Brendan's POV

When I wake up in the morning my head is throbbing. I know that it is in part due to the copious amounts of alcohol I consumed last night and in part due to the fact that it is about 99.9% likely that last night my son fucked 'my' Stephan.

I sit up in bed and am reminded that I am no closer to figuring out what I am going to do about Declan. Stephan can't be persuaded at this point. I lost my temper with Declan and he is not likely to forget that. What I need is for someone else to tell him the truth.

I reach for my phone on the bedside table and realize that I have a text. I open it up and there is a picture of Stephan naked. I feel my heart rate increase and my grip on my phone tighten. Even without his face in the shot I know it is him. I have spent many nights inside that boy and had his cock in my mouth. I know it is him and I know that Declan has sent it. I scroll down to read the message.

You'll get back what's yours when I get back what's mine.

What the hell does that mean?

I rack my brain trying to figure out what he means. What could I possibly have of his that he would be so desperate to get back.

Before I can think about it any further my phone rings.

"Brendan."

I frown. I don't really want to deal with her this morning. "What is it Eileen."

"I forgot to tell you something last night…"

"What"

"A little while ago I heard Declan talking to someone over the phone, he said he had plans for Ste, that bloke that used to work for you."

"What kind of plans?"

"He said that if you didn't give him what he wanted, that they would take him to the spot where they met, where all this started."

"Where all what started?"

"I don't know Brendan, I only heard Declan's side of the conversation. That's all I know. I didn't think anything of it, because I knew Ste had left town but now that he's back…I just thought you should know."

"Thanks Eileen."

Declan has a partner in all this. This makes him more unpredictable than I originally thought. Stephan has an enemy out there and I have no idea who this person is.

I cannot trust anyone anymore.

I arrive at the door and knock. This is the only person I can think of who might have a clue as to who is Declan's accomplice. The last time I talked to her, she didn't remember anything and I made it a point to keep it that way. This time, I need answers that I hope she can provide me.

"Ruby." I say when she opens the door. Her eyes widen. She certainly wasn't expecting me. We haven't spoken since the incident nearly a year and a half ago.

"Brendan what are you doing here."

"We need to talk." I push myself past her and take a seat on the couch. She resigns and sits opposite of me.

"What do you want?"

"I need ye to tell me everything ye remember about that night."

"Why? I told ye before Brendan I don't remember anything."

"Think Ruby…do ye remember anyone hanging about. Anything suspicious…come on anything."

"No, I told you, he grabbed me from behind and knocked me out." Her eyes widen. I can see her brain trying to come to some conclusion. "I did come to for a bit, I could here talking."

"Do ye remember what was being said?"

"There were two of them…yeah, two blokes, I remember know. One of the guy was asking 'how does it feel to be a man now?'" I cringe at her words.

"Anything else."

"The other guy, sounded like a kid…young he asked 'when do we get to make our first kill' and he said…" She stops tears filling in her eyes. I can see that she is starting to unravel from this memory. I put my hand on hers and try to comfort her the best way I know how.

"Tell me what he said Ruby."

"The older guy said 'Right now, you get to learn right now'. Oh my god. They were going to kill me, weren't they? They were going to kill me…" Her sobs are getting louder.

But they didn't kill her. And I know that Declan came to me instead. Something must have happened.

"Well they didn't kill you Ruby, and ye are safe now."

"How am I safe Brendan, there are two of them and I have no idea who they are."

"I'm working on that Ruby, I won't let anyone hurt ye." I fell my stomach drop because I have no idea how I was going to do that. It's not that I particularly care about Ruby but she is connected to this and in order to keep Stephan safe, I have to keep her safe as well. I get up to leave and head for the door.

She stands up too. "I remember something else. When they came up behind me, the one who grabbed me… he was wearing a wedding ring."

So here is what I know. Declan was being groomed. By someone smarter and more experienced. How they met and who else they have hurt is what I need to know. And what they want from me. Whatever it is, Stephan is their ticket.

When Stephan was gone all those years, I remember thinking he was safer away. That I should be thankful that I was rid of him because I at least knew that he was safe.

But my heart wouldn't let him go and because of that, here he is in danger again and he has no fucking clue.

I need to find out who this man is that is helping Declan. But first I need to know what they've been getting up to. I don't recall hearing about any murders or rapes in Hollyoaks but that's not saying a lot. Over the last 2 years my life has been spent looking for Stephan. Everything else was subsidiary.

When I make it back to my flat I open my laptop and look up murders and rapes in the Chester area.

I scroll the sites and find nothing that looks suspicious. I am about to close it when I see an article that reads Woman Still Missing After Three Weeks. I open the article and am shocked by what I read.

Amy Barnes mother of two disappeared 3 weeks ago. Police believe that she was on her way to the airport with her children when she was abducted. The children were not harmed and are with family. Police found blood at the scene and are asking the public to come forward if they have knowledge of her whereabouts or of the incident.

3 weeks ago

I am sitting in Chez Chez as I do most nights these days with a glass of whiskey. I don't notice that anyone has walked in until I feel a tap on my shoulder.

"Alright Brendan." I hear Amy ask.

"Amy, now what do I owe this pleasure?" I smile. We have done this quite a few times over the years that I actually take pleasure in seeing her. She makes me feel close to Stephan.

"I was just wondering if ye found out anything about Stephan." She says sitting down next to me.

I bow my head in guilt. "Ye know I haven't, I would have told ye."

She nods in agreement. "I just have this feeling…like he's coming home soon."

My eyes shoot up to hers. "Why? Do you know something?" I study her to see if she is hiding something.

"No, I don't know, it's just a feeling, look Brendan I'm going on vacation with the kids for a month, we're going to Cuba. If ye hear anything from Stephan, give me a call. Promise."

"I promise Amy." And I mean it. I wouldn't call Amy and me mates but over the years we have come to an understanding. She understands that I will always hold a part of Stephan and I understand that she will do the same.

Her eyes are distracted and she looks behind me. "Oh Hiya Declan, how are you."

I turn my head and see my son who is fixedly staring at Amy. I nudge him to stop and his eyes quickly divert.

"Going on vacation Amy?" He says, eyes fixed on her again.

"Yeah, Cuba with the kids" She smiles politely. I can tell she is uncomfortable around my son.

"Cuba, eh, I heard if you get murdered out there no one would find the body. Just you and the trees." What the fuck?

"Oh, well that's interesting." Amy looks at him with a smile that indicates how creepy that just sounded and heads down the steps.

"What was that about? Why did ye say that?" I ask my son.

"That Amy sure is pretty isn't she? She will be missed…while she's on her vacation, I mean." I furrow my brow. Sometimes that kid is so unsettling.

Sitting here now alone in my flat, I can now comprehend that my son and his accomplice murdered Amy.

And Stephan doesn't even know.

Hope you like it!