Miles throws his head back and laughs. “Don’t worry princess, I’ll save you.”
“Yeah, yeah, can we get this shit over with, I need to go back to bed, and find some pussy. You owe me pussy after this shit.” He points at me. I am not trawling for Hugo.
We follow Miles down the board-walk passing various boats, from enormous yachts, to smaller speed boats. Monaco is very wealthy, this is where the rich and famous come to lose a huge portion of their taxable money. Even just the rent in the harbour is extortionate for the average person. I gave Jane one and a half million to make her disappear. That was a couple of weeks ago. If she’s paying for things like this, then that money won’t last long.
I won’t be buying her off again. I gave her the easy out and she stupidly didn’t take it. I’ll admit I may have been a bit rash in doing so. There are some situations in life where it’s just easier to throw money at it, many situations in fact. I’ve learnt over the years that there is nothing that money cannot get you out of if you have enough of it. I paid her off before, and told her that she needed to disappear. I thought she got the message the first time I visited her. I hoped she would realise that I am not someone she wants to fuck around with, apparently not. This time, I will leave no doubt in her mind. She will drop the charges and get the fuck out of Lilly and Harry’s lives, or I will remove her from their lives permanently. I will do anything for Lilly, and the sooner she realises that the better. This ends here, today.
Miles stops next to a small yacht. It’s certainly not top of the range yacht, but it would have cost a pretty large chunk of the money I gave her.
“This is it apparently, this is where she’s staying. She’s been docking the boat under the name of Jane Parker.” He tells me.
I snort. Fucking woman has no shame. “Okay.” I step forward, but Miles steps in front of me.
“You told me last time she was unstable. I’ll go first.” He explains.
I shrug and allow him to climb the short ladder onto the boat. I follow him, with Hugo behind me. Miles knocks on the glass door. I stay back, out of sight. If she see’s me, then it’s pretty unlikely she’ll open the door for us. I hear the glass door slide back.
“What?” A gruff female voice asks.
“Are you Jane Sampson?” Miles doesn’t hesitate.
There’s a long pause. “How do you know that name?” It’s her. I step around the side of the boat and into her line of sight.
“He knows that name, because he works for me.” I tell her. God, she doesn’t look any better than the last time I saw her. Her hair is lank and greasy, her skin pale with dark circles under her eyes.
“That is Lilly’s mother?” Hugo asks from behind me. Her eyes move to him, a sneer pulling at her thin lips. I nod. He snorts. “Well, they say that if you want to see what a woman will become, look at her mother.” He slaps me on the shoulder. “Looks like you’re paying for a fuck load of plastic surgery dude.”
I roll my eyes. Really? That’s what he’s thinking right now. To be fair to Hugo, he knows nothing of this situation only that Jane is bringing false charges against Harry, and that Harry and Lilly don’t get on with their mother. That’s nothing out of the ordinary. In mine and Hugo’s world, your parents are arseholes, it’s just how it is. Her eyes flick from Hugo to me and back again. She’s watching carefully. I step closer to her. “You and I need a little chat.” I say quietly. I don’t raise my voice, simply meet her eyes, and relay everything with a look. She swallows heavily.
“You can’t come in here.” She splutters. Her hands start shaking. Good. I want her scared. I want her to realise that this miserable little life of hers could be so easily extinguished.
“I can, and I will.” I push past her into the cramped living area of the boat. The boat itself is nice, a luxury yacht. The place is filthy though. There are cigarette butts and empty bottles of booze everywhere. The place smells like a dive bar.
“Wait out here.” I tell Hugo and Miles. I have things I need to say to her that they can’t hear. Lilly trusted me enough to tell me about her past, I’m not going to betray that trust. I slide the glass door closed behind us.
“Just leave. Please.” She stammers as she keeps her eyes fixed on the floor. She sways slightly, she’s drunk. From what Lilly tells me that’s no surprise. I’m angry for Lilly. I’m angry that after losing everyone around her, this woman still can’t get her shit together. Some people are just happy to be miserable. This woman can’t help herself.