Surrendered(39)

“Where is she?” I ask quickly.

“I asked around a few of the locals. There’s a small shop across from that cash machine. Turns out she’s been going in there to buy supplies. The shop keeper told me that she’s staying on a boat in the harbour.” He tells me calmly.

“Is she alone?”

“Don’t know. She hasn’t been seen with anyone. Are you expecting her to have company?” Part of me is expecting her to have picked up her scumbag boyfriend. Lilly said that she wasn’t strong enough to leave him. Just because her kids left, doesn’t mean that she did. She must have had some kind of dependency to be with him and stay with him. She may still be with him. I clench my fists at the thought of finding that piece of shit. I will kill him, no fucking doubt about that. I brought Hugo and Miles out here because I need them to keep me in check. I could have asked the questions that Miles has been asking. I didn’t really need to send him ahead of me, but I need the man power, and I also want to be in and out of here as quickly as possible.

My head is not clear when it comes to Lilly and her past. I want to purge everything bad from her mind, her mother included. For now though, I just need to get her to drop the charges against Harry. The only real proof that they have is her word, worthless as it may be, she still signed a statement. I need her to renege, and change that statement.



The next morning Hugo and I set out to do what we came here for. Hugo looks barely conscious as we leave the apartment. He’s wearing bright red shorts and a white tank, with Ray Ban Aviator’s. His hair looks like he hasn’t looked in a mirror for a week. He doesn’t even try to drive as he wordlessly slides into the passenger seat of the car.

“You okay?” I ask as we pull away from the apartment and head for the harbour.

He rolls his head dramatically toward me. “Uh, no. It’s seven thirty in the morning. No-one should be okay at this time. This is just fucking inhuman.” He moans.

I smile to myself. “I’d forgotten what a ray of sunshine you are in the mornings.”

“Yeah well, no sleep and pussy depravation will do that to you.” He continues to gripe.

“You got laid yesterday.” I point out.

“Exactly. I swear I’m breaking out in a rash. I think I’m having withdrawals.” Oh Jesus, really?

“You are not having withdrawals.” I roll my eyes.

“Whatever, why are we hunting down Lilly’s mum again?”

“So that I can get her to drop the charges against Harry…” I start.

“And be her knight in shining armour. Yeah, yeah, vomit. You best be getting a fuck tonne of head for this.” He waves his hand at me. “How far is it to the harbour?”

I check the sat nav. “Um, about thirty minutes.”

“Wake me up when we get there.” He pulls his baseball cap down slightly and reclines his chair back. Why oh why did I bring Hugo with me for something as important as this? He’s a bloody liability. He’s a good friend, and he’ll have my back through anything, but god he can be a pain in the arse sometimes.



By the time we pull into the harbour car park, Hugo is unconscious. I shove him hard. “We’re here.”

He frowns and glances around. I get out of the car and he follows suit. The door of a little hatchback opens, and Miles steps out. He approaches, wearing jeans and a casual t-shirt. I can’t remember seeing him in anything other than an immaculate suit. He may be a badass, but the military drill tidiness and cleanliness into their troops. I swear the poor guy has OCD.

“Hey.” I say when he reaches us.

“Hey.” He nods at Hugo who sort of grunts.

“Ignore him, he doesn’t function before ten in the morning.”

“Why is he here?” Miles eyes him.

I shrug. “Thought we might need a little muscle.” I almost mange to say that with a straight face, almost. I watch Miles lips quirk up. Hugo is no weed, the guy is almost as big as I am. When you’re rich, and aren’t really needed to run your company, all that’s left to do is look good. The thing is though Hugo is just so…well Hugo. He’s an idiot, friends with everyone, killer smile, wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’ll throw a punch if he really has to. He once broke his nose trying to get me out of a fight when we were nineteen. He does try, and I love him for it.

“Hang on.” He chirps in. “I thought we were finding some woman. No-one said anything about muscle.”

I smile. “You afraid of a little rough?” I joke.

“Hey, I like my women rough, men, not so much.” He crosses his arms across his chest and frowns at me.