TRAPPED by JACQUI ROSE Read Free Book Online

blonde Croatian woman sitting in the corner on her break. He raised his voice to be heard over the heavy beat of the music.
    ‘Have you seen Gary?’
    She looked up at Nicky and grinned; a stoned glazed grin.
    ‘He’s in the back. Oh, Maggie came in; she seemed desperate to see you.’
    Maggie. He’d forgotten she was coming home. Shit. He’d wanted to explain to her what had happened before other people started talking. He certainly didn’t want her to speak to Gina; that might ruin everything.
    He was tempted to go and find Maggie and just hope she hadn’t seen Gina. Except the draw of getting some powder was too strong, and the grip on Nicky’s arm a moment later by the tall wiry black man was even stronger. He was going nowhere.
    Gary Levitt was sitting in the back room of the Swag club smoking a cigar. He couldn’t abide the taste of them but he thought it looked good and added to his image. He wanted people to see him as sophisticated; not just some toerag dealer from Bermondsey. He glanced up from preening his manicured nails as Nicky Donaldson was marched into the room.
    ‘Nick-Nick. I’ve been wondering where you’d gone. I wanted to know where my money was.’
    Nicky blanched. A look of confusion crossed his face. He’d only seen Gary a few hours ago. He’d told him he’d got a couple of weeks to straighten everything out, but here he was with a cigar longer than his dick hanging out of his mouth, demanding his cash.
    ‘I … I … I haven’t got it.’
    ‘Don’t stutter Nicky man, it makes me think of Porky Pig and I always fucking hated that cartoon.’
    Nicky could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead, partly because he needed to score, but mainly because he was eyeing up the cosh that the goon standing behind Gary was holding in his hand.
    ‘I thought I had two weeks, Gary. You said two weeks.’
    ‘Yeah, you’re right I did. Now I’ve changed my mind, a man’s entitled.’
    ‘Listen, I can get you some of the money in the next couple of days, not a problem.’
    ‘But it is, Nicky. It’s very much a problem. I don’t want it in two days; I want it now. I suppose I could always ask your Dad for it. I’m sure Daddy wouldn’t want to hear you’re in any trouble.’
    He chuckled at the deepened fear showing on Nicky’s face. Gary could no more approach Max for money than he could the Pope; he wasn’t stupid. As much as he knew Max probably wouldn’t give a shit about Gary putting the squeeze on his son, he was still as scared as the next man was of Max Donaldson. Though one thing was clear – by the expression on Nicky’s face, Gary clearly wasn’t as scared of Max as his son was.
    It amused Gary to play games with Nicky who was soft by nature. The man had so many beatings and took so much gear that even the changing wind seemed to frighten him.
    ‘Fine Nicky; I’ll give you a couple of days to bring me some money, but I don’t want you to forget.’
    ‘I won’t. I promise.’
    ‘I’m sure you won’t, but I want to leave you with a little reminder, a little memo.’
    Gary Levitt nodded to one of his henchmen and leaned back in his chair, too uninterested to watch as Nicky’s face came into contact with the cosh.

CHAPTER EIGHT
    Maggie sat deflated on the steps of the walk-up in Greek Street , waiting for Gina and watching the crowds of people go by. It was getting late and the last of the summer sunshine had disappeared.
    She’d been all over Soho looking for Nicky and after making her way round all the bars she’d finally decided to give up, guessing he was probably crashed out in some dive or drug den sleeping off the night before. She’d then taken herself off to Gina’s flat in Robert Street on the other side of Euston Road, bracing herself for trouble, but like everywhere she’d gone, there’d been no one in. The frustration of getting no answer had brought her to tears. The second time she’d cried that day. Even though she’d been on her own, she’d