Page 29 of Parker

Chapter twenty-two

Govan Shipyards, Glasgow

Joel

The men and my mother all stand in a circle looking upward. The warehouse is empty apart from the Range Rover they arrived in. My focus moves to where they’re staring, and I chuckle at the scene.

They suspended the brute, who enjoyed beating my wife, from the rafters, his feet bound with rope. He’s gagged but not blindfolded, so he’s fully aware of the predicament he’s in.

“Mother,” I say, kissing her cheek, and she gives me a sad smile. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“The bastard killed my grandchild, son. Where else would I be?” she mutters, as if I’m an idiot. Boyd catches my eye. I glare at him. It’s not a surprise he told her; she has been acting as head of the family until I felt ready to take my place.

Now is the time. I’ve run from my responsibilities for too long, attempted to create a home life disconnected from the dark side, and my wife paid the price for my stupidity. You can never outrun the obligations of being born into a family like mine.

“Lower him,” I instruct, and my men cut the rope. The bastard falls hard onto the concrete beneath him. The crunch of his bones echoes around the empty hall. He groans in agony.

Boyd produces a chair and lifts him onto it. He wraps a rope around his waist and shoulders, tying it tight. The bastard wails as the broken bones are moved. I walk toward him and crouch down.

We are eye to eye as I release the gag from his mouth. The impact with the ground smashed his teeth, blood gushes from his forehead and nose. I’m surprised he’s not dead.

“As much as I want to remove every digit from your hands, then every limb from your body, you’ll return alive to your boss. Perhaps you won’t stay that way for long, but you’ll be breathing when you leave here,” I tell him calmly.

“Bastard,” he whispers. “You and your family’s time is marked.

How’s that cock-teasing wife of yours? I wouldn’t have minded a bit of private time with my dick in her mouth.

” My fist connects with his jaw, the chair toppling backward.

His head hits the floor with a blood-curdling crack.

Silence. My mother walks over, tapping at my victim’s stomach with her expensive high heel.

“That didn’t take you long to change your mind.

He’s dead,” she says with a shrug. “Boyd, clean up the mess, then deliver him back to his boss in the trunk of his car. Perhaps send a bottle of champagne as a gesture of goodwill.” She giggles to herself.

“Oh, Joel, see what you’ve been missing out on all these years?

The power. The revenge we can take of our own free will.

Son, it’s wonderful to have you finally standing next to me in control of our entire business, not just the parts you’re comfortable with. Together, we will be a powerful team.”

My gaze never leaves the dead bastard on the floor.

I feel no remorse—he got what he deserved.

An eye for an eye. Part of me I never knew existed has awoken.

The ruthless Parker blood is flowing in my veins, and I’m ready to use it, fully prepared to lead my family and keep control of our reign in Glasgow.

***

The girl with the long blonde ponytail swings around the pole.

Her legs are long and muscled. She wears only a small red thong, and her breasts swing freely as she gyrates.

My men lie sprawled across the leather couches.

Guilty Secrets is closed for a private function this evening.

Ours. My mother sits to my left, and Ebony is to my right.

“What are you going to tell Nicky?” Ebony asks. I shrug. “Can she be trusted with our secrets? You’ve never confided in her before. To me, that speaks volumes.”

“Ebony,” I hiss, “I never told my wife because I didn’t want her to be involved in the family’s dirty work.

My efforts proved pointless because here I fucking am, up to my neck in it.

” I lift the glass of water and take a sip.

“Nicky loves me. I know that. How she will feel about all this is a mystery. I’m not exactly telling her I’m a firefighter instead of an astronaut. ”

Her lips curl in what looks like distaste.

“Once she’s home from the hospital and settled, we’ll have the conversation. Not a moment before. The last thing she needs is stress after everything she’s been through.” The thought of my wife’s reaction makes me nervous. “And mind your own bloody business,” I add.

My mother listens to our exchange but says nothing. A soft smile plays on her lips. I narrow my eyes in question, and she pats my leg with her hand.

“Nicky’s a strong woman. I know she’ll step up. She will be the Parker woman you need, just as her husband has embraced his role in the network.”

Ebony mumbles something under her breath, but we ignore her. All our eyes return to focus on the dancing girl in front of us.

My men are well fed and watered. They have enjoyed an afternoon of entertainment. I signal to Drayton to cut the music, then I climb on stage. Two girls come to my side and place their hands on my shoulders. Everyone cheers. I roll my eyes at them, then wriggle from their grip.

“Men,” I announce, “We’re at war with the Worths. Things have moved from business to personal. They attacked my wife and killed my unborn child.”

There’s a collection of angry mutterings around the room.

“I’ve not been the strongest or most proactive leader. But I see now that my life is here as head of this family. From now on, I will make my father and you all proud. The Parker dynasty will live on. We will beat these bastards.”

Boyd stands and raises his glass; the rest follow his lead.

My mother joins me on stage and kisses my cheek.

“Gentlemen,” she sings with a huge smile on her face. “My son, the new leader of the Parker family. Follow him as you did my husband and me.” The men stand and cheer, lifting their drinks.

“To the Parkers,” they all shout in unison. “Forever on top.”

***

A soft knock on my office door distracts me from the message I’ve just received. Another man taken down overnight.

The Worths are getting braver since the attack on Nicky. Nightly random attacks, men gunned down in drive-by shootings. We’ve lost one man; the rest were injured, but it’s only a matter of time before someone else loses their life.

Living in the world we do, it’s expected, but that doesn’t make it any easier to stomach.

“Come in,” I call, and Ebony wanders in. A huge purple bruise surrounds her right eye. “What happened this time? Was it the door or the table?” She grimaces. “You need to get out. One of these days, you’ll leave in a body bag. Let me help you.”

“No, it’s okay. I made him angry,” she mumbles. “He said he will sell our secrets if I leave him.”

My friend’s asshole husband is an ongoing problem. An influential business owner, he has connections throughout Glasgow and could cause me endless issues if he wanted to.

My father arranged her marriage—it made sense financially, another man in his corner around the boardroom. But because he’s fist-happy, Ebony has started sporting bruises.

It boils my blood, and I’ve spoken at length to the team about how we can solve the issue. They all tell me that the relationship between husband and wife is not something we get involved with. We can only intervene if she requests it. As she’s a Parker woman, we would need to respond.

Husbands are free to discipline their wives as they want, Boyd said the last time. Ebony’s a handful. We know she pushes his buttons. It took all my willpower not to argue with him. It wasn’t the right time.

My views on the treatment of women differ from those of most of the men under my command, but there are certain battles I must avoid to ensure their loyalty.

“Does Nicky get home tonight?” Ebony asks, which returns my attention to her.

I nod.

“How is she?”

I raise my eyebrow in question. She’s barely asked after her since the attack.

“Quiet,” I say. “Not talking to me about anything important. Hopefully, once she’s home, I can explain everything and we can move on.”

She places her hand on mine. The gesture is intimate. “Joel, not every woman can be the wife of a man like you. You need a woman who understands the darker side of the family. One who will accept the life she has to lead.”

“Don’t fucking write her off,” I growl. “She married into this family under false pretenses. She’ll have the chance to decide for herself.

” As I pull my hand from under hers, her face drops.

“Now go. Get back to work. Parker Fashion still needs to operate, and that’s to be your focus. Stick to what you’re good at.”

“Fine,” she huffs. “But don’t come crying to me when she lets you down. Or fucking throws you under a bus. It takes a certain type of woman to live this life.”

With that, she turns and storms from my office, her heels sounding loudly as she leaves. I sink back in my chair, considering her words. Will Nicky step up and be a Parker wife? Or will I be left with an enemy much closer to home?