Isabella's POV
Me and George spent the day at mine, him trying to do everything and anything he could to keep me distracted. On the most part it hadn't worked in the slightest, I had been pacing up and down trying to figure out where everything went wrong. I had kicked up a fuss over and over again, screaming at him for not understanding why I was in such a state, yet he still remained calm and cool, reminding me over and over again he would sort it. It hit 9pm sharp and we both finally got dressed in the time span of about 20 minutes, and were now sat in his car on our way to his place.
I stared out the window the whole journey, watching as the rain hit powerfully against it. The drops looked as though they were racing against each other on the glass, excelling at a speed, picking up extras on the way. I would choose my favourite and watch it travel against another, all the way down to the bottom until it joined into one big stream.
This was similar to life in a way, we would travel alone to begin with, sure we could fight each and every battle alone. Yet, along the way we would then realise the help and need we had to have another by our side, whether it was physical or emotional support, you always needed that extra being to push you on your way.
Turning to the side I peered over at mine, George, one hand hanging over the steering wheel, the other holding a cigarette, the smoke exhaling from his lips and vanishing into mist out the window.
“5 minutes Purcell and everyone needs to be ready to fucking listen.” He ordered into his phone that was sat on his lap on loud speaker.
How one guy could concentrate on so many things at once and still be alive, I did not know.
“Alright, see you soon” Was Brent's reply before ending the call.
George flicked the finished cigarette out of the window and moved his hand over to place on my knee, drawing my attention away from the daydream of thoughts dancing in my head. Linking his fingers through mine he forced a smile, gave them a squeeze and then let go, all in one swift movement.
“Like I said, we'll find her.”
*
We hurried up the pathway in the rain to the house. The place where all the guys were now cooped up living in to ensure they were together, prepared for any sudden gang emergencies they may come in contact with. It felt strange because it had been a while since I had walked up here and the previous time we were preparing to leave and runaway.
Now here I was, yet again, but with a whole new drama panning out before me.
“Missed it?” George asked, turning around once he realised I had come to a stop in the middle of the path.
Looking back at him I didn't answer, because to be honest I didn't know how to answer that. I had missed him without a doubt, but this house meant one thing only. It was a gangs lad pad and I was now beginning to realise the trouble that came along with it. It also occurred to me that Joe must have spent a good amount of his time here, and that thought alone had me uneasy.
Giving George a faint smile, I placed my hand in his outstretched one as we made it up the rest of the driveway and into the house.
The first person I saw as I walked through the door was Brent, followed by each of the other guys giving me cautious greetings. I guess they didn't know where they stood with me, how much on that large scale of one to ten I disliked them. However, luckily for them, the number was very small. I was grateful more than anything.
Looking around the hallway everything was pretty much the same, everything about the house was simple. There was no mess, surprisingly, but there was also barely anything in the house that could create mess. The floors were laminated, no comforting carpet making it feel homely, it always felt more like a base.
All the lads had now been gathered into the living room; phones, laptops and guns, not too far reach of them. I sucked in a breath, trying to calm myself and get use to this unfamiliar scenery all over again. I knew it wasn't me they were going to hurt, but just the sight of so many weapons that could so easily end a life, gave me that nervous feeling all over again.
Sitting on the sofa with George's arm hung over my shoulder, my body curled up against him, his finger tracing along the line of my bare skin. Brent, Matt, Jay and Josh all had joined, waiting on George's explanation of the call for the meeting, I knew this was a usual, everyday thing for them, but for me, it felt alien.
It also felt strange because things had changed more than I realised over the past 6 months. It was no longer just George with the girl in his life, it seemed Brent, Josh and Matt had all found girls of their own.
Brent's going by the name of Anna, Josh's by Steph, and then Matt's by Juliet, whom of which I knew, considering she was Elliot's sister. That was something that hadn't gone down to well when the relationship first started out, more trouble that what it was worth being thrown about. I understood where the worry was coming from, but sometimes in life you just have to roll with what feels right, even if it seems wrong.
Jay was still single, still the same, and no alteration in his lifestyle that had been noticeable to me. He seemed pretty happy with the way things were for himself, yet George had warned me of the slight tension between everyone due to the new relationship thing going on.
The guys weren't used to looking out for anyone but themselves and newly me, but now they had three more females on the scene and the decisions that had to be made to ensure the girlfriends were safe, were never easy ones.
“Spit it out Shelley” Brent said, a serious expression now cowering over his face.
He was all for being the caring type when it came down to the guys, and now the girls too, but when business talk was on, this would alter completely.
You could kind of compare him to the phone voice scenario, the two different ways of speaking most individuals seem to have on and off the phone. This was Brent's on the phone personality.
“We're waiting on one more as usual” George huffed, obviously pissed off at her need to be late every single time.
“Have you heard from her?” He aimed that question at no one in particular.
However, before anyone had the chance to answer, speaking of the devil, and I don't mean that just as a saying, Jess came walking through the door. The usual click of the heels, flip of the hair, and whatever else she felt the need to do to make an entrance.
“Take your time Montague, wasn't like we were waiting on you or anything” Jay spoke up, hint of sarcasm in his voice as she gave him the finger, followed by a smile.
However, the others didn't look so happy, or in any mood to joke, all staring her down like they wanted to give her a mouthful. However, she was first to it.
“What's this?” She asked, her face pulled in slight disgust as she looked around the room. “I thought I was here to talk business, not a tea break get together and a chat.”
“Fuck sake Jess. What's the problem?” George asked, the feel of his body tensing beside me.
“Since when did we talk business with your...” She paused, trying to think of the right word to describe the additional females. “Sex partners in the room hey? Because I'm pretty sure if I brought Jack around with me everywhere I went, I'd be getting a lecture from you idiots.”
“Jess just sit down and listen. This is fucking serious.” George said.
“Mm, mm” She shook her head. “These flings, girlfriends... whatever you want to call them, need to go.”
For once in her life, I wasn't the one being stared down at and told to leave, it was Juliet, Anna and Steph, all of which looked pissed as hell at her. This took me back to when she would treat me like nothing whenever they had 'business talk'. Remembering how it had taken a good couple of months before I was included without her making a scene, and every time I was still given the most unwelcoming gestures from her.
“What did you just call us?” Juliet spoke up, Matt instantly springing his arm out to make sure she didn't dare take on someone she would never win against.
“Oh, you must be Juliet... Jack's friends little sister right?”
She didn't answer, just glared back, so Jess decided to continue.
“As far as I'm concerned I don't have to make an effort to be nice to you for his sake, Elliot is where I stop. So you need to leave, and take those with you too.” She was smiling, but being anything but polite, arms crossed over her chest waiting to get just what she wanted.
“and assuming that this little gathering revolves around you as usual... you'll have to stay.” She then turned to me.
“You're such a bitch, have you ever been told that?” I hissed, no longer going to sit quietly and let her tread all over everyone like they were a piece of dirt.
“Oh doll, you don't want to mess with me. I'm one of the reasons you're still alive... for now.”
As quick as she said that, George sprang up from his seat, myself falling sideways off his lap. His body was hovering in front of Jess', holding her arms up against the wall, preventing her from moving. The tension clouded over the room like the fog on an early morning, no one saying a word as George stared her down like a piece of shit she made everyone else out to be.
“Stop making every fucking thing about you. We called you here for a meeting, something serious that you need to listen to.” He hissed, spitting each word out like it was venom.
“Not until they leave.” She barely whispered back in spite, not able to move from the position he was holding her in.
George sighed the kind that he did to keep himself composed from lashing out and took a step back, dropping her arms.
“Fine. Girls, can you go upstairs.” He spoke carefully, each of them looking to Brent, Matt and Josh to fight them for permission to stay, but they knew better.
Just as they all left the room and George turned to make his way back to his seat, Jess grabbed the back of his shirt, hauling him up against the wall as he had done to her. Holding one hand over his neck she whipped out her gun from down her top and placed it against his forehead.
“Don't you ever put your fucking hands on me again Shelley or I'll be pulling this trigger and holding no regrets.”
Just as quick as it had happened, Jay stood up pulling Jess off and back away as Brent refrained George from kicking off.
“Fucking hell will you all calm the hell down!” Brent shouted, his voice literally echoing off the walls in the room. You could tell he was furious as the colour in his cheeks had gone a bright shade of red, everyone stopping what they were doing and just staring at him. “What has happened to you all?!”
“Fine. I'll calm” Jess smiled, sitting on the edge of the sofa as if none of the previous actions had happened.
George was pretty much looking the opposite as he sat back down, pulling me into his lap. I could tell her wanted to flip out and put her in her place, but didn't, for my sake.
“You're all like a bunch of fucking kids.” Brent hissed. “Can we just get to the point here, without any of you killing each other?”
They all managed to agree, George explaining all that he could from the note, to the picture, as they all nodded along so casually like it was an everyday thing. It was now straight business and pure seriousness as they began discussing and exchanging ideas on how to deal with it.
It was actually quite an amazing scene to witness, how they managed to jump straight into tatics and ideas, keeping their cool and appearing unfazed. If I had been dealing with this situation alone, I would be in hysterics. I would no way be able to act composed and confident, like I knew for sure the end result would finish our way.
“You're not going to find out where Scott is by just looking.” Jess spoke up, leaning forward so her elbow rested on her knee. “Your best bet is Lauve night club...”
“Because?” George asked, as all eyes turned to Jess.
“Because Billy Channet will be there, he runs the place and he's good friends with Scott. He'll know where he is.”
Everything went quiet for a moment as they all stared at her like she was completely and utterly mad, yet she seemed unfazed. It didn't seem to bother her being constantly questioned just because she was female, and slightly untrustworthy. However, it didn't surprise me either, because she always seemed to get her way in the end, no matter what the consequences.
“...and you expect him just to tell us yeah?” Matt cocked his head to the side like she was stupid.
“You? Of course not. Me, more likely.”
Accepting her answer, they all seemed to have run out of reasons to object against her plan, all looking to each other for insurance before nodding.
“Yeah alright, that sounds good.” Brent spoke, standing to his feet. “George and Jess, you two will head inside. Me, Matt, Josh and Jay will hang outside in the cars and by the back, just to make sure no shit goes down, and to watch out for the coppers. If they see Shelley out in a nightclub they'll find some reasons to lock him back up.”
“Isabella needs to come too.” Jess said as she got to her feet.
This was the first ever time I had seen her without heels on and I was a little shocked by her height. She was much smaller than I had ever realised, making her that little less threatening than she liked to come across.
“No fucking way.” George refused, his arm lacing around me tighter.
“Yes fucking way, because if the plan fails and he doesn't give me answers, we'll need Isabella to act like she gives a shit about Scott. Billy may tell her.” She held her finger up as if to silence everyone before finishing. “Don't argue me on it, my plan, my rules.”
Just as George was about to stand up and have another close to fight with Jessica Montague, I spoke up.
“She's right” My voice wasn't loud, but it must have been loud enough because all heads turned to me, a little shocked that I had agreed.
“No she's not.” George quipped, looking at me like I had lost my mind.
“She is. I should come. It's my mum we're looking for, I want to be involved.”
The satisfactory smirk on Jess' face was a complete contrast to the facial expression on George's right this moment. But, I didn't care, I needed to do this and I knew I could cope.
“Fucking hell.” Was all he said, before everyone pretty much ushered out of the room to prepare for the evening ahead.
*
The next hour had been spent upstairs in George's room, rummaging through clothes I had left before things had made a turn for the worst.
With the glaring eyes of George Shelley watching every item of clothing I picked out like he was my father, I finally decided on a casual dress. It looked like club wear to me, maybe a little under dressed but I had a feeling if I had of suggested anything else, George would have gone raging.
He already hated the idea of me going along with them on a 'job' as they called it, but this wasn't just some gang job they did to get money, this was my family.
“Stay by my side the whole night alright?” George's voice was heard before I saw or felt him, his body fitting behind mine as he laced his arms around my waist.
I didn't say anything to begin with, just sunk my head backwards onto his shoulder as he trailed kisses along my jawline.
“I mean it Isabella. This isn't any normal club.”
Spinning my body around in his hold I rested my hands on his chest, looking up into his bothered eyes. He looked like he could do with some kind of therapy to distress those crinkled lines forming on his head. I got that he was worried, he thought I was still that oblivious, innocent girl he had been with six months ago. Things were different now though, I knew so much more about this life, I was braver and after finding out about my brother, I was more determined.
“I promise. As long as you stop worrying.” I smiled, leaning up and pressed my lips to his.
He returned the favour within an instant, scaling his hands around my waist as mine went to his neck. My whole body began to sink away into his own as he pressed himself up against me, urging for more. In one swift movement he hauled me up into his arms, my legs either side and walked us back onto his bed, sitting down so I was straddling him. Moving my hands up to each side of his cheeks I continued to kiss him like my life depended on it, my body as close to his own as it could quite manage. As his finger scaled underneath my dress and up my bare leg, I was now beginning to realise just what a nuisance these clothes were being. The want to pull them off right here and now and give myself to George like I had done before, and feel that same kind of love all over again was all I was craving.
However, time was cut short as he pulled away slightly, his nose resting against mine still as we regained our breaths.
“We should go, before someone comes and finds us.” He said, kissing my lips once more and I nodded.
Lifting me off his lap he walked over to his draw, collected his gun, jacket, keys and phone like number one on that list was casual for any normal person to do, and headed out the bedroom door.
I stood and watched him for a moment, trying to regain that confidence and composure I had all but a few minutes ago. I had to do this, I had to do it for the sake of my mum and fear was out of the question.
Turning around, George stretched out to take my hand as we made our way downstairs.
“No way are you wearing that.” Was the first thing Jess said as I walked into the room, suddenly making me feel self conscious.
“Er, yes she is.” George interrupted, giving her a glare that was a full on warning to stop.
“Why whats wrong with it?” I said, a little confused about what all the fuss was about. We were going to a club, something I had done many times before...
“Don't let Shelley influence what you wear because of his fucking protective arse. This isn't any ordinary club, and if you want answers, you're going to do it my way.”
“Jess.” George warned, his hand pulling me closer into him. She was really pushing him to his limits, I could see it.
“Um, how about you shut the fuck up and follow me.”
That was it, all she had to say, and we were out of the house and into the cars and off to Jess' place.
There was obviously no point in objecting, it had been made pretty clear that by going along with her plan, you had to follow her rules. Brent had also been clear that there was to be no more fighting between each other, needing to focus on the job at hand and get it done.
Reaching our destination, I don't know what I was expecting to see, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. It was modern, tidy and no signs of 'oh I have a huge stash of guns packed away around here', which there likely was, in some room or another.
I don't know why, but I had expected to walk into some museum looking place. With weapons of all sorts placed around, every dark side of her being shown through her apartment, but it was weirdly completely normal.
“Right, you're staying put.” She said, eyeing towards the other guys. “and you're coming with me.”
I looked to George with a face full of concern. To be honest it wasn't me who was that bothered, he was the one looking like he was going to lose it. I couldn't say I was that happy about being bossed around on what I should and shouldn't wear, but I needed tonight over with. I had to find my mum.
“She was fine with what she had on Jess, you really need to stop making such a fucking fuss.”
You could tell just how furious he was by the prominent vein rising in his neck, the clenching of his fist on the side of the door handle.
“Don't make a mess and take your shoes off if you go in the living room.” She answered, completely ignoring anything he just had to say.
Wow, a clean freak, that was slightly unexpected. It was either that, or just another sly way of pissing them off. However, I wondered how Jack was keeping up with her stuck up demands whenever he payed his nightly visits. He wasn't much for following rules, definitely when given them from a girl.
George's arm was still drooped over my shoulder as Jess' eyes mirrored the both of us.
“You can let her go. If I wanted to kill her right now, I wouldn't be helping save her mum's arse.”
Skimming his hand down the side of my arm, he linked it with mine, before leaning into my ear with a trail of kisses.
“Just shout down if she starts getting bitchy, I'll be right up.” and then he let go.
As I followed Jess up the stairs, all I could think about was how much I wanted to slap her... round the cheek... and one that would make one hell of a sound. It kind of scared me how often I got these thoughts because before I met George, I had never dreamed of hitting someone in my life. This past year and a half had turned me into a completely different person. I was stronger, and in this life, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
However, I also knew, right now I had to try my hardest and turn back on the sweet Isabella, yet with no tolerance act. I mean, she was helping me find my mum, and by what George had said, she was our only hope in getting answers, so it was either this or nothing.
Heading straight to her wardrobe, which was huge might I add, she pulled open the doors. Hanging inside was a selection of dark coloured clothing, all thin, low cut, unexplained whether or not they were tops or dresses. It was literally a party collection all in one place.
Sorting through a variety of things she had, she held them up for examination first, before lying them out across the bed.
My eyes began nosing around the room, searching for anything in here which expressed how she was in no way possible normal, yet I failed to find anything. I don't know what exactly it was I was looking for but I didn't understand how someone so mysteriously cruel, could be this... average.
Pausing my examination I grudgingly let my eyes trail back to where she was standing, putting the last items of clothing down before turning to me.
“Right, I just want to get one thing straight before I let you trash my clothes.” She began, walking over, her body inches from mine. The scent of her perfume was so strong it was worthy of giving you a headache that could last for days.
“Don't think I'm letting you off the hook for that little stunt you pulled a few weeks back.” She hissed.
I kept looking straight at her, keeping strong and not letting her win.
“...and what stunt would that be?” I played dumb, trying to hold back the smirk that wanted to rise its way back on my face.
Had I mentioned how much I was starting to like this new me? I had finally learned what the words 'stick up for yourself' meant, that Joe use to tell me all the time.
“Maybe if I say Jack Lawrence that will trigger your memory.” She spoke each word with complete poise. “Don't think I am joking when I say back the hell off from whats mine, and don't you dare fucking think about putting your dirty self on him again or I will not refrain from placing a gun to your skull.”
Her every word managed to cut through you like a damn knife, every single time. The way she had been brought up must have made it normal for her, but to me it felt like 'messed up' falling from her mouth every time it opened.
However, I kept my cool, wanting her to realise I was no longer up for playing nice. Fed up of the fact she came charging into my life and tried everything in her power to ruin it.
I didn't get it, she had been apart of something my brother was... yet she acted like she despised my guts and I didn't quite know why.
“Mm yeah, and you think he'd still want to be jumping in your bed if he found out you killed his bestfriend of many years Jess?” I challenged, aiming a smile her way. “He may think he's made the right choice in being with you for now, but I know Jack, and he can be really stupid sometimes. He'll soon realise what sort of person you are”
I had taken it a step too far I knew it the moment each word left my lips, jumping into a fight with someone who wasn't worth trying against. But weirdly enough, she didn't say a thing, like I had hit a vulnerable spot that made her back down.
Either way, she gave me one last glare and turned her back on me, heading for the bed and shoving a selection of dresses in my hand.
“Did Joe never teach you not to mess with the wrong people? He was a lot more wise than you” She smiled, before pointing towards the bathroom.
♥
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