Page 1 of Broken Promises (Soho Knights #5)

JASON

Two years earlier

The rough hands against his soft skin made Jason shiver in disgust!

He would rather be in a pit of venomous snakes than here, but he’d been summoned, and it was easier to comply. As long as his husband didn’t find out where he was, he’d be okay. Why he needed permission for this was bizarre, but he knew Grant had his heart in the right place.

As the man finished the search, he gave Jason a leer, showing his crooked nicotine-stained teeth.

Just smile and be polite , he kept saying to himself.

His brain was running at a hundred miles an hour, wanting to put the pervert in his place.

Jason switched his mind off and went to his happy place with his brothers; he missed them so much, but he’d had no choice but to cut them off.

It was better than having them find out what he’d done.

Jason would rather be any place but here.

It had been two years since his last visit, so why she wanted to see him now was a mystery, but it was enough to pique his curiosity.

Damn his ADHD brain and its inability to let things go.

He’d watched the film a million times, but had never been able to channel his inner Elsa.

He was ushered into the visiting room with others who were here to see their nearest, dearest, and co-criminals.

A few minutes later the door opened, and the prisoners walked in wearing their colour-coded bibs, which aligned to the wing they were in.

People jumped up to greet their loved ones, but Jason stayed seated.

This wasn’t a joyful reunion. She’d asked to see him, and he would oblige, but that’s as far as his hospitality went.

“Ain’t ya gonna give ya mum a hug?” came a voice that still had the ability to make his entire body shudder.

“I think we passed the hugging phase the moment you let him into the house,” Jason snapped back.

“Sassy little faggot, aren’t ya?” she laughed.

Jason prickled. He’d been called that word and worse over the years, but there was something about hearing it from your own parent that cut deeper.

“What do you want?”

“Aren’t you gonna get me a brew?”

All this woman had done was birth him. He’d effectively raised himself and his sisters.

He couldn’t think about them, though, it was too painful.

All he could do was huff and go over to the tuck shop in the corner, which was manned by other prisoners.

These were allegedly the trusted ones, but Jason had seen drugs being passed the last time he was here.

He ordered them both a cup of tea, and bought some biscuits, crisps, and chocolate. That should shut her up. Once he was loaded up, he went back over to their table. Her eyes lit up at all the treats.

“Such a good son,” she said, smiling and showing her missing teeth, which were probably the result of poor hygiene and spending the last seven years in prison.

“You asked to see me?” he prompted.

The sooner he knew what she wanted, the quicker he could get out of here.

This place was a mission to reach, and he’d needed to get three trains, but as long as he was back before Grant, he’d be okay.

He’d taken a day’s annual leave, so his husband believed he was at work.

Not that he liked Jason having a job. Grant could provide for them both and more, and didn’t understand why Jason insisted on working.

He loved his job; it was something that was all his.

Thankfully, Grant didn’t push it too much.

Jason knew he wouldn’t be able to refuse if Grant demanded he quit.

“I’m up for parole.”

Jason thought his heart had stopped beating. She couldn’t be serious?

“You got fourteen years,” he said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

“I’ve done half, and kept myself out of trouble, so I’m eligible.”

How could that be possible? Seven years for what she did? What they both did. Oh, God, there was no way the same could happen for him , could it?

“What about him?”

“He got life with twenty-five, so he ain’t going anywhere unless his appeal goes through.”

“Appeal?” shouted Jason in a high-pitched voice, which got them some attention.

He smiled, to imply nothing was wrong, and leaned closer to his mum. That’s when he noticed she was still wearing the same perfume she’d worn when he was a child. That familiar flowery scent made him want to vomit as painful memories hit him.

“How is he being considered for an appeal, and why is this the first I’m hearing about it?”

“Why do you think I want to get out of here before he does?”

She could not be serious. There was no remorse for what she’d done.

What she’d stood by and allowed him to do.

This was all about her, as always. There was a niggle in the back of his brain that told him to run as fast as he could.

She’d asked him here for a reason, and it wouldn’t have been to tell him about her parole or the bid for freedom that monster was making. She was up to something.

“Why am I here?”

“I need you to speak at my hearing. Tell them it was all him, and how I tried to protect you and the girls.”

If there was one thing Jason was, it was a chatterbox – you could never shut him up – but right now he was speechless. She had to be taking the piss?

“Why would I lie to the parole board?”

“It’s just stretching the truth a little.”

“No. You brought that man into our lives. You’re the reason I don’t see my baby sisters anymore. You’re the reason for that . . .” He choked up, unable to say the words.

Not thinking, he stood up.

“Where are you going?” she snapped. “Sit the fuck down. Don’t be causing a scene like you always do. Fucking drama queen. Try acting like a man for once in your life.”

He couldn’t stop it, he just snapped.

“As if I would ever help you when you’re right where you belong. You’re a monster who should never see the outside again. I’ll go to your parole hearing, and I’ll tell them what you did and how you could have stopped it. Then you can fucking rot here.”

Before he could react, she flew at him, grabbing his head and slamming it onto the table.

He saw stars, as his vison blurred and pain shot through him.

There was a scuffle, and when he could see again, the screws had dragged his mum off him.

She was screaming every homophobic slur you could imagine, and some new ones, which would be rather witty had they been coming from someone else.

Jason was ushered out of the visiting area and taken to some form of first-aid room. He still felt disorientated, but was aware of two people looking at him.

“What did you do to set her off?” asked one of them.

He didn’t like their accusatory tone when it was one of their prisoners who had attacked him.

“Do you want to press charges?”

“Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“You’ll need to speak to the governor.”

“It’s very unlike her to act this way.”

His head spun as they kept speaking. Some things were questions, others were more like statements, but he wasn’t given time to respond, so he said nothing. He just wanted to get out of here.

A male prison officer walked in, and the two women stopped with their verbal diarrhoea.

“I’ve got it from here. Let me speak to Mr Kincaid in private.”

The two women’s jaws dropped and they couldn’t get out of the room quick enough. How the fuck did he know Jason’s married name? He’d arranged the visit under Jason Morris. This couldn’t be good.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“I said I wouldn’t speak up for her at the parole hearing.”

“Yeah. That would do it.”

“I can’t believe she had the audacity to even ask me after what she did.”

The look on the guy’s face was neutral, but his eyes gave him away. He agreed with what Jason had done.

“She’s been talking about nothing else for weeks, about how her wonderful son was going to save her.”

“Did you hear what she said to me?”

“I wasn’t there, but I heard enough from the others. How are you feeling?”

“I just need some paracetamol, and then I can get going.”

“We’ll need to get you checked over by a medical professional. It’s policy. But your husband has promised to take you to the hospital.”

Jason felt his stomach drop. Grant knew he was here and was obviously waiting outside for him. Jason wondered if he could insist on being taken by ambulance to the hospital, but that would only delay the inevitable.

It was twenty minutes later, once he’d given a statement, that he was walking out the prison gate.

The familiar sleek black Mercedes was waiting for him.

The rear door opened, and out stepped his husband.

He was wearing a suit, which always did it for Jason.

He had a subscription to a site that specialised in suit porn.

Grant was twelve years older than Jason and was drop dead gorgeous.

Jason hadn’t been able to believe his luck the night Grant had picked him up in a bar four years ago.

Who knew how much his life would change from that one moment of fate?

“Baby, come here,” said Grant, holding his arms open.

Jason rushed to him. He loved cuddles, and his husband gave the best hugs. Grant had been so busy with work lately that Jason rarely saw him, and he missed this connection. He knew he was needy, and in the beginning Grant had always met those needs, but over the past year Jason had felt neglected.

“Let’s get you checked out, shall we?”

“I’m okay. Just a bit of a headache.”

“Best to be safe, and I had to promise the screws I’d get you checked out, or you’d still be in there.”

Grant helped Jason get into the car before getting in the other side. His driver sped off like they were going drag racing or something, and Jason frowned. What was the guy playing at?