Surrendered Read online

  I pull out my phone and dial Miles’ number.

  “Hey.” He says brusquely. Miles is normally pretty laid back, jokey even, but when he’s on a job, he’s deadly serious. He’s worked in high level security for years, including government work. He knows his shit, and I have no doubt that the guy has the ability to be lethal.

  “Where is she?” I ask quickly.

  “I asked around a few of the locals. There’s a small shop across from that cash machine. Turns out she’s been going in there to buy supplies. The shop keeper told me that she’s staying on a boat in the harbour.” He tells me calmly.

  “Is she alone?”

  “Don’t know. She hasn’t been seen with anyone. Are you expecting her to have company?” Part of me is expecting her to have picked up her scumbag boyfriend. Lilly said that she wasn’t strong enough to leave him. Just because her kids left, doesn’t mean that she did. She must have had some kind of dependency to be with him and stay with him. She may still be with him. I clench my fists at the thought of finding that piece of shit. I will kill him, no fucking doubt about that. I brought Hugo and Miles out here because I need them to keep me in check. I could have asked the questions that Miles has been asking. I didn’t really need to send him ahead of me, but I need the man power, and I also want to be in and out of here as quickly as possible.

  My head is not clear when it comes to Lilly and her past. I want to purge everything bad from her mind, her mother included. For now though, I just need to get her to drop the charges against Harry. The only real proof that they have is her word, worthless as it may be, she still signed a statement. I need her to renege, and change that statement.

  The next morning Hugo and I set out to do what we came here for. Hugo looks barely conscious as we leave the apartment. He’s wearing bright red shorts and a white tank, with Ray Ban Aviator’s. His hair looks like he hasn’t looked in a mirror for a week. He doesn’t even try to drive as he wordlessly slides into the passenger seat of the car.

  “You okay?” I ask as we pull away from the apartment and head for the harbour.

  He rolls his head dramatically toward me. “Uh, no. It’s seven thirty in the morning. No-one should be okay at this time. This is just fucking inhuman.” He moans.

  I smile to myself. “I’d forgotten what a ray of sunshine you are in the mornings.”

  “Yeah well, no sleep and pussy depravation will do that to you.” He continues to gripe.

  “You got laid yesterday.” I point out.

  “Exactly. I swear I’m breaking out in a rash. I think I’m having withdrawals.” Oh Jesus, really?

  “You are not having withdrawals.” I roll my eyes.

  “Whatever, why are we hunting down Lilly’s mum again?”

  “So that I can get her to drop the charges against Harry…” I start.

  “And be her knight in shining armour. Yeah, yeah, vomit. You best be getting a fuck tonne of head for this.” He waves his hand at me. “How far is it to the harbour?”

  I check the sat nav. “Um, about thirty minutes.”

  “Wake me up when we get there.” He pulls his baseball cap down slightly and reclines his chair back. Why oh why did I bring Hugo with me for something as important as this? He’s a bloody liability. He’s a good friend, and he’ll have my back through anything, but god he can be a pain in the arse sometimes.

  By the time we pull into the harbour car park, Hugo is unconscious. I shove him hard. “We’re here.”

  He frowns and glances around. I get out of the car and he follows suit. The door of a little hatchback opens, and Miles steps out. He approaches, wearing jeans and a casual t-shirt. I can’t remember seeing him in anything other than an immaculate suit. He may be a badass, but the military drill tidiness and cleanliness into their troops. I swear the poor guy has OCD.

  “Hey.” I say when he reaches us.

  “Hey.” He nods at Hugo who sort of grunts.

  “Ignore him, he doesn’t function before ten in the morning.”

  “Why is he here?” Miles eyes him.

  I shrug. “Thought we might need a little muscle.” I almost mange to say that with a straight face, almost. I watch Miles lips quirk up. Hugo is no weed, the guy is almost as big as I am. When you’re rich, and aren’t really needed to run your company, all that’s left to do is look good. The thing is though Hugo is just so…well Hugo. He’s an idiot, friends with everyone, killer smile, wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’ll throw a punch if he really has to. He once broke his nose trying to get me out of a fight when we were nineteen. He does try, and I love him for it.

  “Hang on.” He chirps in. “I thought we were finding some woman. No-one said anything about muscle.”

  I smile. “You afraid of a little rough?” I joke.

  “Hey, I like my women rough, men, not so much.” He crosses his arms across his chest and frowns at me.

  Miles throws his head back and laughs. “Don’t worry princess, I’ll save you.”

  “Yeah, yeah, can we get this shit over with, I need to go back to bed, and find some pussy. You owe me pussy after this shit.” He points at me. I am not trawling for Hugo.

  We follow Miles down the board-walk passing various boats, from enormous yachts, to smaller speed boats. Monaco is very wealthy, this is where the rich and famous come to lose a huge portion of their taxable money. Even just the rent in the harbour is extortionate for the average person. I gave Jane one and a half million to make her disappear. That was a couple of weeks ago. If she’s paying for things like this, then that money won’t last long.

  I won’t be buying her off again. I gave her the easy out and she stupidly didn’t take it. I’ll admit I may have been a bit rash in doing so. There are some situations in life where it’s just easier to throw money at it, many situations in fact. I’ve learnt over the years that there is nothing that money cannot get you out of if you have enough of it. I paid her off before, and told her that she needed to disappear. I thought she got the message the first time I visited her. I hoped she would realise that I am not someone she wants to fuck around with, apparently not. This time, I will leave no doubt in her mind. She will drop the charges and get the fuck out of Lilly and Harry’s lives, or I will remove her from their lives permanently. I will do anything for Lilly, and the sooner she realises that the better. This ends here, today.

  Miles stops next to a small yacht. It’s certainly not top of the range yacht, but it would have cost a pretty large chunk of the money I gave her.

  “This is it apparently, this is where she’s staying. She’s been docking the boat under the name of Jane Parker.” He tells me.

  I snort. Fucking woman has no shame. “Okay.” I step forward, but Miles steps in front of me.

  “You told me last time she was unstable. I’ll go first.” He explains.

  I shrug and allow him to climb the short ladder onto the boat. I follow him, with Hugo behind me. Miles knocks on the glass door. I stay back, out of sight. If she see’s me, then it’s pretty unlikely she’ll open the door for us. I hear the glass door slide back.

  “What?” A gruff female voice asks.

  “Are you Jane Sampson?” Miles doesn’t hesitate.

  There’s a long pause. “How do you know that name?” It’s her. I step around the side of the boat and into her line of sight.

  “He knows that name, because he works for me.” I tell her. God, she doesn’t look any better than the last time I saw her. Her hair is lank and greasy, her skin pale with dark circles under her eyes.

  “That is Lilly’s mother?” Hugo asks from behind me. Her eyes move to him, a sneer pulling at her thin lips. I nod. He snorts. “Well, they say that if you want to see what a woman will become, look at her mother.” He slaps me on the shoulder. “Looks like you’re paying for a fuck load of plastic surgery dude.”

  I roll my eyes. Really? That’s what he’s thinking right now. To be fair to Hugo, he knows nothing of this situation only that Jane is bringing false charges against
Harry, and that Harry and Lilly don’t get on with their mother. That’s nothing out of the ordinary. In mine and Hugo’s world, your parents are arseholes, it’s just how it is. Her eyes flick from Hugo to me and back again. She’s watching carefully. I step closer to her. “You and I need a little chat.” I say quietly. I don’t raise my voice, simply meet her eyes, and relay everything with a look. She swallows heavily.

  “You can’t come in here.” She splutters. Her hands start shaking. Good. I want her scared. I want her to realise that this miserable little life of hers could be so easily extinguished.

  “I can, and I will.” I push past her into the cramped living area of the boat. The boat itself is nice, a luxury yacht. The place is filthy though. There are cigarette butts and empty bottles of booze everywhere. The place smells like a dive bar.

  “Wait out here.” I tell Hugo and Miles. I have things I need to say to her that they can’t hear. Lilly trusted me enough to tell me about her past, I’m not going to betray that trust. I slide the glass door closed behind us.

  “Just leave. Please.” She stammers as she keeps her eyes fixed on the floor. She sways slightly, she’s drunk. From what Lilly tells me that’s no surprise. I’m angry for Lilly. I’m angry that after losing everyone around her, this woman still can’t get her shit together. Some people are just happy to be miserable. This woman can’t help herself.

  “I’m not leaving. You know exactly why I’m here, so cut the crap.” I snap.

  “You told me to leave, and I left!” She shouts, though her voice is shaky.

  “You did, but not before you got Harry arrested. I would have thought that one and a half million pounds would have you skipping on your merry way, but no. I warned you what would happen if you crossed me.” I step closer to her, invading her personal space. She smells vile, but I suck it up. “There is nowhere you can run, nowhere you can hide. Wherever you go I will find you Jane. You fucked with what’s mine. You upset Lilly, which means you upset me. I’m really not a man you want to upset.”

  Her eyes meet mine, bloodshot and outlined in leathered skin. Everything about her looks worn and battered. Despite her broken demeanour, there’s still a fire in her. It’s a bitter, twisted fire, but it’s there nonetheless. “He deserved it.” She hisses.

  “I don’t give a fuck what you think he does or doesn’t deserve.” I growl. “You are scum. If it were up to me I’d have Miles out there put a bullet in your head and throw you in the harbour.”

  She doesn’t back down, simply meets my eyes with a scowl. “You think she’s so perfect don’t you?” She snarls.

  “I think it’s a fucking miracle she’s still sane with a mother like you.”

  “They left me!” She shrieks.

  I sigh. “Words cannot express how little I care about your miserable little existence. You will drop the charges against Harry. I don’t want to have to kill you Jane, but I will, so please just do as I say.”

  “No!” She screams. “I won’t do it.”

  I lose it. I grab her by the throat and push her back until her back touches the wall. “You will fucking drop the charges!” I snarl in her face.

  “I hate him!” She claws at my hand. All the years of booze have made her a bit crazy. Damn it, it would be easier to have Miles just take her out. He has guys that he can call in for that shit. I don’t know if I want Lilly’s mother’s blood on my hands though. I know she’s an awful mother, but is she really a monster? Let’s see.

  “If you don’t drop the charges, then I am going to have you arrested for child abuse, and sex trafficking.” I tell her.

  She narrows her eyes. “You can’t do that.” She snaps.

  I bring my face closer to hers, snarling words viciously in her face as my hand tightens around her throat. “You stood back whilst your thirteen year old daughter was raped and sold into a paedophile ring, by your boyfriend. You were involved in a sex trafficking ring.” I grit my teeth so hard my teeth hurt. I don’t want to think about this or talk about this, but I need to know how much she knew of Lilly’s situation. I can’t order a hit on her without knowing everything.

  “No.” She shakes her head. “You lie. She lied to you!” She screams hysterically. Her eyes are wide and frantic, a tear streams down her cheek. Rage beats at me. She has the audacity to call Lilly a liar. Fuck me. I don’t even have words to describe the disgusting life form that she is.

  “No, she didn’t.” I push her away, releasing her throat. She falls to her knees and coughs.

  “He wouldn’t do that. He loved me.” She cries.

  “He fucking beat you.” I growl. I am so close to losing my shit.

  “He didn’t mean to…” She stutters.

  “Jesus, fucking listen to yourself. You are pathetic. You are a failure on every level. I’m surprised you haven’t just called it a day and topped yourself already.” I crouch down until I’m eye level with her. She looks broken, ruined and irredeemable. “You’re a poison that I will not allow to affect Lilly’s life any longer. You will drop the charges, and then you will disappear. For good.” She starts to respond. “The alternative involves a dip in the harbour, so think carefully before you answer.”

  “Fine, I’ll come with you, but I’m not doing it for free Mr. Rich and powerful.” She sneers at me.

  I feign an amused smile. “You say that as though you have any grounds on which to negotiate.”

  “You need me to drop the charges, or he goes to jail.” I notice she never says Harry’s name. I wonder why she hates him so much. It seems like a classic case of someone trying to point the finger and impress their own failings onto someone else. She can’t accept that she drove her children away, so she blames Harry for taking Lilly, as though he is the cause of all the problems in her life.

  “I don’t need anything from you. I can make this go away if you’re dead. Luckily for you I have enough of a conscience to fly all the way out here and give you an opportunity to redeem yourself. If it weren’t for that, you would have opened the door to the barrel of a gun, not me. Let’s be honest, it’s not like you have anyone around to even notice you missing, or bother to report it. It would be so fucking easy. I’m not paying you any more money. You had that option and you decided to spit in my face, now it’s my way or no way.”

  “Fine.” She spits.

  “Good. We’re leaving this evening. You will come back to London with me, make your statement and then you will leave and never come back.”

  The flight back is less than pleasant. I can barely stand to be in the same room as Lilly’s mother. It’s hard to look at her, knowing what Lilly has been through, and knowing that this is the one person who was supposed to protect her from that, the only person who could.

  Then there’s Hugo, who in protest to my lack of booze decided to stock pile his own stash, and in further protestation is now wasted. Normally I’d deal, but I can’t right now.

  By the time the plane lands I’m ready to jump out without a parachute.

  There’s a car waiting for me on the runway. “Miles, I want you to take her to the police station with you right now. You make sure she changes the statement. If she fucks you around, then don’t hesitate to do what needs to be done.” I eye her meaningfully. If this bitch fucks me around, then I swear to god, I will not have a single drop of remorse for her.

  I need to see Lilly.

  I have the driver take me straight to Lilly’s flat. It’s only eight thirty, so I’m hoping she’s in. I ring the buzzer and Molly answers. “Hello.” She says.

  “Molly it’s me.”

  “Oh hey. Come up.” The door buzzes as the catch releases.

  Molly opens the door to the flat. Her hair looks like a birds nest on top of her head, and she has trackies and a hoody on. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Molly so dressed down.

  “Lilly’s in the shower. She just got back from the dance studio.” She explains. “Can I get you a drink?”

  “Coffee would be great.” I’ve slept like
shit for the past two days, and it’s starting to catch up with me. I need some serious caffeine.

  “Sure. You okay?” She asks carefully. Molly is far too perceptive. She’s one of those people who can pick up on things that you haven’t even realised yourself. I think she’s great for Hugo, she keeps him in check and calls him out on some of his more questionable shit. What am I saying? Everything about Hugo is questionable, but well…she deals, and that’s pretty fucking miraculous. She’s even called me out on things a time or two.

  “I’m fine.” I respond quickly. She narrows her eyes at me and eventually nods her head. It’s an acceptance. She knows I’m not fine, but she’s letting it go. I can appreciate that.

  She places a cup of coffee on the breakfast bar and I take a seat. I feel like I could fall asleep standing up. Flying to Monaco and back within twenty four hours is not advisable.

  “How was your business trip?” She asks as she blows on her own cup of coffee. She leant against the kitchen cabinets with her legs crossed at the ankles. Her big blue eyes watch me. Without make up, she has golden blonde eyelashes. Something about it makes her look young and innocent.

  “Businessy.” I smile.

  She rolls her eyes. “Clearly. I can’t imagine you got much business done with Hugo around.” She arches one eyebrow.

  Ah, so Hugo told her. “You have got that man wrapped so tight around your little finger.” I mumble. And he says I’m pussy whipped. He would never normally tell a woman where he’s going. He who cannot be tamed and all that. “I needed his help.”

  She snorts. “Nobody needs Hugo’s help. He’s an idiot.”

  I laugh, because it’s so true. “Well, yes, but he actually does have a good nose for business when it’s not buried in a shot glass…or some woman’s pussy.” She thinks I mean figuratively, but I mean very very literally. “Plus, we stayed in his apartment. Hotels piss me off.”

  “Oh, where did you go?”

  “Monaco.”

  “He never told me he had an apartment there.” She muses.