I lock up the house, and I flick the deadbolt on too. Matt won’t be coming around. Probably not ever. I think his lack of concern or interest in my friend’s safety and welfare has put the final nail in the coffin of our shitty relationship.
As I drift off to sleep, Drake’s final words come back to me. I think hard to remember what questions he’s talking about.
Is he in the lifestyle or is he a spy. “The answer is yes.” Which one is it?
I blow my whistle. “Hey, you guys! Cool it. We don’t have that behaviour in here. You know better.”
I’ve been spending a lot of time at the gym; it’s a habit to keep in top condition. I never know when I’m going to be called up again or be called for another protection job. I was grateful for the pay for the last time. Thankfully, Pilkington was right, it was a cut and dry case, so I was only away a week.
While I don’t have all the same qualifications my brothers and Dad have, I do have a kick boxing certification. I walk up to the two lads; they’ve been swapping jibes and winding each other up for the past two sessions. “What’s crawled up your butts? I thought you were mates.”
“Nothing,” says the bigger boy. They’re both thirteen, an age everyone knows hormones are running rampant through their bodies.
“He’s taking the piss out of my clothes. He said my trainers are shite. I know they are, but my foster family can’t buy the expensive ones. I’m just happy they don’t have holes in and fit right.”
“It’s Clark, right?” I say to the first boy. He nods, all his cockiness and pushy attitude slipping right away as I look him up and down. “You’re new to the gym and the clubs we runhere, aren’t you?” He nods, nervously this time. “Okay, so you get some leeway for not knowing about us. You see all the guys running classes here? They’re my brothers. Not by blood, no; we’re boys that Kip and Robin fostered and later adopted. I was abandoned when I was thirteen. I lived with my mum and some others in a squat. I went the library, and when I came home, everyone had left. Can you imagine that? I had nothing. Never judge anyone by how they look. You never know what someone is going through. Take note of other things: how they talk to others, if they share their food. Kindness is the important part of a person’s personality. Apologise to Lucas and never let me hear you talking shite again.”
Lucas is looking at me with wide eyes, with something that looks like pride. Proud to be like me, like the others here.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was being a jerk. Maybe we could hang out after here?” Clark has a blush on his cheeks as he scuffs his foot across the floor.
“Yeah? I’d like that. You could come to my house. Everyone is super friendly.” Lucas looks ready to burst. Clark nods, and as they walk off, he swings his arm over the smaller boy’s shoulder.
Royal walks up to me and slaps his hand on my back. “You did good there. Clark moved here just before the end of term and has been trying to make friends, but he’s a bit cocky. Lucas is a great kid; he’ll keep him in line.”
I forget that Royal teaches most of these kids. He’s way too cool to be a teacher, but maybe that’s why the kids love him so much. “How’s your boy doing?” I look over Royal’s shoulder at Memphis. He’s with Noah, teaching art and design. It’s a great addition, seeing as a lot of kids don’t want to play a sport, so they miss out on the fun we have here.
The love that shines from his eyes as he looks back has me missing being in love. As if Memphis can feel he’s beingwatched, he looks up and smiles. It’s such a sweet, happy smile that I turn away. I’m not sure my heart is going to cope with two of my brothers so loved up. I wonder if it bothers Knox. I haven’t seen much of him lately. He’s always so tied up in running the gym, determined not to let Dad down. I don’t think he realises that he’s never going to do that. Still, it won’t hurt to see if he wants to go out for a drink.
I realise I’ve tuned out what Royal was saying and focus to catch up again. “Sorry, I missed that.”
“I said, he’s doing okay. He’s confused why Finn has suddenly stopped speaking to him. Like ignoring his calls or sending him straight to voicemail. Something has happened since the trial, and they both had to give evidence.”
The trial was hard for all of us. Having to hear all the gruesome details from the doctors and then the interrogation from Mansbridge’s lawyer, and he had the money to buy the most ruthless one. I hated watching Memphis as every effort was made trip him up. He didn’t sway or falter in his testimony. We we’re all there for him, even when the judge mentioned our intervention in her summary. That even if it was possibly antagonistic, we weren’t the cause.
“It’s not long until the sentencing day. I think he’ll feel better once he knows how long that bastard will be locked up for.”
“Yeah, I know; it will be a relief for all of us.” Royal looks back at Memphis, then to me again. “What about you? You’ve not been back to Bound since Rees. Maybe it’s time to get back in the saddle.”
I think about Rafe and our conversations about moving on, that we don’t help ourselves by being alone. The problem is since there was an us, no one else has held the same appeal. I’ve only had two men that I thought would be it to me. The first I lost to a war we had no right to be in, and the second? Well,he’s too hard to move on from at the moment. Finn’s face floods my mind. His complete breakdown when he set eyes on his best friend and then the strength he showed when he gave evidence. I’ve done some research in to Finnegan Masterton, only child to two doctors, top consultants in their fields, one in oncology, the other in orthopaedics. Very successful and wealthy, they have no history with the police, not even a speeding ticket. Finn has a loving relationship and maintains contact even with three hundred miles between them.
I also know the police questioned him about being involved with Memphis’ abduction. Something none of my family, including Memphis know. I can understand why he wants to stay away, because he does believe he facilitated some of it, purely by allowing Bennett back in his home.
“I doubt all is lost. Maybe being apart will be good for them. It gives them both time to move on. I think together they may spend too much time either apologising or saying it doesn’t matter.”
I realise I’ve lost my audience. Royal is looking over my shoulder.
Memphis looks over, too, and lets out a gasp of surprise, before leaping to his feet, shouting out as he rushes to his best friend. “Finn!”
Memphis stops short of colliding into Finn and looks him over. “What’s wrong?”
I step closer to them, ignoring any need for privacy. I want to know why after silence for all this time, Finn shows up here. I keep a few feet back but very much in Finn’s line of sight. His eyes land on me a couple of times before he answers Memphis.
“I need to talk to you. Can we go somewhere private?” He looks at me again before turning his attention to Memphis.
“Um, yeah, sure.” Memphis is aware of me and that Royal has come to stand next to me. “Stand down, soldiers,” he tells us. Then taking Finn’s arm, they head towards Knox’s office.
“What’s so important that he breaks his silence and comes all this way?” Royal mutters quietly, so I can hear. Knox walks out of his office, looking confused.