eyebrow and peered down at Viktorya.
‘Yes,’ she replied, no trace of remorse in her voice. ‘He put hand over my mouth when I call for you, and I could not breathe, so he deserve.’
Karel chuckled softly, and grinned at Nick and Gaz.
‘I like this one. She’s got balls.’
‘And teeth,’ Nick muttered, still rubbing his hand. ‘I wouldn’t mind, but I was only trying to protect you. She was yelling her head off, and I didn’t think you’d want Reeny to hear her and start asking questions.’
‘Do I look like I give a fuck what Irena thinks?’ Karel scoffed. Then, turning to Viktorya, he said, ‘Go get yourself cleaned up, darlin’. The bathroom’s at the end of the landing. And wash this.’ He stroked her greasy hair. ‘I want it looking as nice as it did when you first got here.’
Gaz frowned when, smiling like a cat that had got the cream, Viktorya sashayed out of the room. He couldn’t blame her for jumping at the chance to escape the hell her room-mates had found themselves in, but she was fooling herself if she thought she was in for a free ride with Karel, because the man respected nobody – not even Irena, who had stood by him through thick and thin and deserved to be treated a damn sight better.
Turning to leave the room, Gaz cast a quick glance at the girls who were now huddled together in the bed, and his stomach churned when he saw how ruined they looked compared to a week ago. When he’d first started working for Karel, he’d only been involved in the drugs and protection side of the business, and he’d been fine with that. But everything had changed since moving out here. Now he and Karel’s rabid sidekick, Nick, were tasked with keeping the street and brothel girls in line, and he hated it. But people who tried to walk away from Karel had a habit of disappearing without trace, and Gaz wasn’t stupid enough to think he’d fare any better, so he had no choice but to stick around until he found a safe way out.
Irena had been sleeping, but she woke when the overhead bedroom light suddenly came on, and she squinted in the glare. The mattress dipped behind her, and she snapped her head round when she heard a little giggle.
‘Oh, good, you’re awake,’ Karel said, smiling at her when she gazed blearily up at him. ‘We’ve got a guest.’
Irena blinked to clear her vision, and her blood ran cold when she saw Viktorya perched on the edge of the bed with a towel wrapped around her damp body. There had been other women in the past: some Karel had picked up in clubs and had wined and dined like normal dates; others, like Viktorya, who he’d picked out from his stable. But he had never brought one of them into their bed while Irena was in it, and that told her she’d been right to be worried about Viktorya. Not only was the girl stunningly beautiful, with her dark-lashed azure-blue eyes, her flawless complexion, and her perfect body, but she was also more than a decade younger than Irena.
‘Where d’you think you’re going?’ Karel asked when Irena slid her legs out from beneath the quilt and stood up.
‘You have made your choice, so I will sleep downstairs,’ she replied.
‘Like hell you will,’ he snorted. ‘You’re my woman, and you’ll go when I tell you to.’
Confused, Irena hesitated.
‘I do not understand.’
‘Oh, I think you do,’ Karel said, his eyes never leaving hers as he pulled the towel off Viktorya and tossed it aside before turning the girl around by the shoulders. ‘What d’ya reckon?’
Irena’s mouth had gone dry, and she self-consciously crossed her arms over her own breasts when Karel started fondling the girl’s.
‘Back in bed,’ Karel ordered huskily. ‘You, me, and little Vicky are gonna have some fun.’
Barely able to breathe, Irena croaked, ‘Please, Karel, do not do this. You say you love me.’
‘And you said you didn’t screw that old fucker, but we both know you did,’ Karel replied smoothly as he loosened the belt of his dressing gown and let it drop to the floor, revealing his erection. ‘Now get back in the fucking bed, or you’ll be sleeping with Nick from now on. Is that what you want?’
Aware that he would carry through with the threat and hand her over to Nick if she argued, Irena bit down hard on her lip to keep herself from crying, and climbed back under the quilt.
36
Up and out by six fifteen the next morning, Marie drove over to Evan’s workplace and parked outside the main doors. It was all locked up at the front, but she could hear music and banter coming from the side of the building, and she made her way round there when she recognized the voice of Billy Hicks – the man Evan had lied about giving lifts to the hospital.
‘I’ve never seen owt like it in me life,’ Billy was saying when she reached the open workshop doors. ‘There was a horse with a dick the length of a hosepipe, and the bird was givin’ it pure—’
He abruptly stopped speaking when another man spotted Marie and nudged him, and he and the others turned to face her.
‘You can’t come in here, love,’ one of them said. ‘Reception opens at eight, so you’ll have to come back later.’
‘I’m looking for Evan,’ Marie said to Billy. ‘Have you seen him? Any of you?’ she added, including the others now; some of whom she recognized, some she’d never seen before.
‘I told you when you rang the other day, he hasn’t been in all week,’ Billy reminded her.
‘I’m not talking about here,’ she said. ‘I’m talking about anywhere. You’re his mates; one of you must know where he is?’
‘Not me.’
‘Me neither.’
The men all shook their heads, and Billy shrugged.
‘Sorry, love.’
Marie stared at him before sweeping a gaze over the others.
‘One of you knows something,’ she said accusingly. ‘Did he tell you to lie to me? Are you all in on it? Laughing at me behind my back?’
‘Come on, don’t get upset,’ Billy said, walking over and ushering her back out into the alley when tears started glittering in her eyes.
‘Don’t touch me!’ She jerked away from him. ‘I know all about the stupid bro code, and I can see you’re all lying through your teeth. Just tell me where he is. I promise I won’t let on that I got it from you.’
‘For the last time, I don’t know,’ Billy insisted. ‘And I’ve got to set my machine up before my boss gets here, so—’
‘Billy, please,’ she implored. ‘I’m his wife; I’ve got a right to know.’
‘For fuck’s sake, leave the man alone and go home,’ one of the others called out from the doorway.
‘It’s no fuckin’ wonder he’s done one, state of her,’ someone else muttered from inside.
‘Take no notice,’ Billy said apologetically when her cheeks flared. ‘None of us has seen or heard from him. And, between you and me,’ he went on quietly as he walked her along the alley, ‘he’ll be getting his cards if he doesn’t show his face ASAP. So if you do manage to find him, give him a heads up, yeah?’
He left her with that, and headed back to the workshop. Unsure where to go from there, Marie pulled a tissue from her pocket and blew her nose. Behind her, someone wolf-whistled, and she snapped her head round to see which one of Evan’s loutish workmates was taking the piss. But the whistle hadn’t been aimed at her, she realized; it was for the woman wearing stiletto heels, a short skirt and low-cut top, who was unlocking the door directly facing the entrance to the workshop.
Recognizing her, Marie’s blood boiled, and she turned on her heel and marched back up the alleyway, yelling, ‘Oi, you! Laura, or whatever your name is, I want a word!’
‘Me?’ Laura Weston hesitated and gave her a bemused look. ‘About what?’
‘My husband,’ spat Marie. ‘I should have known he’d go crawling back for more when he’s got them under his nose day in day out!’ She jabbed a finger at Laura’s enormous breasts.
‘You what?’ Laura almost laughed in her face. ‘I haven’t got a clue who you’re talking about, sweetheart, but I think you’ve got the wrong person.’
‘Don’t pretend you don’t know him when I caught you with him in the pub,’ Marie bellowed, oblivious to the men chuckling as they watched the show from the workshop doorway.
‘Oh, yeah . . .’ Laura drew her head back and smirked. ‘I remember you now. Evan’s crazy bitch wife.’
‘Where is he?’ Marie demanded. ‘What’s the address? I said what’s the fucking ADDRESS?’
‘First off, you’d best stop yelling in my face before I punch your lights out,’ Laura warned. ‘And, second off, I haven’t got a clue where he is, so quit making a show of yourself.’
‘Liar!’ Marie hissed, her body quivering with rage. ‘You told me you’d been screwing him, so don’t bother denying it now!’
‘I said I could have, if I’d wanted him,’ Laura corrected her. ‘But I was only winding you up, you dozy cow. What did you expect after chucking my drink in my face?’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘I don’t really care what you believe,’ Laura said dismissively. ‘And if you don’t mind, I’ve got a showroom to open.’
‘JUST TELL ME WHERE HE IS!’ Marie wailed.
‘I . . . don’t . . . know,’ Laura repeated slowly, tiring of the conversation. ‘But he’s not with me, ’cos I’m spoken for.’ She held up her left hand and flashed an engagement ring at Marie. Then, giving a tight smile, she walked inside the building and slammed the door shut.
Humiliated, Marie turned to Billy, but he shook his head and retreated into the workshop, quickly followed by the others. Cheeks on fire, she fled up the alleyway and climbed into her car. It felt like a huge conspiracy that everyone was in on except her. Wherever Evan was, he clearly didn’t want her to find him, and that hurt, because she’d done nothing wrong. But he’d made his choice, so she was going to have to accept that it was over for good this time.
Swiping at the tears that were running down her face, she threw the car into gear and headed home.
37
Frank’s head was banging when he woke up, and he grimaced when he looked in the dressing-table mirror and saw a lump the size of a tangerine on the side of his head, and dried blood on his face and neck. Untying his dressing gown belt when he felt a sharp pain in his side, he gingerly touched the bruised flesh, half expecting to find a rib poking through. Relieved to see that wasn’t the case, he carefully moved over to the side of the bed and opened his drawer to look for painkillers.
The strip of heart tablets Irena had brought up to him several days earlier was sitting at the front of the drawer, so he popped one into his mouth and dry-swallowed it. There were only two left, and it occurred to him that his repeat prescription would already have been sent to the village pharmacy. If he didn’t go to collect it, they would ring him; and if he didn’t answer, their delivery woman, Anita Reynolds, would bring it round. And she was one of the biggest gossips in the village, so when she saw Irena, she’d go straight back and tell everyone.
But so what if she did? It wouldn’t change anything. Gossiping or not, they would still be free to go about their lives, and he would still be imprisoned here, at the mercy of these thugs.
The door opened behind him, and he turned his head as Nick entered. In a fighting mood, despite the injuries Karel had inflicted on him, Frank glared at the man.
Unfazed, Nick grinned, and said, ‘Up and at ’em, Granddad. It’s time you started earning your keep.’
‘No,’ Frank replied, stubbornly staying put. ‘If you want me to get up, you’ll have to make me.’
He’d fully expected the man to go for him, but he hadn’t expected the speed of the attack – or the strength with which the much shorter man managed to pin him down on the bed.
‘Still don’t get it, do you?’ Nick snarled, his eyes glittering as he pressed the blade of the knife he’d pulled out of his pocket against Frank’s throat. ‘You ain’t in control here, and you’ll do as you’re fuckin’ told – or else.’
‘Do your worst,’ Frank hissed, bucking his hips to try and dislodge the man. ‘My kids are out of reach, so you can’t do a damn thing to them. It’s just you and me, so why don’t you put the knife down and take me on man to man?’
Nick gave a throaty chuckle and pressed down harder on the blade, drawing blood.
‘Oops,’ he drawled, wiping it off with his fingertip and smearing it on Frank’s cheek. ‘Now look what you’ve made me do.’
‘Do it again,’ Frank challenged. ‘Cut my fucking head off and nail it to the gate post, if you want, but I’ll never take orders from you!’
Karel strode into the room and tutted when he saw Nick sitting astride Frank on the bed.
‘What the fuck are you doing?’ he snapped. ‘I told you to fetch him down, not shag him.’
‘And I will,’ said Nick, still staring at Frank. ‘Soon as he realizes who’s boss.’
‘Well, it isn’t you, that’s for sure,’ spat Frank. ‘You’re nothing more than his sidekick.’
The dart hit its target, and Frank laughed when he saw anger flare in Nick’s eyes.
‘Go on then, dickhead, do it!’ he goaded when the man raised the knife into the air.
‘Get off him,’ Karel ordered, his tone bored now.
‘Nah, man,’ Nick argued. ‘I ain’t having the cunt think he can talk to me like that.’
‘I said get off him,’ Karel repeated. ‘I’ve got something to show him.’
Nick hesitated for a moment. Then, grin returning, he jumped off the bed.
Sensing that something bad was about to happen, Frank eyed the men warily as he sat up.
‘What’s going on?’
‘If I didn’t need you, I’d have killed you by now,’ Karel said, as casually as if they were mates having a friendly chat. ‘But you know that, don’t you? And that’s why you’ve suddenly developed balls. But let’s see if we can’t change that, eh?’
An icy hand clutched Frank’s heart when the man brought a photograph up on the screen of his phone and showed it to him.
‘No . . .’ he croaked, staring in horror at the image of Evan gagged and tied to a chair in a dimly lit room, his head at an angle, his face battered almost beyond recognition.
‘You’ve only got yourself to blame,’ Karel said, putting the phone away again. ‘If you’d got rid of him like I told you to that day, he’d have been OK. But you had to go and make him suspicious, so now he’s paying the price.’
‘But I didn’t say anything,’ Frank argued, his voice as weak as he physically felt. ‘You were there – you heard everything.’
‘I know what you said,’ Karel agreed. ‘But you obviously gave him some sort of signal, ’cos we caught him spying on us the next day. And why would he do that, unless he knew something was wrong?’
Frank’s knuckles were bone white, and his fingernails were cutting into the flesh of his palms. This was why Marie hadn’t seen Evan all week. He hadn’t left her, he’d been kidnapped.
‘Where is he?’ he asked. ‘Is – is he . . .’ He tailed off, unable to voice his fear.
‘Not yet,’ Karel said, guessing what he meant. ‘But he will be if you give me any more trouble.’
Tears of relief flooded Frank’s eyes and he held up his hands.
‘OK, you win. I’ll do anything you want, but let my boy go. Please, I’m begging you.’
‘Awww . . . he’s such a good daddy, ain’t he?’ Nick said sarcastically.
‘Sure is.’ Karel grinned. Then, to Frank, he said, ‘Anyway, now you know what’s at stake, I think I can trust you to behave, so I’m going to give you a bit of rope.’
