Davie nodded. “I’m sorry. I was just distracted by the way you all burst in. I’m sorry.”
Frankie let his expression soften and walked over to him. Wrapping his hand around Davie’s head and pulling him close, forehead to forehead, he told him not to worry. “Don’t sweat it, little bro. No harm done. You just keep watching my back like you always do and nothing will ever hurt me. You’re my good-luck charm.”
Davie hoped that wasn’t true, but was glad that his brother was not angry with him. He decided it best to help get things back under control again. Any chance that the women had of escaping was now gone and there would be no point crossing his brother. Penelope was still standing aimlessly and Davie eased her back down onto the sofa. Then he knelt down beside Rebecca on the floor.
She lay on her side, breathing in and out rapidly. Davie waited a few moments until she managed to calm down and then said, “Come on.” He placed a hand around the soft, warm flesh of her shoulder and wished that he could share some of her pain. “Let’s get back on the sofa. If you’re quiet Frankie should leave you alone.”
Rebecca said nothing, but she rolled herself up onto her knees and got back to her feet. She was unable to straighten up completely and moved in a stooped-over gait.
Dom and Jordan came over with the duct tape. “Get her on her feet, Davie.”
“She’ll be okay. I’ll make sure she behaves from now on.”
Dom shook his head. “Get her on her fucking feet, Davie. You heard your brother.”
Davie glanced at Rebecca who stared back at him sadly. He couldn’t tell for sure, but something about the way she looked at him told him that she understood he had no choice in the matter. He hoped she knew that.
Davie reached forward and pulled up Rebecca’s feet. They were small, with perfect little toes painted a deep purple. He had to force himself not to gaze further up her naked legs. Davie knew little about women, but he knew not to stare.
Dom got to work, wrapping the silver duct tape around Rebecca’s ankles so tight that it made her wince. After he was done with her legs, Dom had Davie grab the girl’s wrists while he trussed them up as well.
“Do the bitch’s mouth,” said Frankie from the other side of the room. He was busy getting an unconscious Andrew back into the armchair. Michelle was helping him.
“No worries,” said Dom, happily tearing off another thick wad of tape and forcing it over Rebecca’s mouth.
Jordan came forward to join his brother and squeezed one of the girl’s breasts. She tried to cry out in pain but could only mumble from behind the tape. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll take it off later when we have a good use for your mouth.”
Davie wanted to slap Jordan for saying such a horrid thing to her, but knew that he would just take a clobbering. He couldn’t take Dom or Jordan on his best day and their worst – and especially not with a concussion and a stomach that kept threatening to purge itself.
“Okay,” said Frankie, clapping his hands together. “Everybody nice and settled again?”
No one said anything, but all turned in his direction.
“Good,” Frankie nodded. “Then I think this would be a good time to explain to everyone what happens when people don’t follow my rules.” He turned to Andrew and patted him on both cheeks. “Stay with us, hero. I was about to tell your bitches about what a fine display you put on up there.”
“What happened?” Davie asked, knowing that the answer wouldn’t be anything good.
“What happened, little bro, is that this gangster right here took a pole to my skull. Fair play, I say, but it never did him no good in the end. My knife was mightier than his pole.”
Rebecca moaned beneath the tape on her mouth and Davie matched her reaction by stretching his eyes wide. “You stabbed him?”
Frankie shrugged. “Had no choice. Guy was out of control and needed putting down.”