The Promise Page 24

  ‘You okay?’ Delray asked noting how pale she looked, her eyes watery.

  Georgie nodded. The truth was, her head was spinning.

  She couldn’t believe that her mother had kept the truth from them both all of this time.

  Georgie had her suspicions all along that she and Marnie didn't share the same father, but she also knew that they had both spent a lifetime fantasising about the day their dads finally came back to look for them. She’d spent so many years blaming her mum, assuming that their mother had been the one to scare him off. Her job, or her mouth, or a combination of the two. There was always something. Georgie had imagined that her father would be someone rich and famous, and he’d come back because he realised what a mistake he’d made leaving his daughter behind. He’d say how he couldn’t live without them. Even Josie. That he missed them all dreadfully.

  What an idiot she’d been.

  If Delray was Marnie's father, she didn't hold out much hope now for who had fathered her.

  She still couldn't believe that all this time, all these years, Delray was Marnie's father all along.

  Lurking in the background, watching her sister; at least, from afar.

  She was angry with her mother right now, but she hated Delray Anderton even more.

  ‘Come on, let’s get you two off to bed. It’s gone one a.m.; you both must be knackered. We’ll sort everything out properly tomorrow.’ Leading the girls over to the bedroom at the opposite end of the apartment, Delray hoped that they’d have a lie in.

  Opening the oak double doors, he stepped aside to let the girls walk in first.

  ‘You girls are going to have to share, is that okay?’ he said, guessing rightly that the huge queen-size bed would swamp the girls anyway.

  ‘We always share a bed at home,’ Marnie said quickly, her eyes flickering to Georgie as she prayed her sister wouldn’t embarrass her and mention the amount of accidents that she sometimes had.

  Georgie didn’t say a word.

  Instead, she just looked around the room, eyeing the beautiful decorated interior. The soft, comfy bed, lined with so many pillows that Georgie could barely see the headboard. Across the bottom of the bed was a huge grey fur throw.

  It all looked so suddenly warm and inviting. All Georgie wanted to do right now was curl up and go to sleep. To escape from her living nightmare.

  They’d been through hell and back the past few days.

  ‘Here, new pyjamas.’ He grinned as he grabbed a couple of his baggy T-shirts out of his wardrobe and threw them down on the bed.

  Georgie sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting for Delray to leave so she and Marnie could get changed.

  ‘Do you think we’ll get in trouble when they notice that we’re gone?’

  Delray shrugged; he didn’t seem too worried.

  ‘How can you get in trouble? You ain’t done nothing wrong. You shouldn’t be in a children’s home. First thing tomorrow morning, we’ll call up your social worker and we’ll get this shit sorted, okay? Let’s face it, they ain’t going to argue with me, are they?’ Delray gave Georgie a small smile. ‘I’m Marnie’s dad.’

  Georgie shrugged.

  But he wasn’t her dad, was he?

  Still, they were here now, so they may as well make the most of it. Tonight they would get a good night’s sleep. The first opportunity they got, though, she and Marnie were getting out of here.

  Chapter Forty-One

  ‘You all right, babe?’ Delray said as he drew back the bedroom curtains, and took in the spectacular view of Javine Turner’s naked body sprawled out across the bed in all her glory.

  There was no denying how stunning the girl was. It didn’t matter how many times Delray fucked her, he still couldn’t seem to get enough of her. It was just a shame that she had the personality of a soggy teabag and a brain to match.

  He’d say one thing for the girl, though, Javine had been a tough one to break, and for once in his life Delray was pleased that the girl had a stronger spirit than he’d given her credit for.

  Especially now.

  ‘I’ve brought you some breakfast, Javine.’

  Delray shot her his most angelic smile, enjoying the suspicious look that spread across Javine’s face as she stared up at him.

  Aware that he didn’t have long before Georgie and Marnie woke up, Delray needed to work his magic – and fast. If his plan was to work out then he needed to get Javine back onside and out of the apartment this morning, pronto.

  ‘Come on, then, sit yourself up. Don’t be all shy. I’ve made you the works. Scrambled eggs, brown toast. And a lovely cold glass of orange juice to wash it all down with.’

  Javine sat up obediently, pushing herself back against the headboard as she wondered what Delray was up to now. She didn’t have the energy for another of the man’s sick, twisted games. She eyed him warily as she waited for the punchline.

  Instead, Delray just placed the tray down gently on the bed next to her, pretending that he didn’t notice the girl flinch as his hand brushed against hers. He could see the way Javine was scanning the tray, wondering if this was some kind of a trick.

  ‘Don’t look so worried. It’s breakfast, nothing more,’ Delray said as if he could read the girl’s mind. It was hilarious really, he thought. The way that with just a few words, a few actions, he could fuck with someone’s head like this. He should do this more often. Play mind games. Hot one minute, freezing cold the next. It worked a treat, it seemed. ‘I just thought you might be hungry.’

  Javine nodded – hating herself for being so weak.

  She wished that she was strong enough to refuse Delray’s offer of food. That she was brave enough to launch the tray back at him, to tell him to shove it up his arse – sideways.

  But she was so hungry that her stomach hurt.

  She hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning when Delray and Lenny had finally brought her in a sandwich. They’d teased her with it. They’d both taken great delight in tormenting her with the fact that she was starving as they made her perform for the privilege of eating it. They’d degraded her first. Taken it in turns on her then finally they had given her the food as her reward.

  Delray remembered it too. He could see the fear in her eyes; reading her thoughts he knew that she thought he was going to repeat the previous day’s torment.

  Fear was good. It meant that he was still in control here.

  He had to try and make this right now. Try and convince Javine that he had made the biggest mistake of his life by treating her the way that he had.

  Resting his head in his hands now, as he sat on the edge of the bed, Delray’s body started visibly shaking.

  He was crying? She was sure of it.

  Staring at the man in horror, Javine wondered what on earth was going on.

  She didn’t dare speak though.

  Instead she stared down at the food in front of her; she sat in complete silence. Her mouth watering, but her body so frozen with fear that she couldn’t move.

  Delray spoke first.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Javine.’ Through his tears, his words were almost inaudible. Javine thought she’d misheard at first, but then he repeated himself. ‘I’m sorry for everything, babe. I don’t know what’s got into me this past week. The way I’ve treated you; the things I’ve done to you. I fucked up… ’

  Javine bit her lip.

  ‘Fucked up’? That’s what he was calling it. Imprisoning her here in his apartment. Raping her, humiliating her.

  Still she held her tongue, too stunned to speak.

  ‘You’re a good girl, you know that? I think I’ve been around so many wronguns in my time that I just had you down as the same. I thought you were just using me for my money, for my name. I thought that you were just another bird out for what you could get. It was Lenny, Javine. He kept putting ideas in my head. Telling me all this bad shit about you. He’d given me some dodgy pills too. You know, just for the buzz. Only, the drugs fucked with my head ’en all. Made me
even more paranoid. Made me start doubting everyone around me.’

  Delray shook his head.

  ‘Lenny’s a cunt, Javine. I see that now. I don’t know why but he took a real dislike to you. He tried to get in-between us. Tried to poison me against you, and the bastard succeeded, didn’t he?’

  Delray bit his hand now, as if stifling his emotions.

  ‘Jesus, Javine, how could I have done what I did to you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m a fucking fool.’

  Delray looked at her. Staring into her big doe eyes. Even after spending a week locked away in here, her hair unwashed, her lips dry, chapped, she was still stunning-looking. He felt a stir in his loins as he looked at her, noting the rawness of how scared she was.

  The combination turned him on.

  ‘I know it means fuck all to you now, Javine, but I’ve thrown Lenny out. I packed his stuff up myself, personally, and made him leave.’

  Javine stared at Delray wide-eyed. She didn’t know what to say, what to think. Her head was all over the place, and she was still in doubt as to whether or not this was just another one of Delray’s headfucks. For a second, she questioned his mental stability. Wondering if perhaps he was a little bit crazy. That would explain the sudden Jekyll and Hyde change in the man’s personality. Why he’d gone from treating her worse than an animal to now acting like he’d had some kind of an epiphany.

  Seeing the doubt in Javine’s eyes, Delray knew that the girl still wasn’t convinced, but that was okay, because he hadn’t played his trump card yet.

  Reaching out, he held her hand; he felt her stiffen at the feel of his touch.

  Cautious, wary.

  ‘I understand if you can’t forgive me, Javine. God knows, I don’t even think I can forgive myself for what I have done to you. I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. I need to make this right. Have your breakfast. I’ll run you a shower before I drop you back off home, okay?’

  Javine felt her heart lurch at his words.

  Shaking her head, as if to un-jumble what she’d just heard, she held her breath for a few seconds before daring to speak.

  ‘Home? You’re going to let me leave?’ She could hear the slither of hope in her voice as she waited for Delray to take back everything he’d just said, to laugh in her face.

  Delray didn’t do any of those things.

  He simply sat there looking at her, his eyes sad, his body language like a man defeated.

  ‘Yes. Now come on. Eat up.’ Willing her to pick up her cutlery and eat the food that he’d brought.

  He meant it?

  Not wanting to antagonise him, Javine did what he wanted. Picking up her fork, she ate a mouthful of the scrambled egg. As hungry as she had been a minute ago, she couldn’t eat at all now. Her mouth was dry; her throat felt tight, restricted.

  She didn’t have a clue what was going on.

  Forcing the mouthful of food down into her stomach, she kept her eyes fixed on Delray as she tried to work out what his motive was.

  ‘I want you to have something too.’ Delray spoke softly, rubbing Javine’s hair, stroking it down one side of her face. He was looking intently at her. Trying so hard to convince her that he was genuine. He was counting on her ignorance. Counting on her greed for this lifestyle.

  ‘I understand if you don’t want it, babe, but I just wanted to show you that I really mean it. I’m really sorry. I want to make things up to you.’

  Delray pulled out the small red box from his pocket and placed it on the tray next to the plate of food.

  Javine almost choked on her food then. Her heart was hammering.

  She already knew what was inside.

  She recognised the packaging.

  ‘Go on, have a look,’ Delray said, as he watched Javine open the box, her fingers trembling.

  A huge sparkling engagement ring from Selfridges: the one she’d sent him a picture of whilst she’d been shopping.

  He’d thought that Javine was a demanding, money-grabbing little bitch at the time, sending him endless demands as if she was some kind of rare commodity. Turns out, Javine had given Delray that extra carrot that he needed to dangle.

  ‘Look, I don’t expect you to give me another chance,’ he said.

  He put on the tears now. Squeezing out as many as he could, faking his upset.

  His hand back on the ring box, snapping it shut. Ready to snatch it away. ‘I’m such an idiot. I must be, ’eh? To lose a girl like you. ’Course you ain’t going to want this now. What am I even thinking?’ he said sadly.

  Getting up from the bed, he held out his hand for Javine.

  ‘Come here.’

  Again, Javine did as she was told.

  Delray led her out to the main lounge. To the large picture on the wall behind the bar.

  Removing the print, he showed her the safe.

  This was the bit that he thought was genius.

  This was the bit that would seal the deal, Delray was sure.

  If she didn’t stay because she was naive enough to believe he had repented, he was sure she would when she realised what else there was to gain.

  ‘This is how much I trust you, Javine; how much I want you to know I’m sorry. I’m the only one that knows the code for the safe. Not even Lenny has a clue. Here, you put this inside for me while you have think about what you want to do.’

  Javine took the engagement box from Delray.

  ‘Type in: 773482; type it in.’

  Javine did as she was told, and the safe popped open. She looked at him nervously, wondering what to do next.

  ‘Go on,’ he said, encouraging her to open the door. ‘Put the ring in there, and if you feel like you want it you know the code now, you can help yourself.’

  Opening the safe door, Javine almost gasped out loud as she saw the piles of money inside. Stacks and stacks of the stuff, all aligned in neat little bundles. She placed the ring down and closed the door.

  Delray could see it in Javine’s face. Her mind was whirling; the cogs spinning rapidly in amongst the sawdust of the girl’s brain.

  He had her, he was sure of it.

  She faltered.

  Delray did seem different suddenly. Sincere.

  What if it had been Lenny all along?

  ‘Okay, I’ll give you one more chance, Delray,’ Javine said still warily. ‘But I have conditions.’

  ‘Anything you say, Javine. Anything,’ he said, trying to hide his smile.

  ‘I want my own room. Your room. You can move into that tiny box room, or Lenny’s room.’

  ‘You got it.’ Delray nodded.

  It wasn’t much to ask in the scheme of things.

  ‘And I want you to promise me that that bastard Lenny will never come anywhere near me ever again.’

  ‘Consider it already done, babe. He’s gone. I promise. You'll never have to see him again.’

  Javine nodded. Glad that Delray had accepted her terms.

  He stepped forward and kissed her gently on the forehead.

  ‘Now you go and get that shower, babe. From here on out, you’re my queen and I’m going to treat you as such. In fact, do you know what, you get yourself dressed, babe; I’m going to book you into that swanky beauty salon over in Marylebone. Treat you to a day of pampering, just as you deserve.’

  Catching the small smile, Delray was pleased that Javine looked genuinely happy about that.

  Watching as she walked from the room, Delray smiled to himself. Javine Turner was every bit the girl that he’d been hoping she’d be. After everything he had done to her, she was still going to stick around. That alone told him everything he needed to know about her. She was only here for one thing, his money.

  A true whore through and through.

  Well, for now, she’d have her uses but, when this was all done, Delray was going to see that Javine earned back every last penny he’d ever given her. Javine Turner thought she was being clever, but she still hadn’t learnt her lesson and that made her the dumb
est bitch of them all.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  ‘Shut the fuck up!’ Ashleen Jacobs growled as she pulled the duvet up over her head to try and drown out the noise. Thoroughly pissed off at being woken up yet again by Javine’s two mangy little mutts downstairs as they continued to bark the house down, Ashleen was close to losing her rag.

  Glancing at the clock, she winced. It had gone midday. She’d slept in. The little ratbags would be starving by now; no wonder they were yapping.

  Annoyed that she was going to have to get out of bed and take them both for a walk so that they could do their business, she knew what would be awaiting her: a kitchen floor covered in dog shit and puddles of piss, if the last few days were anything to go by.

  Yanking back the bedcovers, Ashleen sat up and started pulling on her clothes. Delray had taken the complete piss out of her, lumping her with Javine’s two flea bags like this. Ashleen wouldn’t mind as much, but Delray hadn’t even sorted her out any extra money for dog food. He’d just expected Ashleen to sort it all out. So far, he hadn’t answered any of her text messages or calls either, and Ashleen knew when to leave well alone. If she pushed too hard, Delray would lose it with her.

  Storming down the stairs to try and stop the dogs from making such a racket, Ashleen pushed open the kitchen door and stared in despair as the two little dogs ran at her, tails wagging to show their happiness that they had finally got her attention.

  Though it seemed the dogs hadn’t waited for her to get up before they’d eaten. They’d ripped out the entire contents of her bin: rubbish and packets strewn all over the kitchen floor. Covering her nose with her hand Ashleen tried to block out the putrid smell, but it had already hit her, causing acidic bile to rise in the back of her throat. Already suffering from the mother of all hangovers after going out last night, she was feeling queasy as it was. The last thing she needed was to have to clean all this up too. ‘Jesus Christ. Dolce and Gabbana. What have you done!’