Hansel 15

Hansel 15

Hansel

Money swapped hands easily enough. I had done these kinds of drops often, so it was no big deal. What was a big deal was the fact I was miles away from Gretal and she wasn’t answering her phone.

I had been calling her pretty much nonstop. It was one thing The Judge telling me she was fine but I wanted to hear her voice. To see her in person would have been better, but I could tell if she was really ok by her voice. I knew her well enough.

Leaning heavily on my bike, I fished my phone out of my pocket. My fingers pressed the redial button without looking. I didn’t expect her to answer, so far she hadn’t, so I was surprised when she picked up.

“Hansel.”

She sounded breathy, like she had been crying and was trying to hide it from me. “What the hell is going on, Gretal, are you crying?”

Doubt ripped through me. She was upset. I had been right when I thought something had happened but I had taken The Judge at his word that he would protect them. Had I been wrong to do that?

“No, it's fine, I'm fine. Keeley is fine, everyone is fine.”

I frowned in the dim morning light. Keeley was fine? Why would she bring up her name specifically? The Judge had mentioned Keeley as well. And Gio, he had said Gio had a man watching over them. The head of The Family had a sweet spot for Monster's cousin and everyone knew it.

Maybe it wasn’t Gretal who was in trouble, maybe it was Keeley.

“I’m fine, Hansel. Stop worrying. We are all together and…”

I didn’t let her finish. “And how about Keeley, is she fine?”

There was an intake of breath, and then a loud noise as Gretal asked someone to get out of the way. When the line was quiet again she finally spoke. “What do you know about Keeley?” My wife’s voice was sharp. “I told Gio and The Judge I would skin them alive if they told anyone. She doesn't want anyone to know what happened to her. I can’t fucking believe they told you.”

I let her rant. Her words whirling around my head in a blur. So, Gio and The Judge knew something had happened to Keeley and they hadn’t informed the Sons? They hadn’t informed me or even Monster.

Keeley was Monster's only family. One of only two people the angelic psycho cared about.

“Monster needs to know. The Sons need to know. We can protect you.”

Her laughter filled my ears. Mocking and loud. “The Sons can't protect us. We have to protect ourselves.”

“I would protect you. Monster would…”

“Monster can never know, Hansel. You know what he’s like. If he finds out she was raped, he will be back and killing people before the call is ended. Let them enjoy their honeymoon. I have this under control.”

I did a double take. Raped. That’s what she had said. Keeley had been raped. For a moment, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe.

Sweet, harmless Keeley had been raped.

“Are you still at the Drunken Otter? I'm heading home now. Stay where you are until I get there or one of the others.”

The Savage Sons needed to know. Maybe not all of it. But at least that the women in our lives were in danger, that someone had ripped from one of our own something that should only ever be given.

“The Sons can't know, Hansel. Not them.”

The venom in her voice surprised me. It made me do a double take. “You know who did it, don’t you?” I kept my voice even but inside I was boiling with rage. “Was it one of my brothers?” I needed to know. I needed her to tell me that my suspicions were wrong. That she wasn’t implying what I thought she was implying. “Fucking tell me, Gretal, now.”

“It's under control, Hansel. I don’t need you to save me. I don’t need you to save us. I am more than capable.”

She ended the call without saying goodbye and I instantly called her back. I called and called and she didn’t pick up.

Gretal was going to do something stupid, or she had already done something stupid. Either way, she was in trouble. Chewing on my lip, I turned to scan the street. She didn’t want me to phone anyone but it would be hours until I got home. And in those hours she would more than likely get herself killed. I knew my wife and the giant hero complex she had. She thought she owed the world something.

“Fuck.” I swore long and hard.

A woman caught my attention. The hood of a jacket hid the colour of her hair from me. She was sitting at the bus stop and was staring at me with wide terrified eyes. I recognised her. I knew her well.

Sylvie.

“Sylvie.” I called after her, taking a step into the road as she bolted. She could run all she liked; she wouldn’t get away from me. She wasn’t meant to be there. She was meant to be with the others. Back at The Drunken Otter.

Seeing her there, so far away from home, sent a fresh wave of panic ripping through me. She was unprotected there. Pope would never forgive me if I didn’t haul her ass home where she would be safe.

Except, would she be safe? Gretal didn’t trust the Sons anymore.

My hand closed around Sylvie’s arm and I spun her around roughly. She cried out in pain as I yanked on her arm. She raised tear-filled eyes to meet mine.

One look at her face and I let her go.

She was a mess. One eye swollen and blackish blue. Her bottom lip was split.

“What the fuck, Sylvie? Who did this to you? If Pope finds out someone hurt you then he will…” What the hell was going on? Why were the women in our lives being attacked? Why was Sylvie running away from the man she had dedicated her life to when she knew he would protect her?

“Go away, Hansel, I'm fine. It's fine.”

She sounded like Gretal. Almost word for word.

“Did someone hurt you like they did Keeley? Is that why you are running?” I had a feeling I was being a fool. Like I was missing something important but I just couldn’t put my finger on what.

“He hurt Keeley? It was Keeley?” She sobbed loudly. If the street hadn’t been empty she would have drawn attention to us.

I stepped back before I could help myself. “He?” It hit me in a rush what she was saying. I didn’t want to believe it.

“Fuck, Sylvie, fuck, tell me it’s not what I think it is?” Curling my hand around her bicep, I dragged her closer. “Can you ride?”

“I'm not going back, Hansel. Not now and not ever. If you try to take me I'll scream.”

I rounded on her. “Scream all you like. Gretal is going after him, fuck.”

My wife, my beautiful, hot-headed wife was going to go after him alone and I was miles away. There was no way I could get to her in time.

“He’s changed Hansel. He never used to be like it… I…”

“You should have told someone, Sylvie. You should have given us the heads up, but we will discuss that later. Now get on the damn bike, we need to get home.”

I didn’t add before it was too late. I didn’t need to.

I knew it might already be too late.

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