Shattered (Dividing Line #5) Read online

  They entered via a quiet side entrance that took them on a circuitous route through the building, the main doors still surrounded by press. As she passed her husband’s hospital room Beth didn’t even glance in the window, bypassing it entirely for Rachel’s room. The two uniformed police officers loitering in the corridor noted this and found it very strange.

  Rachel was awake when Beth entered. She was flanked by her husband and dad, both of whom looked shell-shocked.

  Rachel’s face was even more swollen and bruised, the sight of the bandage around her neck bringing tears to Beth’s eyes.

  “Rach,” she croaked.

  Rick got to his feet and hugged her. “It’s okay, she’ll be alright, the doctor said so.”

  “This is because of me. If I hadn’t run off with Nick…”

  “There’s only one person to blame for this and it’s certainly not you.”

  “Thanks Rick,” she said, wiping her eyes. She sat beside Rachel and took her hand. “I’m so sorry. You could have escaped but you came back to that warehouse for me.”

  “You saved my life,” she said weakly. “Thank you.”

  The memory of shooting Alex returned and Beth was surprised by the pleasure that flooded her body. The corner of her mouth lifted into a smile. “It was a pleasure shooting that evil bastard. He murdered Nick.”

  “I never told you…Alex has a mistress…she’s pregnant.” There was so much she wanted to say but it was too painful to talk for long.

  “I’ve known for a while that he’s been having an affair but I didn’t know she’s having his baby.” A few months ago this news would have devastated her but now she felt nothing except perhaps a little pity for the woman and child. “Go to sleep Rach, you’re knackered. You need to get back on your feet as soon as possible.”

  “I will…so tired,” she said, eyes growing heavy.

  “I want to see Alex,” Beth told the room.

  They all regarded her incredulously and Rachel’s eyes snapped open.

  “Why?” said Rick.

  “Because it will look a tiny bit suspicious if I don’t.” She got to her feet. “I’ll be back to check on you later Rach.”

  “I don’t think…,” began Ryan.

  Beth ignored him and left the room.

  “I’m worried she’ll do something silly,” said Rachel.

  “Like smother him with a pillow?” said Rick. “I hope she does.”

  “She’ll go to prison for it.”

  “Relax, the blinds are up in his room,” said Riley. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

  “Thank you,” said Rachel. “I’m sorry, I can’t stay awake.”

  “You get some more rest love,” said Rick. “We’ll take care of everything, I don’t want you worrying about a single thing.”

  There was a gentle smile on Rachel’s face as she drifted off to sleep.

  Beth marched across the corridor to find one of the Sugar brothers guarding the door to Alex’s room.

  “Move. I want to see my husband.”

  Jason Sugar, the youngest of the brothers, had been on the periphery of what had happened so he had no idea that Beth was the one responsible for his boss’s condition. Naturally Alex was keeping the fact that his wife had put him in hospital a secret.

  Jason was reluctant to stand aside. “Col told me not to let anyone in except him.”

  “He’s my husband and he will want me by his side.” Beth squared up to him, fuelled by a rage and determination she’d never felt before. She’d lived through hell so this silly boy didn’t faze her. “He will be very displeased when he learns you kept me from him. Now move out of the way you idiot.”

  Jason stared down at the little blond woman, who glared up at him ferociously and decided it would be best to obey. “Okay but you can’t have long.”

  “I will have as long as I bloody well want, he’s my husband and you will not disturb us.”

  She walked inside and closed the door, feeling incredibly empowered. She experienced a moment of nervousness when confronted by Alex, however that feeling dissipated when she saw how helpless he was, tubes protruding from his limbs and wires connected to his chest.

  “Who’s there? Col?” said Alex, trying to force his eyes open.

  Beth had never heard him sound so weak before, it was almost child-like.

  “Hello?”

  Her lips curled into a smile at the fear in his voice.

  CHAPTER 4

  “Hello?” Alex repeated, attempting to lift his head.

  Beth walked to his side, high heels clicking off the floor. “Hello Dear,” she said sarcastically.

  Alex’s eyes filled with contempt. “Get lost.”

  “Oh no Alex, you don’t get to call the shots anymore. This time you’re the one in the position of weakness. Not nice is it?”

  “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “You should be,” she said, eyes gleaming. “You see, you’ve changed me. I’m not the weak scared woman I used to be. I watched you put a bullet through the head of the man I loved but rather than break me, like you hoped, it only made me stronger. But you couldn’t kill Rachel, she’s too strong, even for you. You failed spectacularly you disgusting piece of shit.”

  “Don’t speak to me like that you useless, pathetic…”

  She slapped him hard across the face and he stared at her with complete and utter shock, drawing from her a contemptuous laugh.

  “Oh dear, did I hurt you my darling husband? I haven’t asked about your injuries yet. How are they?” she said with false concern. “Why don’t you let me look, after all I was a nurse before you made me give it up.” She flung back the covers to reveal his bare torso, gauzes covering the two bullet wounds.

  “Leave me alone.”

  “What sort of wife would I be if I didn’t make sure my loving husband was okay? How does that feel?” she said, pressing down on one of the wounds.

  All the blood drained from his face and he groaned in agony.

  “Oh my poor love, that does seem painful. Let’s check the other wound,” she said, digging her fingers even harder into the second gauze.

  Alex leaned over the side of the bed and vomited, sweat standing out on his brow.

  Beth glanced back over her shoulder to see if Jason had noticed but he had his back to the window to give them some privacy.

  “J…Jason,” whispered Alex in an attempt to call for help but his voice was too weak to carry that far.

  “He can’t hear you Alex,” she taunted. “I know about the slag you knocked up and do you know what? I couldn’t give a shit. All you’re going to cause them is pain and misery, like you’ve caused me and my kids. You’re never going to see them again by the way, you do know that, don’t you?” She leaned over him, lips drawing back in a snarl. “They hate you. Alfie told me you’re not his dad anymore. You’re dead to them. If you’d only had the decency to fucking die in that warehouse,” she said, prodding at one of the gauzes. She’d never realised how satisfying causing another person pain could be. “You’re still suffering, aren’t you?” Beth said when the tendons popped out in his neck, breathing hard, eyes screwed shut. “The stitches must be so painful. Let’s see if we can slacken them a bit, shall we?” she said, tearing back one of the gauzes to reveal the small neat stitches. She started picking at them with her expensively manicured nails, droplets of blood seeping to the surface.

  “Stop, please,” he gasped.

  “That’s what me and Rachel begged you to do and you wouldn’t listen, so why should I? Shooting you was the biggest thrill you ever gave me and this is coming a close second,” she said, picking one stitch free. “But it’s not over yet. I’ve brought you a little present.” She walked to the window and pulled the blinds. Just before they descended she saw Riley and Ryan talking in Rachel’s room, their attention drawn from her. She took the seat by his bedside, reached into her handbag and pulled out a syringe full of blue liquid. Beth held it up for him to see. “Why are you still ali
ve when that beautiful man is lying dead in the mortuary? You’re like a cockroach and someone needs to stamp on you.”

  Alex’s eyes widened and he tried to roll away, hand grasping for the call button on the bed but she knocked it to the floor.

  “Bleach Alex. It’ll burn you from the inside out. It will be agony, with any luck. Don’t worry, you won’t be alone when you die. I’ll be right here, watching. I only wish I’d brought some popcorn so I could really enjoy the show,” she said, tapping his right forearm to expose a vein.

  The door burst open and Riley rushed in. When he clocked the syringe in Beth’s hand he rushed towards her. She tried to jab it into Alex before he reached her but Riley was too quick. He snatched it from her and snapped the needle on the metal bed frame.

  “Give me that back,” cried Beth, jumping up and trying to grab it back.

  “I won’t let you go to prison for him,” Riley told her.

  “He tried to kill Rachel, he cut her throat.”

  “I know,” he said gently.

  “He killed Nick,” she continued, eyes filling with tears.

  “I know but you being locked up for life isn’t going to help. Your children have just lost their father. They can’t lose you too.”

  “I am thinking of them. He’s damaged them so much already. He needs to be gone before he does them any more harm.”

  “That’s true but this isn’t the way.”

  Riley sensed someone enter the room behind him and he whipped round, hiding the syringe behind his back.

  “What the fuck are you two doing?” demanded Col.

  This man used to frighten Beth but now he only made her angry. “Visiting my husband,” she told him. “Unfortunately he’s not in as much pain as I’d hoped so I had to make him hurt,” she smiled.

  “Jesus,” said Col when his eyes alighted on the blood trickling from the exposed wounds, Alex writhing on the bed in intense pain. “Don’t worry Boss, I’ll call for a nurse.”

  “I wouldn’t bother with him Col. It’s only a matter of time before he turns on you too.” Beth bent over her husband. “See you soon Sweetheart,” she said before slapping him hard across the face.

  “Hey, that’s enough,” said Col.

  “That’s what I kept saying when he was torturing Rachel.” She looked down at Alex contemptuously. “These clowns aren’t enough to protect you Alex. You’re fucking dead.”

  With that she picked up her handbag, tilted her head proudly and strode out of the room, almost tripping over Jason Sugar lying unconscious on the floor, two concerned nurses crouched by his side attempting to bring him round.

  “What happened to him?” she asked Riley as they crossed the corridor back to Rachel’s room.

  “I don’t know, he must have slipped and hit his head,” he replied with false innocence.

  Despite her deep grief and rage, one corner of her mouth lifted into a smile.

  “Rachel wants to speak to you,” said Riley sombrely.

  “Oh dear, am I in trouble?”

  “Yes.”

  The moment they walked in Rachel lifted her head. “Tell me you didn’t Beth.”

  “I didn’t. Riley stopped me. Unfortunately.”

  Rachel breathed easier and rested her head back in the pillows.

  “How were you going to do it?” said Ryan.

  “With this,” replied Riley, holding up the syringe before tossing it into the sharps bin. “Bleach.”

  “I would have done it too, I wasn’t afraid,” said Beth, holding her head up high. “I made him bleed, it felt almost as good as when I shot him.”

  Rachel and Ryan glanced at each other, realising just how much recent experience had changed Beth. Rachel found it hard to equate this strong proud woman with the quivering wreck in the warehouse. Alex had changed her just like Danny had changed herself.

  “You should get back to the hotel,” Ryan told Beth. “Riley, could you take her? Rick needs to go too.”

  Rick, who had been on the verge of dozing off, raised his head and frowned. “I’m going nowhere.”

  “You’re exhausted and you can’t do anything here.”

  “I am tired, it was a long flight.” He looked to Rachel. “Do you mind? I could use a kip.”

  She gave him a gentle smile. “Course not.”

  “Well, alright then. I need to call your mum anyway.” Slowly he pushed himself out of the chair, wincing as his joints cracked. “I’ll see you later love,” he said, kissing her forehead. He looked to Ryan. “Don’t leave her on her own, please.”

  “She’ll have a constant guard, promise.”

  “You look like you could use some rest yourself.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “And call Leah, she really needs to speak to you.”

  “I will.”

  Rick patted him on the shoulder before following Riley and Beth out. Ryan took the photo of Sabine from his jean’s pocket and held it up for Rachel to see. “Why do I need to find this girl?”

  The effect on Rachel was dramatic. Her strong front disintegrated before his eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek.

  “What is it?” he said softly.

  “Her sister Laila helped me escape from the brothel. Alex caught us in the alley outside and took us away in his car.” She paused for breath, talking painful, the emotion overwhelming. “He drove us up to Saddleworth Moor and executed Laila. Col took her into the trees and shot her. All she did was try to help me. That girl’s her sister. Laila wanted me to find her in exchange for her help. I have to keep my promise, she died for me.”

  “Try and keep calm Sweetheart,” he said, stroking her hair when she started to get agitated. “Do you know where she is?”

  “Laila said she displeased someone…oh what was her name? She ran the brothel.”

  “Katia?”

  “You know about her?”

  “We’ve heard of her, although we’ve never seen her.”

  “She’s also Alex’s lover, she’s pregnant with his child, I heard him talking to her on the phone.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me, apparently everyone knows he’s had a mistress for some time now.”

  “Laila said she’s evil.”

  “She’d have to be to run that place.”

  “Sabine was sold to a Russian to use in his brothel. That’s all I know.”

  Ryan was a bit disheartened. Sabine could be anywhere but he was determined to do this for Rachel, she needed it. “I’ll find her Babe, I promise.”

  “Thank you. She’ll be suffering so much, that’s if she’s still alive.”

  Ryan looked to Battler and Bruiser and nodded his head at the door. They both nodded back in understanding and left the room.

  Ryan turned back to his wife. “Rachel, I don’t want to upset you but I have to ask, what happened to you in that brothel? Did anyone…did they…” He couldn’t say it, gagging on the words.

  “No, thanks to Laila. There was a woman called Sheridan. She looked loaded, blond, glamorous. She touched me, she even tried to kiss me but I bit her lip and made her bleed. She got angry and hit me but I couldn’t fight back because I was cuffed to the bed. She knew what was going on in that place. I told her I’d been kidnapped, that all the women were forced into it but she didn’t care. She was so respectable-looking too.”

  The burning inside Ryan spiked again. “Do you know anything else about her?”

  “No. I wish I did. I’d love to teach her a lesson.”

  Ryan determined to find her too but she’d have to wait. Sabine was their priority.

  “How did you find the brothel?” she said.

  “Stephen Strang.”

  She looked furious. “What?”

  “He said he only went there because he was in love with Laila. He wanted to free her from that life. This is going to devastate him. It’s thanks to him we found the warehouse, he told us Alex owned it so don’t be too mad at him.” He cradled her hand in both of his. “I know what Alex almost di
d to you in that house.”

  Rachel’s eyes swept downwards, full of pain and shame. Gently he tilted her face back up to his. “Please don’t look like that. He’s the one who should be ashamed, not you.”

  “It was horrible,” she whispered. “I couldn’t believe it was happening. I tried to fight him Ryan, I really did, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t beat him.”

  Tenderly he kissed her damaged knuckles. “I know you fought, it’s who you are. The shame is his, not yours.”

  “Archie saw him try to…” She sighed with frustration, unable to bring herself to say it. “That poor little boy saw his dad like that. I’m frightened of what its done to him.”

  “He’ll be okay, he’s got lots of loving supportive people around him. I want you to concentrate on yourself, let me worry about everything else. I’m going to find Sabine. Is that okay?”

  “Yes. I’ll feel better when my promise has been kept.”

  He kissed her fingers one by one. “I’ve arranged for you to be transferred to a private hospital as soon as your doctor says you’re strong enough to be moved. You’ll be away from Alex and the press and we can keep security much tighter, then you can recover in peace.”

  “Okay but I meant what I said before. I’m in.”

  “And I meant it when I said we’ll wait for you. So it’s important you get fighting fit as soon as possible so we can eradicate the bastard once and for all.”

  “As long as you don’t cut me out.”

  “You know me better than that.”

  Another memory returned, something Beth had told her and her face crumpled. “Thomas,” she whispered.

  “I know, Beth told us. If it wasn’t for Alex…”

  “He’d be alive now.”

  Ryan nodded and pressed the back of his hand to his eyes. Every time he thought of Thomas he recalled his tiny body in his arms, he’d looked like he was sleeping but he was dead, murdered in a botched abduction attempt. The grief inside Ryan was now manageable but it would never leave him.