Drifter follows my movement, getting out of his own chair, and when I go to walk out the room, he grabs my arm. I look at it disdainfully. I don’t want to fight my Pres, but I will if it means I get to keep Red and that little girl out of the claws of this monster. They’re mine to protect now.
He puts his hands up in a placating manner and takes a step back. “Rock, listen to me,” he offers before taking a seat back in his chair. “So, what happens? You bust in there, kick the shit outta the bloke, and feel better for it? But then you get arrested, and he claws his way back into her life and back into her bed. You’re no fucking use to her locked up.”
“That fucking suited-up prick is not getting back into her bed.”
“Out of all that, you only took away him getting back into her bed?” Drifter laughs.
I run my hands through my dishevelled hair. Using my fists is all I’m used to—it’s why Drifter took me on as his Enforcer in the first place. I pace back and forth in the small space.
“What do you fucking suggest?” I snap and automatically feel like a cunt. He’s only trying to help me.
“First of all, sit the fuck down, you’re making me dizzy,” he orders, and I automatically follow his instructions. “We need to do this properly. We have the recording of him dragging Lizzy out by her hair while she’s holding their daughter. We just need to use this as leverage. As much as you and her don’t want that,” he looks down at the phone in disgust before continuing, “getting out, he’s got more to lose if the public sees him dragging his wife around by her hair. We bribe him, let him know if that video gets out or if he comes anywhere near her or Meli again, this will be released, not only to his superiors but all the local newspapers too. I’m sure it’s in the public’s interest that someone sending criminals to prison is also violent behindclosed doors. We can also specify that he drops any charges against you too.”
“And what if he doesn’t?” I ask.
“Then we do what we said and his whole world will soon come crashing down around him. We just have to play our cards right. We aren’t dealing with a rival club here, Rock. We’re dealing with a high-profile judge. We can’t just go in there and throw our weight around in the hope this prick gets the message. We have to be smart.”
I nod, knowing he’s right, but right now, the aggression I’m harbouring is festering away, and I want nothing more than to end the jackass.
“But Pres?” He looks up at me questioningly. “I’m coming. There is no way I’m sitting this shit out.” I stand and make my way out the office, not giving him the chance to refuse me.
It’s beena couple days since Red received the video and it’s set her on edge. He continues to text her, demanding she go back, and he’s given her until the end of the week before he will release the footage.
The whole situation looming over her has taken her back to the very first time I met her. She’s gone into her shell, spending a lot of time in our room with Meli. I’ve tried to reassure her that I’ll sort it, but she just smiles at me, although the smile never quite reaches her eyes. I’ve tried to get her out to spend time with Rochelle, but she doesn’t want to leave the safety of the room. Rochelle has spent some time with her and given her breaks from looking after Meli by taking her out for a while.
“How’s she doing?” Rochelle asks as I make my way over to her at the bar. She bounces Meli lovingly on her knee.
“I have no idea. I don’t know what to do,” I reply, giving Meli a gentle kiss on her head as she coos and taking a seat at the bar next to her.
“She will come round. She’s just protecting herself from getting hurt again,” she says, offering me a sympathetic smile. Drifter comes over, placing his hand on my shoulder to get my attention.
“It’s time,” he says before giving Rochelle a kiss on the forehead. Those are the two words I’ve been waiting to hear so we can get this shit over and done with for Red’s peace of mind.
“About fucking time,” I say bluntly. I take Meli from Rochelle and give her a hug.
“Time for Rock to go fix this mess your dad left, princess.” I place a little peck on her nose, and she giggles as the bristles from my beard tickle her face. I hand her back to Rochelle before following Drifter out the bar with Slayer in tow.
We pullup outside the judge’s home. It oozes arrogance, and you can tell he comes from money. The detached house sits in a large, well-maintained garden. The lawn has lines in it like a fucking football pitch, and there’s a long driveway, and in it sits a Bugatti Chiron. It’s like a scene fromKeeping Up with the Joneses.
We make our way up the drive, giving a little wave to the camera as we pass to let him know we’ve arrived. We have nothing to hide, unlike this prick. He portrays to all his high-profile neighbours that he’s the perfect doting husband, yet in reality, the man made Lizzy’s life a living hell behind closed doors.
He stands in the doorway as we approach, leaning against the frame, evidently not intimidated by our presence. He grins at us, and I ball my fists at my side. His appearance alone makes me want to dive my fist into his slowly healing nose and watch it explode for the second time. I smirk at the thought.
“How can I help you?” he asks, his tone laced with sarcasm.
“Wonderful to see you again, Judge Parker,” Drifter replies, the three of us coming to a stop at the bottom of the steps leading up to the door. “We wondered if we could get a moment of your time to discuss something,” he adds.
He looks up to the camera as a way of reminding us that we’re being recorded, then he grins at us.
“Of course, how can I help?” he queries, straightening and taking a few steps out the doorway.
Drifter pulls out his mobile from his breast pocket and taps away at it, then Darius’s phone pings from his pocket. “We have a video we’d like you to take a look at,” Drifter announces, placing his phone back in his pocket. Darius smirks at us as he pulls out his phone from his back pocket. He watches the screen, and we can hear the commotion from the video playing out. His smirk fades and the colour drains from his face as realisation hits him. Now, it’s my turn to smirk. This prick looks worried as he places the phone back in his pocket.
“What do you want? Charges dropped?” he questions, his voice wavering ever so slightly. “Done,” he adds quickly.
“If only it was that easy, Judge Parker,” I sneer, taking a step forward. Drifter eyes me suspiciously, placing his arm out to stop me. I look across at him and offer a weak smile. He sighs and moves his arm. “Your wife is no longer your wife. She belongs to me, and you will keep your hands off what’s mine or your boss receiving that video won’t be your only concern.”
He laughs menacingly, which pisses me off even more.Fucking prick. “You’re welcome to the dirty fucking skank,” hesneers, taking a step towards me, his frame only towering over me because he’s at the top of the steps. The man’s undoubtedly got a death wish if he thinks he can take me on and come out on top. I take the steps two at a time until I’m toe-to-toe with him and I now tower over him.
