Dom told me not to be alarmed when I saw my grandmother tied up—or worse—but it’s still a shock that she’s on the dirty warehouse floor on her knees. She’s wearing the neat, tailored trousers that are her trademark, with a turtleneck and pearls. And she has a black eye. Her reading glasses that hang around her neck are cracked.
But she’s bright eyed. Defiant.
I’m shaking as we approach the middle of the cavernous space.
“It’s alright,” Dom murmurs, his arm over my shoulder.
I trust him. I do. Dom told me the plan, yet I’m still nervous. What this man’s sons nearly did is fresh in my mind.
“Agatha.” Thaxted’s smile makes my skin crawl. “Welcome.” He’s a tall, skinny, blond man like his sons, with blue eyes and an oval face. He’s wearing a pink shirt with a pale blue sweater, tan trousers, and brown deck shoes, as though he’s going boating, not torturing my grandmother.
I don’t reply.
Dom’s grip on my shoulder tightens. “Let Mrs Hayes go.”
Thaxted barks a mean laugh. “Give me the girl first.”
“Don’t do this, either of you,” Granny says, gaze darting between Dom and me.
“I’m not leaving you.” My voice is steady, which I’m proud of.
“Taggie has my name, you know. We’re married,” Dom says to Thaxted. “And the Thaxted name will fade into obscurity.”
Thaxted’s face goes ugly with fury. “I won’t have my family polluted—”
Dom grins. “Too late. The curse is happening, isn’t it?”
“Your stupid bitch of a mother got what she deserved,” Thaxted spits, and glances at the younger man, also blond and blue-eyed, beside him. The cuckoo, I realise. Harrison.
“Taggie,” Granny says clearly. “I want you and your man to leave. Now. He killed your mother too.”
What? She knows what happened to my mother?
A cunning look crosses Thaxted’s face. “Richmond has been stalking you, Agatha. Aren’t you curious to know why?”
That’s not a denial, and though I never knew my mother, a burn of anger streaks through me.
“End this,” Granny insists. “Leave. Please.” Her eyes implore me.
I crowd closer to Dom. “And I don’t care.”
That stops Thaxted, but only for a second. “Aw,” he makes a fake sound of sympathy. “You haven’t told her why you actually want her, huh, Richmond?”
I feel Dom go stiff beneath my fingers.
“Harrison here will tell you that I usually wait until my children are twenty-one before I inform them about their superior heritage.” Thaxted gives Harrison a proud glance. “I made an exception for you and sent three of my sons to fetch you early, since you’re the last of my children.”
For a second I can’t process what he means.
“I’m your father, Agatha,” Thaxted says, low but confident.
The statement reverberates through me like an earthquake. I stagger, and Dom goes to grasp my waist. I spin on my heel, and step away from him. For my whole life, I’ve wanted to know who my father was.
Now I do. And he’s the enemy of my fake-husband-fiancé. It’s shattering. My mind explodes.
“Whatever he’s done to you, we’ll avenge,” Thaxted says. “With me, you’ll be the princess you were born to be.”
“The only reason you got my daughter pregnant is because you came so early, you pathetic excuse for a deadbeat.” Granny is really angry.
“Shut up!” he snarls and raises his hand.
“You think you can scare an old lady?” She shakes her head. “My daughter was better off without you.”
“Richmond came after you to get to me,” Thaxted says, sounding reasonable, moving away from Granny and towards me. “Because you’re my daughter.”
“Don’t listen to that discount sperm bank reject,” Granny says.
“Is this true?” I turn and ask Dom faintly. Why didn’t he tell me?
“Taggie—” he begins, voice full of regret.
“Is it true?” I demand loudly.
Dom swallows.
“Just go, and live your life,” Granny insists.
“He’s been lying to you, Agatha,” Thaxted says. “He’s using you to get at me.”
That can’t be right. It can’t.
“You’re part of his pathetic revenge attempt. He seduced you. He’s been manipulating you.” Thaxted is smug now.
“No.” Dom’s single word is low and certain.
And maybe if my insecurities were a smidge more, I’d fall for this. What Thaxted is saying is so plausible. Except for one thing.
Dom stalked me, I already knew that. And yes, our marriage is fake.
But the seduction? Worst seduction ever.
There was nothing conniving in what Dom did, even if it was morally… Well. I’d say grey. But it’s not. It’s black.
Coming to my room. Jerking off. But it was me who pushed him further. It was me who lay, naked, and let him assume I was fast asleep. Who left my door open.
I invited him, because I wanted him. He’s a mafia boss, and he told me not to leave my door unlocked. And I don’t think without my encouragement we’d ever have gone further than sweet kisses in public and him satisfying his needs with his hand while I slept.
He’s red flag bunting. But in his own fucked-up way, I believe that Dom was trying to be honourable. Trying to save me from his overpowering desire.
“You’re a pawn in his game, Agatha,” says Thaxted. “Don’t you want to be an Essex princess?”
“Get out, Taggie,” Granny sounds panicked now, pleading.
I don’t think I’m a pawn to Dom.
Those nights… I’m not expendable to him. That sort of obsession isn’t faked.
“You’re my queen,” Dom says softly. “He ignored you for twenty years, Taggie. I couldn’t stay away from you for even one night. You’re my soul. My compass.”
“A green flag to your red,” I add, and reach out my hand.
Dom’s takes it immediately, his eyebrows furrowed like he has no idea what I mean. Which, fair. He probably doesn’t spend as much time watching videos on the internet as I do.
“Anything, Taggie,” he says hoarsely and grips my fingers as though I might tumble into a ravine unless he keeps his grip on me. “I’ll do anything.”
“Then I’m staying with you,” I say.
He holds my gaze for a long moment, and even though we haven’t communicated as well as we should have until now, I see him understand. Enact the plan. He told me how he had Harrison in place in Thaxted’s inner circle, and how he’d schemed to make Thaxted suffer losses to his family for years more, but that he’d give that up for me.
“You choose for your granny to die, then,” Thaxted drawls as he strides over then reaches down to grasp Granny’s hair, dragging her backwards.
“No!” I can’t help but shriek, and lunge towards her instinctively. Granny cries out, but then goes silent, her face creased with pain.
Thaxted grins and shoves her away brutally, hitting the concrete since her hands are tied. “Better choice. Bring the girl to me.”
The nearest of Thaxted’s men makes a grab for my wrist, and I jerk backwards.
“Touch her and die.” Dom’s voice is dark and threatening, sending a shudder down my spine. I know how serious he is about that. I remember the blood.
Thaxted laughs. “You overestimate your power in this situation, Richmond. You London boys always have. You don’t have the stomach for mafia work, not really.” He glances down with a sneer at Granny. “Coming to save a little old lady.”
“I want you to know, Thaxted, before you die, who has been torturing you,” says Dom calmly. “I’ve slaughtered all your children, bar one.”
“What?” Thaxted blusters, but something flickers in his face. A slice of uncertainty.
“Kill him.”
The young man at Thaxted’s elbow steps forwards. A squeal of alarm emits from me like I’m a small furry animal in danger. But Harrison isn’t making for me, or Granny.
It’s a blur. A gunshot bursts and echoes in the warehouse, then more, and I’m pulled tight into Dom’s chest.
Hiding is all I can do as terror rips through me, only stopping where Dom and I touch. I shake.
“Harrison isn’t your son, he’s my spy.” Dom sneers as there’s a watery gurgle. Blood, I realise. As Thaxted dies. “I already killed your last biological son, and your precious male lineage dies with you, Thaxted. The new leader of Thaxted works for me.”
There’s another choking sound, then hush apart from someone sobbing with fear.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Dom says in a totally different voice. “I have you. I promised no one would ever hurt you again, and I meant it.”
Me, I realise, as I remain tucked close to the man I love as he gives gruff orders. I’m crying. I clutch at Dom, not daring to look. “Granny?”
“I’m alive,” my grandmother’s voice rings out, sounding stronger than a woman who has been kidnapped has a right to.
Turning, I see Harrison helping her to her feet, her hands already freed.
“Granny.” She’s bruised, and shaking, but she raises her eyebrows archly. “This is the man who saved you, I suppose. Who you know from university.”
I flush. Oh no. I’d forgotten about that. “I thought—”
“A pleasure to meet you, Mrs Hayes,” Dom interjects, and offers his hand, keeping an arm around me. “I’ve been looking after your granddaughter, and I love her. We’re going to get married as soon as the wedding can be planned.”
“Hmm.” She looks him up and down. “I suppose you’ll do.”
My mouth falls open.
“What?” Granny says, brushing off her top. “I think I can give him a chance, all things considered.”
I look down at Thaxted, and the pool of blood oozing out onto the floor, then over at Harrison. “So that’s it?”
“That’s it.” Dom strokes the hair out of my face lovingly and his eyes glimmer with a rich brown. “It’s over. Time for a wedding and the happily ever after.”
