Parking up the car a half hour later, I didn’t bother worrying about safety, people knew who I was on sight even if I seldom showed face in this shithole. No one would dare to touch my car - the last kid that tried ended up with two broken wrists and a missing forefinger.
Sandir yanked the flat door open and halted his steps. “Think there’s someone already up there. Doesn’t sound very welcoming.”
“It’s about to get a lot worse,” I grinned, adrenaline pumping through my veins at the thought of confronting the thieves.
Sandir smirked back in my direction before bounding up the stairs two at a time, me and the others following closely behind. Sure enough, I could hear the sounds of a vicious fight beyond Clive’s door.
“Are you armed?” I asked Sandir. Andrey, Tayte and Greg were mumbling behind me, words along to the effect of yes, Sandir nodding. Pulling my firearm from the holster under my jacket, I motioned to the door. “Put it in if needed, I don’t want the cops coming but I do want what’s behind that door.”
Oh, how I loved the scene playing out in front of me when the door sprang open, the hard work already done, the need to get my hands dirty, minimal. My wonderful whore, who sucked cock like a pro, was pinned against the wall by a confused-looking man, who was darting his head around at the ruckus in the hallway. Someone was crouched over a shirtless Clive, pummelling fists into the poor bastard’s face, who was giving a hell of a fight back, but even I knew a lost cause when I saw one.
Realising it was Gripp climbing on top of Clive, wrestling a bat from his fist before the punches flew again, I grinned. He was a fascinating thing to watch, how utterly focused he was on my wonder boy. Gripp wanted to do him some actual harm, yet I sensed he was holding back, as if he detested the part of his life where this had been the norm for him.
A quick flick around the cramped hall, and I had to bite back the smirk. I knew these men, perhaps not the one holding my whore to the wall, but I certainly knew the man lying on the floor cradling his arm. Kayleigh grinned down at him, gleeful he was hurt, which incensed me more. Warren was a good man, far better than the one getting his face pasted by a furious ex-gang member. It was time to put a stop to the fracas and take what I’d come for.
“Enough!” My shout boomed through the flat, everything halting as I took steps deeper into the hallway.
Warren was inching his way toward a closed door until I halted his efforts with a boot to his back, pushing him to the floor. I didn’t know what was behind that door, but it was safer for him if he stayed where he was for the time being.
“Don’t fucking move.” I growled in my most terrifying voice, watching as he shuddered when I pointed the gun to his head. “Well, hello there. We meet again.” The brawl behind me had restarted in earnest, Clive not knowing when to quit. “Clive, boy. Stop your carry on.” I swung my upper body in an arc, pointing the gun down the hallway toward him, Warren remained underneath my foot, no threat to me whatsoever. Silence. All that came was silence and several pairs of eyes glued to me as if waiting for some grand finale. “Ah, Gripp. A man who precedes his reputation. I didn’t think I’d ever get the honour.”
“It’s Shaun,” he grumbled, non-too kindly.
“Now it is, yes. Charlie had many a thing to say about you, a choice word or two if you like. Traitor. Snitch.”
“No. I wanted other things.”
“Ah, your young man. And how did that work out for you?”
“Peachy,” Shaun snarled, nothing and no one intimidating him.
And why would it? Charlie had been missing a while now, most likely languishing in a shallow grave somewhere, so Gripp was free from the man, just like Chrissie was. It became clear why I’d walked in on what I had - they were here to collect Warren’s son and not to retrieve the money Charlie had owed but would never pay.
“Shame. Could have used a man like you. Instead, I have me a Clive.” I looked pointedly at the prick who was still pinned down.
“I’m not for hire.”
“No, I guess you’re not.” At one point in time, his answer would have aggrieved me because I’d wanted a man like Gripp to work for me. He would have been a fine addition. With things changing, he was best left to his new life, he was a better man in love than he was a criminal. I let out a sigh then turned my attention back to Warren, removing my foot from his back. He turned over carefully, clearly in pain, and scanned his surroundings. “You, Clive.” I cocked my head to the side. “Are a source of great disappointment.” My eyes flitted to Kayleigh for a second then turned back to Clive, who was now leaning against the wall, blood dripping from his nose, Gripp having let him up. He sat at the opposite wall, the bat in his hand resting over his knees. He looked far from calm, back to the gruff man people normally saw. He was a scary motherfucker when he wanted to be yet wasn’t a patch on my men when they got started, and I could have seen to it he would have matched their ferocity had I managed to get him into the organisation when I’d expressed
