Chapter
10
Nikki slammed her hand down on the clock as the alarm rudely awoke
her from her slumbers. She turned onto her side and looked tenderly at the
sleeping form beside her. She couldn’t believe it was their second anniversary.
Two whole years since she had left the confines of Larkhall. A lot had happened
in that time. She rolled onto her back and lay staring up at the ceiling. The
Village, the club she still owned with Trish, had gone from strength to
strength and now boasted a restaurant and health club as part of the complex.
Barbara had served the rest of her sentence and only lived about twenty miles
away so they were able to visit each other regularly. On top of which she had
spent her first Christmas out of Larkhall with them. Dockley had received
another life sentence for Dominic McAllister’s murder and would now spend the
rest of her natural in Broadmoor.
She felt a movement then a hand caressed her flat stomach and
settled on her breast. “Good-morning,” she said silkily. “And a happy
anniversary.” She received a grunt in reply. “It’s your own fault if you drink
too much.”
“You got me drunk, Nikki Wade, so you could have your wicked way
with me.” Came the accusing reply.
Nikki rolled on top of her and kissed her lingeringly. “Claire
Walker, you’re such a hussy I don’t have to get you drunk to have my wicked way
with you.” She slid her hand between Claire’s legs and was rewarded with a
groan of desire. “See what I mean?” She unhurriedly teased Claire with her
fingers, stroking and caressing, entering and withdrawing.
“Nikki,” Claire hissed against her ear. “You’re driving me crazy.”
“This is the first of your anniversary presents. I want it to last
as long as possible.” Nikki grinned.
“You won’t get your anniversary present, if you don’t stop doing
this to me.”
“You want me to stop.” Nikki started to withdraw her hand and
Claire hit her shoulder. “Nikki, don’t stop, you bitch!” Nikki laughed
roguishly. “I wish you would make your mind up.” She covered Claire’s mouth
with her own, her tongue making the same soft languid movements as her fingers.
With an exasperated sigh, Claire pushed Nikki onto her side and
slid her own hand between Nikki’s legs. As Claire began to stroke her harder
and faster, Nikki mirrored her actions and the bedroom was soon echoing with
their mutual cries of satisfaction.
“I love you, Claire,” Nikki said softly as they lay wrapped in
each other’s arms.
“Well, I must be doing something right after all,” Claire said in
surprise. “Or are you getting soppy in your old age?”
“I know I don’t say it often but you know I do.”
“I know you do and I love you, darling.” She cupped Nikki’s face
and kissed her long and hard. “Now do you want your present from me?”
Nikki exhaled noisily. “If it’s more of the same, I’ll have it
later thanks. What with last night and this morning you are wearing me out.”
“And I thought you were insatiable,” Claire teased. She reached
into her bedside table drawer and took out a small gift-wrapped package. “Happy
anniversary, darling,” she said lovingly as she handed the package to Nikki.
Nikki opened the package and her face lit up when she saw its
contents – two plane tickets for San Francisco. “Claire, you shouldn’t have,”
she protested.
“I know it’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to go and you’ve
worked so hard these past few months, I thought you deserved a holiday.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Nikki, I love you more than my
life and I would do anything to make you happy.”
Nikki kissed her gently. “You have made me happy. You always do.
I’ll give you my proper present now. I was going to give it to you at dinner
tonight.” She got out of bed and left the room, returning a few moments later
clutching a ring box. “Sorry I didn’t wrap it. I couldn’t find a piece of paper
small enough. “ She sat on the edge of the bed and handed the box to Claire
then watched nervously as she opened it.
“Nikki, it’s beautiful,” she gasped when she saw the single
diamond in a Victorian setting. She slipped her hand behind Nikki’s head and
kissed her. “Put it on for me,” she said holding up her right hand.
“Wrong hand,” Nikki said gently. She picked up Claire’s left hand
and slipped it onto her third finger.
“There is one other thing, Claire. Will you marry me? Well, not
marry exactly. You know what I mean.”
“Oh, Nikki, stop waffling,” she said lovingly. “Of course I will.”
She kissed Nikki long and hard then drew back and looked at her. “Are you sure
you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”
“Claire, you’re the reason I’ve got a life. If it wasn’t for you I
would probably still be in Larkhall,” she said bitterly. “You were the only one
with enough faith in me to stick around.”
“It wasn’t Helen’s fault…” Claire began but the telephone on
Claire’s bedside table rang.
“Hello, Nikki Wade…Hiya, Trish…Thanks…Ok, I’ll tell her…See you
later then.” She replaced the receiver. “That was Trish, in case you didn’t
guess. She says ‘happy anniversary’ and she wants us to meet up with her and
Mandie at the club for a drink before we go out to dinner.”
“Nikki, about Helen…”
“Leave it, Claire,” she snapped then reached out and stroked her
cheek. “Not today, love. Today is our day. Yours and mine.” She dropped a kiss
on her lips and stood up. “I’m going for a shower.”
As she stood under the shower, Nikki sighed deeply. Why did Claire
have to mention Helen today of all days? Today was special to her and Claire
and for once she hadn’t wanted Helen Stewart at the forefront of her thoughts.
Not that she was ever very far away. She loved Claire but there were times when
she felt as if she were betraying her because she couldn’t get Helen out of her
heart.
Her thoughts went back to the last time she had seen her. It was
at the hospital after Barbara had been attacked, two years ago and her first
day home from Larkhall. After they knew Barbara was out of the woods, they had
left the hospital, her and Helen and Claire, who had come to pick her up. It
wasn’t until Helen started to walk away that she realised how much she still
loved her. She was pregnant. She had a man but she didn’t care. It would only
have taken one sign from Helen to show that she too still cared and she would
have begged her to run away. She would have forgotten Claire, everything, just
to be with her. She had dashed after her, wanting to tell her how she felt,
wanting to plead with her but all she had said was, ‘Thanks for everything and
for being there with me last night. I’ll never forget you, Helen.’
‘I really did love you, Nikki, more than you will ever know,’
Helen had told her softly but the disbelief must have shown in her eyes because
Helen’s next words were like a death knell to her hopes and dreams. ‘If you
hadn’t doubted that so much, we wouldn’t be having this conversation and now
it’s too late. Goodbye, Nikki.’ Then she had hurried away out of her life and
she had gone home with Claire.
“Alright, boss,” Jed, the doorman greeted her pleasantly as she
went into the club holding Claire’s hand.
“Jed,” she nodded. “Trish in yet?”
“She’s waiting inside for you and there’s a kid over there wants a
word with you.” Nikki turned to look in
the direction he was pointing.
“Alright, Nikki.” Denny Blood beamed as she came up to her.
“Denny, what the hell are you doing here?” Nikki hugged her
warmly.
“I’ve just got out and I could really use a job.” She punched
Nikki playfully on the arm. “It’s great to see you, man.”
“You, too.” She took Claire’s hand and drew her forward. “This is
my partner, Claire. Denny and I were in Larkhall together,” she explained.
“How’s Shaz, by the way?”
“Great. I’ve got to keep my nose clean for when she gets out.
That’s why I need a job.” Denny looked at her expectantly.
“Have you got somewhere to stay?”
“Yeah, I’m at a hostel ‘til I can find something better.”
Nikki looked at Jed a smile playing around the corners of her
mouth. “What do you think then, Jed? Could you use some company on the door?”
“I guess so, boss,” he agreed.
“Right then, Denny. You can start tomorrow night. Come in about
seven and I’ll sort you a suit and shirt out. Jed is in charge of the door so
you don’t give him any shit. Got it?”
“Got it, Nikki…boss.” Denny grinned.
“One other thing, Denny,” Nikki looked at her through narrowed
eyes. “If I catch you with so much as a paracetamol on you, you will be out on
your arse!”
Denny held up her hands. “I don’t do drugs, no more, Nikki.
Honest.”
“I believe you. Now go on in and get yourself a drink. Tell them
it’s on me.” Nikki grinned as Denny went into the club.
“You’re just an old softie,” Claire murmured in her ear.
“Not really. Shaz has at least seven more years to do and Denny is
going to need all the help she can get to keep her out of trouble for that
length of time.” She squeezed Claire’s fingers gently. “Come on, let’s have
that drink with Trish then go out for dinner. If I remember rightly, it’s your
turn to pay.”
Nikki paced around the house restlessly. It was her night off and
Claire had gone to a three-day conference in Sheffield so she was at a loose
end. Maybe she should have gone with her like Claire wanted, at least they
would have had the nights together. Still there was only one more day then she
would be back. She decided to wait for Claire’s call and then have an hour at
the club. Denny had been working there almost two weeks now and she liked to
keep an eye on her progress. On the dot of nine the telephone rang and she
snatched up the receiver.
“Nikki.” She smiled when she heard Claire’s voice.
“Hiya, babe. How was the conference today?”
“Lots of boring old men talking legal mumbo-jumbo. I almost nodded
off once or twice.”
“That would have brought the conference to a halt the way you
snore,” Nikki teased.
“I do not snore,” Claire protested.
Nikki laughed. “What time will you be back tomorrow? I’ve told
Trish I want the night off so I’ll have a meal ready for you when you get in.”
“About eight-thirty. I’ll leave as soon as the conference
finishes.”
“Well, hurry back. I’m missing you.”
“I’m missing you too. I’ll see you tomorrow night. I love you,
Nikki.”
“I love you too.” Nikki smiled as she replaced the receiver. These
few days away from Claire had done her good. In the two years they had been
together it was the longest they had been apart and she had really missed her
and couldn’t wait for her to get home. She knew how much Claire loved her, she
never tired of telling her, so maybe it was time she spoiled her for a change.
Nikki gave a relieved sigh as she entered the house. She had been
held up at the club stocktaking but at least she had managed to get home before
Claire. She was going to cook her a special meal and had bought two bottles of
her favourite wine. She took the shopping bags into the kitchen and grimaced as
the doorbell rang.
She opened the front door to be confronted by two uniformed police
officers. She scowled at them, the sight of police uniforms still gave her the
shivers.
“Miss Wade?” Nikki nodded. “May we come in, please?”
“You can say what you’ve got to say from there,” she retorted.
“Very, well.” He removed his cap. “You are a friend of Miss Claire
Walker’s?”
“Yes. She’s my partner.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Wade. Miss Walker was involved in an accident on
the motorway tonight.”
“Is she alright?” Nikki demanded.
The officer shook his head. “I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation,
she wouldn’t have known anything. She wouldn’t have suffered.”
Nikki felt the blood pounding in her ears. No! Please, not Claire!
She sank to her knees, shaking her head wildly.
“Miss Wade, can we contact anyone for you?”
Nikki placed her hand over her ears. She couldn’t bear to hear the
screaming. Make it stop!
The two officers looked at each other helplessly and then one of
them put his arms around Nikki and drew her to her feet. “Come on, love. Let’s
get you inside.”