The beep of a taxi outside pulls me from my thoughts and we all rush outside. I order the taxi driver to take us to the nearest speed bank. Once we have all the money withdrawn, we all pile back inside the car and head back to the house.
“You got it?” Courtney asks us as we all pile back inside the small living room.
“Ring him,” I order Tyler. “Tell him you’ve got the money.”
Tyler nods and pulls out his phone and waits a few seconds before the call is picked up at the other end. “I’ve got the money.” He frowns and stands to his feet. “Why not now?” he pauses, listening. “Okay, where?” he nods. “Yeah, I know where that is.”
Everyone waits on tenterhooks.
“Well?”
Tyler looks at me apprehensively. “He said it’s late now. He’ll meet us in the morning at an old industrial park in the next town.”
“You had better be fucking kidding me?!” I shout. Now I am beyond pissed off. I need to get her back now, not fucking tomorrow.
Tyler shakes his head. ‘He won’t do the swap now. He said, morning at seven.”
Dom comes up beside me and grips my shoulder. “We’ll just have to wait it out, G. It’s only five hours. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
She better be fine, because if she isn’t, I will raise hell on anyone who hurt her, local gangster or not.
EVERLY
The car pulls up outside a block of flats and the car door opens. Danny looks up from his phone for the first time in the last twenty minutes and gestures to the door.
“Ladies first.”
Realising I may as well just do as he says, I climb out of the car and my arm is clasped tightly by a stocky guy in his early thirties with a thick beard and dark eyes.
“I’m pretty sure ladies aren’t supposed to be kidnapped and manhandled.” I snap, glaring at the big guy who grips me so tightly.
Danny doesn’t dignify me with an answer, he just brushes past me and I’m dragged along behind. As we enter the foyer of the flats, I frantically look around to see if there’s anyone who can come to my aid.
“Don’t waste your time looking for someone to help you,” Danny tells me as he continues to stride towards the lifts. “I own these apartments, every one of them.”
With my hope for rescue dashed, I’m dragged forward to the lift and bundled inside. The lift feels too small with these two giants inside it.
“Just how long to you intend keeping me here?” I ask, folding my arms and glaring at him from across the lift.
“As long as is needed to convince Tyler to get me the money he owes me,” he replies briefly, looking up at me.
I have to admit he is good looking for a scumbag drug dealer. He clearly worked out. The tightness of his shirt showed off the firm body underneath. The lift comes to a stop and I make a note of what floor we stop at. Penthouse! I should have known.
When we walk out, I can’t help but stare. Wow! This is something else. The window is floor to ceiling and spans out across the whole of the space. The big guy lets go of my arm and disappears off down a corridor.
Danny takes off his coat and undoes the top two buttons of his shirt. He heads over to the open-plan kitchen that looks like it likely cost more than my new car and starts making himself a drink.
“Coffee or tea? Or do you want something stronger?”
I blink in surprise. Is he really offering me a drink like we are two friends, socialising?? I am thirsty though.
“Something cold and non-alcoholic, please.”
He nods and moves over to the fridge and this gives me a chance to take in the penthouse suite.
“Nice place you have here,” I say as I walk towards the glass walls and look out into the night. You can see for miles from up here. I jump when he comes up beside me and offers me a glass of what I presume to be coke.
He points over to the west with his hand. “You can see old Trafford from here.”
I smirk. “Better that than city.”
“So you’re a fellow red?” he asks, smiling.
I nod. Am I really standing and having a conversation about views and football teams with the notorious Danny Doyle??
“I’m a red through and through,” I answer.
Danny turns and moves to sit down on one of the large leather sofas. He leans his arm back against the seat and studies me. “Take a seat. You could be here a while.”
I purposefully sit as far from him as possible, and from the slight upturn of his mouth I think he notices. We sit there in silence for a few minutes and I study him.
“You know it isn’t his fault what happened? He was mugged.”
Danny nods, keeping his eyes on me. “I know. Still doesn’t detract from the fact that he owes me money and trust me, I’ll be dealing with the ones that mugged him as well.”
I lean back against the back of the sofa and cross my legs. “He’s a good guy. He just wants to keep his family’s head above water.”
Danny smirks at me. “Are you sure you’re not his girl? You’re certainly are singing his praises.”
I shrug my shoulders and place my drink down on the glass side table beside me. “Ty’s a friend. I already
