The Bet: Repercussions YES

This is a story about how a bet between a group of self-important, entitled football (soccer) players ended up causing repercussions far beyond anything they had envisaged as they tangled with the wrong man. A man who had far more power than they expected and he used it.

There is no sex in this story. This is his fight for justice.

My name is Gordon Bryson. Before I get to the event which blew up my world, I'll give you some background.

I'm in my mid-forties and run our family firm. It is one of the biggest employers in the country with slightly more than 5000 employees over a number of divisions. Every week I receive offers from hedge funds to buy us out. They would move 80% of the jobs abroad. I could never do that to my staff. I pay them well and make sure we look after them. If someone is ill or has to look after an ill partner or child, we support them. Some, women especially, ask to leave to look after an ill parent or parents. I give them a leave of absence so that if they wish they have a job to come back to.

I also employ a number of people who had been in trouble with the law. Everyone deserves a second chance (with a few crimes excepted).

I'm not a saint but I believe if you show you care people are happier and work better. They have helped build the company after all.

I support a lot of charitable work in the community. Without that community, where would I get my staff from?

My wife Kirsty is a couple of years younger than me and still the most beautiful woman I know. I would die for her and she would die for me, or so I thought. We have three children, aged 18,16, and 13 who were very badly affected by the events.

Outside work and family, I had a lifelong passion for our local football team. The team betrayed that!

I know that if this had happened to one of my machinists, they couldn't have extracted the revenge which I did. Probably no more than 1 in 50000, if not more could.

The single event which started all the subsequent actions occurred just over six months ago.

It started like a normal day. A Friday in late July. Kirsty and I spoke at breakfast about our plans for the day. I had a business meeting at a hotel with a prospective new client which should be clear by six or seven pm. She was heading out with her girlfriends for a meal and they thought about going onto a club for a dance. I didn't mind. I fully trusted Kirsty and the group were all in solid marriages. I told her, "Your feet probably feel relieved that I won't be there standing on them."

She laughed as she kissed me goodbye. There was enough in the kiss to suggest I delay my plans for work. I was about to take her up on the invitation when our daughter Sarah came downstairs. Don't you just hate school holidays.

I set off to work and worked all morning. The meeting was at two but just before my team and I were to head to the hotel, we received word a large electrical outage had happened and the hotel had no power. It took a few more hours to rearrange hotels as we needed one with conference facilities to make the presentations.

The meeting finally began around 4.30 pm and we broke around 7.00 for a meal. The discussions were good and eventually we finished around 10.45. We had covered a lot of ground and both parties felt we would be working together soon. All in all, a good day!

By the time we had collected everything and had a drink (in my case non-alcoholic) at the bar it was probably just after 12.

I had just left the hotel entrance and was making my way to my car when I heard my wife's voice. I was shocked when I looked and saw her arm in arm with one of the football team's so called star players. I thought he was cheating, diving arse. They were walking from the nearby club towards the hotel. When he moved his arm around her and drew her in to kiss her, my shock gave way to mad, bloody mad!

I stormed up to them, shouting at the bastard to get his hands of my wife. He just smirked and kissed her again. She wasn't protesting. I don't think she realised I was approaching. My peripheral vision saw two thugs, doormen from the club heading in our direction. Made sense, the club is owned by the football club chairman, Tolbert.

As I got within a few yards of them, Kirsty saw me. To say she was surprised would be mild. Maybe if the lighting had been better, I may have spotted a clue behind her behaviour.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she shouted, alarm showing on her face.

"I could ask you the same. What are you doing in this bastard's arms?" My tone showing how mad I was.

"I'm having a good time. We're going to fuck the night away. I'll come home sometime soon!" she giggled.

I looked at Devon cunt Smith, chief diver and general arsehole. When he saw my eyes, his smirk left his face.

"You won't be playing football for long! You've truly fucked up arsehole!"

I turned to Kirsty and tried to pull her away. He kept hold of her.

"What the fuck's up with you? What do you think will happen? If you go with him, don't come home, ever again. The kids and I don't need a whore!"

Kirsty killed me when she screamed, "I need a man, a young cock not an old man. I've hated you for years!"

The smirk came back on his face. I lost any composure I may have had and went to knock him into tomorrow but the thugs grabbed me. I struggled like hell but they had me. Arsehole and my wife walked away towards the hotel.

The thugs watched them go and then punched me to the ground and kicked me to bits. "Let it go. She'll be back!" They laughed as they walked towards the hotel.

I made my way towards my car or rather staggered holding my ribs. I couldn't think straight. I ran into Kirsty's friend Dee. She saw me bleeding and asked what had happened. She said something about a number of women acting very strange. She was going to try and stop Kirsty. This wasn't Kirsty, something was wrong, seriously wrong.

I let her go. I was mad, bloody mad. To my shame, I never took in Dee's words. I never thought about Kirsty just getting revenge.

I called Trevor, a senior manager who was working on my firm sponsoring the football team.

"Trevor, I'm sorry for calling so late. Have we signed the sponsorship deal with the club?"

Trevor was surprised, "No! What's up?"

I must have sounded mad, angry or worse when I shouted, "The club condone their players fucking other men's wives. I'm not sponsoring them. They will not get a penny from me."

Trevor gasped, "Kirsty!"

"Yes!"

"Fuck me, there's something wrong, Kirsty would never cheat on you."

"She left with Devon cunt Smith. Tolbert's thugs worked me over when I tried to stop it."

"Okay, I'll pull the deal. I'll let Marion know. What do you need me to do now?"

"We can't do anything just now but I'll call in the morning. I have to think."

I made my way home, well it was a house, it was no longer a home.

Fortunately, the kids were in bed. I sat in my den trying to work out what I needed to do. I checked the divorce laws for an idea of what would happen. That wasn't good.

I telephoned the bank, their 24-hour service. I spoke with a nice man and told him I needed new current and savings accounts as I needed to transfer sums from my present accounts. He stalled saying he couldn't arrange that on the phone. I asked to speak with his supervisor. He explained they couldn't do that as although they had all my details and documents supporting those, these can only be done in the branch.

"Well, it looks like I'll be going to another bank in the morning. After that I'll ensure all my business accounts are transferred to them as well."

The supervisor probably saw how much business they would lose. "The manager is in at 8.30 am. I'll have him call you immediately and set up a meeting with you to do as you ask."

I agreed, "If I don't hear by 8.45, I'll go elsewhere."

He promised I would.

As I sat back, I was mentally totally drained. The adrenaline was going so my body felt every movement. Those thugs will pay. I shut down my mobile and pulled out the house phone cable. I fell asleep in my chair. It was a restless sleep.

It was about 3.30 am when there was loud banging on my front door. I roused myself. It was the Police. I answered the door.

The constable asked, "Are you Gordon Bryson?"

I nodded.

"Mr Bryson, I'm sorry to say that your wife was assaulted earlier this morning at the Mount Hotel. She is presently undergoing surgery at the hospital. She's in a very serious, potentially life-threatening condition. They suggest that you should be there."

"Have you arrested Devon cunt Smith for it? He's the bastard she was with." My tone caused the Constable's eyebrows to rise.

He replied, "I'm sorry, I don't know anything more than what I was asked to tell you. Do you need a lift to the hospital?"

"No, I'm good to drive." He left. I called Kirsty's parents and informed them. I wasn't going to see the whore. They didn't like what I told them. "That's not Kirsty talking," they said. Like I hadn't heard the fucking words!

Something in me, suggested the Police weren't trustworthy. Despite what Kirsty had done, I didn't want what happened to be swept under the carpet. I called my chief of security. I apologised for waking him and explained everything. My biggest fear was Tolbert destroying evidence. My mind was seeing him laughing in the doorway as I was assaulted by his thugs. Iain said to leave it with him, he would call out some staff and they would go to the Mount and find out what had happened. He would call around 8 with an update.

My mind was in turmoil. Life-threatening! I wanted to go to be near her but what she had said had eviscerated me. She "needed a young cock, had hated me for years!" I couldn't go. I couldn't get back to sleep, my mine was in turmoil!

At 7, I showered and made myself breakfast. Sarah, my eldest came downstairs. She was shocked at how I looked. I'd noticed the black eyes and cut lip when I showered. My body ached everywhere. I told her, her mum was in hospital and was in surgery. Her look asked the question.

"No, I did not assault your mum. Two bouncers from the club assaulted me as I tried to stop your mum going with one of the footballers to the hotel."

Sarah was shocked, "Mum would never do that to you. She would die rather than hurt you!" she screamed.

Sarah's screams brought Kathryn and Gordon down. They backed Sarah.

I told them I had things to see about but if they wished to go to the hospital, go. I wasn't going anywhere near their mum.

My words shocked them. They were crying. It bit deeply into me but I couldn't get Kirsty's words out of my mind.

I remembered to switch on my phone and plugged in the landline.

Iain called on 8.

His "Gordon, we need to speak face to face. It's worse than you think. I want to call in Roslyn as we need her computer expertise."

"Iain, we can meet at the office around ten. I may be late but I'll be there. I have something I need to do first. Call out Roslyn and whoever else you need."

I had just got off the phone when it went again. It was Pete, Dee's husband. He's a lovely guy, level-headed and calm. He was none of those. He was fucking angry.

"Gordon, I thought I would see you at the hospital. Dee's in surgery now. Kirsty's just out. The bastards did a number on both. Do you know why?"

I told Pete what I knew. He was swearing like a trooper. He was even madder if that was possible. He would come to the meeting with Iain. Pete's the best defence lawyer in town. He does have values so doesn't defend the indefensible.

At 8.34 the bank manager called. He apologised but the documents I had used to open the original accounts were out of date. If I could bring my birth certificate, passport and utility bill, he would create the new accounts. The branch opened at 9.30 but if I wished to come earlier, he would open the door for me. He gave me his phone number to call. I told him I would be there as soon as possible as I had a few things to do.

I transferred half our savings and current account to my new accounts. After I saw him, I headed for my meeting with Iain and Pete.

If I thought what had happened was bad before, after this; it was total war!

Along with Iain were two other security staff Diane and Cody, as well as Pete and Trevor. Roslyn arrived a few minutes later offering her apologises. I told her it was me who should apologise disrupting her weekend off.

My appearance shocked them. Black eyes are not a good look. I was struggling to stay upright as my ribs ached.

Iain began in a tone I've never heard from him before. He's normally calm, pragmatic. He was totally pissed off and bloody angry.

"We will have to move fast to secure all the evidence. Tolbert is already trying to ensure this incident never happened. I don't think the Police are going to be involved if they can avoid it."

That shocked everyone.

"What we have so far won't get them to a court. We've spoken to a few nightclub staff despite Tolbert and his goons having already threatened them to stay silent or else. We need time to separate the staff and take proper statements. Some won't be silenced because they see what happened as so fucking wrong. They will lose their jobs. There is something else they have not been forthcoming with but they are terrified of him."

I interrupted, "If they lose their jobs helping us, we give them jobs, paying them what they were earning if more than that job pays. No one loses for doing the right thing."

Iain smiled as he continued.

"Seven of the players at the club have a bet. £250 a month they pay into a pot and at the end of the season whoever wins collects the pot. The bet is on how many married women they can screw. Each woman has a score based on their social status. Last night, Kirsty, Dee and the others entered the club. They were all high scorers.

"The players don't take chances. They tell two particular bar staff which woman they fancy, and their drink is doctored. Whatever they use, the woman cannot say no. They head to the hotel with their prizes and when all are there, they head to the rooms where they rape the women.

"The doctor treating Kirsty and Dee was advised to test for date rape drugs but was reluctant to take samples from them. Tolbert's thugs had already been there but I ensured he soon saw the error of his ways. The samples were taken by Cody to a lab we use. We'll get the results soon.

"Because of everything I felt Kirsty and Dee may be in danger, so I have Mark and David protecting them. They've had a run in with two thugs this morning."

I nodded; they were well versed in unarmed combat. It was shocking they tried to get at them in the hospital. I was learning not to be shocked at whatever came up.

"Last night, Kirsty was drugged, I'm sure of that. Dee wasn't as she was drinking water from a bottle with a spike proof top.

"Gordon when you confronted Smith and Kirsty, you set something off in her. The thugs who beat you up were sent there by Tolbert to protect Smith. If he known who you were, I don't know if he would have. We're trying to get CCTV footage of that incident."

I interrupted, "I'm sure I saw Tolbert laughing at the door of the club as the thugs beat me up!"

Iain continued, "In the hotel this is what happened. It's not nice so if you don't want to see, I'll not play it."

Pete spoke. "Play it. I'm just about ready to kill someone so if it's that bad I'll have a reason to rip them limb from limb!"

I nodded.

"Before I start, after this incident Tolbert himself came to the hotel. He spoke to two of the cops before they came in. He didn't realise he had been seen. The cops demanded the CCTV footage from the manager. Tolbert's two thugs nearby probably helped persuade him to hand it over. He handed it to the two cops who I'm certain gave it to Tolbert. The cops didn't leave the standard production receipt. Something was passed between them, both ways. I'm sure he's disposed of the film but he made a bloody big mistake.

"The security manager had seen the start on the monitors and ordered his staff through to help. He recognised who was involved, the players, so he made sure the CCTV was downloading to the cloud and on another system which is why we have it. Although he's fairly new, he was already suspicious about the players but only learned of the extent last night as he'd had no contact with them."

Iain played the recording. It didn't have audio but Iain added what was happening, based on what they had learned from the staff.

Initially the players were talking about their bet and rating the women they had with them. The looks of desire on Kirsty's friends' faces were nauseating.

Smith and Kirsty came in. He was happy, very happy. She is beautiful, the most beautiful amongst that group. Okay, I'm biased. He went to his colleagues and they high fived each other. They agreed that Kirsty was the best so gave her more points. They would record what they did so they would earn points. One for a fuck, two for a blowjob, four for anal and a bonus ten for all holes plus a facial.

It appeared to be just a game to them. I was getting more and more mad. Pete was the same.

Dee came in and she was bloody mad. She went up to Kirsty and pulled her roughly away from Smith.

Dee was shouting in Kirsty's face, "They beat up Gordon. What the fuck are you doing with this cunt? He's a worthless piece of shit!"

Kirsty appeared to take notice of what Dee was shouting as she gasped, "Gordon!"

Smith was visibly angry; he came up to Dee and punched her in the gut. As she collapsed; he kicked her in the ribs and face. Kirsty reacted and began hitting Smith. Two other players, Mahers and Bassing went to help Smith. They punched Kirsty to the ground. The other women were screaming. Smith, Mahers and Bassing kicked the living daylights out of Kirsty and Dee.

It was soon obvious they were unconscious. They moved like rag dolls at each kick. There was blood everywhere! The two thugs who had assaulted me had watched initially but must have realised their lives were in danger so thankfully pulled the players off them. It was 25-30 seconds of brutal butchery!

The hotel's security arrived and a few minutes later an ambulance and Police. Tolbert was soon there probably called by his thugs. He spoke with the Police and the bastards let the players leave. The hotel manager complained but was told to shut the fuck up. Tolbert just smiled and said, "Nothing happened here!" His look was highly menacing.

It took the paramedics at least twenty minutes to triage Kirsty and the same for Dee before they could set off for the hospital. Neither appeared to regain consciousness. Another ambulance had appeared to help.

When it was finished, I asked Iain, "What do we need to do?"

Iain replied, matter of factly, "What do you want to do? Forget this ever happened or take the bastards down?" Ian's tone showed no matter what I said, the bastards were going down, legally or illegally!

I thought for a moment.

"As far as I'm concerned this is war. I've pulled my proposed sponsorship deal with the team. I will remove every penny I spend with any company which deals with him. I want them jailed for rape. If not, their cocks and balls cut off and their legs so broken they won't be able to play football ever again.

"You said they recorded what they did with the women. Is it possible we could access their computers or their phones that may yield recordings of the rapes? If the Police were paid off, we'll do it ourselves and give the evidence to the Procurator Fiscal. They'll go down as well.

"Iain, I don't have to tell you your job. Tolbert will know you are snooping so your staff may be in danger. Be wary of that. I'll back everything you do."

Pete jumped in, "I'll help. A good defence lawyer knows what evidence kills your defence. I'll make sure you get everything so we can place that bastard and these cunts in their coffins. I'll gladly put them in the crematorium ovens."