Page 55

Rachel

As soon as I walked into the house, my ears were assaulted by the loudest screech I had ever heard in my life.

“What the fuck was that?” I hissed at Dante, leaving my bags by the door. He got up off the sofa and came over to me, kissing my cheek and wrapped his arm around my waist.

“Mum and dad are fighting again, and I’m scared,” Vienna said, pretending to cry as he came out of the kitchen.

“Why are you always fucking here?” I scowled at him.

“You’re welcome for cleaning up the mess,” he gestured around at the now tidy room.

“I don’t believe for a second that you cleaned this.”

“You shouldn’t,” Rooster scowled, coming down the stairs. I let out a barking laugh as I took in his appearance. He had lipstick on his lips and teeth, his cheeks were a very charming bright green, and his eyes were covered in the most hideous purple eye shadow I had ever seen in my life.

“Very handsome,” I chuckled.

“Who the fuck let her watch Monster High again?”

“Which one are you meant to be?” Vienna asked.

“Venus Mcflytrap… apparently.”

“Be grateful she didn’t dye your hair pink. And yes, I know what all those characters look like. It took me ages to get the blue out of my hair when she wanted me to be Lagoona.”

“You could always try saying no?” I suggested.

“Rachel!” Vienna gasped, as though I had suggested head-butting the child. “You’re a monster!”

“What? What did I do?”

“She only got out of the hospital yesterday. As if any of us are going to say no to her for a long, long time.”

“You’re making a rod for your own backs,” I said, detangling myself from Dante’s grip and moving over to the kitchen. “She’ll grow up to be spoilt. ”

“And?” Vienna said, looking at me like I was stupid.

“And that means the teenage tantrums will be even worse.”

“So?” Dante shrugged.

“Which means life will be very, very difficult and…” I shut up as the three men stared at me as though I had two heads. “On your heads, be it,” I said with a shrug, flicking the kettle on.

“You never fucking include me in anything!” Mama’s voice came shrieking from the backyard.

“Katherine, keep your fucking voice down!” Came Crash’s hissed response.

“What the fuck are they arguing about?” I asked.

“Macbeth,” Dante replied.

“What about him?” There was a pause. “What?” I demanded. “What is it?”

“She wants to name the new bar after him.”

“I beg your pardon?” I nearly laughed, pulling out the cups to make everyone a brew.

“We spoke to the contractor this morning, and they can have work started on Monday. She said when it’s finished, she wants to name it after him. Said it will be a nice way to honour the man he used to be.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my life – and that says a lot considering I’m Dante’s old lady, and I’ve heard him utter shit on a daily basis. You wouldn’t have to rebuild anything had Macbeth not decided to play arsonist.”

“Hence the argument.”

“Do you think he’ll give into her? Oh, thanks,” I said as Vienna came to take over making the brews. I sat next to Dante, and he flung a lazy arm over the back of the sofa and stroked down my upper arm.

“How was work?” He grinned at me.

I grinned back. “It was okay. Shame about this one client I’ve got…”

“Chronic masturbation, so I hear?”

I pursed my lips to smother a smile. “Something like that.”

“Did you get me anything nice?” He asked, changing the subject.

“No.”

“Brilliant. I’m glad we were able to clear that up.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, laughing out loud this time.

“He was my fucking son!” Kitty screeched from outside .

“I swear to fucking God, Katherine, scream at me like that again and you’ll be in that pathetic memorial garden with him. Don’t fucking forget who you’re talking to.”

“Does that answer your question about giving in to her?” Dante smirked.

“Fucking. Yikes.”

“Mummy!” came a giggling voice from above me and my head spun to the side to see Bee come charging down the stairs. I would never get tired of hearing her call me that. Even Vienna and Rooster grinned as they saw how excited she was to see me.

“There’s my angel,” I grinned, holding out my arms so she could climb on my knee. “How are you feeling today?”

“Good!” She wrapped her arms around my waist and snuggled close. “My back hurts a little.”

“Does it? Well, I know something that’ll make you feel better. If you go into that bag there,” I said, nodding towards the door. “The one that says Disney—”

I didn’t get to finish my sentence. She jumped off my knee with a squeal and went running over to the bag, almost ripping it open.

“Oh, but you can get Bee something.”

“I like Bee. Shh, I’m trying to listen.”

“You’re a fucking cunt!” Came Kitty’s scream from the garden, and I noticed the way Bee flinched in response.

“Right.” I slapped my knees and stood up. “That’s it.”

With my lips set in a tight line, I went over to the door just as Dante’s phone pinged with a notification, indicating that the cameras had detected movement at the entrance to the club grounds.

“Oi!” I shouted, ripping open the door. “You realise your fucking granddaughter is in here, listening to every word you two scream at each other? Either shut the fuck up or take it elsewhere!”

I slammed the door shut and then looked at the shocked faces in the room.

“What’s the problem? You’re acting like you’ve never heard me scream before.”

Vienna’s face was pale, Dante was breathing heavily, and Rooster looked as though he was ready to pass out.

“What?” My blood instantly turned to ice. Dante shook his head and looked at Bee before passing me the phone .

I looked at what they were seeing and stumbled backwards, bile rising in my throat.

“Please tell me that’s not…”

“It is.”

“Shit. Shit ,” I dropped the phone, not wanting to see any more. I closed my eyes, as though that was going to make any difference. The image was burnt into my brain.

A scream came from behind me, and I whipped around to see Crash also had his phone out, and Mama was sobbing on the floor.

Please, God. Please tell me he’s bitch slapped her onto her ass, and he hasn’t just found out about his best friend like this. Please.

My answer came when Crash kicked the back door open and went running to the front. We all froze for a second before we gave chase, gathering on the steps of the house as Crash ran over to his friend, falling to his knees sobbing.

Zach’s head was on a stick, his eyes wide, frozen in horror as he saw his murderer coming for him. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth, and his cheek had been marked with an R on either side.

Rough Riders.

Shit.