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Dread fills my stomach. “How’s Ollie?” I ask.
Mav groans again. “He’s not happy he’s here, put it that way.”
“Let me talk to him first. Then I’ll see Rosey.”
I find Ollie playing darts on his own. I take a seat at a table and watch in silence until he reluctantly acknowledges me. “Why am I here, and why can’t I see Mum?”
“When did you last see her?”
He shrugs. “A week ago. She’s been ill, so I stayed at Nan’s to give her a break.”
“And Dougie, was he there?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“You remember the last time I saw you, Ollie?” I ask, and he pales slightly. “Why weren’t you at school?”
“I just wanna see my mum and then I wanna go back to Nan’s place,” he snaps.
I groan, rubbing my forehead. “What have you gotten yourself into, Ollie?”
“Nothing,” he yells, and I arch a brow at his sudden overreaction. I see some of the other bikers look over, but Mav’s there to keep them calm. I stand abruptly and push my face into his.
“You wanna be big and tough, kid? You think you’re ready for that?” I hiss. “Cos I can arrange that for you. I know plenty of bad people, way worse than Dougie fucking Harrison.”
He leans far back to get away from me, his eyes wide with fear. “If I don’t go back . . .” he trails off and lowers his eyes to the ground.
“He’ll do what? Cos I’d love him to turn up here and try anything.”
“You don’t get it,” he mutters. “I owe him.”
“Owe him what?” He keeps quiet. “Money?” He shakes his head. “Drugs?” He glances up but doesn’t deny it. “You’re taking drugs?”
“No. It wasn’t my fault,” he cries. “But he said it was, and now I owe him, or he’ll hurt Nan and Mum.”
Mav heads over, looking concerned. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because he told me what he’d do to them if I did,” he mumbles.
“Newsflash, Ollie, Dougie ain’t shit around here. I am. He won’t get near your mum,” snaps Mav.
“And Nan?” he asks.
Mav looks at me. “She wouldn’t come with us, Ollie,” I admit. “We tried.”
There’s a real fear in Ollie’s expression. His eyes widen and his mouth opens and closes a few times before he makes a run for the door. Mav intercepts, grabbing him around the waist and hauling him into a seat. “Not so fast, kid. We’re gonna sort this. Trust us.”
“He’ll hurt her,” he cries.
“I’ve known your nan a long time, Ollie, and she can look after herself,” Mav says.
I place a hand on Ollie’s shoulder. “We’ll bring you in on it,” I tell him, and Mav glares at me. “He needs to know what’s going on,” I say to Mav, “or he’ll try and save her by himself. He’s stubborn like his mother.” I turn back to Ollie. “You wanna run with the real men? Cos those shitheads, aren’t men, Ollie. They just think they are. Let’s go and see your mum, and then we’ll go to church,” I say.
“Jesus, you want my patch too?” snaps Mav, and I slap him on the back with a laugh.
“Nah, it suits you better.”
ROSEY
