Yes yes... I'm spoiling everyone rotten... but I told someone I would publish another chapter if they did something... lucky all of you, she did..

marsupial is at golf but hi babes!

remember... dark...

Chapter 10

Cook hadn't meant to get involved with Luke as long as he had been. He'd expected to be under him for a couple of years at best. He wasn't naive enough that he could get out of this unscathed but he'd thought he'd at least get out. His aspirations were dashed when Luke had announced the move to London two years ago. He'd taken the news with a smile and a clap on the back, drank with the boys and found himself calling her at around 3am.

"There had better be a reason." She answered without it ringing more than once and certainly without any greeting. He laughed.

"Aww you know you love me."

"I don't. I think you're fun. It stops there." Effy rolled over in bed and stretched. "Are you downstairs?"

"Nope." He spit out a hard p at the end of the word. He wished he could be though. He could get lost in her reality for a while. "But I'll be there soon."

"It's 3 in the morning. You sound drunk. No trains at this hour. You can't get in a car like that." She did care for him. She did love him but she wouldn't admit it because it would mean more to him than it did her. He'd been in a tough spot all his life.

"No no... not tonight... But get a load of this... we're moving."

"Who is?" She sat up and took real notice regardless of his state.

"The entire operation. It's being moved to London. Same marching orders as per but up up and away we go."

"Cook. That's... that's huge."

"Ain't it though?" He slurred his words and thought about how it would all happen. How it would change everything. "I don't know how much longer I can keep going."

"As long as you need to." Effy knew he had doubts about himself, his opportunities in life, his abilities. She wasn't privy to all he did but she knew enough to know it took a toll. "You can do this."

"You sure? Cause I ain't sure. There's so much... you don't know..."

"I don't need to tiger. But you can and you will. You've worked too hard for this."

"It feels like I'm trading my soul... if I had one." He laughed but it rang hollow.

"What can I do Cookie? Tell me what I can do."

"Well a blowjob's out of the question ain't it..." He giggled. "I'll get to see you more... maybe. You living in the city and all... but it will have to be away... secreter..."

"That's not a word." She smiled. It would be interesting having him closer. She couldn't give him what he craved for but she could be a better anchor for him.

"We can pretend secret agent stuff... get super freaky with it." He was sounding tired and she knew he was almost out of it.

"We can get super freaky." She laughed. "Go to bed. Text me in the morning. Let me know the plan."

"Will do babes." He waited a moment before hanging up. It only took another minute for him to pass out.

..

"You told them you were pregnant so they would leave you alone?" Effy thought about it and found the idea rather brilliant. She sat down, weary. "You told all of them?" Emily sniffled and nodded. "You had to sell the idea then? So everyone would leave you alone... was he sleeping with you?"

"Who?" Emily looked at Effy. "Luke?" She shook her head. "He only..." She thought about him. It was a bleak memory and one she had tried to erase with drugs more than once. Her sister tried to punish them both and succeeded but he'd been right all those nights ago. Katie forgave him faster than she ever could her twin. "I didn't ask for it... didn't want it. But it happened.. he.. but it was once long ago."

"Not Luke. Cook." Emily looked at her. "Was he sleeping with you? Was he the one that was supposed to be the father?" The bewildered twin tried understanding where Effy was coming from.

"Cook and I..." She shook her head. "Why are you asking all of this?"

Effy didn't have a ready answer. Not one that would leave her in the clear. She stood up again and paced. "Cook is... I know him. He wanted to know if you were ok. He wanted... he asked me about your pregnancy... he said he didn't think you could be but he wasn't sure."

"You know Cook?" Effy met her eyes. "But you don't work for Luke... that's what you said. So how?"

"Cook and I... we fuck."

..

"Cookie I think you deserve a reward."

"Yeah? What for boss?" He was driving back to the house after a successful transfer of currency and product in South London. There hadn't been any bloodshed this go around. The first year in London had been brutal. They'd lost more than half the boys that came up the ranks with Cook. But things were leveling off. It had been a strategic move for the big bosses, having Luke in London. No one had told the smaller groups actively doing business in their new territory. It made for tense exchanges. "A little Chrismas bonus ahead of time?" He was joking as he parked the car.

"Not exactly." Luke waited for Cook to come around and open the back door of the car. He got out and put his arm around his shoulder. "I want you to be family."

"Uh.. I thought we kind of were... one big happy.."

"Yeah yeah.. but I mean even more so. I want you to move into to Emily's room."

"Where's Emily going to sleep? My room's not big enough for her. Don't seem fair."

"No idiot. I want you to move into Emily's room with her. Share her bed. She's your reward." Cook's insides turned to jelly and he stopped short. Luke fixed him with a stare. He brushed of the imaginary dust off his own lapel and then Cook's shoulders after pulling away. "I know she's not... religiously pure." He shrugged his shoulders. "Business decisions and poor impulse control on my behalf. My bad."

Throughout the entire time he'd worked for him, Cook had never wanted to hit Luke so badly. He hoped it wasn't visible but he could feel the color in his face changing with his temper. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful boss... but she's Miss Katie's sister. I don't think I'm right for her."

"Ahh.. nonsense Cookie." Luke was smiling and there was a light in his eyes. "Miss Katie insisted on it really. She thought it would be a good match seeing as you both are good at what you do... loyal." He smirked. "I do detect a bit of rage." He laughed. "Looks good on you. But don't fuck it up. You've been good to me. Good to Kate. Good to Emily. Good to the boys." His tone turned serious and the smile disappeared. "I'll apologize to you for fucking her. It wasn't right of me. I get the anger. I'd be pissed myself if I was in your shoes. But don't throw it all away on that anger."

"No sir." He swallowed and tried to push away the impulse to put a gun to Luke's neck and empty it into him. He'd known what Luke had done soon after he'd done it. He'd taken care of Emily as Kate damn near beat Luke's face in. He'd been bruised longer than Emily had but in the end, she suffered longer and would continue to do so. "Is Emily ok with..." He received a tilt of the head at his words. "Is she aware of the arrangement?"

"Not yet. I thought you might like to tell her yourself. I'm sure she will be happy to be by your side. You're her protector. Unless she's too soiled for you." Cook clenched his fist and shook his head. "You tell me mate cause I can gift her to someone else."

"No sir. I'm a lucky man." He said it and felt himself getting sicker. "She's a good woman. Deserves more is all." Luke rubbed his jaw and smiled again.

"Everyone is expendable Cookie. You know better." He started walking into the house, leaving Cook still standing there. "Make sure you have a good time getting acquainted. I want to hear all about it."

..

"Tell me where she is." The metal was pressing into her skin and Naomi wondered if she could move fast enough. He moved forward and grabbed her jacket collar with his other hand. "I don't want to hurt you. I will. But I don't want to."

"I don't know where she is."

"Liar. Where you going at this hour? Church?" He pulled on the collar. "Look you went up to your flat with a fine skirt. No way you're ditching her for anyone other than Emily."

"How would you know what I would do?"

"Babes... you almost tore me fuckin' head off in the hospital. Thinking you're the girl she moans about. What did Eff call you? Naomi. Yeah, that'd be it." Her anger rose up then and she dropped her right hand down to the seat mechanism. She pulled on it as she pushed her body backwards. "Fuck." The seat back slammed into Cook and he loosened his grip on her collar. She lunged forward and grabbed the door handle. It took her a second to get out of the car and another to figure out if she was running up to her flat or away from there. It was time she shouldn't have wasted.

Cook got out of the car and chased after her. She almost made it to the main street. He tackled her hard and she landed on a patch of lawn. He flipped her over and straddled her. His free hand on her jaw and the gun at her forehead. She froze and closed her eyes.

"Don't fucking do that again you twat. Jesus." He stood up and pulled her with him. She flinched as the jeans scraped against her knees. "That's what you get for being an idiot." He shoved her in the direction of the car. "Move. Don't run. I'm not chasing you this time. I'll shoot you and then take your car. I bet it had GPS on it. And I bet it has the location I need on it." Naomi stopped moving and felt a chill down her spine. "Oh come one. I don't want to fucking shoot you. I really don't."

"Will you hurt her?" She was terrified and wished she'd gotten Effy's earlier message. Maybe if she had she'd have left earlier. Maybe he wouldn't have reached her. "Please don't hurt them. I'm the one who took her away. Can't you.. I don't know... just let her go? I don't have a lot of money but..." The gun pressed into the back of her head.

"I need to talk to her. Just fucking walk." She started heading towards her car and stopped when she got to the driver's door. She turned slowly. She noticed the bruising on his face, the swelling.

"How did you know her name?"

"What? What'd you mean? I've known Emily for years. I went to pick her up at the hospital remember? Or did I knock you about too hard?"

"No. Not Emily. You called her Eff." Even in the darkness she could see his face, the realization. "How did you know her name?"

..

The party was going strong as models walked around the house in her outfits. She hadn't been entirely sold on the idea when it was presented to her but it was fascinating her now. There was a dj in one room and the music was being piped in throughout. She was introduced by JP to all of the big spenders. He reminded her that the guest list was exclusive even if it wasn't all on the up and up. There were people who wanted to put money into something new. JP had introduced her to the host during a trip to Italy and she'd been a fervent customer ever since.

"Laura! JP!" Katie waved at her from across the room when she spotted her. She walked to her as fast as her heels could carry her.

"This is incredible. I don't know how you did this." Laura complimented her as they hugged. They took a seat on a long couch. JP was distracted by a man on the other side of the room and excused himself.

"Babes. I just had to show some people your clothes and they were totes into it." She handed her a flute of champagne. "Think of this is as your coming out. You'll have orders left and right if not your own store soon."

"From your lips Katie." She drank the champagne and noticed the man sitting next to Katie pawing at her arse. "And this must be the fiance."

"Oh my god yes. Shit. Luke baby this is Laura, the designer. Laura, this is my king, Luke." He sat up and held out his hand.

"Pleasure. I've heard a lot about you."

"Likewise." She smiled at him and could see he was trouble. She could understand the appeal though.

"I almost get jealous when she talks about your clothing against her skin. Very intimate." They all laughed and he pushed a small mirror on the table towards her. Neat little lines of powder looking at her. "Party favor?" She smiled widely and put her champagne down. She snorted up two lines and let herself feel it.

"You two are a god send." Everyone laughed and Katie nestled into the crook of Luke's arm. He waved at someone with his other hand.

"I have to say. I'm interested in the store idea. I need to expand my portfolio so to speak. Do you have a business manager or do I talk to you directly?"

"It's mostly me. JP does a lot of the social aspect and details but I make the decisions." She could feel the powder turning on her brain, like a million lights on a highway. "We can talk business tomorrow. I can come to your office."

"I'd like that. Having a first go at you if you want." He laughed and the girls joined in. "We can enjoy ourselves tonight, tomorrow we talk." He smiled and kissed Katie slowly. When he broke the kiss he looked up. "And as a special treat... because you dress my queen in such nice outfits... a taste of what can be." He motioned to the woman standing by as she was walked over by one of his boys. "Laura. This is Emily. Katie's twin."

Laura turned to see a slightly thinner version of Katie. She was dressed in one of her more provocative numbers. She licked her lips when the young woman smiled at her.