Bang Gang (23 page)

I can’t say I felt easy about pulling onto Lorraine Marchant’s driveway, but Petey was oblivious, grinning away in the passenger seat like a dippy spaniel.

If only he knew.

I didn’t need to knock on the front door, she was already in the doorway by the time we were at the front step. I cast a glance around the street, checking for neighbours.

As if they wouldn’t have seen the fucking truck already. Luckily Allensmore seemed to be far enough out to stay off the village radar.

“Well well,” she said. “Look what the cat dragged in. I was wondering when you’d darken my doorstep.”

“Been busy,” I said.

“So I heard.” She raised an eyebrow. “Mandy Taylor and Debbie Gibson?” she scoffed. “I thought you’d have more class than to entertain those cheap skanky bitches.”

Her condescending tone got my hackles up. “Business is business, Lorraine, as you well fucking know.”

She let out a snide laugh. “So you
have
done Debbie Gibson. I thought that was a mindless rumour.”

Petey flashed me a look of confusion, I willed the fool to keep his mouth shut. Lorraine is the last one I want knowing my fucking business.

I shoved the lad forward. “Present for you,” I said to Lorraine. “Enjoy.”

I’d stepped away from the door before she tutted at me. “No no no,” she said. “You know the rules, Mr Trent, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

She’d scratched my back plenty of fucking times, crazy bitch.

I gestured to her flashy red Mini Cooper. “Next service is on me, I’ll throw you in a new set of tyres, too.”

She laughed. “Oh come on, Darren. We’re a bit past all that, don’t you think?”

Petey was still staring at me, still trying to wrap his head round what the fuck was going on.

“What do you want?” I said.

“You know what I want,” she replied. “You’ve been avoiding me, why?”

I shrugged. “Haven’t been avoiding you, Lorraine, just had shit to do.”

“Shit like chasing after Jodie by any chance?” She smiled a sly smile as my mood dropped. “Oh dear. You didn’t think I knew? Poor you, so naive.”

“What goes on with Jodie and me is none of your business,” I said. “You’d do well to remember that.” I lit up a cigarette.

“That’s not how she sees it,” Lorraine said. “You really shouldn’t try so hard with her, you know, it’s embarrassing.”

I felt my cheeks fucking burning. “Like I’m running around after her like some fucking idiot. Fuck off, Lorraine.”

She shrugged. “She’s better off without you, and she knows it. Who do you think this hot new image of hers is for?” She laughed. “You can’t honestly think she doesn’t have irons in the fire. She’s a beautiful woman with a good head on her shoulders, two beautiful girls… Christ, Darren, she’s long over you. Let it go, have some dignity.”

My gut fucking pained.

Petey looked fucking horrified.

She changed the subject. “Next week,” she said. “You and me. Don’t pretend you don’t want it, I know how to make it feel better, don’t you worry.”

I sighed to myself. “Just do a good job with the fucking lad.”

“You know it,” she said.

“I’ll pick him up later.”

“Don’t worry about that,” she said. “I’ll drop him back when I’m done with him.” She looked him up and down, weighed up the rabbit-in-the-headlights expression on his face. “This may take some time.”

“Take as long as you want, just get him up to fucking speed.”

I didn’t even say goodbye.

“Call me,” she shouted after me. “Soon, Darren. I’m looking forward to it.”

Shame I couldn’t say the fucking same.

No babysitting duties for Nanna this evening, Tonya insisted she stay at mine to make sure my Bang Gang special risked no disruptions. I think she was really there to make sure I wore the slutty red.

It worked.

Darren dropped me a text as I finished up my makeup. I could barely contain my nerves, belly churning as I clicked to read it.

Ready when you are.

Shit. Shit shit shit.

“I can’t believe I’m really doing this,” I said to Tonya, spritzing myself with a second round of perfume.

“Go get ‘em,” she said. “Enjoy it. Experience of a lifetime, remember?”

I checked the envelope of cash was still in my handbag. I’d felt like such a slut as I took four hundred in twenties from the bank that lunchtime, but it would be worth it.

At least, I hoped so.

Experience of a lifetime.

I hoped my pussy would take it. Darren had been a good intro, and a vibrator had picked up where he left off. I’d been practicing.

As much as you can possibly practice for something like this.

I’d set out my fantasy to Darren by text, worked through the technicalities, too – how to call it off, how it would take just a simple statement of
I’m done
if I’d had enough. What was acceptable and what was not. Pussy,
yes
. Mouth,
of course
. Ass, one big
maybe
.

I didn’t want to admit it to him, but Darren was the only man who’d been in the backdoor, and that was a long time ago. Brian tried it once, in a moment of drunken madness completely at odds with his regular modus operandi, and it was terrible. Just terrible.

Darren’s cock and my ass seemed to form a mutual alliance from the get go, it just worked. Nothing else seemed to fit like he did, no vibrator and certainly not Brian.

So, yeah, I’d put a big
maybe
and said I’d see how I felt on the night.

Righto
, he’d said.

Positions, I’d said
whatever works
. Spunk in the face, I’d said
yes, please
.

Condoms were an absolute. He assured me they always were.

Any particular kinks? he’d asked. I’d said
No. Not this time, anyway
.

He hadn’t replied to that.

I had a quick glass of wine with Tonya to still my nerves, and another for the road which I chugged down before I set off.

The journey seemed to take no time.

This time Darren
was
outside smoking. He watched me totter along the road, and I think his scrutiny was the only thing that kept me moving forwards, kept me putting one foot ahead of the other and not caving to last minute nerves.

He met me on the stairs and his eyes were every bit as intense as usual.

“You sure this is what you want?” he said.

No. Yes. Maybe
.

I want you.

“Yes,” I said. “This is definitely what I want.” I smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Good,” he said, and it was so clipped, so professional.

Hold my hand
, I wanted to say.
I’m scared, and worried I’ll be rubbish, I’m worried this will be the shittest gangbang you guys have ever had.

I followed him upstairs and he didn’t even look back at me, just finished up his cigarette at the top and held the door open as I stepped inside.

I took the opportunity to pull the envelope from my bag, handed it over without a word. He took it without looking at it, dropped it on the key shelf like it was toxic.

“Don’t you want to count that? Make sure it’s all there?”

“No,” he said.

I shrugged. “Ok, cool.”

I heard the guys in the living room, and they were so loud, laughing and joking just like any other day. I would have stalled if Darren hadn’t been right at the back of me, but his presence kept me moving, made me paste that big smile on my face and remind myself why I was here.

I want this.

I want to be wild again. I want to be a woman again.

I want the kind of crazy experience that will last me a lifetime
.

The guys abandoned their conversation the moment I came into view. They smiled, and Buck and Hugh shifted apart on the sofa enough to offer me a seat. I felt myself relax a little.

I knew these guys, I
liked
these guys. Even Jimmy O who had a reputation for being a filthy dirty bastard down the
pub had always been so nice when it came to me, when it came to my girls, too.

Buck leaned in, gave my arm a squeeze, nothing dodgy. “You alright, Jo?” he asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah, I’m good. Just nervous.”

He smiled. “No need to be nervous, whatever you want, however you want it. This is your gig, Jodie, we’re just here when you want us.”

I looked around for Darren but he wasn’t in the room. I heard him banging about in the kitchen, and it seemed to take him an age. He came out with a glass of chilled white and I could have kissed him.

The others were drinking beer, but he had nothing. He sat himself on Ruby’s tatty beanbag in the corner and hardly said a word.

I slumped back in my seat and drank my wine quickly, the heady warmth of it loosening up my inhibitions. I could feel them slipping away, becoming muggy and distant. I liked it. It felt really nice.

Suddenly the red knickers seemed absolutely the right call.
I could do this.

Jimmy took my empty glass from my hand and offered me a refill. I saw Darren shoot him a glare.

“Steady,” he said. “She’s had enough.”

“Chill out,” Jim said. “Christ, man, she’s fucking fine.”

Darren followed him into the kitchen and I heard raised voices that the other guys tried to drown out with chit-chat. When Darren came back it was with a glass of water, and Jimmy was quiet. Jimmy offered me a shrug, tipped his head at Trent and pulled a face.

I took the water from Darren’s hand. “Drink up,” he said. “This shit goes down sober or not at all.”

He seemed so fucking mean tonight.

I rolled my eyes before I knocked it back, “I’m not drunk, Trent. I’ve had three bloody glasses.”