The Alley cat, was exactly what it said on the tin so to speak, a casino/night-club in central London. But there was one major difference between the Alley cat and the hundreds of other clubs that littered the streets of London. The Alley cat was a club for the super rich. Entry alone would cost you the best part of 300 pounds, and drinks, exclusive VIP seats and buy ins were paid on top of that. If you could swing a job, and put up with the perverts touching your arse, it was very good money for waiters/waitresses. All this Cassie explained to Alex in the cab through the crowded streets of London.
By the time they arrived, Alex was very interested to see the inside of the club, but ever so slightly anxious of the kind of clientele this place would attract. People with money, are always more dangerous and as Alex had learnt from past experiences, very bad losers.
The entrance hall of the club was posh to say the least, with velvet carpets, crystal chandeliers and two burly bouncers on either side of the door. Obviously to keep the party under control.
Cassie ignored all this and went through another set of doors into the bar area. They were early and none of the customers had arrived yet. The place seemed eerily quiet without the loud music, roll of the dice and drunken noise that he was used to experiencing in these kinds of places. He wished someone would say something. Then there was a sudden crash from next door, and he got his wish…
"Cassie! Is that really you? Bloody Hell! I thought you were dead!" Alex ran through the door in to the bar just in time to see Cassie embraced by a tearful girl, with cropped white blonde hair and smudged eye make-up. As he came in the girl pulled away and glared at Cassie.
"Was it really so hard just to get someone to pick up the dam PHONE! The last I heard you were rushed to hospital with severe blood loss and in desperate need of your stomach being pumped!" here the girl broke off and wiped furiously at her eyes. "No-one knew, or would tell me if you were ok! What was I supposed to think? Friends for 12 tears and I don't even warrant a phone call to know you survived!" Cassie at least had the grace to look embarrassed, whether or not that was because of her guilt, or the fact he was in the room Alex had no idea. She just stood there and took the abuse hurled at her, and then hugged the girl again, letting their tears mingle.
Finally, they broke apart and both their eyes turned on Alex.
The girl appraised him openly, letting her eyes linger on his torso. Then she raised her eyebrows and turned to Cassie.
"New boy friend?" she asked, Cassie shook her head. "Client? Pimp? Toyboy? Sex toy? Portable dildo? Walking wallet?" Cassie laughed, still shaking her head. But she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. Maybe she was as embarrassed as he was. After a brief pause in which the girl's eyes darted between the pair of them, Cassie drew a breath and looked at Alex.
"Sorry about that Alex, this is Emma. Emma this is Alex, his mum's moving in with Steven. My new brother I suppose in the eyes of the law."
"Shit…you do pick em don't you? When are you gonna have a normal life?" she paused letting her words sink in, "Jeez, you look good, but how long is that gonna last before you lose it again?" there was no sarcasm or spite in either Emma's voice or her eyes, she was worried.
"I'll be fine" Cassie snapped. "But I need your help."
"Who is it?" Emma asked without hesitation. "Who have you got to get close to this time?"
"What do you know about the Thompson brothers?"