Chapter 3 #3
“With the club. Come to games, attend events, that kind of thing.”
I scoff out a laugh. “I don’t give a shit about the club.”
“Yes you do, and I know you care about those players.” Dominic gazes at me intently. “I think it’s important for us to look like a united front right now. Stop any stupid rumours from swirling about.”
“Rumours?” I snap. “What kind of bloody rumours?”
“The stupid shit people say, that you pushed Archie out or made him run away, I-”
“Is that what people are saying?” Rage flushes my face, and I plant my hands on my hips. “That I’m the reason Archie left? That I’m the reason he bloody cheated on me?”
Dominic holds his hands up like he’s just angered a dangerous snake. “Look, it was mentioned in the meeting today that people are going to talk shit, alright? And no one wants this situation to get any worse, so we just thought-”
“Oh you just thought, did you?” I take a step closer and glare up at him. “You just thought you could all blame me for the shit your son has caused for fucking years?”
“It’s not like that, I promise.”
“Is that what you think, Dom?” I jab him in his stupid broad chest with my nail. “Do you think I ran your son off because I’m a bad wife?”
“No, that’s not - fuck.” Dom grabs my hand in both of his, staring down at me with a frown. “I don’t want this whole situation to hurt you more than it has. I want to look after you, and make sure nothing blows back on you.”
I try to yank my hand free, but he holds fast. “I do not need any one of you looking after me, do you understand? I’m doing just fine.”
“You don’t need to keep pushing us all away, Mia.”
“Just fuck off, Dom.” I pull my hand out of his grasp, although I’m pretty sure he let me go. “You’re not my dad, and you’re not my family, alright?”
“I am your family.”
I hold up a hand. “Save it. You’ve never liked me, and you will never like me, and if you want me to play some part in the PR campaign for the club so your son doesn’t ruin your precious reputation, count me out.”
He doesn’t protest, just watches me slam the door in his face. His shoulders draw up in what’s probably a heavy sigh, and with his hands back in his coat pockets, he heads down the path, through the rain and into the night.
I storm back into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of wine that’s probably a little too generous, while Char watches me as though she’s watching an unexploded bomb.
“Wanna talk about it?” She asks carefully.
“He wants me to be more present,” I say in a huff. “He wants me to be some face of the club so they know that I’m on their side and not that I caused Archie to run away or something.”
Char sucks in a breath through her teeth. “They?”
“The press, the fucking fans, the-the-everybody.”
“The Everybody does like to talk shit.”
I whirl around to face her, fury still coursing through me. “You really think people would say something like that? That anyone would even believe it?”
“Hey, darling, just a little reminder, I am actually on your side, so let’s just take a deep breath.
” She gives me a smile and shakes her head.
“I think people are going to want to give him a free pass, because he’s a pretty man child with big blue eyes and dark hair from a family that has more money than the queen.
Blaming you, when people know you’re not a big fan of the club, that’s easy.
Means they can still like him when he comes back. ”
The truth of her words settles into my gut. “I’ve really set myself up for this, haven’t I?”
“Being in the public eye sets you up for everything, unfortunately.”
I slump into the stool next to her with a sigh. “Fucking hell.”
“Listen, I think Dom’s probably not wrong.
” Char reaches over to take my hand. “If you show support to the club, and to the family, it puts you on the side of the fans. It makes Archie look like a right twat, and that means it’ll be harder for him when he gets back.
Because people do like you, even if they call you the Northern Nightmare. ”
“I do like the idea of his life being harder,” I mumble, and Char laughs.
“I thought you might.” She meets my eyes with a smile. “Listen, babes, this is all going to get a lot messier before it gets better, and having people on your side is going to help.”
“You mean when I divorce him?”
“If that’s what you decide to do, yeah.” Char reaches out to stroke a hand over my head.
“I love you, you know? And I love that you’re this fierce independent badass who tells big men like Dominic Graves to fuck off.
But right now, you have a chance to look like the most slighted princess in the history of the Premier League, and make that work to your advantage.
Fuck Archie Graves and his little slag, whoever she is. Make his downfall your success.”
I nod slowly, taking another sip of wine. “Yeah. I like that.”
Char gives me another one of her dazzling smiles. “And cosy right on up to your father-in-law. Make them believe it. Because you know everyone bloody loves him.”