He was such a moron. Superior. Smug. Snidely laughing at everyone’s discomfort. She loathed him.

‘The problem?’ Belle scowled at him. ‘The problem is you, you dick.’

‘Hey! You don’t speak to me like that,’ said Harlan, the grin dropping from his face. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, squeezing hard.

‘Ow!’ Belle winced. ‘God, you are such a—’

‘A dick. You said.’ The grin was back. ‘You, however, are fucking tasty. You know that? Very tasty indeed. That dark blue suits you.’

‘Oh shut your face,’ said Belle. He was really hurting her. ‘Come on, stop fucking around, Harlan. Let go of me.’

‘Kiss me first,’ said Harlan.

Belle shook her head. He’d been on about this for years. You’re lovely, Belle, you’re tasty, kiss me. And the groping, the patting. He made her flesh crawl.

‘Fuck off,’ said Belle, yanking herself free of him and staggering back a pace.

‘What you gonna do, tell your father? Well shall I tell you something, Belle?’

Belle was hurrying back around the car, getting into the driver’s seat. ‘Whatever you got to say, I don’t want to hear it,’ she said, starting the car.

‘Yeah? Well hear this,’ he shouted over the sudden lion’s roar of the engine. ‘Your father would bring you to me tied up and naked, if that’s what he was told to do. He works for the Stones. He follows orders, like a good boy. Your arse belongs to us. Don’t you ever forget that. One day soon, Belle. One day soon.’

91

Nula was a nervous flyer. If the conditions were bad, she often refused to go up in the Jet Ranger with Charlie. She didn’t hate the helicopter quite so much if someone else, some nice steady pilot type, was flying it. But Charlie was crazy. He thought dipping the damned thing up and down and making her clutch at her seat was a great laugh.

Newsflash: it wasn’t.

Every time the craft shuddered, she felt her heart leap into her mouth. But now – thank God! – they were nearly home. She could see the yellow, brown and green fields streaking along beneath them. And she could see their lake in the distance, the sun glittering on its surface, and there up ahead was the big square welcoming shape of their house.

A few more minutes and this will be over.

Christ, she hated flying.

Suddenly the engine stuttered. Nula felt herself flung forward against the restraining strap of her seat belt.

‘What the fuck?’ she gasped out.

Charlie was staring ahead, concentrating. ‘Only a glitch, babe. It’s nothing,’ he said.

Nula clung to her seat. Just get us back onto the ground safely, she thought.

The engine stammered again; a bigger jolt this time. Nula let out a shriek. Her heart was hammering against her ribcage. She felt slick sweat start on her neck and arms.