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“Standard advance,” she said. “Well, almost. Persuaded him to throw in an extra two hundred to help sort your unfortunate predicament.”
“Take more than that.” I smiled sadly. “Might as well keep it, Raven. I owe them fifteen and they ain’t gonna take any less.” Her sparkly eyes filled with horror. “It’s alright, like. I’m good with it.”
“Don’t be so pissing soft, you bloody idiot.” She jammed a cigarette into my mouth and lit the end before lighting one up for herself. “Told you before, the pity party doesn’t suit you, kid.”
“Trent’s gonna cut my fingers off,” I smiled. “Great for a painter, eh? That’s me fucking done for.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, fucking sure he is. Follow me and shut your bloody mouth.”
I shoved the cash back at her, shaking my head.
“Don’t even try and say no,” she hissed. “Take it.”
She’d dragged me to the cashpoint down by the subway, taken three hundred out of her own account. My cheeks burned with the shame.
“This ain’t right, Raven.”
“I’ll take it out of your first sale. There’ll be plenty of opportunities to pay me back, trust me. Your shit’s the best in the whole fucking gallery. You’re going to be a star tomorrow night, kid, I promise you.”
I put the cash in the envelope with the rest, heart on fire. “Dunno what to say.”
“Thanks is the standard answer,” she smiled.
“Ain’t much good with thanks,” I said.
She hugged me tight, and I hugged her right fucking back.
I left Casey with Raven when I went to meet Trent Stoney. She waited across the way with her phone in her hand. Any longer than fifteen and she’d be calling the pigs, she said. I didn’t doubt it.
Tyler was beaming like a fucking lunatic, face red and sweaty as he made his way into the garage block. The other arsehole didn’t look bothered either way, and Trent looked like he usually does, keen to get his money and get the fuck out of there.
I handed it over, the biggest wedge I’d ever seen in my life. Broke my fucking heart, but the relief was so fucking worth it.
“Impressive,” Trent said. “Didn’t think you’d have a tin pot to fucking piss in.” He threw the wedge to the arsehole at his shoulder. “Make sure it’s all there.”
We stood in silence until it was counted.
“Like to say it were nice doin’ business with you, soft lad. But we both know it wasn’t.”
“We’re done now then, yeah?” I said. “No more debt, no more interest?”
“Not unless your little slag wants to borrow again.”
“She don’t,” I said. “We’re done.”
“Fair enough.” He nodded his head for the others to follow and my breath loosened just a touch.
It was Tyler who started the trouble. His gobby mouth ran away with him, chattering around Trent like an old mother goose.
“Spit it out, you stupid cunt,” Trent said. “What’s the fucking problem?”
“Jackson,” Tyler spat. “He’sthe fucking problem. We’d cut his fucking fingers off, you said.”
“Not if he’s brought the money, you fucking muppet.”
Tyler’s jaw slammed shut, eyes like tiny black marbles. “He fucking owes me,” he growled. “Stole me girl, and me kid. His dog fucking bit me arm as well, yeah. Can hardly move the fucking thing.”
“Heart bleeds,” Trent scoffs. “We’re fucking done here, Jones. Let’s move it.”
