Free Duality by Heather Atkinson Page B

shirt creased and not buttoned up correctly whereas before he’d always been immaculate. How the mighty had fallen, hiding like scared mice, afraid of retaliation from the Maguires and Laws, as well as hounded by the attacks made upon them by Isaac Jones, their main rival in the area.
    Katia had switched off to what he was saying about five minutes ago, it was all the same drivel about how he was going to hunt down every single Maguire and Law and make them pay in blood for the wrongs they’d done him. He spoke about Jules too, who he seemed to be obsessed with. He’d fallen for her when she’d been a prisoner in his home and he couldn’t get her out of his head. He talked about her all the time and reminisced about how amazing they’d be together once he’d brought her back. It didn’t seem to enter his head that she might not want to come back. Personally Katia couldn’t understand his strange obsession. She thought Jules was rough, common and very badly dressed in all her black leather and big clumsy boots. She was also a devious bitch and had betrayed Katia after she’d promised to help her get revenge on the Laws and Maguires after they’d killed Alex, the father of her twin boys. Just the mention of her name made her furious but Jared never noticed, he was far too wrapped up in himself to notice anyone else. But she hated Jared far more than she hated Jules because he had murdered Irina, the only friend she had ever had. Irina had helped Jules escape from Jared because she was in love with him and couldn’t stand seeing him with another woman and death had been her punishment. Katia had sworn revenge but she was biding her time. Jared had been weakened but he was still too strong for her to take on just yet. She glanced up at Hayden Brody, her lover who had betrayed Mikey and Jez to help her get her twin boys back after Mikey had abducted them - almost killing her in the process. He’d risked his life to help her and she would always be in his debt. She’d thought she would never love another man after Alex had died but she’d fallen hard for the handsome, strapping ex-soldier who had turned to contract killing after he’d left the army and who now worked for her. She was building her own crew around her, quietly, so as not to alert Jared and Hayden was at the centre of all that. He was smarter, stronger and more lethal than any of the other men who worked for her and he could give any of Jared’s men a good run for their money. Together they were plotting to take over everything Jared had but for now they were biding their time, mainly because of the tall, striking blond who walked into the room. Tanya Slattery was Jared’s mother and their odd relationship never failed to give Katia the creeps. They were so close it was almost incestuous. Tanya was stepping up to the plate now Jared was all over the place, taking command of the family and making the big decisions that were keeping the wolves from the door. Other families and gangs in the area - namely Isaac Jones - were circling them, preparing to strike after their humiliating defeat but Tanya had so far managed to deflect all their attacks, to Katia’s annoyance.
    “What is going on in here?” demanded Tanya, tossing back her head, hands on her hips. “What’s all this shouting about now Jared? I have a headache.”
    “Sorry Mum, I’m just angry,” he replied.
    “You’re always angry these days. What is it this time?”
    He shrugged. “Just blowing off some steam.”
    “I heard Jules’s name mentioned again,” said Tanya disapprovingly.
    “No,” he said, feigning innocence.
    Tanya glanced at Katia, who nodded once behind Jared’s back, causing Tanya to sigh and roll her eyes. “I wish you’d get over that tart Jared, she was coarse and common. You can do so much better than her.”
    “I love her Mum,” he exclaimed.
    “No you don’t, it’s just an obsession. You’ll get over it and I for one am glad she’s gone, she was