Chapter 2
Chapter two
Nicky
Now
Iam so excited I’m going to puke. Today is the day Liam is finally getting out of prison.
Five long years. Death by Dangerous Driving. Driving without a licence. Driving without insurance. Driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Awful crimes, but people usually get less. Sometimes just a driving ban and a slap on the wrist. I still swear he only got that long because Olivia’s dad was a cop. And I swear that man is the reason all the Young Offender Units and wings were full and Liam had to go to Gen Pop.
But whatever the reason, it is finally done now. The long years are over. In a few hours Liam will be strolling out of the prison gates, and not long after that I will be showing him around our apartment.
He can stay as long as he likes, and I hope that will be forever. He’ll get back on his feet quickly, I’m sure, but London is expensive, and what is more fun than living with your best friend?
A wave of doubt washes over me. Sudden but not unexpected. A familiar cold and unsettling uncertainty. It makes me shiver, but then I shrug it off.
He will want to see me. Liam is still my friend, it will be fine. He didn’t write to anyone or allow anyone to visit. It is not just me he cut off.
I’ve asked plenty of people who have been in prison, and they said ignoring everyone from the outside and just putting their head down was how they got through doing their time.
Besides, even if Liam isn’t that thrilled to see me, my place is a hell of a lot nicer than some crappy hostel. And his dad is still adamant that Liam is a piece of shit, so it’s not like that’s an option. So Liam will come back with me, out of practicality, if nothing else.
But Liam will be happy to see me. I know he will. He’ll love the apartment, and he will be so proud that I followed his advice and joined the mafia. There is so much to tell him. I can’t wait.
I glance nervously at my Rolex. Two hours until the prison gates open. Not long enough to do anything else, but a long time to wait and fixate.
With perfect timing, my phone buzzes in the pocket of my suit jacket. I scowl as I pick it up. A distraction may be exactly what I need, but it is still annoying.
“Can you help with a cleanup?” asks Carlo.
My heart thumps. “What? Who? There was nothing scheduled.”
Carlo sighs down the phone. “It was a personal matter.”
“Carlo,” I admonish.
Killing is an unpleasant, but necessary part of the job. Committing it for personal reasons is seriously straying into darker territory.
“Don’t lecture me, Nicolo. The bastard tried to rape someone.”
My shoulders relax, and the tight feeling in my stomach drains away. I like Carlo. I don’t want him to turn into someone who kills for fun.
“I can’t,” I say. “My friend is getting out of prison today. Dario gave me the week off.”
“Oh yeah. I forgot. Have a good one.”
The line goes dead. I shake my head and put my phone back in my pocket. Typical Carlo. No, hello how are you, or goodbye. Just straight to business.
Liam is going to love him. He is going to love all my friends. I’m going to have to beg Dario not to give Liam a job, because getting tangled up with the mafia is the last thing he’ll need after five years inside.
I glance at my watch again. If I go now, I will be able to get a good parking spot. I can wait in the car and listen to music. It’s got to be better than pacing around in here.
Yes, leaving now is a great idea. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner.
With that thought in mind, I check that my car keys are in my pocket, and I head out of the door.
It takes me thirty minutes to reach the prison. All these years, Liam has been so physically close, yet so far away. He was right here yet he may as well have been on the moon.
I look up at the imposing red-brick Victorian wall that is looming over me. These bricks have kept me apart from my best friend for five whole years. Fuck them and fuck everything they represent.
The wall glares back at me. Taunting. It knows I wouldn’t last five years inside its confines. I wouldn’t even last one. I’d be a mess. Not that I’m ever going to confess that to anyone. I’m in the mafia. Reputation is everything. I have to act the hard man. Pretend that I’m dangerous.
Liam will see right through my bluff. But he’ll keep my secret. Play along with it. Even add credence to it by being seen with me.
I bet he made himself king in there. He must be super dangerous by now. He may have been only eighteen when he went in, but Liam could always hold his own among older men. His air of authority was unmistakable, even back then.
I have a strong feeling that everyone, inmates and screws, are throwing him a leaving party right now. There are probably even some tears.
The mental image makes me smile. Flipping heck, now I’m sitting alone in my car, outside Brixton Prison, grinning like an idiot. It is a good thing that nobody can see me.
Suddenly, movement in the periphery of my vision catches my attention. A small door cut into the giant wooden gates is opening. My heart begins to race.
A middle-aged man wearing a gray tracksuit and clutching a plastic carrier bag steps out. He blinks for a moment as if emerging into the sunlight after hibernating in a dark cave. Then he shuffles off, down the road.
Next is a younger, bearded man with a big grin on his face.
The moment he steps out of the gate, the doors of a car parked near me fling open and a woman and two children jump out.
They run towards the freed prisoner, and he hugs them all in one big squishy embrace.
Squeals and laughter reach my ears and deepen my smile.
They slowly make their way to their car, while all still clinging onto him and chatting, laughing and smiling.
I look away and see that a young man has crept out of the gate. His head is down, and shoulder-length blond hair is covering his face. His shoulders are hunched, and the gray sweatsuit is too big for his thin body.
His plastic carrier bag doesn’t look like it has much in it. Definitely not enough to start a new life.
I watch as he turns and slowly starts walking away, sticking close to the wall. Poor kid. He didn’t even look to see if anyone had come to meet him. He clearly wasn’t expecting anyone.
He picks up his pace a little, while keeping his body language as small as possible. Something about him niggles at me. Do I know him?
He stops and turns to cross the road. He looks up, scanning for traffic, and for a split second he looks towards me and I catch a glimpse of his face.
My heart stops. Liam. That is Liam.
The car door is opening, and I’m practically falling out before I’ve coordinated my feet. Somehow I don’t fall flat on my face. I manage to get out of my car, and I run after Liam.
I catch up with him just as he has turned a corner. My heart pounds with how close I came to losing him.
“Liam!” I yell.
He flinches and cowers and doesn’t turn to face me. I’m still running, so I run around to his front before skidding to a stop.
“Liam! It’s me!”
Blue eyes peek out at me through a curtain of hair. They widen. “Nicky?” he whispers faintly.
“Yeah!” I grin.
“Nice suit.” His gaze tracks over me. “You got big, Nicky.”
It is Liam. Liam is standing in front of me after five long years. My best friend is here.
I step towards him, my arms open. He shrinks, but I wrap my arms around him anyway. I’m far too excited not to.
He is motionless in my embrace. Bearing it. I can feel him trembling.
I step back. “My car is over there.”
He blinks and gives me a blank look.
Please don’t tell me he is going to argue about this?
Is he going to be all stubborn and stay in whatever shitty hostel has been set up for him?
Though, looking at him and his pathetic bag, I have a sinking feeling he has been released with nothing.
I’ve heard of people being let out with just a tenner and expected to fend for themselves.
I draw myself up to my full height. “You are coming with me.”
Liam drops his gaze. His long hair hides his face. He nods meekly.
Okay. That turned out to be easy. Which is a good thing. There is no need for this creeping, cold unease that is slowly settling in my stomach.
I plaster a smile on my face and lead the way to my car. Liam trails closely behind me.
He pauses when I open the door.
“You have a MX5?”
I grin as delight and pride tingle through me. “Yeah.”
Liam lets out a low whistle. “Just like we always planned.”
Shit. Maybe I should have hired a shitty car or caught an Uber. I definitely didn’t need to wear Armani or a Rolex.
I am being a dick. Shoving my success down Liam’s throat while he is standing here in a cheap prison-issued tracksuit with only a plastic bag to his name.
“Wait to you see the apartment,” I say instead. Going with continuing the boasting.
He might be put out now, but he’ll soon see that I consider my success to be ours. I’m going to share everything I have with him, until he finds his feet and surpasses me.
Liam doesn’t reply. He doesn’t move or say anything. It starts to get awkward.
“Get in,” I say without quite managing the joking tone I was aiming for.
Liam jerks and climbs into the car with robotic motions. I shut his door, and get in the driver’s side and fire the engine up. Liam casts a quick, appreciative glance at the interior before staring at his feet.
I put the car into gear, and we pull away. Liam is silent during our drive. I can’t think of anything to say either.
Eventually we make it to the apartment, and my excitement returns. I hurry Liam out of the car and into the building. The elevator quickly takes us to the top floor. It is not the best building, but a penthouse is still a penthouse.
I unlock the front door and usher Liam inside. His gaze slowly tracks around the large loft-style space, and I wait with bated breath.
His gaze drops back down to his feet. He seems dazed rather than impressed. It’s not the reaction I was hoping for.
“You joined Uncle Vinnie,” Liam says quietly. A statement, not a question. A simple deduction of facts. It is the most obvious reason I could have become this wealthy in five years.
I smile. “You always did have the best ideas.”
His head snaps up. Frantic blue eyes bore into me. “Shit, Nicky. Don’t get into a life of crime because I was a stupid kid with a big mouth.” His horror twists around us and chills my blood.
“Too late now.” I shrug.
Liam’s eyes widen, and his face drains of all color. “What if you get arrested?”
His fear is palpable. I can almost hear his heart racing, and now my heart wants to match his pace and take up his rhythm.
“I won’t!” I exclaim hurriedly. “It’s fine. I just do the boring stuff.” I’ve never outright lied to Liam before, but I think on this occasion it is forgivable.
Liam’s shoulders relax. His eyes turn a little less frantic before he looks away.
We stand in silence. Maybe he is tired? It could be the reason why he is not acting like himself. His leaving party was probably wild, and he is all kinds of hungover. Prison hooch must have quite a kick to it.
“Do you want to rest in your room?” I ask.
Liam looks up and blinks at me. “Do I?”
I stare at him.
“Um… yes. That sounds good.” He flushes.
I flash him a smile and pretend I don’t notice. There can’t be many opportunities to make decisions in prison. Adjusting is going to take time.
I show him to his room. He walks in, kicks his cheap sneakers off, and lies down on the bed, on top of the covers.
It is a big bed, a super king or something, but I still don’t understand why Liam looks so impossibly tiny in it. He is lying on his back, staring blankly up at the ceiling. And he looks swallowed up by the white comforter.
“Alright, I’ll leave you to it,” I say.
Liam just nods without looking at me.
I step out and close the door. It clicks shut, and the sound is far too loud.
I wince and turn the handle, moving the door to an ajar position. That’s better. I’m not his prison guard.
He will feel better with the door like this, and much better after some sleep. A good rest, some food, and a little while to adjust, and Liam will be fine.
Everything is going to be fine.