13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Luke
No part of me wants to leave her. No part of me wants to miss a single second with the woman lying naked next to me. I look down, warm streaks of red and brown fan across my sheets. My heart sings.
For three years I’ve thought about this moment; sleeping with Eva and waking up with her in my arms. It’s something I haven’t shared with anyone else. It may not have been as intimate as I wanted, but still, it was euphoric. Me. Her. It was everything I knew it would be.
I want to butcher Adam for cutting it short.
Sliding out of bed, I pull my arm from underneath Eva’s head. Heading to my bathroom, I push the door to, whispering as I answer. “Someone better be dying.”
There’s a bang and a gruff voice cries out in the background. “Finally,” he yells, and I hold the phone away from my ear. “Been calling you, you bastard.”
“Problem?”
I hear him swing his arm, knocking something. “Yes, we have a problem!”
I look at my reflection in the mirror. “We?” I question, running a hand through the strands of my hair. “What do you mean by we?”
“You and me. Remember? You came into business with me to help.” The distinct noise of him dropping the phone whilst he wrestles with someone can be heard. I wait. Not phased. He picks it back up, clearly out of breath. “Well now I need your help, Bro. ”
“Sounds like you’ve got things under control.”
“Don’t fuck with me, Luke. I mean it.”
“Easy, tiger. Tell me what you need.”
He grunts and spits. “Pull up the location of that Quasimodo looking motherfucker.”
My eyes scrunch, my blood instantly runs cold. The ugly fuck who met the ending he deserved isn’t coming back from where I sent him. “We know his location.”
He exhales. “Pull up. His fucking. Location.” He’s serious.
Keeping Adam on speaker, I look down at my phone, opening the tracker app I use to keep tabs on people. A tiny red dot flashes on the outskirts of town next to a disused bus station. A tiny red dot that went off when I buried his phone with him.
That’s now back.
Right next to where I can see Adam is.
The guy who’s apparently there too, I buried two days ago. In concrete.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “How is this possible?”
“Clearly,” he throws a punch, “we’re either dealing with the walking dead, or something went wrong.”
I look to the door, seeing Eva still laid in bed. “Wrong?”
“You’re sure you got the right man?”
“Of course I did,” I snap on a harsh, hushed breath. Closing my eyes, I try to rationalise how anyone found him, and more so, why the fuck anyone would dig him up. No way anyone would have known a body was down there, and he wasn’t important enough to dig up.
Shit. “If it wasn’t him, who did we get rid of?”
He huffs. “Beats me.”
I spin around, taking a few steps. “I fucking will, Adam.” A hand flies to my hair. Something doesn’t feel right. Killing the last one of those fuckers responsible for what happened to me was meant to be the end of me doing this shit.
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, or bite the hand that feeds you. ”
“You don’t fucking feed me!” I bark, covering my mouth before I really fucking snap. “Marcus, your boss does,” I then say quieter, looking up to the heavens.
I’m fucking annoyed I couldn’t find my last man without his help. This shit is meant to be done now. That was the plan; help him collect his money in return for information. Then I walk away.
“Yeah, but I brought you in on it.”
Like I had a choice . “Showing up a few days after I got out of prison with a dead body and asking me to help you dispose of it, doesn’t count.”
He scoffs like it’s no big deal he was late.
My little brother got lucky because I hopelessly made my way back to the bar after leaving Eva, only to find him frantically searching for me.
“You’re a pro, Bro. Plus, look how far we’ve come since then.”
I shake my head. Adam doesn’t know the half of it.
“Hang on.” He drops the phone again, and I wait, wanting to get back to Eva.
There’s a muffled gag. “Adam?”
Eventually, he picks up his phone. “I’m here,” he says breathlessly.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Getting rid of the three men who showed up and tried to kill me. Or you. I haven’t worked out who they’re here for.”
“What?” I look at the time on my phone. “Why the fuck were you out so late?”
“I met with Carrie, who is not happy with the earful she got from your girl’s friend by the way.”
I click my teeth, willing him to get on with it.
“Anyway, I had a notification that one of the trackers had been reactivated, saw who it was and came to check it out. Then I got jumped.”
“And then what?”
“That’s why I’m calling, Bro. I need your help cleaning this lot up fucking sharpish.”
The ground feels like it’s spiralling underneath me. This isn’t how things were supposed to go. Everything has run as expected up until this very moment.
I leaped at the offer for information on the basis that once I was done, and there were no more of those sick fucks who hurt me left, I could walk away. When I saw where my last man was, it was a no-brainer. But I don’t want anything linked to that part of my life jeopardising Eva’s. Especially now I know she’s a mother.
I wish Carrie would have told me Eva had a child. But she just followed my orders like the loyal friend I know she is.
“For fuck’s sake, Adam.” My despair is aimed at him and for myself. I grab a clean pair of boxers, quickly pulling them on.
“Hey, don’t for fuck’s sake me.”
“You should have gotten out of there, or better yet, fucking called me.”
He scoffs, and I realise I ended the call. Fuck. I let myself get distracted.
“Yeah well, after you ignored me, I just thought, 'what would Luke do?', and rolled with it. I’m good. It’s fine.”
He says that like he can take on three guys all at once. He can, but deep down, I worry. That’s why I always take the lead when on a job. “Sounds sloppy.”
“Be a lot less sloppy if my fucking brother had actually picked up his phone when I called over two hours ago.”
Shit. He’s right. Rubbing a hand to my forehead, I know I have to go help. “Start the clean-up. I’ll be there soon.”
“Be where soon?”
I spin around seeing Eva at the door, the sheets wrapped around her.
“Luke?” I hear Adam question, but I hang up without another word.
“Who was that?” Eva asks, one hand rubbing her eye.
“Nobody,” I say, and she drops her hand, blinking the sleep away.
She looks me up and down. “You’re leaving?”
I step closer. Eva can’t peel her eyes off me. If only I could take her back to bed, take care of her, lose myself in her until she’s asleep again. “I won’t be gone long.” I hope.
Eva raises a small smile. “Okay.” She doesn’t sound as sure as I would have hoped for.
“Hey.” Walking to her, I pull her into me, breathing in her scent as I push my nose into her hair .
Her soft hands brace on my arms, the simple act warming my centre. There’s a first time to enjoy everything. Not surprisingly it’s with her. “Work?” Eva asks, her voice sleepy.
“Work,” I repeat, lifting her feet off the ground.
Eva tucks her head into my neck, her smell mixed with mine soothing me. I walk her backwards until she’s sitting on the edge of the bed. Pulling back the covers, she rolls underneath them, lying down.
Once her head hits the pillow, I can’t help but steal a few seconds watching her as her eyes close. Searching for sleep, she begins to drift. I stroke a single strand of hair off her face, kissing her forehead. I then push myself to stand, one hand wiping the front of my face.
I know in this very moment, Eva’s where I want to be. Always.
Reluctantly turning, I pick up my trousers and grab my shirt. I don’t usually like anything less than perfect these days. The creases and lines made by Eva throwing it to the floor will have to be ignored. Something tells me I’ll be burning this suit after tonight, anyway.
Grabbing some presumably needed cash and my key to the room, I go to leave, my hand turning the handle quietly.
“Luke.”
Assuming Eva was already asleep, I spin on my heels, startled at hearing her voice. “Yeah, Little Warrior?” I whisper, not moving from my spot.
“Thank you.” Her eyes are still closed, the sheets pressed to her face.
I falter, my spine straightening, my free hand slipping into my pocket. This woman doesn’t know how much I’ve longed to see her how she is now. “For what, Eva?”
When she lifts a small smile, her eyes slowly open, finding me. “For making me feel like me again.”
My head drops. I kept my promise this time. “Dream of me. I’ll be back soon.”
She holds my gaze before she nestles deeper into the sheets, eyes closing again.
And just looking at her, here in my bed. I get the feeling that Eva looks perfect being mine.
When I pull up to where I’m meeting Adam, I find him busily stuffing a body into the back of his car. “Where are the others?”
He looks over his shoulder, one finger lifting to a spot behind me. “There,” he swings his finger, “and there,” he swings it to the top of a building.
My bottom lip juts out. “Impressive.”
“Yeah, well, I learned from the best.”
I head towards him, lifting the dead man’s legs and chucking them down. “You didn’t learn shit from me.”
He turns to face me. “Of course I did. You’re my big bro, Bro.”
I look him square in the face. “If you start crying again, I’m going to throw up.”
“Fuck you. Those weren’t tears.”
“What were they then?” We both turn, and I follow him to the next body.
“I told you. Had something in my eye. That’s all.”
I scoff under my breath, hating the destruction around us. I’m impressed Adam held his own, but I don’t like not knowing why he had to in the first place.
Adam deadpans me, his middle finger raised high. “Stop being a twat. Grab his legs.”
“No, you’ve got this. I’ll grab the other one.”
“Of course you will.”
I run, pulling up the local CCTV of the area on my phone. Still nothing new. This place is desolate. Makes me wonder why anyone would meet here, and more so, how a dead man makes it here. Someone has to be fucking with us.
Climbing onto the roof, I throw the dead guy over my shoulder. With a turn, I then make my way back to Adam, negotiating the fixed ladder and breaking into a jog once at the bottom. My stab wound from my time inside niggles, but I ignore the flare of pain. It’s like a daily reminder of what could have been.
I meet Adam at his car. “You’re a giant.”
“Shut up,” I scold him.
We fling the men into the boot then work together to get it shut. “Bastard thing.” He slams it until it clicks, and we both look around as though onlookers might be watching. “So, what next? ”
Reaching into my pocket, I flick through the contacts on my phone, searching for a number of someone I know I can call so last minute. “I’m looking for a number.”
“Whose?”
“That guy we used last time we needed an incinerator.”
Adam rolls his eyes. “Not the one who likes to brag about himself?”
“No, the other one, but you two must get along so well.” My fingers find who I’m looking for and hit dial.
“Not since I killed his brother.” Adam shrugs, and I double take.
“Hello?”
Shaking myself back to the present, I simply say, “Need your help.”
“Who is this?” I hear the fog cloud Garth’s judgement.
“Who else would be calling you so late?” I turn to look at Adam, signalling for the keys to his car. He flips me off, and I freeze. “Keys,” I mouth, still waiting for Garth to recognise it’s me.
“Luke?”
Finally. “So?”
“So, what?” Garth asks.
“Can you help?”
I hear him begin moving around. “When?”
“Now,” I say quickly, walking to Adam and twisting his hand with mine until he’s dropping his keys to the floor.
I pick them up, pushing him to get in the car.
“You ask a lot of me, Luke.”
“I only ask the men I trust,” I tell him, getting into the McLaren Adam drives.
Garth sighs. “Give me half an hour.”
I hang up, dead legging Adam when he gets in his car.
“Bastard! What was that for?”
Starting the engine, I quickly reverse, getting us out of here. “Next time, don’t take on three men without backup.”
“I was fine.” He rubs his leg, his face curled tight.
“Doesn’t matter. What would you have done if they got you?” He’s quiet. Thinking .
“Prayed, I guess.”
Pressing the car into first gear, I look at him. “Praying won’t help you. You help you. Got it?”
He nods.
Looking back to the road, I hit the accelerator, punching it until we’re tearing it towards a broken, steel gate.
“Don’t hit the gate.”
I crash through it, thoroughly worked up, time also not on my side.
His palms turn up. “He hit the gate.” I’m silent until I’m reaching ninety. “Something on your mind, Bro?”
My fingers on the gear paddle flex.
Adam’s gaze flicks to one side. “Oh, there is.”
I grind my teeth. My brother has the same knack as me for noticing the little things. My silence doesn’t stop him pushing, however.
“Want to talk about it?”
My head slowly turns to his.
He looks at me, then to the road. I refuse to look away from him as he lifts his hand to the dashboard, nervously glancing between me and the tarmac in quick succession. All the while his back is creeping further up the leather of the passenger seat. “Alright, alright, I’ll drop it. Just watch it okay. This car’s my fucking pride and joy. Don’t hurt her!” He bares his teeth anxiously.
I look back at the road, gripping the steering wheel. If I know my brother, I know I have about five seconds before he asks me again.
I wait.
“She nice?”
I slam on the brakes, sending Adam crashing into the dashboard. “Motherfucker.” He swipes his nose, and I accelerate again sending him back to his seat.
“What am I always telling you?”
“Fuck.” He grabs for his seatbelt, buckling himself in. For a guy who’s thirty-one, I feel like his father more and more every day. I’ve got six years on him. Then my face falls as I realise for the first time, I also have six on Eva.
Is that six too many?
Fuck. I hadn’t given it any thought up until this very moment .
My hand twists on the leather wheel again, my grip audible enough for Adam.
“She’s clearly the one.”
“Adam,” I say, heaving out a breath. The job back here had everything to do with burying my past. Finding out Eva was here was a bonus. One I’m glad I found, thanks to Carrie. And yeah, if I’m being honest with myself, now that I’ve seen her, it makes getting out even more crucial.
He waits for me to answer, the silence pressing against my ears makes my eye twitch. Persistent little shit. “So what if she is?”
I see the smile smother his face. His blonde hair is the exact opposite of mine. Similar in build but smaller in size, we look nothing alike. It was always Sammie who was more like me and favoured Mum’s looks, rather than our own dads’.
“No, nothing. Just be good to see you settle down. Leave some of the ladies for the rest of us.”
His spirited voice has me shaking my head.
“Me, I’m single through choice.”
“Yeah. Hers.”
Adam lifts his finger to me again. This time it makes me smile. I see the sign for where we’re headed. Ten miles out. I’ve made good time.
He reaches forward dropping the mirror down. A few swipes on the end of his shirt and his face is cleared of blood.
“How did this happen, Adam?”
“Like I said. Information must have been wrong.”
That doesn’t make any sense. “The information came from your boss.”
He flips the mirror shut, looking at me. “Why do you only call him my boss? He’s yours, too.”
I hold up my index finger, my blood simmering. “Correction. I help you. I don’t work for him.”
“Whatever.”
We pull up at the crematorium ten minutes later. Garth doesn’t speak as I hand him an envelope and Adam walks to the boot. The night is lit by the moon, the air around me, shadowy. Peaceful.
Garth slides the envelope into his top pocket, all of us stepping back as the boot pops open. “You don’t want to count it?” I ask, avoiding his gaze .
He flicks an unsure look at Adam before he looks at me. “No need.” He slaps my shoulder as he rounds the boot to see what he’s working with. “Three. Okay, maybe I will check it.”
I let off a chuckle. “I paid double, old man.”
“Old man,” he mutters, shaking his head. “Get them around the back.”
Adam and I do as he says, leaving without another word to Garth, twenty minutes later. “What now?” Adam says as we get back into his car.
I let him drive this time. “Go back to where they were. Something isn’t adding up. Makes no sense why they’d be there. It’s disused, sure, but it’s too open to ambush people.”
“Maybe it was just by chance they were at the same place I saw the tracker?” Adam says, turning the radio on and flicking to his favourite station.
“And you think a buried man’s location changing is by chance too? No, they wanted us there.”
We exchange a look. “Fair point.”
I open the laptop Adam has in his car, searching for any information I can find on the men we just dropped off. I swiped their IDs and their phones as standard. “We need to get Marcus here and sit down with him.” Because now we have bigger problems.
Adam turns the music up. “Can’t we just head back home? Weather’s shit up here.”
My eyes stay on him. “We’re two hours from your place. The weather doesn’t change that much.”
Silence stretches the space between us. He never once takes his eyes off the road ahead, but he sighs. “I just don’t want to piss him off, that’s all.” Finally he says what’s eating him.
“Piss him off? By asking why the fuck the information I asked for is blatantly wrong? He never makes mistakes, so I think it’s pretty fucking reasonable to ask how he could make one now.” And why his first mistake should come with something related to me.
“He doesn’t care for reasonable. You know that.”
Yeah, and that raises more than a few red flags for me .
I don’t tend to ask questions. Never have. Staying in my own lane and getting what needs to be done is more appealing.
Do I check every job we get given out of fear or plain sense? I don’t know. Whatever the reason, I’m still good with technology. With a little help, I managed to find every fucker who ever wronged me and made sure they met their end. All except for one—the worst one, even Carrie strangely couldn’t find anything on.
That’s how this all started. Adam had the connections; I had the brawn. After I’d helped him and saw what kind of set up they had, it made sense to utilise what was around me. I never expected to have a brother and friend who actually mean something to me.
His boss, Marcus, he’s the one with the brains. Which is why I don’t believe he would make a mistake like the one that’s apparently been made.
When we pull up back at the old bus station, the place is as we left it. “Found anything?” Adam asks as he pulls to a stop.
I look around outside my window then check the screen of the laptop. “Nothing of importance.”
“You notice the obvious with all of them?”
I nod. “Serbians,” I reply, finding a profile for one of them that doesn’t appear fake. “Hang on. That can’t be right.”
“What?” Adam queries, leaning over.
I angle the screen. “Look familiar?”
Adam scratches his nose. “Why the fuck are they pictured together?”
There’s a tap on my window and Adam jumps with a start.
I slowly turn my head and look down the barrel of a gun, then to the man holding it. My eyes hone in on my reflection, bringing myself into focus. “Maybe he’s going to tell us.”