His scowl deepened and I thought I’d managed to get him to the point where he was so angry he couldn’t talk, but, unfortunately, it seemed like I’d lost my touch.
“I’m fine,” he growled as he leaned to the side, his wide stomach squashing against the table as he grabbed another bottle from beside him.
“Hm, I forgot how good it is to be home.” I tilted my head, as he whacked the neck of his bottle against the edge of the table, popping the cap. I’m sure I’d see a significant dent there from years of abuse if Sally hadn’t covered the table in a god-awful strawberry-patterned plastic table cloth.
I knew she was aiming for a sympathy vote, but it was a lot.
I was used to it by now, but it still burned to know that my mum thought I was fair game. When I was a kid, we focused on the real lowlifes, the kind of guys who got away with anything just because they had a bit of cash and a nice car. Now I earned enough money to fall into that category.
And look where that got me. Sitting in front of my family after destroying the man I loved while desperately trying to escape the fucking curse my mum had forced on me.
After all these years, I couldn’t wash the fucking dirt from my skin. I never deserved to be near him, not one moment in my life. Sitting in that house was a reminder that Harry was better than me in every way. Giving up on him was the smarter choice, so I didn’t dirty his life any more than I already had.
I was used to dealing with all my baggage myself, because I’d never wanted Harry to feel like I was using him. Even when I talked to him about my ‘family’ life, I felt guilty as fuck. I didn’t want to burden him, and I made everything a thousand times worse by shoving that onto him instead.
It was time to see how Sally and Terry would tackle me. I got to see myself reflected in them, lowlifes who would do anything to get what they wanted.
Terry cleared his throat and the twins quietened down. They knew it was coming as well. They were watching the three of us, noting the shift in tension as Terry put his hand on Sally’s.
“Dominic,” he said. I always bristled when he called me that. “We have something we would like to discuss with you.” He was actually being civil for once – another red flag.
I spent hours tackling cases for high-profile clients and standing in court facing down arseholes, yet it was more difficult to watch how Terry gave my mum a reassuring squeeze of her hand before continuing. Like I was hurting them.
“Go on.” I kept that smile on my face, the one that said I wasn’t taking any shit.
I flicked a look to Sally to see if she had any part of it. Sweet talking and ‘woe is me’ was her gig.
But she was looking at Terry with equally wide eyes. Because right as we sat down to eat was the worst fucking time to try it on. The food was going to go cold while we argued…
“Well, we really have been struggling recently,” he bemoaned. “As you can see, the house is just falling apart, and you heard how bad the car was. We don’t have any hot water either, since the boiler broke, and the girls… well, all of us, really, are having to live like this.”
I released a slow breath through my nose, holding myself back. Sally would at least treat me like a proper target by taking time to wear me down before springing up with her bullshit. Did he really think I was that fucking stupid?
Sally’s gaze swung to mine and she raised a brow, as if she was saying ‘Can you believe him?’
Because she taught me better than that.
I tended to keep myself contained, let them run their little spiel, and then firmly batted them away. But I’d come here under different circumstances. I didn’t know what was waiting for me when I went back. I’d essentially broken my own heart, and Harry’s trust along with it. I wasn’t in the mood to play the game I’d been forced into all my life.
My fingers clenched around my glass. “I’ve given you thousands over the years for exactly these things. And, somehow, miraculously, you’re still in the same situation.”
He shuffled awkwardly in his seat, as if he actually had a conscience. “Well, if the girls have any chance of going to university we need—”
“Really?” I asked, looking at both of them, sitting there across the table with absolutely no shame. “You’re honestly using that as your entry?”
“I think what he’s trying to say is that it’s good you’ve come at this time,” Sally said gently, like she thought she could wrap it up before any of us got nasty.
“Don’t bother,” I sighed. “Neither of you are salvaging this, so you can stop now.” My fingertips rode the top of my glass as I dropped it onto the table with a hollow thud.
“What did you say?” His tone was pierced with venom.
“I said no. I’m not taking part in this shit again. I’m not going through another year of you wasting this money on booze, drugs, and gambling.”
I watched as Terry’s face turned such a bold red that I was actually impressed, rushing all the way to the flop of hair still hanging onto his skull for dear life. I might have drawn back if I’d cared about his health. He was a heart attack waiting to happen, but I was more interested in what he would do next.
I was still amazed Sally had settled for someone like him.
“You know what?” I said. “Let’s just leave it. I didn’t come here for you.” There were still traces of pain rolling aroundinside me. That small child who still hoped that maybe one day she might love me as a son rather than as a tool. “I didn’t come here for this.”