So as you can tell I had already planned part of this fic before the spoilers about Fraser had came out. Then I saw that grace apparently kidnaps Ste so thought Id add my own wee twist to that. Plus it fits in with this fic pretty well. Hope you's enjoy x
Chapter 7
Brendan's pov
I'm up early, managed to get showered, dressed and fed without waking Steven up. I was so pissed last night that I can't even remember what time I got in at, I do remember mine and Trevor's conversation and I know that if I keep pushing then he'll finally snap.
So that's why when I'm halfway through my morning jog and I get a text from Trevor telling me to meet him at the club, I don't waste anytime. The doors locked and when I bang on it three or four times Trevor finally makes an appearance, still wearing the same clothes from last night.
"So I've been thinking about what you said." he says scratching at his head and I don't know what he's going to say next, "We need to get rid of Fraser." he eventually comes out with.
"We?" I say almost laughing, this wasn't what I was expecting.
"Well yeah. If he's my problem then he's yours aswell." he says with a smug smile.
"And how did ye work that one out?" I hiss.
"Because if he's gone this is ours." he says signalling around the club.
Bingo. This could maybe work out to my advantage but do I really want to jeopardise my freedom for this?
"I need to think about this." I sigh rubbing at my forehead.
"How about this, come back at the start of your shift, well talk then." he says raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah." I say and spin on my heel heading back outside.
The first thing I'm met with is Stevens frown. He's across from the club outside the hutch, I can tell there's something bothering him and I could go over and see what's wrong but instead I sink back into the shadows of the alleyway, trying to work out what's best to do.
Ste's pov
I see Brendan speaking to Trevor, I know there's something going on that he isn't telling me. That's why on my lunch break I march straight over there to speak to either of them.
"What are you doing here?" Fraser sneers at me.
"I was wanting to speak to Brendan." I say to him hoping he'll tell me where he is but he just laughs at me.
"I don't want you poking your nose about my business." He sneers while pushing me up against the bar. "You step foot back in my club again and I'll make sure it's the last thing you'll do."
I'm not scared of Fraser, I know well enough to know that he doesn't get his hands dirty but I do know that he has contacts that wouldn't think twice about it.
"Brendan's out doing a pick up the now." the way he says it makes me think that this isn't a legal 'pick up'.
I can't believe that Brendan would go back to doing this stuff, would risk going back to prison for some stupid job. So I barge pass Fraser not caring when he bangs into the bar and I hear a glass smash on the floor. I get my phone out ready to give Brendan a piece of my mind when I'm pulled back into the club and feel a thud on the back of my head and then there's just darkness.
"I warned you." I hear someone whisper in my ear and I frown trying to work out who it is.
I open my eyes and work out Grace's face, I feel a little lightheaded and everything looks a bit blurry.
I know my face is screwed up and when I try to move she grabs a handful of my hair and pulls my head back, sneering in my ear "I told you to stay out my dads business."
"I were just lookin for Brendan." I say weakly and hear her laughing from behind me.
She doesn't say much and I take a look at my surroundings but don't have a clue where I am. It looks dingy and everywhere I look there's darkness apart from the crappy light that's hanging from the ceiling that doesn't help me see much.
My wrists are bound together with rope I think, I could probably manage to wriggle out of them if I tried hard enough and there's a pipe lying to the left of me. I don't know what Grace is planning on using it for but I don't want to even take a guess.
I remember Fraser saying about Brendan doing a pick up and decide that I could maybe do some digging to find out what the hell Brendan's playing at.
"So Brendan works for Fraser?" I ask her.
She snarls at me before plastering on a angelic smile, "He really didn't tell you?" she asks.
"Tell me what?" I ask while I tug at the rope.
"He came to Trevor and said he would do anything that they wanted him to do as long as you didn't need to deal for us anymore." she says smugly.
Part of me is angry, Brendan fucking Brady constantly trying to play the hero, hasn't he learned anything. She can obviously tell that I'm not happy about it but I don't stop trying to get the rope loosened. I manage to slip one hand out and then it's easy to get the other one out.
Keeping my hand behind my back I weakly ask Grace for a glass of water, she hesitates but turns her back and as soon as she's facing the other way I grab the pole, jumping up as quietly as I can and swinging the pole in her direction.
I hear the metal connect with flesh and I hear her body thudding onto the floor. She's bleeding a bit but I doubt it'll do any damage to her, it seems she's just unconscious and I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding in, the last thing I want is to kill someone.
My phones sitting beside the jug of water, still turned on. Six missed calls and eight texts.
Missed call (1) Tony
Missed call (4) Brendan
Missed call (1) Unknown
I scroll through Brendan's texts first,
'We need to talk. B '
'Pick up your phone Steven.'
'Where are you?'
'I'm sorry for whatever I've done.. Are you coming home? '
'Fuck sake Steven enough of the silent treatment yeah?'
Then there's Tony's texts.
'Getting a bit busy Ste, I know you've only had twenty minutes for lunch but could be doing with your help.'
'Ste are you okay? Brendan's out of his mind with worry. Just let us know your okay.'
'I'm sorry I've been taking a lot of time off, I didn't think of how it would effect you and Brendan. '
Fuck. I went for lunchat 2:30pmand it's not8:40pm, I've been out cold for hours. I feel guilty leaving Tony in the lurch, and I try not to but feel bad for worrying Brendan. I'm tempted to phone him back but instead I slip my phone in my pocket, check to make sure there isn't any sign of Grace waking up and slip out the door.
There's Graces Mercedes parked outside what looks like some sort of cabin. I have no clue where it is that I am, and I feel a little bad but swallow down the guilt and embrace that I'm still in one piece.
So I get into the car, stupid bitch didn't even lock the door. There isn't keys but I don't need to worry about that, can remember clearly how to Hotwire a car. When I hear the purr of the engine I can't help but feel a little pride wash over me. Back in school this was one of the few things that I was good at and I still am a scally at heart.
I pull out my phone and select Tony's name, he picks up on the second ring.
"Ste? Where are you?" he asks, I can hear the panic in my voice.
"Can you talk the now? Or are you with the kids?" I ask him, ignoring his question.
"I'm with Brendan. We've been worried about you." he says.
I hear the phone get passed and guess its Brendan that's probably snatching it. I put the car into gear and reverse out the drive, before swerving to the right and onto the dirt track ahead of me.
"Steven where are ye?" Brendan hisses.
"I don't know." I reply back bluntly, the reason I phoned Tony and not Brendan is because I don't know how to go about this. Blame Brendan and make him feel guilty? Or lie to him? Or I could tell him part of the truth. I don't have a clue yet.
"What do ye mean ye don't know?!" he shouts at me.
"I don't want to talk to ya right now! But as per ya stick your nose where it's not wanted." I feel a bit harsh but I can't help but feel angry at him, not for what happened with Grace but at the fact he went behind my back, agreed to work for Trevor and Fraser. Didn't even have the decency to tell me, knowing that there could be a chance that this would land him back inside.
"I care about ye! Obviously if nobody's seen ye in hours I'm going to be worried." he says the last part softly and I feel my resolve crumple there and then.
"Ya care about me but not enough to tell me the truth right?" I say, can feel the tears swelling and I know I'm being a hypocrite but don't give a fuck.
"What.. What are ye talking about?" he say and I can hear the panic in his voice,
"I think ya know Bren." I say simply, I hear him clear his throat, "Don't lie to me. Don't try to deny it."
"Your sounding crazy now Steven." he grunts and anyone else would think that he's clueless but I can hear the shake in his voice.
"Crazy?!" I exclaim, "Brendan ya don't have a clue."
"Tell me then." he says and I can imagine his face the now, no we need to speak face to face, it's much harder for him to lie to my face.
"I'll speak when I get home. Just put Tony back on." I stutter.
He lets out a sigh and must pass the phone because the next thing I hear is Tony.
"Don't tell Brendan anything I say. Okay?" I ask him, I let out a sigh of relief as I recognise a main road and follow in the direction of the village.
"Okay." he says almost robotic.
"I went to the club earlier on at lunch, me and Fraser had a bit of.. I don't know what ya could call it. He knocked me out with something and when I came around I was in a room with Grace." I pause to let him get a word in.
"Jesus Ste! Are you okay?" he asks me.
"Tony calm down, remember Brendan can't know the now." I hiss at him.
"Yeah got it." he says, "carry on."
"I were tied up but I managed to get lose, but I kinda knocked Grace out." I tell him and hear him sharply intake a breath. "Are you's in my flat?"
"Yeah we stayed here, thought you might come here first." he tells me.
"Anyway soI've stole Graces car and I've left her lying in the cabin." I tell him.
He laughs a bit, "I always hated her."
"I'm just driving into the village, just gonna park her car outside the club. I'll see ya in five." I grunt down the phone.
I park the car, thankful that nobody's around the village, last thing I need is someone seeing me bring her car back. I steady for myself knowing that this could maybe be the argument that breaks mine and Brendan's trust.
