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  Susie felt satisfied with Ashley’s sex. Her eyes were struggling to stay open as she dipped her head into her lover’s chest. Tomorrow was another day and she knew she would have to sort her shit out and get everything in order. Tim was gone for now and she was the one in control. She felt important and planned for her future.

  “Goodnight babes” Ashley whispered. Gripping his hand she lifted it to her mouth and kissed his fingertips.

  “Goodnight love” Susie whispered with a cunning look in her eye.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The phone was ringing constantly. Susie hid her head under the pillow hoping to drown out its piercing tone. Ashley was awake and draped his arm heavily over her body. “Will you answer that fucking phone, or better still unplug the fucker. It’s doing my head in.”

  Susie’s arm now came out from the covers and searched for the phone. Fumbling with the receiver she dragged the phone to her ear under the covers. “Hello,” she mumbled. Her body bolted up from the bed. Her leg kicked at Ashley’s. Once his head appeared from under the sheets she screwed her face up, and placed one finger up to her lips looking nervous. “Hiya babes. Yeah I’m still in bed. It’s not that late is it?” Holding the phone from her ear she rammed two fingers into the ear piece with a screwed up face. Tim was pissing her off.

  Ashley held a mischievous look as he disappeared under the covers. Susie was now explaining what had happened with the girls at the brothel to Tim. She couldn’t wait to mention Pippa’s name to see how he reacted. “Yeah, it went well. You didn’t tell me you had a new girl working for you. That Pippa is a right cocky cow. I nearly punched her lights out the way she was talking to me.” Susie sucked her lips together as Tim tried to tell her about Pippa. She could feel it in her gut by the way he was speaking that he’d definitely been sleeping with her. The conversation went on and Susie was organising a prison visit to come and see him. Grabbing a small piece of paper from her bedside cabinet she grabbed her handbag to search for a pen. Rummaging around in it she finally found one, much to her relief. Ashley’s head could be seen between her legs munching into her lady garden. Giggling she lifted up the sheets. Her eyes burned into him as a warning for him to stop. Ashley ignored her and continued to seduce her even more. Susie was struggling to control her pleasure as she started to write down the things Tim was demanding. “Right, yeah I’ve wrote it all down. Socks, boxers, t-shirts, trainers, and trackie-bottoms.” Nodding into the phone she looked like Tim was boring her, she yawned. “Right Tim I will. I’ll book the reception visit for about two o’clock. Yeah I love you too, see ya.”

  Placing the phone down Susie lifted the sheets up. Ashley was laughing his head off. “It’s not funny ya dick-head,” she scowled. “He a paranoid cunt to start with, so any changes he hears in me; he’ll be on me like a ton of bricks.”

  Ashley yanked the sheets from his body. His temper was boiling. “What the fuck are you arsed for? You’re going to tell him about us soon anyway, aren’t ya?” he hissed. “Why are you giving a fuck what that tosser thinks?”

  Susie flung herself onto the bed. “Not this again,” she whispered under her breath. It was only ten o’clock in the morning and he was already giving her a hard time. Ashley would have to go if he carried on like this; he was doing her head in big time.

  Reaching for a cig she gasped a deep breath. Tim was in HMP Strangeways and wanted a visit from her today. He’d reeled off his list of demands and now it was up to Susie to get everything he needed. Tim wanted her to go into town to get him some sneaks. Why did he want new trainers when he wasn’t going anywhere? Slippers would have been the better option surely. Staring around the bedroom she inhaled deeply on her cig. From the corner of her eyes she could see Ashley putting his clothes on at the side of her. He seemed angry and in a strop.

  “I’ve got to book a reception visit for the nick today. Tim wants me to get him some new trainers. He said you would sort me some cash out.” Tim had never said such a thing, but she wasn’t using her money to kit him out. After all Ashley was his wingman wasn’t he? He looked at her with a disgusted look on his face. The unwritten rule on the outside was if your mates were in nick you helped them out. You had to make sure they didn’t want for anything. Any other time Ashley wouldn’t have minded but Tim was his enemy now and he wanted him out of his life as soon as possible so he could enjoy his woman to the full. Ashley marched about the bedroom shaking his head.

  “Well Tim can take a fucking run and a jump if he thinks I’m buying him any trainers. Why does he think that I’ll sort him out? Ask Judd or Malc. It’s about time they did something for him.” Malc and Judd were grafters too, but they weren’t as close to Tim as Ashley was.

  Susie looked stressed and dragged her fingers through her hair. Ashley wasn’t parting with any cash and she knew she’d be the one buying all the stuff for her convicted boyfriend. Sitting in silence for a minute she flicked the TV on. Her favourite TV programme was on. Jeremy Kyle was one funny man; he made her laugh as he shouted at the guests on his show. The storyline was about a mother who’d disowned her kids and now they were there on national TV asking her why she’d given up on them for a life of beer and drugs. Susie folded her pillow under her head to get comfy. She was shouting out at the guest on the show. Ashley was still angry and never spoke a word; he had a face of thunder.

  *

  Susie reached for the phone and listened to the ring tone. After about ten minutes of waiting on hold she finally got through to the booking centre for Strangeways. She told the woman whom she wanted to visit and what clothes she was bringing in for the inmate. The woman told her the only visit she had left for today was at twelve o’clock. Quickly checking the clock that hung on the bedroom wall, she agreed she could make the visit. The visit was booked.

  Slamming the phone down, she rooted in her wardrobe for something to wear. Ashley was sat on the end of the bed smoking. Susie grabbing a faded pair of jeans and a bright pink top out of her wardrobe as Ashley began to speak. “What are you getting all dressed up for?”

  Susie stood twisting her hands as she faced him. “What the fuck are you going on about now?” Ashley sprung from the bed like boiling water had been poured on him and growled into her face. His eyes looked wild and she didn’t like the way he was making her feel. She looked scared.

  “I’m going on about these.” He snatched the clothing from the edge of the bed and flung them at her with full force right into her chest. “You can see ya tits through this top and ya know how sexy your arse looks in these jeans. Are you doing it to wind me up or what?”

  Susie stood thinking for a minute. She was scared of him at this moment, but there was no way in this world was she backing down from him. “Listen nob rash. Since when have you been my Lord and master? Don’t even start to think that you can start telling me what to wear, because I won’t have any of it ya prick. Do you hear me?”

  His fist pummelled into her ribs, she was on the floor now and could feel a burning pain in her stomach. Opening her eyes she could feel Ashley’s breath in her face screaming. “Slag! Keep it fucking shut. I’ve just about had enough of your shit. Now you’re my woman there’s a few ground rules to start getting used to. Do you understand?” She screamed out in pain but he was using her as a punch bag and wasn’t stopping for love nor money. Her body shook as the last punch hit her hard. Her knees came up to her chest and she struggled to breathe.

  Ashley left her lying on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. It was the steroids that were making him act like this. Ever since he’d started injecting them into his arse cheeks, he knew he had a problem with the rage he felt inside. He was a ticking bomb and now that he’d exploded there was no going back. Ashley looked like a man of steel, and you could see the purple vein in his neck pumping with adrenaline.

  “Get up from the floor,” he ranted. Susie was weak but as he shouted again she knew she would have to obey him. She stayed silent, wary of what he was going to do next. His eyes looked f
illed with madness and he looked like he’d lost the plot. Susie was holding her stomach and Ashley could see he’d hurt her. Susie fell onto the bed as she tried to stand up, she was weak. She’d always been a fighter in the past and although she knew he would wipe the floor with her, she couldn’t just sit and take this from him. Who the fuck did he think he was? Susie stood up shaking like a leaf.

  There was a gun under the bed. Tim had always kept it there for emergencies. She knew how to use it as well. Her boyfriend had shown her. Should she make a run for it, she hesitated. Her heart thumped in her ears. Watching Ashley she knew she had to put up some kind of fight. Standing tall she blew a hard laboured breath. “You daft twat. Get out of here now, before I have you removed. Who the fuck do you think you are, doing this to me?” Pulling her top up Susie revealed her red beaten body. Each rib looked like it was on fire. “Look what you’ve done to me,” she screamed.

  Ashley had calmed down, and you could see he was sorry. He stood up and leant his head down to kiss Susie’s cheek, she moved away. “You’re a fucking crank. I want you out of here now!” Tears were forming in the corner of her eyes. She didn’t want to cry because that was a sign of weakness and she could never be seen to be weak. She repeated herself with a piercing voice and this time Ashley responded.

  “I’m sorry love. It’s these steroids, they’ve fucking me up big time yanno. I just lose the plot for no reason.”

  Susie was livid. “Well you’ve lost me now, that’s for sure. I want you gone, do you hear me? Gone!” Her voice was still loud as she snarled at him. Ashley slipped his trainers on and walked back to where she stood and wrapped his arms around her, hoping he could win her trust back.

  “Please Susie. I’m sorry. I just snapped.” Digging deep inside his pocket he pulled out a wad of cash. There must have been at least five hundred pounds there. Throwing it on the bed he spoke to her with a desperate voice. “Go and get yourself something new. I’ll buy you something later on too. Please don’t end it Susie; I love you more than anything.” Her eyes shot to the cash. She licked her lips slowly and inhaled, you could see her chest rising. Susie had him just where she wanted him; she knew he would have given anything at that moment for her forgiveness. Money was her world and with that she stared into his eyes. He was waiting on her every word. Holding her two hands he squeezed them gently. “Forgive me Susie, I swear I’ll never, ever hurt you again.”

  She didn’t believe a word he said, but the money was staring back at her. She needed it more than ever. “Right, I have to get ready. Phone me later.” Ashley looked at her with endearing eyes. He looked relieved she’d forgiven him. Holding the bedroom door open she let him know she wanted him gone. With a quick kiss on her cheek Ashley left under protest. She shouted down to him as she heard him pounding down the stairs. “Go out the back way. Helen’s on the prowl so be careful.” The sound of the back door slamming could be heard. Lifting the blinds up from the window she watched him go out of the back gate. “Good riddance prick,” she muttered.

  Ashley was a crank and the sooner he was out of her life the better. How dare he think he could hurt her like that? Tim had given her a slap in the past but nothing like that. Looking around the bedroom she located her pink top and jeans. Her body was on fire and the pain she felt could be seen in her face. She found it hard to get dressed; every move she made caused her to howl out in pain. Checking the time, she knew she’d have to hurry. She had so much to do, before the visit.

  *

  Susie had been to Strangeways before, but that was years ago and Tim had been with her when they’d visited his mate. Today was a different story though, she was alone. Susie felt apprehensive.

  HMP Manchester, known locally as Strangeways, was notorious. It held some of the world’s most dangerous criminals. Murderers, rapists and armed robbers among them. The red bricks stood from the prison walls like each of them had a story to tell. The large tower was a local landmark and it looked like it held mystical, ominous powers. Looking up at it Susie wondered if anyone had ever been imprisoned up there in the past. It was like a tower in the “Disney” movie where a princess was trapped inside by an evil witch. Susie imagined Prince Charming climbing up it with haste, to free his true love. She loved a happy ending.

  Walking into the visitors’ centre, Susie dragged the bag that contained Tim’s property with her. She looked strained. Her boyfriend had only been in nick five minutes and the demands had started already. Tim’s trainers cost her £150. She could have spent that on the dress she’d seen in “Miss Selfridges” instead of wasting it on his sorry arse. Susie had thought about going to Bury New Road where snide trainers cost around forty quid, but she’d quickly changed her mind because she knew Tim would have been able to spot a fake trainer from a mile off. Tim was a poser and always wanted the best of everything. Bury New Road was well known for snide goods and she’d been there in the past with Tim to grab a few bargains. She never told any of her friends that she wore counterfeit goods. She had an image to maintain. Susie looked around the centre. Lots of other people were sat there too, waiting for their visits.

  Placing the heavy bag of property onto the counter, Susie stood waiting for the female screw to come from behind the hatch to help her. Did she think she had all day? Because as Susie watched her, she could see she was just sat chatting with another officer without a care in the world. “Excuse me,” Susie shouted as she tapped her fingernails on the side window.

  The warden turned her head and snarled at her angrily. “Will you just wait a moment, I’m talking? I’ll be with you in a minute.”

  She shot a look to Susie that would have killed. It was clear now that she’d have to wait until the warden had finished her conversation. Susie stood blowing; she stared at the other visitors. Her eyes rose towards the ceiling. “It’s a fucking joke this is. I mean you would think we’re the prisoners the way we get treated.” A few people in the visitors’ centre nodded their heads. They all knew the hard- knock life of being a prison visitor without her saying anything.

  The officer appeared at the window. Her face was cocky and she could see she’d pissed Susie off. “Who have you come to see?” she demanded, looking at Susie as if she was a piece of shit on the bottom of her shoe. Susie was in two minds whether to tell her to shove the visit up her fat arse but chewing down on her bottom lip she knew she had to hold her tongue.

  “Tim Marshall”.

  She wanted all the visitors to hear every word she said. No one was taking the piss out of her today. She’d just about had enough. The woman pencilled his name onto a large white book in front of her.

  “Are you bringing any property?” They stared at each other. Their eyes were fighting with the will to win. Susie dragged the trainers up to the counter along with his other stuff. The warden examined every inch of the trainers as if her life depended on it. Once she sealed the clothing into a large transparent bag she spoke.

  “Right take a seat. I will call you when it’s time to go over to the prison.” Susie saw a table not far from her and waited. The centre was so depressing. All the people who sat there had doom and gloom written across their faces. Susie didn’t think she belonged there and screwed her face up as she looked down her nose at the other visitors. Looking at the man at the side of her she ear- wigged as he spoke to his mate in a broad Mancunian accent. Susie was from Manchester too, but she never spoke like that. Well at least she didn’t think so.

  The women in the room sat looking like they were going out for a night on the tiles. They wore skirts up their arses and had make-up plastered all over their faces. They looked cheap with their Primark labels sticking out from their clothing. Even their false tan was streaky and looked orange.

  Kids ran about the visitors’ centre without a care in the world. There was nothing to keep them occupied except a few toys scattered in the corner of the room. Wheels were missing from the cars and the jigsaws were battered and chewed. Nobody seemed to care about the children who visited the
centre.

  A mother chased her toddler about the room looking stressed. Yanking her red mini skirt up, she tried to run in her black stilettos. “Get here you little bastard,” she whispered, as she screwed her face up at her child. Dragging him by the arm she gripped the back of his jumper and plonked him back on his seat. The kid was struggling and launching his fists into her legs. “You naughty boy,” she moaned. “Just wait until you get home.” Raising a smile to everyone nearby she tried to laugh it off. “I’m gonna waste the fucker when he gets out of here. It’s every time we come to this place. He’s always the same.”

  Her face dropped into her hands as she watched him break free again. He was like a cannonball, running round the place like a whippet. Looking at his mother the boy shouted in an angry voice. “Fuck off, fuck off.” The kid was only about three years of age and his mother just sat there shaking her head at him, she couldn’t cope. Susie watched the kid with shock. Her mouth was moving but her words were stuck. She wanted to grab the young woman by the hair and rag her about on the floor. It was her fault the boy was acting like this. You only had to look at her to know where he got his foul mouth from.

  The sound of a phone ringing could be heard. The visitors all seemed to know what was coming next. Susie watched as they all stood up. The foul mouthed woman was now trying to coax her son back to where she stood. “Come on son. We’re gonna see ya dad now. If you’re good, I won’t tell him you’ve been messing about in here.” The child rolled on the floor and his mother yanked him to her side. “Little bastard,” she muttered.

  The screw started to shout out the prisoner’s names. “Visits for Hayes, Johnson, Woods, Marshall.” Susie grabbed her money before she locked her bag inside one of the large grey lockers situated near the back of the room. She’d already been told that she could only bring £20 onto the visit. She double checked she had the right amount of money in her hands and clutched at it with a tight grip.