“There she is,” Char says brightly as I walk into the kitchen. “How’s the head?”
“Oh it’s fine, just fine.” I wave my hand dismissively.
“That patch got a bit wet, might need changing.” Char gestures to the bedroom. “Go on and get yourself dressed, and I’ll do it while our tea cools off.”
“Sure thing.” I head across the sitting room to the bedroom door, Tank following me closely. I close the door behind me, something I would never normally do around Char, but at leastthis way Tank won’t go racing down the hallway and give Dom away.
I slather myself in lotion and peel away the soaked patch over my stitches, gently patting them dry. Once I’m dressed in loose pants and a tank top, I go back out into the kitchen, where Char is waiting with the little bag the doctor gave us, poring over the instructions.
“Dominic still not here?” Char asks, still frowning at the paper in her hand.
I swallow hard and perch on a stool. “No he is. Yeah, he’s asleep in the front room. He came over not long after we went to bed.”
“And?” She lifts her eyes to mine questioningly. “Did he beat the shit out of Paulie Hardcastle?”
“Let’s just say he warned him off. Hopefully he won’t be bothering me again.”
“Well, that’s all we want.” She stirs a spoon of sugar into my tea and slides it across the counter to me. “You sure you’re alright? With Archie being back and all that nonsense?”
I nod, taking a sip of my too-hot tea just to avoid answering, burning my tongue like an idiot. I feel like Dom just fucked any last signs of Archie out of me, and I can’t very well say that to Char right now.
“I’ll be glad to be done with him. That was all enough drama for me.”
Char wrinkles her nose, cradling her cup in her hands. “What do you think he’s going to do? With the club and all?”
“He’s going to walk in there tomorrow like nothing happened, just like he did here.”
“Do you really think so?” Char pulls a face. “You think he’d be that brazen?”
“Of course.” I warm my hands on the cup and shrug. “He’s come back expecting everyone to be thrilled, just becausehe’s Archie fucking Graves. He’s going to waltz into that club tomorrow, and act like he’s doing them all a favour by being back.”
Char snorts. “I don’t think that’s going to fly with Barry, and it sure as hell won’t fly with Dom.”
“No.” I shake my head slowly. “But I don’t think Archie’s prepared for the fact that for the first time in his life, there’ll be consequences.”
19
DOMINIC
The soundsof my phone buzzing wakes me, and I blink for a moment to get my bearings. Pale light colours the sky, but the sun isn’t up yet. It’s early.
I look around, and remember that I’m in Mia’s front room. I’m covered in a thick, fuzzy blanket, which she must have brought out for me some time during the night. When I actually did go to sleep on her couch, like an old bloody man.
My phone stops buzzing, then starts again.
I sit up and fish it out of the pocket of my trousers, seeing Barry’s name on the screen.
I swipe my thumb across the screen and put the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Sorry to call you this early,” Barry says, and he’s out of breath, as though he’s walking fast.
“That’s alright, what’s going on?” I rub my neck, which is stiff from lying at a strange angle on this couch. Fuck, getting old is exhausting.
“I got a call late last night that Archie’s back.” Barry huffs out a breath. “From Jordan Sumner.”
I sit up straighter. “Jordan?”
