~~~Cherry Kendrick~~~
... e a r l i e r t h a t s a m e d a y ...
I have a plan..
Today is the day I make a deal..
I will negotiate a payment schedule with the J-Man to absolve my father's debts, after that I will use my secret 'emergency cash stash' to return to Vegas for a few months and make up the fifty grand fast and then once I get back to the city, Patrick and I will stage one final intervention.. One last effort to show Danny that he is not too late to change his life.. For us to be a family again, like I know he had wanted when he came all this way to find me a few years ago.. If he just tries..
God, I hope he tries..
Yeah.. That is the plan..
I never said it was a good one..
I curl my hair into shiny bouncy spirals and paint my lips a bold red for confidence.. Thankfully the swelling of my nose has receded and with a little concealer and a rigorous application no one will be any the wiser to any of my bruising..
I slip into a sweet and innocent, tempting white-lace dress, stockings to hide my burns and a pair of candy red heels and a fluffy fox-fur coat before I step out into the living room where I am unsurprised to find dad on the sofa, already hazing in and out from his first hit of the day..
“I’m leaving now dad..”Goin' to fix the mess ya got us into, so jus'-- try to stay out of trouble 'til I get home.. Can ya do that, dad?..” I ask in a voice that makes me sound like I am the parent and he is the child..
“I'll be.. Good...You look..beautiful..sugarplum..” He mumbles, nodding off to sleep..
“Rite’ then..Bye, now..” I walk out the door, leaving him to his self inflicted misery..
Because, what else am I supposed to do? My heart only breaks further the more I dwell on it.. And I can't force him to want my help..
Just like Patrick had said, he has to want it himself..
Sometimes I just wish his own daughter would be motivation enough..
…………
When I pull up outside the Southbank address I had stolen from Melody’s address book I realise it isn't Alvey Quintens private residence.. It is the Jesters clubhouse..
I look around at all the parked motorcycles and begin to panic a little, this is not a place I should be.. Every instinct tells me to leave.. Just drive away.. But hiding from debts never ends well.. You have to face them head on.. Preemptively..
Swallowing my cowardice, I step from my truck, plucking up the courage to strut forward toward the clubhouse entry..
A thick necked leather clad biker steps in front of my path at the door, a navy blue diamond tattooed on his cheek..
“No visitors today..” He grunts casting his eyes over my dress, taking a lingering look at my chest..
I bat my lashes and lean forward a little, sweetening my tone.. “Mistress Melody sent me to see the J-Man..”
He huffs, rolling his eyes at the mention of Melody.. “Hm. That bitch?..” But then he steps aside.. “Fine.. Upstairs..”
I hurry past him into the musty clubhouse, suddenly about fifty biker eyes turn on me and it's like my skin is on fire.. A tense quiet falls over them and my breath freezes in my chest as anxiety beats my heart like a thundering drum..
I see the staircase opposite me and begin to cross the floor towards it, my heels clicking against the worn floorboards, all eyes tracking me..
“Hey baby..” One of the leather clad thugs sneers at me.. “You here to see me?”
I ignore him resisting the urge to wretch.. Bikers are most certainly not my type, all macho bravado and revving engines.. It always felt like an overcompensation to me..
They begin to wolfwhisle and jeer and I ignore all of them, refusing to make direct eye contact with any one of them, reaching the stairs.. I stumble, catching the handrail in an attempt to climb them a little too fast, soon reaching a red painted door at the top..
I knock softly three times..
-knock- - knock- - knock-
“Come!” Booms a deep authoritative voice..
I push open the door to be greeted by an unexpectedly handsome man seated behind a large cedar desk.. Slender with lean muscle and tattooed arms, this guy is urban and edgy in his leather jacket and jeans.. His shiny onyx hair is shaved on both sides of his head and spiked atop his crown, his skin a deep sun-kissed olive.. The J-Man is hot for sure, but his eyes.. They're black and greedy.. And the way he looks at me borders on menacing..
His lips turn up into a snarling grin as I step into his office, shutting the door behind me..
“So.. You’re Melody’s girl? God DAMN! Sweetheart.. You are wasted over there..”
He pushes up to his feet behind his desk, eyes raking over my legs..”Ugghhhh.” He groans.. “How much does a guy gotta spend to get between those thighs, I’d fuckin’ tear that ass up girl!..” He oogles me shamelessly as the degrading taunts fly from his gross, gold toothed mouth..
I straighten my shoulders, “I'm not Melody's girl, and I'm not here about work..I'm here about the money Danny Kendrick owes..
I will be making his repayments from now on.. I can do ten grand a week for five weeks, plus two weeks interest..”
He considers me.."What's your name, babe?"
"Cherry." I reply confidently..
He stands, prowling around his desk to lean back against it, his hands gripping the table's edge a little too tightly.. “Listen, Cherry.. Danny is a good customer so I'll make you an offer.. I’ll wipe his debts clean.. Erase em all..” He pauses to give me a wicked predatory smile before he drops the catch.. “If you spend the night with me..”
I do my best to hold my irritation inside, smiling instead.. “Mr Quinten, I’d really rather jus' pay--”
He darkens, pushing off the desk and taking a threatening step towards me.. “And I don’t give a fuck what you want, Mickey bitch.. You put out, or Danny gets a bullet next time I send someone to collect and he doesn't have my money..”
My legs shake a little as my blood runs cold.. “I.. Thats--”
“That’s the deal sweetheart, take it or leave it..” He folds his arms..
“W-When?” I ask..
He rubs himself through his jeans with a smirk.. “We can get started right now..”