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Café et fraises

Chapter Fourteen

Long time no see

(Part One)

'No! I really, really, really did win that!' Libby laughed, staggering out the Abbey, clutching Swill's arm.

'Nah, I did,' he said, shaking his head. The rest of the guys poured out behind them, with Lucy bending down to tie up her trainers. With a giggle, she flopped down on her bum.

'I can't do this,' she said, holding her leg up to show the guys that her laces were undone.

'Need any help with that, Lucy?' said a voice behind them. Lucy turned, blinking for a moment as she tried to get the other group of men into focus.

'Ah, shit,' she muttered when Tommy Hatcher came into view. Matt tensed beside her, before she climbed to her feet. 'No, it's okay. I think I got it.'

'What're you doing 'ere?' snapped Pete, stepping forward. His fists were clenched at his side, face set.

'Well, we're on direct orders,' the older man explained. 'We need to sort someone out.' His blue eyed gaze landed on Bovver.

'Whose orders?' hissed Bov, coming to a stop beside Pete. Hatcher paused, and in the seconds that passed, Matt prayed he wouldn't say anything.

'The Yanks orders.' All eyes turned to him, and Matt shook his head feebly and gaped like a fish, unable to form the right words.

'Matt?' frowned Lucy.

'It's not like that,' he blurted out, looking panicked. But it clicked. When Matt had stumbled back into the flat a couple of days ago, he had refused to tell them why he was beaten to a pulp. But now it made sense; he'd taken a trip to Millwall. Pete pulled his gaze away from Matt, back to Hatcher.

'We can deal with this, Tommy. Fuck off back to Millwall, alright?'

''Fraid not, Petey,' the older man drawled as he stepped closer. 'A deal's a deal.' Lucy stared at Matt, shaking her head, tears in her eyes.

'How could you?' she hissed as he stepped away from her. 'How could you do this to us?'

'Who's this pretty lady, then?' asked Mark, moving away from Tommy and advancing towards Libby. Swill stepped in front of her, Dave moving forward to hold him back.

'Mark,' said Tommy in a warning voice. The bigger man paused, looking reluctant to stop. But, he did. Walking backwards, he took his place beside Hatcher.

'Tommy, mate,' Pete tried again. 'Let's not do this, yeah?' Hatcher fell quiet, scrutinizing Pete.

'I'll do you another deal then,' he said. 'Give us the Yank.'

'What?' Matt exclaimed, moving away from the group. 'No, that wasn't the deal Tommy.'

'Shut the fuck up,' snapped Bovver, rounding on him. 'It's your fucking fault we're in this mess. You know what,' he said, looking back at Hatcher. 'You can fucking 'ave him.'

'Bov,' snarled Pete, breaking up the argument. 'Tommy, you've had your fun.'

'No I aint.'

'I've had enough of this,' Matt said, darting off down the street. No one moved to stop him. Lucy looked back from Hatcher to Bovver as it fell quiet, no one saying a word.

'Lads,' Hatcher said slowly. 'I think we've outstayed our welcome 'ere.' He looked at Lucy. 'Nice to 'ave you back,' he said, giving her a look that sent chills down her spine.

He looked at Bovver. 'Tonight's your lucky night. Seems you aint gunna 'ave the shit beaten out of you after all.' He nodded curtly, before his eyes fell on the street which Matt had disappeared down.

Then, he looked at Pete. 'Tell the Yank I'll see him later. If you get to him first…' he let his threat hang in the air as he turned and left with his firm down the dark alley they had appeared from.

Lucy stared after them, before looking at Pete who was shaking his head. 'What the fuck just 'appened?' he muttered, running a hand over his head.

'We just got fucking stitched up by the Yank,' spat Bovver, 'that's what 'appened.'

'I'm sure he didn't mean it,' Lucy put in, but she shut up after Bov gave her a dark look.

'You don't go to Millwall and blurt out you want someone dealt with, by accident, Lucy,' he snapped.

Pete looked at Dave, but the older man shrugged weakly. He didn't know what to do. Libby was still looking uncertain, glancing from one man to another, before her brown eyes met Lucy's blue ones.

'Let's go home,' she said, putting on a weak smile. 'We'll sleep it off and have coffee in the morning before we do any thinking.'

'Good idea,' agreed Lucy, just wanting to get out the street, in case Hatcher decided he wanted to come back and finish things off.

On the way home, the lads dropped off one by one, Libby opting to stay at Swill's that night. Pete and Lucy were just about to turn the corner to get to the block of flats where Pete's apartment was when his mobile went off. Answering it, his face was just a frown as he listened. Then, he said his goodbye and his 'I'll be there soon,' and then he hung up.

'Who was it?' frowned Lucy, as Pete started to walk in another direction. She hurried to catch up with him.

'It was Steve. Matt's been taken to hospital.' He shook his head, before looking at her. 'Tommy caught up with him, Luce. It don't look good.'

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