Page 89 of Ruthless Vengeance

“Probably best. Anyway, where is my little sprinkling of Hope this morning?”

“She’s—”

“Roxy, Roxy, where are you?” she yells, running down the hall toward me wearing a pretty blue dress and her curly hair bouncy behind her, with Simone bringing up the rear.

“I’m right here, gorgeous.” She jumps at me, like every time I see her, and I lift her up. She waves a piece of paper in my face. “What you got there, huh?” I ask, as she holds it out with both hands so I can see it.

“It’s my picture. There’s you and me, and Mitch and Simone. I even drew Maddox and Zak, here see,” she says, pointing to everyone as she says their names.

Her eyes sparkle, but they hide a terrible truth and one that she’ll have to live with for the rest of her life.

In the two weeks since we rescued her, she has spent almost every day with Mitch and Simone, who are currently in the process of adopting her permanently after she told us her mum died and they haven’t been able to find any other family. Thankfully, they have managed to arrange for her to reside with them until it comes through.

As for the other girls that were rescued, they have been placed in temporary care while they investigate who they all are. Some of them are so traumatised they don’t remember who they were before Rogers took them or refuse to speak. Simone, thanks to her job, is able to oversee a lot of what is happening with them. I gave her a copy of the list from the auctions that was in Theo’s evidence as it might help identify them.

Her and Mitch aren’t only adopting Hope but plan to open a house specifically for trafficked children. I put them in touch with Cam, she’s the wife of Ryder, who owns Triple R Security with Rick and Seb, and she just did something similar for women of domestic abuse. Jess also has plans to do something for trafficked women, so together they will ensure survivors get everything they need to recover and live as good and happy life as anyone can after experiencing that.

Hope wriggles for me to put her down as Maddox enters the room, and she runs at him too. He catches her, lifting her into his arms.

Zak appears behind Maddox, and Hope squeals in delight.

“Zaky,” she says excitedly. “Look, look,” she says, waving the picture so fast nobody could see it if they tried. It has us all chuckling.

I give Simone a kiss, then she takes Hope into the lounge so we can chat. I hear Maria in the hall telling Hope how beautiful she looks today, and she giggles, her laughter trailing off as they disappear into the lounge.

Zak, steps up to me, kissing me on the cheek with desire in his eyes like we didn’t just screw each other’s brains out less than an hour ago. Maddox steps into me as Zak steps away, and gripping my chin, he ghosts his lips over mine.

Mitch coughs, reminding us he’s sitting right there, and just to wind him up a little more, Maddox slaps my arse as I turn to go back to my seat.

Maddox picks up the paper, scanning the article Mitch and I were just talking about.

“Seems likeOfficer Amber Hughespissed off the wrong person,” he remarks, winking at me as he sits down.

She was the ‘business’ Kavanagh mentioned that night, and a little gift to me as he called her last week when he was here.

“Doesn’t it just. But let’s not talk about that because, apparently, I don’t want to know how a police officer ended up face down in a puddle of her own piss and her tongue missing. However, perhaps we should talk about the autopsy report I just received on one Don Rogers.”

Each of us looks to the other but remain quiet.

“Nobody knows anything about the missing ear and pinkie finger, not to mention the word ‘paedo’ carved into his skin. And don’t even get me started on how his testicles ended up in his mouth. Or forget how he was burnt to a crisp.”

We all shrug just as Maria enters the kitchen and asks, “Who wants some breakfast?”

Her ordeal with Rogers hasn’t affected her at all, and I’m still waiting for the rumour about her shooting down one of Rogers’ men to be confirmed by her or the guys. I have no trouble picturing it though as the woman is fierce when it comes to those she loves.

Surprisingly, no one seems all that hungry now, but we accept her offer of tea, or coffee for Mitch.

Mitch changes the subject realising he won’t get any answers. The less he knows the better.

There’s still no sign of Bonner since that night, and although Laskin lost his warehouse, he’s not complaining about it. In fact, things have been very quiet on that front.

Maddox and Zak sat down with him last weekend and discussed business. There’s been a slight reshuffle of territory, Laskin now taking part of Bonner’s while the other half belongs to Kavanagh. His little slice of the pie, which he seems content with. The guys have taken their rightful places and run the majority of London with little to no competition. Made easier by the fact the only ones who could possibly take on the Lawlers are now allies.

There is still the question of what Lila’s part in all of this was, but Rocky hasn’t been able to shed any light at all. He told Maddox that he didn’t even see who killed Lila because he was hit from behind, and when he woke it was at Rogers’ house. He’s gone to Scotland to visit family and recover. He has an uncle who’s a top plastic surgeon. Who knew.

Star comes in carrying the post, dropping a single letter on the table in front of me. When I look up to her, she gives me a sympathetic smile, and I frown. But when I pick it up and turn it over to open it, I realise why she looked at me that way.

Aware that everyone is watching, I tear it open, pulling out several folded sheets of paper. The top piece is a handwritten letter with Noah’s name at the bottom. I put it to the back of the pile and begin looking through the rest as Star starts up a conversation with Mitch, clearly designed to distract them all. Unfortunately, whilst Maddox and Zak appear to be listening to her, I know they really aren’t.

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