yay! Chapter 6 is done. It is quite short, 10 pages on Works. i hope it is okay for everyone and meets expectations lol
Rated R for Sexual References, Strong Language, Violence, Domestic Violence, Gun control
Gangs of London
Chapter 6
Drew dropped to his knees, still supporting May’s petite body in his arms carefully and not giving a second glance at either of the bouncers. He gave her a shake and her eyes opened and stared at him glassily.
‘Oh…sorry, I guess I just felt a little light headed,’ she mumbled, suddenly gasping in pain and putting a hand to her chest.
Drew didn’t hesitate in pulling the fabric of May’s top down, expecting the worst. He awaited the blood that must not have reached her top yet, but it wasn’t there. All that was there was a rising bruise which he found after moving a large pendant from its place on her skin. No blood. No sign of a shot…
‘You…you had a gun,’ May suddenly whimpered, ‘am I dead?’
‘No…but…’ Drew looked utterly confused, staring at the red bruise on May’s chest. ‘It must’ve…’
Realisation swept over him and he couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of it. Maybe karma was real, and the fact that May had no sin over her large enough to deserve an unjust death had saved her. As accidental as it would’ve been.
‘What is this made of?’ Drew asked quietly, picking the large, oval shaped pendant and flicking it open.
Inside were two pictures, one of May and one of a guy who Drew had never seen before, and guessed that he was a Telford boy. He had blonde hair that hung into his eyes in a similar way to his and he was grinning in a very cocky way. As for the picture of May. She was in a school uniform and it was obviously from about six years ago, because it was a college type. She had her hair in plaits and looked as innocent as Dawn did when he first saw her with Paul.
Drew could suddenly feel May’s confused eyes on him and he realised that he had been transfixed on the pictures. He righted himself quickly and let go of it, ‘what’s it made of?’
‘Brass I think…with other metals…what’s going on?’ May started to sniff and Drew couldn’t believe how almost-guilty he felt.
He never felt like this about hurting someone, but then she hadn’t done anything bad enough to be shot at. It was that bouncer’s fault! She could be dead and it would be his fault!
‘You bastard,’ Drew hissed, looking up from his crouched position at the two men stood behind him.
‘Possession of a fire arm, Drew?’ the one said, holding his knife in an off-hand way. ‘Naughty aren’t you. What would Mommy think of this?’
Drew flew to his feet so quickly that he dragged May with him, who clenched her eyes shut and clung to his arm determinedly.
‘May, get off a sec’,’ Drew snapped, wanting to kill this guy before he could say another thing. ‘Let go!’
‘No…please,’ May cried, looking at the bouncer (who gave her a sickly smile), and then back at Drew. ‘Don’t risk it…please.’
Drew wasn't sure why he didn’t just throw May away from him - tell her that she didn’t know him - but he couldn’t. He didn’t have the energy. He glanced down at May who was wincing and holding the bruise on her chest sensitively.
‘Look after that pendant, it saved your life,’ Drew whispered.
*
‘What?’ Dawn laughed, stumbling away from Keith and trying to listen to Drew through her mobile over the music. ‘Okay…Keith will take me home, kay?’
‘Yeah,’ she heard Drew’s distant shout, ‘and tell him that if he tries anything that I’ll send him back to ward B3.’
‘Okay honey, goodbye!’ Dawn giggled, sashaying back to Keith and pulling him down to whisper in his ear.
‘Drew said can you take me home but if you try anything he’ll but you back on ward B3.’
‘Er…sure,’ Keith replied with a laugh.
*
‘Come on,’ Drew coaxed, lifting May to her feet and turning away from the club.
‘Oh, Scathen!’
The bouncer with the knife had put it back into his pocket and walked over to them, not keeping his eyes from Drew’s.
‘Piss off, you won’t be seeing me again, and if you do then it’s bad news for you,’ Drew spat.
‘You want to control your temper, boy,’ he grinned, not seeming phased by Drew’s statement. ‘Nearly shooting ya missus? Not very clever are you?’
‘Please,’ May whispered to Drew, fumbling for his hand and squeezing it desperately. ‘Just take me home…’
Before Drew could be tempted to go back and fight the guy, May pressed her face into his chest and pushed him to the side, towards the car park. Tears were seeping out of her eyes and Drew could tell that she was still confused about what was going on…
‘May…don’t fall asleep,’ Drew said as he started the ignition of the car five minutes later: May’s head was lolling in her seat towards the window.
‘Sorry…’ she replied faintly.
Drew felt almost guilty as he helped May out of the lift and towards her flat. He wasn’t guilty of course, just as close as he could be. His bad feeling increased horrendously however as they reached the door of her flat, which was open…
‘May…did you leave your door open?’ Drew asked quietly.
‘No…just unlocked like I usually do…’
‘Fucking great.’
Drew was seething as he propped May against the wall securely and advanced into the flat, preparing for the worst: which he found. May’s clothes, papers and other possessions were scattered over the floor. There was an empty place on a cabinet in the living room where the television obviously used to be, and each room proved to be worse than the next for mess and missing items. Drew groaned and scratched the back of his head in thought. He couldn’t just leave May here…
***
Oh Jesus Christ-Mary-and-Joseph I am dying! My eyes feel as though they will never open, my head is pounding and I have an unbelievable pain in my chest. Not breathing, chesty-like pains. Like…an ache. Though they are trying to blatantly refuse, I force my eyes open, trying to decipher where I am. I can feel from movement that my legs are bare and I am wearing a t-shirt that feels far too big for me.
‘Welcome to Earth,’ says a sarcastic, male voice from above me.
I lift my throbbing head to search for the person who spoke. My vision is blurred, but I can make out the shape of a man in black trousers and no shirt, standing at the foot of the bed. At this sudden realisation, my eyes fly open and I stare wildly around the room. It is a room I have never been in before…and…this top I am wearing is unfamiliar too.
‘Who…?’
‘Don’t tell me one night on the piss has made you forget who I am,’ the man mutters, turning away and pulling on a tight, black muscle-top.
He is tall (over six foot definitely), with dark, emerald hair and a body to die for. Oh God, it’s…that guy. That man. Dawn’s friend…
‘Drew…?’ I ask in barely a whisper.
‘Er…yeah. You okay?’ he asks in a strangely cautious tone.
‘I’m…I don’t feel very well,’ I whisper, ‘did we…’
‘What?’
Drew turns to face me and I find that he is even more impressively handsome than what I remember. His skin is sexily pale, with a hint of a-few-holidays-abroad subdued tan.
‘Where am I?’ I suddenly ask, wanting to know desperately.
‘You’re in my room love, and that…’ he points to the bed. ‘Is my bed.’
He smirks at my astonished expression and turns back to the mirror, keeping his eyes on my reflection.
‘Are you serious? I’m in…’
‘Yeahuh.’
‘But…’ I begin to cry softly, knowing that whatever happened last night I will not remember.
The idea of sleeping with a man I barely know only brings back bad memories of stuff I would rather forget. And Drew?! That’s just not right! He seems like a horrible man in a lot of ways, and if we didn‘t use protection then I might be having his baby and not even realise! What kind of father would he be? Actually, from my prior-judgement, he doesn’t seem like the kind of man to give a **** about that kind of thing.
‘Sorry about banging your head against the bedside table last night, but you were moving too madly for me to stop it.’
I practically choke on air at these words, feeling a tear trickle down my cheek. I really did sleep with him, and the chances of him stopping me to ask about the Pill or anything is about as likely as me being able to say Dawn’s favourite “I look so good, I would shag me” without blushing. How dare this man take advantage of me when I was unstable!
‘I don’t care how much you complain, Drew,’ I cry dramatically, and he turns to look at me. ‘But you are going to support this baby if I am pregnant!’
‘Come again?’
‘I mean it!’ I screech. ‘You are going to take responsibility for your actions.’
‘You mean last night?’ Drew asks, an unmistakable smirk creeping upon his mouth.
‘Yes!’
‘Oh, you mean you begging me for sex and eventually I gave in cause’ you are not a bad looking girl,’ Drew grins. ‘And me banging your head against the bedside table because you were trying to tear my clothes off too quickly for me to hold you properly?’
I gawp at him like a goldfish and he laughs loudly.
‘Love, I slept on the sofa,’ Drew says, shaking his head at me and laughing again.
‘Oh, so you got what you wanted and then slept downstairs!’ I ask wildly.
‘No…’ Drew says slowly, suppressing another laugh. ‘I put you into the bed and then went downstairs to go to sleep. You bashed your head because when I was putting you into the bed you were trying to push me so you hit yourself. I told you to get changed into that top because you would be uncomfortable in what you were wearing, and then I left you to go to sleep. There was no bed-creaking last night.’
I blush as deeply as is possible with such a sexual reference, and I feel unbelievably foolish. So…we didn’t sleep together. Then I can’t be pregnant. But…why am I here?
‘Why didn’t you take me home?’
‘Oh yeah…’
Drew walks over and sits on the bed next to me, causing my heart to jump slightly and I slide across slightly to give him room. By the look on his face, whatever he is about to divulge is not good.
‘Your flat has been broken into,’ Drew mutters and I gasp in shock. ‘I found your keys and locked it up, (not that it was of help then), and decided that if I left you there, you would wake up in shock that most of your possessions were strewn around the floor.’
I gasp in shock and look away from him, a feeling of dread sweeping over me. My landlord will throw me out…I’ve got nowhere to go. I’ll be homeless…
***
‘Paul Scathen?’ a tall, brisk-looking man asked, looking over at an Englishman who was waiting for him.
‘That’s me.’
‘Come in.’
Paul got up hastily with a large suitcase and hurried over to the door of Jenkins’ office. If all went through then he and Drew would be able to make twice as much money as they were at the moment. Drew would be able to live in America like he had always wanted and Paul would stay in London with the British Chaotic.
‘So, you have your eyes on my property?’ Jenkins asked in a good humoured fashion when Paul took a seat in front of the his desk.
‘The owner of Chaotic does. Andrew Scathen, I am the co-owner.’
‘Ah. I hear the London night club is very successful but is closed for the moment?’
‘Yes, that’s correct,’ Paul replied, ‘the owner wants to make some alterations to the bar area and things, so it is closed temporarily. He has drawn some diagrams of what he expects the New York club will look like with his vision…’
‘Hmm.’
Jenkins nodded and Paul pulled a few pieces of A4 paper out of the suitcase and laid them on the desk quickly. They showed many sketches of a bar, dance floor and assorted logos for the night club, along with notes of how much each section would cost.
‘He did these?’
‘Yes, my cousin. The owner,’ Paul corrected himself hastily. ‘He wanted you to see with your own eyes and not just listening to me.’
‘He has a very good eye, quite the artist,’ Jenkins said truthfully, his eyes scanning over the pictures slowly.
‘Yes, he is very good at what he does. As you can see, there could be a lot of profit made for you and for Chaotic,’ Paul said knowingly. ‘The British one is extremely popular.’
‘I would like to see that.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘I would like to see it,’ Jenkins repeated, looking up from the diagrams at Paul. ‘In England. To be honest, your little country isn’t a place I would normally go, I mean there isn’t a lot there is there?’
If Jenkins had been talking to Drew, he would have been lucky to survive without a riot of verbal abuse - Drew was a very patriotic man - but Paul gave a small laugh and decided better of it.
‘Well, that would be perfect. So you are going to fly over and shall we organise for you, Drew and I to have a meeting at the club?’
‘Actually, I think it would be more cosy to meet at your living quarters. Do you live alone, Scathen?’
‘No, I live with the owner Drew, and my wife…’
Paul flipped his wallet open and pushed it across the desk towards Jenkins. The American picked it up and smirked at the picture. An amazingly gorgeous woman was in the middle of the photo, smiling brightly with an essence of innocent ignorance. She had dark blue hair, creamy-white skin and was wearing a long, white brides gown. Either side of her (both wearing tuxedos) were Paul and who Jenkins presumed must be Andrew. Paul was smiling slightly, his arm around his wife’s waist lazily, and Jenkins noticed that the other man was smiling with a lot more sincerity, his arm wrapped loosely around her shoulders. But through his smile, it was prominent that this man was strong and powerful. He simply had that look about him, there was no way to explain it.
‘She’s beautiful,’ Jenkins said, wondering secretly how such a woman came to fall for a man like Paul. Not for his looks as such, but his arrogant attitude and lack of affection he obviously showed to her *(judging only by the photograph. ‘What’s her name?’
‘Dawn,’ Paul answered, taking the wallet back from Jenkins and smirking.
‘She looks lovely, bet you’re thankful for her.’
‘As long as she behaves,’ Paul laughed in a sickly way.
Jenkins laughed with him a little, but had to lower his eyes so that it wasn’t obvious that he didn’t approve. As rough and callous as he could be, he prided himself on his respect for a deserving woman...
***
‘Where’s May?’ Drew asked Dawn, yawning and walking into the living room.
‘In the shower,’ Dawn replied, sipping at her coffee groggily.
‘Hangover much?’
‘Shut up.’
Drew laughed and ignored her, glancing at the BBC1 News which was muted.
‘So…’ Dawn started, looking up at Drew through tired eyes and running a hand over her messy ponytail. ‘Wanna’ tell me what happened last night?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, first of all how May got that awful bruise on her chest!’ Dawn said, shaking her head. ‘When she was getting changed in my room I was gob smacked, it looks so painful.’
‘I don’t know,’ Drew muttered, looking away from her.
‘You do…’ Dawn breathed, looking at him and frowning. ‘I can tell. What aren’t you telling me?’
Drew grabbed Dawn’s hand and dragged her up the stairs, not stopping until they were in his room with the door closed behind them. Dawn could only wait as he paced the room, one hand at the back of his head awkwardly.
‘Look…’ Drew pulled a box from the cupboard and opened it, pulling out a shiny, new handgun, ‘this is a Desert Eagle .50.’
‘I…’ Dawn had less than little knowledge of guns so simply nodded and waited for him to continue.
‘Luckily something was wrong with the trigger…and it hit her pendant,’ Drew stopped and put the gun back in the box, ‘she ran in front of me when I went to shoot some fuck head bouncer at Hustlers…and it hit her…’
Dawn just stared at him, unable to speak. Drew took this as a hint to carry on and did so.
‘Look…she’s fine. It could’ve killed her, but it didn’t.’
‘What if you had killed her?’ Dawn gasped, ‘what if it had been me? I haven’t got a pendant to protect me…’
‘Dawn, don’t fucking start with your fretting. You know that it wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t ran in front of me. Let’s just leave it, yeah?’
Drew swept past her and Dawn felt strangely hurt that he would speak to her like that. It wasn’t that it was something new for him to do that, but she just wished he would change.
***
‘Drew, we’re going to the station now,’ Dawn said, her and May walking into the hall in their coats, gloves and hats, ‘we’ll be about an hour.’
‘I’m only gonna’ say one thing-’
‘Don’t mention you!’ Dawn recited exasperatedly. ‘We know, okay?’
‘See ya’.’
As soon as the two women were out of the house, Drew stood up and pulled the Desert Eagle from his pocket, looking over it intently. It should’ve killed her…
Not that he wished it had. But there was no way a brass pendant should’ve saved her from this gun. He pulled back the hammer and clipped it back, staring at the four remaining pellets inside of it…when he noticed something. The safety catch. He had shot the gun with the safety catch still on. He had been so angry that his strength must’ve completely knocked the catch back, but nevertheless it would have slowed the speed of a bullet. a slow ignition meant a weaker shot. Thank God for a mistake, thought Drew with an ironic smile.
There was a knock at the door and he stood up immediately, expecting that it was Dawn forgetting her mobile or something stupid like that. He opened the door slowly and his eyes narrowed at what he found. Misty.
‘Drew, can we talk?’ she asked quietly.
Drew said nothing and stepped back to let her through. Her hair was straggly was the pouring rain outside and she placed her tiny umbrella next to the stairs. She was moving in a cautious fashion, as though nervous that Drew would flip at any second and sat on the sofa in the living room.. Crossing one leg over the other awkwardly, she looked into Drew’s eyes, trying to read them.
‘Go on!’ Drew snapped, looking at her tortured expression without empathy.
‘The baby…’ Misty whimpered, blinking tears from her eyes and shaking her head. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘It isn’t mine,’ Drew said quietly. ‘Is it?’
When Misty didn’t answer, he spat, ‘who’s then?!’
‘Please…don’t be angry-’
‘I said WHO’S IS IT?!’ Drew yelled, smashing his fist into the door frame, cracking the wood.
He hit it to make sure he didn’t hit her, he wouldn’t be like his father!
‘I can’t…’ Misty cried.
‘Tell me now!’ Drew shouted, wanting to shake her.
‘A…A-’ she tried to say his name but couldn’t.
‘Ash? ASH?!’ Drew bellowed, the look of shock on his face was unmistakable. He considered divulging to Misty that his suspicions had always been that Ash was gay, but reckoned that this was hardly the time.
‘I have to go.’
Misty got up and practically ran out of the room, while Drew was too dazed to do anything. As his consciousness came back to him, his shock was replaced by anger.
‘I’ve got to drive,’ he muttered, grabbing his car keys from the shelf and sweeping out of the building.
***
‘You can’t do anything?’ May cried desperately, staring at the police officer in shock. ‘But…’
‘Your landlord has no insurance for you,’ the officer replied, shaking his head. ‘Sorry, love.’
Out on the street, she burst into tears, allowing Dawn to engulf her in a tight, comforting hug. She was a mess! Practically no home, no possessions and a dead-end job. I mean, she thought, a temp? Why the hell was I so bloody excited about being a temp?
‘Come on hon, come back to mine. Stay there.’
‘What?’ May hiccoughed, wiping her eyes and looking at her friend.
‘I know how horrible your landlord is, and this must make it worse. We have a huge house, and only three inhabitants. Come and stay with us.’
‘Are you sure?’ she asked, when Dawn nodded she smiled exasperatedly. ‘How was I so lucky to meet you? Are you sure it will be okay with Drew and your husband?’
‘Of course. Drew likes you, he must do. And Paul won’t mind. I’m sure he won’t! He’s very understanding.’
‘Dawn, get me a drink.’
Dawn turned her sad, tired eyes to her husband - the tiredness was incidentally his fault for reasons that she did not wish to repeat - who didn’t even deign to look at her. She had no right to be angry though and traipsed into the kitchen to get a can of Carling. He didn’t even look at her as she stepped close to him and signalled with his hand for her to open it.
‘But…’ Dawn looked down at the manicure she had acquired that morning. To be fair, Paul had - grudgingly - paid for it.
She flinched and pulled back the top of the can, being as careful as was possible. Slipping her hand back off it, her nail caught the tin and she jumped in shock, spilling a little of it on the carpet. She let a little cry escape her mouth in shock as Paul stood up angrily.
‘What the fuck? Can’t you even open a can without doing something wrong?!’ he raged.
‘How dare you!’ Dawn shouted, her patience disintegrating. ‘It was an accident! Just because you’re too fucking lazy to do it yourself you pathetic-’
The breath was knocked from Dawn as her husband threw back his hand and hit her face menacingly. She toppled to the floor from the force and instantly burst into tears - half from the pain, half from the fact that the man she loved had hit her. She was only eighteen and had never expected him to do that to her. Not after the way Drew acted about that sort of thing. Words spun around Dawn’s mind about something Drew said when thinking about his father: “if a man can hit his missus once, he’ll do it again, love, remember that”. He wasn’t - of course - referring to Paul in any way, but now those words seemed to be a message.
He had hit her…he would do it again. No…there had to be some mistake. Dawn lifted a hand to touch her cheek, as though to decipher whether she had been hallucinating.
‘Get up you stupid cow,’ Paul snapped, and Dawn obeyed quickly.
There was a rattle of keys and Drew’s greeting to them from the passageway. Dawn was still crying, clutching her cheek as though it was searing with pain.
‘Come here.’
Paul grabbed Dawn by her top and dragged her into the dining room so that they were out of site at first from Drew if he went into the living room. He pushed her against the wall, then gripping her upper-arms so tightly that Dawn whimpered in pain.
‘You don’t say a word, you understand?’ Paul hissed darkly, shaking her violently.
‘No…I promise!’ Dawn cried.
‘Paul? Dawn? You ain’t having sex somewhere are ya?’ Drew joked from the living room, and in other circumstances Dawn would’ve had to suppress a laugh.
Paul pushed his wife away from him and walked into the living, greeting Drew as though nothing had happened. Dawn was left to tremble in shock and hurt, her pain unknown to anyone.
‘He’s understanding…’ Dawn repeated quietly, and I look at her in confusion.
‘Sorry?’
‘Nothing,’ Dawn laughs hastily. ‘Come on, let’s get you home.’
***********
There we are, lol. Hope it's okay. love to my readers
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