Lord of London Town

We entered the club, Ollie placing a hand on my back as he led us through the packed dancefloor to the VIP section. We sat at our roped-off table, and the waiter brought us bottles of Cristal, Grey Goose, gin and a ton of mixers.

“What can I get you, sweetheart?” Ollie asked.

“Gin,” I said and immediately thought of Arthur. Ollie poured me the gin and automatically added tonic.

“So?” he asked. “Did you enjoy dinner?” He leaned in close and ran the tip of his finger down my arm. I shifted in my seat, backing away, hoping he didn’t get offended.

“It was nice.” I gave him a friendly, hopefully platonic smile. “Hugo would have loved it. It’s a shame he couldn’t be here.”

The grin on Ollie’s face fell so hard I was sure it hit the floor beneath us with a deafening thud. He took a long drink of his vodka, then turned to me and said, “He’s not good enough for you.”

I tensed, blinking in shock at Ollie being so forthcoming. He usually danced around his dislike for Hugo. There was no tiptoeing around this one.

“Ollie,” I warned. “Don’t. You’re my friend. Hugo is my boyfriend. I won’t do this with you.”

Something akin to darkness appeared in Ollie’s eyes. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck pricked. It seemed to take Ollie a second to pull himself together before he smiled again. “Forgive me,” he said, but his words seemed forced and rigid. “You’re right. I shouldn’t speak about him that way. He’s okay, really.” Ollie checked something on his phone and let his eyes drift over the club. He suddenly froze. “Twats.”

I instinctively followed his gaze. It landed on a couple of the Adley boys, who were at the opposite side of the VIP section in a high-walled private booth. I recognised Charlie as he got up from his seat to let Eric Mason out. Charlie’s eyes fell on us. He turned and said something to someone in the booth. My heart slammed in my chest as I wondered if Arthur was in there. If he had another girl on his lap, sucking on his neck, his fingers deep inside her.

“Nick,” Ollie said, pulling his best friend’s attention away from Freya. Ollie nodded in the direction of the Adleys. Nick followed his gaze, then nodded, some unspoken conversation I wasn’t privy to happening between them.

“You don’t like the Adleys?” I asked.

Ollie sat back in his chair and moved his arm around the back of mine. “No.” I didn’t think he would expand on that, as his eyes narrowed and he drank his vodka, but then he said, “I don’t particularly like East End cunts like his scumbag family. They cause my dad’s business no end of problems. They think they’re entitled to run all the docks in London just because of who they are. They’re a cancer to honest enterprises. I’ve only had to deal with Arthur a few times. And that’s a few times too many.” His hand froze in mid-air as he lowered his drink. “Why? You don’t know the Adleys, do you?”

I shook my head, the lie rolling off my tongue. “No. Just heard of them like everyone else has.” I felt Arabella’s eyes boring into me from across the table but didn’t look her way for fear Ollie would see through my deceit.

Ollie exhaled a long breath. “Good.” His hand wrapped around my bicep. “Don’t fuck with them,” he said, his voice deep and brooking no argument. Unease rolled through me like a thunderstorm. I tried to move my arm, but Ollie’s eyes only darkened and his grip grew harder. “I mean it, Cheska. Don’t get involved with the Adleys. Especially Arthur. He’s not right in the head.”

Ollie finally released his grip. My arm throbbed, and even in the dimly lit nightclub, I could see the red marks from his fingers. I was in no doubt that they would bruise.

My eyes widened in shock. Ollie quickly plastered on a soft smile. I flinched as he gently rubbed his hand over my bruising skin. “I just don’t want you getting mixed up with the wrong crowd, Cheska.” His voice was like silk, but underneath that silk I now knew hid jagged, sharp blades. “I care for you.” Ice ran down my spine as he leaned closer. “You know that, don’t you?” He moved my dark hair from my shoulder. “I like you … a lot.”

I jumped to my feet. “I’m going to the bathroom.” I didn’t turn to see if anyone was following. I rushed through the door and headed straight for the mirrors. I stared at my reflection. My breathing was heavy with shock. Ollie … Ollie Lawson had hurt me. I stared at the red marks on my skin.

What the hell had just happened?