Gentleman Sinner

I carry on after him. ‘He’s here.’

‘What?’ Callum shouts, grabbing me and pulling me to a stop. ‘Who’s here?’

‘Trystan,’ I blurt mindlessly, trying to push him away so I can go after Theo.

Callum doesn’t let me. He holds me in place with one punishing hand wrapped around my upper arm, his face coming close, tight with unease. ‘Who’s Trystan, Izzy? And what the fuck did he do to you?’

I swallow, my lips quivering, not prepared to say the words.

I don’t need to. ‘Fuck,’ Callum hisses, dropping me and running through the club in pursuit of his friend.

‘What’s going on?’ Judy whispers, reaching for my arm as she watches Callum go. Turning towards me, she holds me in place with a fierce look. ‘Izzy, tell me.’

‘I was raped,’ I whisper, my throat clogged with apprehension so raw. Judy’s eyes widen. ‘And he’s here.’ In desperation, I pull free of Judy’s grip and go after Callum, coming to a screeching stop by the cage, where he’s standing beside Theo, looking past the bars.

Trystan is inside, being held by Theo’s two men. I become a statue, my feet stuck to the floor, my heart slowing.

‘Theo, don’t do this,’ Callum pleads, keeping his eyes on a bewildered-looking Trystan.

Theo says nothing, joining his hands in front of his groin, getting comfortable in his standing position. I don’t like this. He’s suddenly too calm as he stares at the bastard who destroyed me. Long, painful seconds pass, as I wait with bated breath, silently begging Callum to talk sense into Theo.

‘Theo, walk away.’ Callum turns to his friend. ‘For Izzy, just walk the fuck away.’

‘Never.’ He reaches for the front of his shirt and pulls it open, not bothering with the task of unbuttoning it, and the material falls from his torso like a burning flag. Then he stalks off. And my heart plummets.

‘Callum, do something.’ I grab his arm, shaking him. Theo enters the cage and indicates for his men to leave, locking the metal door behind them. I nearly collapse at the sight of my man in the cage, in only his jeans, muscles pulsing, fists clenching. His torso is rolling, and he’s cracking his neck, his lip curled. I glance around the club, noting everyone looking wary, but I also sense sick excitement, the crowds closing in around the edges.

I remember how Stan said he missed the bloodshed, and like a fucked-up kind of spiritual summoning, I see Stan in the crowd, grinning up at the cage, his tattooed face looking more menacing than ever. He helped set this up. He gave Trystan the pass to the Playground. He got him here. Theo’s fury when he came down to the club earlier was because his men told him Trystan was here. It makes sense now.

I jolt forward when someone collides with my back, and I turn to find Judy holding on to Andy’s arm, looking up at the cage. ‘Andy, you have to stop him,’ she pleads, turning to him, begging.

‘How, Judy?’ her husband asks. ‘How do you suggest I do that?’

‘I don’t know,’ she shouts. She’s so upset, the cool woman becoming deranged with worry.

My dazed face turns slowly back towards Theo, and then across to Trystan. ‘What’s this?’ Trystan asks warily.

‘We’re gonna fight,’ Theo growls.

‘I don’t think so.’ Trystan laughs nervously. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him looking threatened.

‘I do,’ Theo says, wandering over to him, rolling his big shoulders. ‘I promise I won’t kill you,’ he vows menacingly, yet everything inside me tells me he just made a promise that’s evaporated into thin air. ‘Recognize that woman?’ Theo asks, pointing towards me. Judy takes my hand as everyone turns to face me. ‘That’s my girl,’ Theo says quietly. ‘My fucking girl!’ His roar is deafening, his body suddenly quaking before he gathers himself and breathes in deeply, his huge chest expanding as his fists clench in preparation.

I shrink, looking for somewhere to hide when Trystan looks across to me, realization dawning on his nasty face. He sneers. ‘You set me up?’

Theo shrugs casually. ‘I’ll give you first punch,’ he says, turning away from him. ‘I’m a fair fighter.’

The whole place erupts into chaos, but Theo . . . Theo just smiles – a smile full of evil and intent. Trystan is about to experience pain like nothing else. I know it the moment Theo’s eyes meet mine before he closes them.

‘Oh my God,’ Judy gasps. ‘No, you stupid man!’ She turns to Andy, clenching at the front of his shirt and hiding her face. I look up to her husband, finding him staring with haunted eyes over my shoulder at Theo. His arm wraps around Judy’s back, comforting her. ‘I can skim over unlawful fights, Judy. Keep the police away,’ he murmurs. ‘But I’ll never get away with hiding murder.’ His eyes close, like a million bad memories are attacking him. ‘Not again.’