Page 77 of Silver Tears

The elders have summoned us for a job. Our orders were to contact a guy who would be at the opening of the new bar in town this Friday night. Me, I’d planned to spend the night with Mills over in Droyton with a pizza and a movie, but fucking duty calls and all that.

“We’ll be there, whatever you need. You know that,” Archer says, walking over to me and holding out his fist. I bump mine with his and Rafe nods his head at me to say he’s in.

“What are the three of you plotting over there?” Eliza says, studying us suspiciously over the top of her book.

“Nothing you need to worry about, Little Red. You get back to the gang bang in your book!” I tell her. I mimic giving it to a girl from behind, thrusting my hips. “Oh, Drake, fuck me, with your enormous alien cock,”

“I don’t read alien smut, dick head, that’s your sister’s guilty pleasure.” She smirks, giving me the finger again. I love the banter with Eliza. She’s such fun to wind up.

“I’m out,” I announce. I lean over Eliza as I’m leaving and drop a kiss on her forehead. “People to see and places to be.” She ruffles my hair and winks at me. See, she loves me really!

I exit the Savage house and pull out my phone, dialling Mikey Brownlee’s number. “I have some business for you,” I announce.

Time to get rid of Lenny Tate once and for all.

MILLY

Iwave Seb off and enter the house. A ripple of unease slivers through me as I open the front door. I don’t know why I feel it, but I can’t shake it. I pause when in the doorway when I see Lenny sitting on the sofa like he owns the place. Can of beer in one hand and the remote in the other. His large belly straining against the T-shirt that is around two sizes too small for him. I honestly don’t know what the appeal is for mum. One more day. One more day and this waste of space won’t be our problem anymore. Seb has it all in hand. I just have to leave him to it and trust that he can pull this off.

“About time,” he mutters, his sleazy eyes finding mine. I don’t miss the casual way he looks me up and down. Ugh, he makes me feel sick. “Thought you’d never get here.”

“Well, I’m here now, so you two can head on out,” I reply, faking a smile. “Where is mum?”

“Getting her bag and then we’re off to the club. The brats asleep.” He looks past me and smirks. “Not got your bodyguard with you tonight?”

I shake my head. “He’s busy tonight.”

Lenny scoffs. “I bet he is.” I’m not sure what he means by that comment, but I’m not rising to the bait. I clench my fist in reaction to his choice of words about my brother. He isn’t a brat. He’s a good boy. Sweet, kind, and funny. I hate that this low life is around my brother.

I pop my bag down on the dining table and look around the house. It’s a mess again. I look at the dirty plates in sink and sigh. I am tired tonight. What with two jobs, my schoolwork, Seb, and trying to keep this place afloat. I feel like I’m constantly juggling everything in my life. Lying to my family is weighing heavily on me. I hate it, but I have to protect Charlie. If dad knew he would probably forbid me from coming here and I can’t do that to Charlie. He needs me.

I grab a bin bag and slowly and quietly move around the front room, picking up empty wrappers and other bits. I reach for the can on the side table next to the sofa, but Lenny grabs a hold of my wrist, gripping it tightly. He sneers at me.

“Did I say you could take that can?”

“It’s empty,” I say, wriggling to get myself free.

He leans in closer to me, and the stale stench of alcohol and sweat assaults my senses. I try not to grimace openly at the smell.

“Empty or not. It’s my beer can, and I’ll tell you when I’m done with it. Tell your mum to hurry. I ain’t waiting all night for her.”

He releases my wrist as roughly as he grabbed it and I rub at the skin where his hand has been. He makes my skin crawl. I head to mum’s room and find her pulling on her shoes. She’s dressed in a little black dress that clings to her bony frame. Her hair is greasy and straggly.

“Lenny wants to know if you’re ready,” I announce, making her jump out of her skin.

She grins up at me. “Ah good. You’re here. That handsome hunk of a boy with you?”

I blush. “Mum, you can’t talk about him like that! And no, he isn’t. He has stuff to do tonight.”

She cackles at me as she grabs her bag. “I can and I will. That boy is a ten, my girl. Make sure you keep a hold of that one. He’s coming here later, yeah?” she asks me. Seb must have text her then as planned, telling her he had some money for her.

I nod my head, fighting an eye roll. “Yeah. He’s out with the guys, but he’s coming here afterwards. Mum, this thing with Lenny. I don’t think it’s good for Charlie. He called him a brat before. I don’t like it.”

Her easy smile turns into a cold frown. She wags a solitary, bony finger in my face. “Listen here, young lady. One day, when you are older, you will understand. It’s hard to get a man when you’re my age and your saddled with baggage. Lenny is good for me. So, he called him a brat. It’s just his sense of humour. He doesn’t mean no harm by it. You need to remember where you came from. You’re walking around with all these airs and graces because you go to a posh private school.”

I flinch. Wow! Sadness washes over me at the realisation that this is what my mother has become. A tired, washed out, alcoholic and drug user, who puts her own needs before those of her son.

“I just think you know nothing about this man or his past.”

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