Frankie looked around the room at everyone and laughed hysterically. “Check this one out. Ten seconds ago she was behaving quite nicely and being a good little girl. Now she’s grown a big fat set of balls. You want to take me on, sweetheart?”
“Just be quiet,” Davie whispered in her ear. Thankfully she took his advice and said no more to antagonise his brother.
“That’s it,” said Frankie. “Listen to my baby brother. He’ll keep you safe.”
Michelle sidled up to Frankie and draped herself on him. Davie could tell that she’d snorted a line of coke recently. Her eyes were bloodshot, wide as dinner plates, while her lips puckered as though she had a mouth full of ash. “What’s the plan then, honey?” she slurred. “We going to party or what?”
Frankie kissed her hard on the mouth and then pushed her down onto the sofa beside Penelope. “Yeah, baby. It’s going to get real, but we have all night so just settle in and get some gear on the go.”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” said Dom, hopping up and down. Jordan was in agreement and slapped his twin on the back.
“Before we do that, though,” said Frankie. “Let’s get the women sorted. Last thing we need is them getting away.” He turned to Davie. “Get the old bird taped up, little bro.”
Davie stared at his brother to make sure he was serious. “She won’t do anything, Frankie. I’ll watch her.”
Frankie grabbed the tape off Dom and threw it at Davie. “I’m getting real sick of your arguing, man. Just do what I’m telling you and tape the old bag up.”
Davie stared at his brother a while longer, but realised he was pushing Frankie’s patience. He turned away and pulled off a strip of tape. “I’m sorry,” he told the woman, and then began taping her up.”
She didn’t resist him, but the whole time he wrapped the tape around her wrists she had a look of utter hatred on her face. It made Davie feel wretched inside. As soon as he was done, Davie stood up and moved over to his brother who was peeking out of a gap in the curtains.
“What you want, little bro?” Frankie asked as Davie approached. He didn’t turn away from the window.
“How you know it was me?”
“Cus it seems like lately every time I turn around you’re on my back.”
“Just looking out for you.”
Frankie let the curtain go and turned around. He smiled at Davie. “I know you are. You’re my blood and that means more than anything. But you keep riding me and we’re going to have a problem. You get me?”
Davie nodded. He tried to swallow but found himself unable.
“You don’t need to worry about me,” Frankie continued. “I got my shit tight – wrapped up solid.”
Davie turned and looked at Andrew in the armchair. “They’ll go to the pigs as soon as you let them go, you know? You’ll end up back inside.”
Frankie smirked. “You see, that’s where you underestimate me, little bro. Who said I’m going to let them go?”
Frankie moved away from the window, leaving Davie to think about what his brother intended. He looked around the living room at Andrew and his family: Bex unconscious and her mother taped up and frightened. Then he looked at Michelle, the twins, and his brother. He knew right then that he was different to them all – the odd one out. Unlike them, he was not enjoying this. Not enjoying it at all.
Chapter Twelve
Andrew looked down at his daughter and fought the urge to cry. He would not give these thugs the satisfaction of that. He knew now that he had indeed heard something snap as his precious child had been pushed viciously down the stairs. Her left wrist was purple from the subdural bleeding almost certainly caused by a broken bone. Agony would consume her when she awoke and Andrew hoped with all his heart that she slept till this was all over.