Breaker's Point Bad Boy Billionaires Boxset (27 page)

Tears followed and she collapsed onto the floor as the trauma of the night washed over her, suffocating her beneath its cloying weight.

“
I
don’t think
I’ve ever felt as helpless as I do right now,” Riley said, staring down into the glass of brandy Stuart had poured out for him. His good intentions over never drinking again had vanished out the window as soon as he’d had to walk away and leave Holly alone in that house with Marcus.

“You’ve got to go to the cops. You know it’s the only way. You heard what he said about our parents and Anderson can back you up on it all.”

“But there’s no proof and if I do that and he feels trapped like the rat he is, all that’ll succeed in doing is forcing his hand. What if he decides Holly is a loose end that needs tying up?”

“He could already decide to do that, Riley, and you know it. As it is right now, he’s too much of a loose cannon.”

Riley nodded. He knew Stuart was right, he should be going to the police with everything he’d learned, but he couldn’t shake the look of fear in Holly’s eyes.

“Grey had some of the cops working for him and Marcus has stepped in where Grey left off so we can safely assume that avenue is compromised.”

Stuart nodded and dropped onto the red-fabric couch that sat in the centre of the apartment he shared with Ellie.

“Yeah, but you called in the big guns when Grey tried to teach me a lesson. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to take the information you’ve got and move in on Marcus.”

“You’re right—I’ll call my contact as soon as I get back to the house. I’ve got to do something. I’m starting to feel like Holly is slipping through my fingers and every move I make is the wrong one.”

“You can’t keep beating yourself up, there’s only so much you can do when she keeps pushing you away.”

Riley shook his head and downed the drink in one gulp. He closed his eyes as the warmth spread from his throat into his chest and an image of Holly popped into his mind. The sight of her in that dress had almost been his undoing. He’d had to fight the urge to throw her over his shoulder and drag her from the house every time he’d glanced in her direction.

“I’m afraid for her, Stuart, and fear is not an emotion I’m comfortable with. I’m not used to this having to sit back and wait for things to happen. I’m not used to being the guy who bides his time.”

“Tell me about it,” Stuart said, rolling his eyes in Riley’s direction.

Stuart’s response elicited a short laugh from Riley but it was short lived as he stared down into the empty glass in his hand.

“You never asked how Griffin was,” Riley said.

“Why would I? It’s not as though we’re close or anything. And anyway, I was the one who saw him today and told you he was back in town.”

“But what you failed to tell me was the fact that he’d had the snot beat out of him and had drunk himself into oblivion.”

Riley let the full weight of his gaze fall on Stuart but his brother didn’t flinch. Instead he seemed to be more confused by the whole situation than anything else.

“He wasn’t beat up when I saw him. He looked a bit scruffy but I assumed that was just the look he was cultivating for that stupid band of his. Why? Riley, what are you insinuating?”

Riley let out a sigh and pushed slowly to his feet.

“I’m not insinuating anything, I just don’t understand how our little brother gets himself into the dilemmas he does. And I’m not looking forward to finding out about whatever new little drama he’s found himself in.”

Stuart grinned and folded his hands behind his head.

“That’s the beauty of washing your hands of him. You really should learn to take a leaf out of my book. I heartily recommend it.”

“Stu, if I took a leaf out of your book, then we wouldn’t be here having this conversation right now. I’d have given up on you, given up on everyone.” Riley smiled sadly and set the glass down on the table in the middle of the floor.

“I’m going to go, call my contact and get this ball rolling. I’m hoping that by doing something, it’ll give me some sort of peace of mind…”

“You won’t have peace of mind until she’s safe, that’s just what love does to us.”

Riley nodded and headed for the door. “Tell Ellie I’m sorry I missed her. When all of this is done and dusted with, we’ll have to get together and do dinner.”

“She’d love that. She keeps on bugging me to invite you over for dinner as it is.”

“Well, you always know where I am,” he said, heading out the door towards the elevator.

A
s the car
pulled into the drive, Riley found himself letting out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding onto. There were only a few lights on in the house but he’d half expected to find the place lit up like a Christmas tree, with music blaring from every window.

Whatever was going on with Griffin had been enough to subdue him, or then again maybe he was still suffering the after effects of enough alcohol to knock out an elephant.

Opening the front door, Riley shrugged out of his coat and left it on the chaise lounge against the back wall. The only sound in the house was the ticking of the antique grandfather clock, that and the sound of papers shuffling in the office.

He crept forward, each step across the marble floor light enough that he didn’t make any sound until he pressed his hand against the heavy oak door into the office and let it swing open. It creaked heavily. He’d noticed it making noise from the day Holly had burst into the room like a tornado, slamming it against the wall in her hurry to accuse him of spying on her.

Griffin stood with his back to Riley, papers and folders spread out across the top of the desk.

“Are you looking for something in particular?” Riley said, folding his arms across his chest as he blocked the door.

“Not really, I just wanted to see what you were up to these days,” Griffin said, turning around with a wide and charming smile. The expression didn’t quite fit with the bruises he wore, Riley noted.

“When did you become so interested in my business? I didn’t put you down for the caring type.”

“Ouch, Riles, that one almost hurt my feelings. I can see time has not softened you, you’re still the hard-ass uptight older brother I’ve always known you to be.”

“The same hard-ass who has pulled you out of more scrapes than I care to count. What do you want, Griffin? And spare me the, ‘can’t I just visit my family,’ story. I’ve heard it all before and I’m no longer buying what you’re selling.”

Griffin’s expression tightened but the smile remained frozen in place as he crossed the room and dropped down onto the couch.

“Fine, I need some money.”

“How much is it this time?”

“Quarter of a mill should be enough.”

A quarter of a million? Griffin have you lost your mind? What the hell are you doing here asking me for money like that?”

“I’m asking because I’m a little strapped for cash.”

“Aren’t you some sort of mega-selling rock star? Or at least that was what you announced the last time you breezed out of here and barely left the place standing.”

“That was a good party—everyone talked about it for weeks after…”

“So what happened to Black Special? Why can’t you use some of your own money?”

Riley watched as Griffin’s expression turned petulant.

“Will you give me the money or not?”

“What do you think? I’m not handing a quarter of a million over to you without a good reason.”

Griffin sprang to his feet, his body trembling as anger clouded his green eyes.

“So you can’t do your brother a solid? But you can squander half a million on some chick at an auction? I just hope at least for your sake that you got to screw her or that was a complete waste of your precious money!”

He stormed from the room and Riley had the urge to follow him and wring his neck. Griffin had always been a pain in the ass but he was never vicious. Something had changed him and Riley had no idea what it might be.

With a sigh he crossed to the desk and flopped down into the large leather chair behind the desk. If he followed Griffin now it would only lead to more arguing and he was too tired to care anymore. Riley could only hope that if he gave his brother enough time to calm down, he could talk to him reasonably, man-to-man, and get to the bottom of whatever was going on in his life that demanded so much money.

Lifting the phone into his hand, Riley punched in the number he had for the agent who had helped him the last time when Stuart and Grey had gone head to head.

He needed information and help and as far as he was concerned they were the ones to share it with him.

H
olly opened
her eyes and slowly pushed her aching body up onto her hands and knees. Spending the night in the bathroom wasn’t exactly top of her agenda but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to sleep in the bedroom. Not after what had happened…

She clamped her eyes shut as the memories of the night before flooded back to her. The fear and panic as Victor held her down, the suffocating feeling of helplessness as he climbed on top of her.

It was enough to painfully twist her empty stomach and she found herself hanging over the edge of the toilet bowl once more as her body retched and heaved.

It was as though her mind thought if she could just rid her body physically of the sickness, it would stop the terrible images from flashing through her mind like a grotesque picture-show.

Scrubbing the back of her hand against her mouth, Holly climbed to her feet and stared at her bedraggled appearance in the mirror.

Dark circles sat beneath her eyes, standing out in stark relief against the pallor of her complexion. Her blonde hair hung limp and dull, some of it still pinned back the way she’d arranged it the night before. Back when Riley was here.

He popped into her head, clearing away the other more horrific images that clouded her mind. The intensity in his gaze, the touch of his hand against her face.

She was such a fool.

Realisation dawned on her. If she’d left with him last night, if she’d run when he asked her to, the horror of the night wouldn’t have happened. Instead of staring into her reflection, a haunted expression on her face, she would be safe in his arms.

There was still time.

She could go to him now, explain what had happened… Riley would know what to do. He’d know how to help. He could make everything right.

How could she go and leave her father to the mercy of Marcus, though?

The question dealt her a devastating blow, breaking apart all her plans to simply run from the house and leave her misery behind.

The muffled sound of raised voices had Holly quieten her sobs. She crept from the bathroom, her breath catching in the back of her throat as her eyes came to rest on the dark red bloodstain across the duvet and floor.

Skirting around the edge of the room, she reached the remnants of the door and pulled it open. In the hall the voices were louder, clearer. A frightened scream ripped the air and it only took Holly a second to realise what she was listening to.

Holly was acutely aware of the fearful thudding of her heart in her chest as she raced for the stairs. Taking the steps two at a time, she gripped the banister as her body threatened to tip itself into a head-first tumble.

Rounding the corner into the living room, she practically ran into Marcus where he stood inside the door. He turned, grabbing her arms, and it was then Holly noticed the glassy and unfocused look in his eyes. Whatever was wrong with him it wasn’t just an overindulgence in alcohol.

Nessie sat on the floor, her back propped against the couch but the more Holly stared at her unmoving body the more she noticed the odd angling of her limbs as though she was a puppet whose strings had been cut.

“She stuck me with a needle—the silly cow fucking drugged me…” Marcus stumbled forward, taking Holly with him as he picked up speed and slammed her into the wall.

The blow knocked the air from her lungs and sent her head spinning.

“This is all because of you, you caused all of this…” Marcus paused and shook his head violently and it made Holly cringe away from him. The unfocused look in his eyes only seemed to be getting worse as he held her against the wall.

“George wouldn’t be so pissed off at me if you’d just done as you were told,” Marcus said, leaning in against Holly’s neck. Each word that left his mouth was punctuated by a dot of spittle against her ear.

“I’m going to fucking hang you naked in the centre of Breaker’s Point and then we’ll see what Georgie thinks of his precious plan.”

Marcus’ grip disappeared and Holly watched as her father dragged him across the room before landing a punch that sent Marcus sprawling.

“You’re scum. If you ever touch a hair on my daughter’s head I swear to God I’ll make you beg for death long before I let you have it.”

“Dad,” Holly said, her voice trembling with uncertainty. It was hard to wrap her head around the fact that he seemed to be her saviour. After everything he’d said to her, the insults and cruel taunts.

“Holly, I’ve been a selfish bastard and I want to set things straight.”

The shake in his hands and the fine tremor that seemed to run through his body from head to toe told her he hadn’t had a drink yet but after everything it was hard to trust what her mind was telling her.

Marcus staggered to his feet and wiped his hand across his mouth, smearing blood across his chin.

“Well, isn’t this sweet: a little family reunion, but how long will that last, Niall? How long before you need another drink and another and another? I own you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“I can kill you,” Niall said, gritting his teeth as he took a step forward, his shaking hands curling into fists.

Holly saw the flash of steel, the dull glint of the blade in the morning light as Marcus let it drop down from the inside of his sleeve.

“No!” Holly screamed, the word sounding more like a howl of anguish than an actual word.

Marcus barrelled forward, his momentum burying the knife in her father’s stomach.

She screamed again, the sound echoing around the living room as Niall clutched at Marcus’ arm and went to his knees.

The expression he wore was one of surprise as he stared down at the knife buried up to its handle in his gut.

“Holly, run.” His words were whispered but she heard him, her hesitation costing her precious seconds as Marcus turned towards her.

“Run!” Her father shouted this time, his voice hoarse with pain as he jerked the blade from his stomach and stabbed Marcus.

She didn’t need to be told a second time, her legs beginning to move without the thought fully forming in her mind.

Jerking open the front door, she ran out into the cold morning air, the sharp stones cutting into her feet as she ran out across the gravel for her car parked near the top of the driveway.

Climbing in behind the wheel, she glanced in the rear-view mirror and sobbed as Marcus appeared in the doorway, a bright crimson stain appearing down the front of the pale blue shirt he wore.

Gunning the engine, Holly tore out of the drive, spraying gravel behind her as the tyres fought to find purchase against the uneven surface.

Spinning the wheel, she drove blind. The only thought that mattered was to get away and get help.

J
erking the wheel
, Holly turned the car into Riley’s driveway.

She needed someone who already understood the situation, someone who wouldn’t ask too many complicated questions but who would understand the urgency.

Holly didn’t bother to kill the engine as she hopped out of the car and raced up the front steps. Frantically she pressed the doorbell, listening to the sound as it echoed through the house.

He has to be home, he has to be…

It hadn’t occurred to her what might happen if he wasn’t home and yet the continued silence seemed to suggest he wasn’t.

Holly slumped against the wall. She’d placed all her hope in Riley being at home and now…

The door swung open and hope flared in Holly’s heart only to be dashed once more as she realised it wasn’t Riley who stood in the hall scrubbing his hands across his bleary and bruised eyes.

“Griffin, is Riley home?” she said, stepping in through the door. She remembered Griffin from when she used to date Riley. But she hadn’t seen him since he’d left to pursue his passion in music and Riley had never really talked about him.

“It’s, Hannah, right?” Griffin said as he yawned and stretched.

“It’s Holly, my name is Holly. Where’s Riley? Please, this is important?”

“You’re the chick he blew half a mill on, aren’t you?”

“Griffin!”

“Fine, chill! I don’t know where the tightwad is. He mentioned something about a date or something, I wasn’t really listening. It was too early…”

Holly slid slowly to the ground as her legs disappeared out from beneath her.

“Lady, are you okay? You don’t look so good and what the hell happened to your dress?” Griffin’s voice changed, turning suddenly serious as he crouched down next to her.

“I need Riley, he’s the only one who’ll understand… My dad and Marcus…” Holly sobbed and her words were little more than a garbled mess.

“Shit…” Griffin muttered before he slipped his hands around her and picked her up from the doorstep. He carried her into the living room and sat her on the couch before disappearing from the room, reappearing moments later with a phone in his hands.

“Look, I’ve called the cops, okay? I know you said Riley would understand but I can’t get him on his cell—I’ll keep trying.”

“I tried, I really did. When he told me to run, I did… I should have stayed, I should have tried to help him,” Holly said, pushing to her feet. “I need to leave, I have to go back.”

Griffin’s strong hands on her shoulders stopped her.

“The cops will be here soon. Just wait for them and I promise I’ll get Riley on the phone.”

Holly nodded and sat back down on the couch, her head spinning with thoughts she couldn’t even begin to sort through.

She was a coward. A coward who deserved everything coming to her. And now because of her stupidity, her father was dead. How was she ever going to live with herself knowing he was gone because of her?

The sound of a car crunching into the drive had her up from the couch and at the window before Griffin could try and stop her. But the lazy flash of the blue and red lights left her disappointed.

“I’ll get the door,” Griffin said.

Holly continued to stare out the window and watched as the two uniformed officers stepped out of their cruiser and approached the house slowly.

Muffled voices in the hall brought back memories of the morning. She should have stayed upstairs, away from Marcus and his violent temper. But deep down Holly knew it wouldn’t have mattered. He’d have sought her out, took it out on her in another way.

Mom.

The thought hit her like a punch to the gut that left her gasping for air.

Holly had no idea when her mother was due to arrive but it had to be soon. Marcus knew only too well the threat of violence only worked if he had someone to take his anger out on.

“Miss McCombe, what appears to be the issue?”

Holly turned to face the officers who stepped into the room.

“Marcus Stark stabbed my father, I think he killed him. I ran before he could stop me. You need to arrest him.” Holly let out a long sigh, the tension that had held her body together slowly whooshing out of her and making her faint.

“If you’d like to come with us, Miss McCombe, we’ll go down to the station and take a statement from you.”

She nodded and started towards them before pausing to wrap her arms around Griffin who stood awkwardly inside the door.

“Thank you,” she said as he hugged her back.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t more use. I’ll keep trying Riley, tell him where you’ve gone.”

Holly nodded and slowly withdrew from Griffin’s grip as one of the officers touched her gently on the back, indicating they needed to leave.

“Here, take this. Riley won’t mind you borrowing his coat, and it’ll be a hell of a lot warmer than that dress,” Griffin said, handing her a long black coat.

Holly recognised it immediately as the one Riley had worn the night before and as she wrapped it around her, she found herself instantly surrounded by the familiar scent of his aftershave.

“Thank you, Griffin.” She shot him a watery smile before following the officers out the door and down to the police cruiser.

“I’ll take your car with us. We’ll be able to sweep it for evidence…”

Holly nodded, the words not truly penetrating the fog that had descended over her mind as she climbed into the back of the police car.

Holly stared out the window, her mind at last completely blank. Too much had happened and she was exhausted.

It was a relief to finally know something would be done about Marcus, but it had come too late.

The car wound its way down Cliff Road, passing the other houses, and Holly found herself wondering what went on behind the closed doors of the other houses in Breaker’s Point.

The car turned and Holly felt something tighten in the pit of her stomach.

“I thought we were going into town, to the station?” she said, leaning forward and placing her hand against the solid mesh partition that separated the back seat from the front of the car.

There was no answer and Holly’s heart fluttered in her chest as he turned onto the drive and her house loomed large in the windscreen.

“We can’t come here! You can’t take me back here!” Panic filtered into her voice and Holly slammed her palm against the metal, rattling it.

If she could just get his attention, get him to look at her, then he’d understand and they’d simply turn around and leave. It wasn’t too late… There was still time to escape.

The car rolled to a halt in front of the house and Marcus stepped out onto the front porch. Holly’s stomach twisted as his eyes found hers and a wide grin slid across his face.