Finders Keepers Edie Baylis (phonics readers .TXT) 📖

he’d been able to do little more than grunt in appreciation when she’d knelt down and unzipped his trousers.

It was surprising his body had even worked, the state he’d been in, but whatever she’d done with her mouth had the desired effect of coaxing things into life. He’d still been far too drunk and half-asleep to do much more than lazily lie back whilst she’d brought him some much needed relief and then afterwards, he’d shamefully fallen straight back to sleep again.

Waking back up at 6 this morning on the sofa, he’d found himself covered in a woollen throw and could have quite happily turned over and stayed there, but as the memory of the night before filtered into his mind, he knew he had to get up and deal with it.

Jonah grimaced, unsure how Lena had talked him down last night. He’d been all set to go and give Saul the kicking of his life, but when she’d got upset, saying how stress would hurt the baby, he’d agreed to leave it until he’d calmed down and was sober. He wasn’t having anything hurt his baby. It was probably a good job he’d left it because the state he’d been in he’d have undoubtedly wrapped his Range Rover around the tree at the bottom of the road. But he would be dealing with Saul sooner rather than later. There were some things that were off limits and Lena was definitely one of them.

Jonah had now been at the club for half an hour, but was yet to set eyes on his snake of a brother and when he did, it wouldn’t be pretty.

Adrenalin pumping through his veins, he eyed the new bottle of whisky on the side in his office longingly. Although the very thought of the taste made him want to heave, he knew a few of those were the one thing guaranteed to cure or at least tone down this bloody hangover.

Instead, he eyed Gwen tentatively. This was supposed to be a catch-up meeting, yet she’d said nothing. He gulped at his coffee, irritated at the alcohol-induced shaking of his hands.

‘You’ll be glad to hear it went well last night,’ Gwen said suddenly. ‘I expect Lena filled you in with that already?’

Jonah wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and lit a cigarette, the first drag almost making him blow chunks over his desk. ‘She was still asleep when I left.’

Gwen frowned. Last night she’d been hoping to catch the tart red-handed. Catch her with another man or with coke up her nose – anything, just so she had something solid to make Jonah cancel the wedding, but Lena hadn’t done anything amiss. She looked at him with concern. He definitely wasn’t on form this morning. ‘Is everything alright, love?’

Jonah looked at Gwen, his eyes hooded. ‘Why do you ask?’

Gwen fidgeted. ‘I half-expected you to pop into the function last night and was surprised you didn’t. I thou...’

‘I wasn’t in the best frame of mind,’ he said. ‘I figured it was better to stay away.’ He wouldn’t mention that he’d got so drunk he’d eventually passed out.

Gwen nodded sympathetically. ‘Try not to let any beef you have with your brother get to you. You knew as well as I did his return would rock the boat, but...’

‘What’s he been saying?’ Jonah snapped.

‘Nothing!’ Gwen gasped. ‘He’s said nothing. I’ve barely seen him! I-I heard you two arguing yesterday. I couldn’t help but overhear.’

‘Oh that,’ Jonah picked up his cup and realising he’d already finished it, rattled it back into its saucer. Yeah, the row about Lena and the wedding. Of course. Now it all made sense. His fucking brother wanted Lena for himself. Well, he could have had her before she got a child of his inside her. It would have been a lot better all round if Saul was stuck with her, but he wasn’t and now she was out of bounds.

‘I need words with him,’ Jonah said, his temper spiking again.

Seeing Gwen’s concern, he knew he had to tell her. She’d only worry or get the wrong end of the stick. ‘This has nothing to do with the firm.’ He tapped his pen on the desk, even that muted sound causing the pounding in his head to worsen. ‘Saul thinks I should get a pre-nup.’

Gwen raised her eyebrows. Another sensible thing the son from hell had suggested? Maybe he had learnt something in almost two decades of being incarcerated? ‘Perhaps that isn’t a bad thing?’

Jonah slammed his pen down. ‘Do you know what? I’m getting a bit tired of everyone having an opinion on my private life!’

Gwen sat back, a little startled. It had been him who told her he was unhappy with Lena. Something had shifted. Was Lena finally getting her claws under Jonah’s skin? She hoped not because it would make the already daunting task of stopping this wedding impossible.

‘Lena’s already agreed to a pre-nup. Saul won’t be expecting that, not that it’s any of his business.’

Gwen smiled. ‘I know you and Saul have your problems, love.’ She squeezed Jonah’s hand, adding, ‘We all do.’

Jonah stood up and paced the length of his office. ‘I’m going to be a father, Gwen.’ A sloppy smile formed on his face. ‘And I’m over the moon about that.’

Gwen tried to smile, she really did, but it wasn’t easy. Was now the time to mention her suspicions? That there probably was no baby at all?

‘But Saul,’ Jonah continued, ‘he’s got his own agenda and I’m not having it. He knows Lena’s pregnant.’

‘How? I thought you said no one knew?’

‘No one was supposed to know, but Lena told him.’

Gwen’s mouth pursed into a knowing pout. So Lena was looking for extra clout with Saul? Bandying around her new-found position to give herself more bargaining power? God, she was a sneaky mare, that one.

‘I can’t see by your face what you’re thinking, Gwen,’ Jonah barked. ‘But you’re wrong. My cunt of a brother only knows because he was