Chapter 21
Dom
I knew exactly what she was doing, and I wasn’t falling for it again.
I used to feel so fucking awkward sitting there in my Armani suits while they were stuck eating such cheap meals.
The first night I came back I transferred five thousand to Sally’s account to give them a boost for the next two months.
As soon as my wages increased, I gave them everything I could to provide for them.
I bought them a car, I paid all their bills, I made sure my sisters had whatever they needed for school.
Yet, when I came home, it was always the same.
My sisters were on my left, chattering away as Mum sat at the top of the table, watching us with a tense glare. I couldn’t quite tell who she was more annoyed at: me, for turning up unexpectedly, or Terry, for triggering me.
I used to take the girls clothes shopping until I discovered Mum and Terry were selling off everything I bought them. I used to buy them bikes and phones and laptops and it all vanished after it got into my parents’ hands.
Looking at both of them now had me shifting in my seat.
Terry dressed in a ragged shirt and worn-out jeans while Sally put herself in a frayed blouse and a faded skirt.
My hand clenched harder around my glass of water as my foot tapped under the table on the cheap black and white linoleum, and I used the movement to keep myself grounded
Because it wasn’t discomfort that was setting my teeth on edge, oh no. It was pure rage tearing me from the inside.
I really couldn’t believe the sheer fucking audacity of the two of them.
Even though I’d dealt with it all my life.
Sally would sell off a ￡10 tin of biscuits just to make a profit, and they still had the nerve to sit there looking at me like I’d betrayed them.
Harry was the only one who got to look at me like that.
If I wasn’t so fucking mad, I would’ve been proud of myself. I slept for all of five hours before the girls got up and I drove them to school. And then it was seven hours of doing everything I could to subtly piss Terry off.
Which mainly involved working in the living room and looking up to smile at him every now and again. But it was worth it to see pink anger etched into his skin. And it didn’t matter how furious he got, he wouldn’t dare start shit when I was there.
At least when he didn’t have any drinks in him.
Terry was clearly overjoyed by the fact I had placed myself directly to his left, given the way he drained his beer and slammed the bottle on the tabletop hard enough to rattle it.
“Would you like another? You finished that pretty fast. You want to keep up your streak, don’t you? That’s only five and it’s just 6PM. Still got a long way to go.”
“Dom!” Sally hissed, and I flicked her a glance.
My commitment to peace was almost non-existent.
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 around inside 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.”
“Then get out,” Terry snapped. “This is my house. I make the rules. You don’t get to burst in here and tell me how to treat my family.”
I blinked slowly before looking at Mum with a sarcastic smile. We both thought the same thing. We knew exactly who it all belonged to. Even though I despised the fact that I was essentially their cash cow, it was still a joke that Terry thought he had any footing.
“Oh, yeah, just keep going,’’ I said to Terry. “You’re doing such a good job of convincing me to leave.”
I blew out a breath as I looked at the girls, who were awkwardly eating the last of their food.
“You don’t make decisions in this house!” he shouted.
“Sure.” I pushed my chair back from the table, focused on that barely existent calm place inside me. “I’m done here anyway.”
The only thing I knew was that I wasn’t leaving my sisters when Terry was set to blow.
“Tammy, Janie, come on,” I said as I rose. “You can stay with me for the next week while our parents figure out their priorities.” I shot Sally a glare.
I should have booked us a place when I arrived, but it had been the middle of the night.
I had images of Sally and Terry going through their rooms and selling anything not stuck to the ground. They had done it before when I took the girls on holiday for a weekend.
Sally’s face quickly twisted from amused to a deep snarl, and I knew I was really in for it.
“Don’t you move a fucking muscle,” Terry yelled at my sisters, and both of them flinched.