Zero

“What? Prue, I came around.”

“You came around when it suited you. You called me when it suited you. I had nothing to do with it.” She stopped, looking past his shoulder. “In the early days after Trevor died you visited me regularly, but then they eventually turned into once a year. Shooting pool, messing around, drinking, shooting, it always reminds me of the time all three of us spent together, and it hurts. It hurts so bad that at times I can’t even breathe.”

“Nothing is ever going to bring him back.”

“I know this.” She stamped her foot in anger. “I know I can never have him back. There is no magic wand to turn the clock back. I know the reality, Zero. It’s f**king hard, and it hurts like hell. So no, I don’t play pool. I don’t do anything other than study and mark papers. I cannot let myself remember because it hurts.”

His arms wrapped around her, and it was only then that Prue realized tears were pouring out of her eyes. She was hurting, and the pain wouldn’t stop. Trevor was gone. Zero was in love with someone else, and she was all alone.

“I’ve got you, Prue. Let it all go.”

She held onto him tightly as she released ten years of pain and anguish. When Trevor first died, she was sad and she cried for days. There came a point when she could no longer cry as life demanded she still take part. Bills always needed to be paid, and life had to go on without her brother. She stopped crying, pushing all the pain and heartache to one side.

Being around Zero opened her up to wounds she truly believed had healed.

“They’re going to think I’m a right girl.” She sobbed the words against his chest.

“No, they’re not. You’re a woman who has been shot and seen shit you should never have seen. You need this, and while you’re crying I need to hold you.” He kissed the top of her head. Releasing a breath she glanced up at him. “I could have lost you, Prue. I failed Trevor. I cannot, will not fail you.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“It’s not about a debt needing to be repaid. I care about you, Prue. The thought of anything happening to you makes me feel sick. It’s not happening. Alan can go and rot. I will spend the rest of my days on lockdown if it means I can guarantee your safety.”

She smiled. It was a sweet thought, but even she couldn’t handle a lifetime of being stuck in the same place.

Wiping her eyes, she felt her old self again. She was emotionally drained. Her stomach growled, letting her need for food be heard.

“I better feed you before you faint on me.” His arms stayed around her shoulders holding her close. They entered the main clubhouse. All the tables had been put together for all the people to sit around. Two chairs were left free between Eva and Murphy.

“Is everything all right?” Tiny asked.

She nodded.

“Yeah, everything’s good,” Zero said, reaching for the chicken.

Prue filled her plate with roast chicken, salad, and potatoes. She didn’t have the appetite to eat but knew she needed something to keep her going. The conversation went over her head. Her thoughts were elsewhere, and she didn’t have the energy to keep up.

****

“Why don’t you just blow the clubhouse up?”

Alan thought about the question coming Peter. The men were not well known for their education. They were still loyal men even if they were a bit on the stupid side. The Skulls were on lockdown, but that didn’t mean they were kept inside the one building. The children were still walking around the compound.

Looking at the new photos he’d been given, Alan smiled. The compound was on lockdown. No one could get in, but it didn’t stop them from coming out. Gates and fences wouldn’t keep everything out. He had his own way of getting what he wanted.

“Blow the clubhouse up. Where is the fun in that?” Alan asked, glancing up at Peter.

“It kills the people you want, deals with The Skulls, and we can be gone.” Peter shrugged.

“This is not about moving on and getting the job done quickly. Something like this needs to take time, precision, and patience. It’s a game I’ve learned to play for a long time.” Alan pinned the pictures up one by one. The best way to get the mouse was by setting little traps. Zero was getting comfortable. The cheese was in reach. Soon it would be his time to strike.

“This is far more dangerous. The Skulls is not a club to be messed with,” Peter said.

Alan had heard all about The Lions, the drug dealers, and even The Darkness, trying to pick off The Skulls. “I’m not after the club. I don’t want Fort Wills. The only thing I want is to watch this man suffer. I’m going to tear his world apart and laugh while I do it.” He pointed to the picture of Zero. The man in the photo looked so happy. By the time Alan was finished, Zero wouldn’t have the first clue how to smile, and then he’d be dead. “Don’t worry, my friends. Everything will be happening all in good time.”

Ten years he’d waited. Ten years of surviving, learning to walk once again and then losing the one he loved had taught him a great deal. Revenge would be his when the time was right.

Patience was a virtue. One he’d learned to embrace.

Chapter Eight

The following Friday, Alan still hadn’t made his move. Prue was much recovered, and her wound was nothing more than a scar, a vicious memory she would take with her when it was all over. The painkillers she’d been taking were no longer necessary. Glancing out of the window of his bedroom Zero saw night had fallen. After dinner he listened to the women put the kids to bed, getting them out of the way so the alcohol could be fast flowing. The sweet-butts were allowed to mingle with the single men, keeping their clothes on until they were alone in a bedroom. Tiny kept to the rules during lockdown. No one was allowed to break them either. Zero had no reason to break the rules. Prue was already in his bed.

He watched the door to the bathroom open, and Prue stood before him in a plain black dress that showed off her large cle**age and clung to her curves. She looked f**king stunning. His c**k swelled at the sight of her.

She’d twisted her red hair up on top of her head, exposing the length of her neck. The desire to run kisses all over her neck was strong. He resisted and watched as she bent forward to put on a pair of heels.

Fucking hell, he was not going to survive the night. In the past Zero had watched her dress up to go on dates. She’d been a tomboy, and wearing a denim skirt down to her ankles had been the closest she got to feminine. The woman before him didn’t have a single inch of tomboy about her. She was temptation, sex, and lust all rolled into one.