Back in the Game

by Caz Finlay

  ‘We shouldn’t do this at all.’

  Michael bent to kiss his daughter’s cheek before walking out of Grace’s kitchen.

  Why did he let her get to him so much? The sooner she moved back to Harewood, the better for everyone.

  Chapter 58

  Libby handed Grace a cup of hot coffee as she took a seat beside her in the booth. Grace closed her laptop and turned to give Libby her full attention.

  ‘How’s things? Has Maria forgiven you for staying out all night yet?’ Grace asked.

  Libby shook her head, her blonde ponytail swishing across her shoulders. ‘No chance; she’s going to keep making me pay for that until at least after Valentine’s Day.’

  Laughing, Grace took a sip of her coffee.

  ‘Oh God, here she comes,’ Libby snorted, inclining her head to indicate Ali, one of the club’s barmaids. Ali wasn’t exactly a favourite among her colleagues, but she was a hit with the punters – especially the male ones. It wasn’t like Libby to comment on such matters though, and Grace wondered what had prompted her sudden dislike of the girl.

  ‘What’s she done now then?’ Grace asked.

  ‘She’s always been a haughty bitch, but since she started screwing the boss she’s become bloody unbearable.’

  ‘Jake?’ Grace snapped. Surely not? Jake wouldn’t cheat on Siobhan, certainly not right under her nose.

  ‘No, sorry. Not our boss. I meant the lads’ boss, Michael.’

  Grace felt the skin on her face flush instantly. Michael? How could he?

  ‘I thought you knew. You and him aren’t still … are you?’

  ‘No. No, of course not,’ Grace said, shaking her head. Libby, along with the rest of the staff, now knew that Michael was Belle’s father. It annoyed her that so many people knew about her business, and the rumour mill had been in overdrive until she, Jake and Michael had put a stop to it. But Libby was one of the few people whom Grace had told the truth. She trusted her and Libby had yet to prove her wrong. She had kept her own counsel even when her colleagues had been desperate for any salacious gossip.

  Picking up her coffee, Grace asked Libby about her upcoming trip to Spain to meet Maria’s parents. Anything to change the subject. Libby chattered away, but Grace was only half listening. All she could think about was Michael – and Ali. Ali with her long legs and her beautiful smile. What did she expect? That Michael would pine away without her? Of course not. But she at least expected that he wouldn’t start screwing one of their barmaids.

  Libby’s break finished and she headed back to the bar. The club started to get busy so Grace took her paperwork to her office. Hearing giggling as she opened the door, she saw Ali and Michael standing by the desk, his hands on her tiny waist.

  ‘I was just leaving, Grace,’ Ali purred as she brushed past Grace and out of the door.

  ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,’ Grace said to Michael after Ali had left.

  ‘You didn’t,’ he said, his tone clipped.

  ‘That’s not what I’ve heard,’ she sniped.

  He laughed. ‘Well, I certainly wouldn’t be fucking her in our office, would I?’

  ‘Really?’ Grace raised an eyebrow at him.

  He walked towards her until his body was barely an inch from hers. She could feel the heat radiating from him. Hear his breathing. Smell his aftershave. He was as close to her as humanly possible without touching her, invading every inch of her personal space. She could understand why he was so terrifying to people, but she’d never felt threatened by him in her life. He leaned in close, his lips grazing her skin as he whispered in her ear. ‘For you, I made an exception.’

  ‘Well, if you’re planning on bringing her to Belle’s birthday party, let me know and I’ll set another place at the kids’ table,’ she said breezily. She would never let him know that he got to her.

  ‘Will do,’ he said, and smiled before walking out of the office.

  Grace sat on the chair, her heart pounding in her chest. Was every encounter with him going to be like that now? She hoped not. She couldn’t take much more of the tension.

  Chapter 59

  Grace was manhandling a tray of hot sausage rolls out of the oven when she heard the doorbell ring. She groaned. Everyone else she’d invited was here so it had to be Michael. She hoped he hadn’t brought Ali with him. Grace could do without watching the pair of them fawning all over each other all afternoon. She’d never been a jealous woman, but something about Ali and Michael together brought out the green-eyed monster in her.

  ‘I’ll get it, Mum,’ she heard Jake calling from the hallway and she shouted her thanks to him. She cursed herself for not making more effort with her appearance, but she’d been tending to visitors all day. Now that Belle’s parentage was no longer a secret, every man and his dog wanted to wish her happy birthday and arrange playdates with their children. Placing the tray of food onto the kitchen worktop, she smoothed her hair with her hands and hoped she looked at least halfway presentable as she made her way out into the hallway to greet her newest guest.

  Grace was relieved to see Michael had come alone. Well, apart from the five-foot stuffed unicorn he’d brought with him.

  ‘Grace,’ he said curtly.

  ‘Everyone’s in the back room,’ she said. ‘We’ve all been waiting for you.’

  ‘Well, I got a bit caught up,’ he said defensively.

  ‘Have to drop your girlfriend off at school?’ Grace sniped.

  ‘Oh, fuck off, Grace,’ he snapped as he walked past her to the back room.

  ‘Bloody hell, Mum. What was that about?’ Jake asked, having watched the exchange. ‘I thought you two were trying to be adults about this. You know, for Belle?’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry. It’s nothing.’ Grace sighed. ‘He just brings out the worst in me.’

  ‘Don’t let him get to you,’ said Jake as he put a reassuring arm around her shoulders. ‘Come on, let’s get back in there.’

  ***

  It was early evening when Belle finally fell asleep, having crashed from a massive sugar overdose, and her party guests started to leave. Finally, there was only Jake, Siobhan and the Carters left.

  ‘Thanks so much for coming,’ Grace said. ‘It means so much to me and Belle.’

  ‘Well, we wouldn’t have missed it, would we?’ Michael said irritably.

  ‘Come on, son. Now’s not the time,’ Patrick said quietly in his ear as he put a protective arm around his shoulder.

  ‘If you have something to say, Michael, then say it,’ Grace snapped, having had enough of him glaring at her and skulking around whenever she was near him.

  About to put on his jacket, he threw it onto the sofa in anger. ‘Say it! If I say my piece, Grace, then—’

  ‘Then what?’ she asked as everyone else in the room froze. No doubt trying to fade into the background while the two of them had a massive row – the kind that had been building for weeks.

  ‘Never mind.’

  ‘Just fucking say it so we can all move on, will you?’

  ‘Move on?’ He glared at her. ‘Just like that? Pretend you didn’t lie to me about my own fucking daughter. That you didn’t keep her from me for ten whole months of her life. I never got to see her being born. I never got to hold her when she would have fitted right here.’ He held out his forearm and she could see tears pricking his eyes. ‘I never got to do any of that because you’re …’

  ‘I’m what?’

  ‘You’re a selfish fucking bitch,’ he spat. ‘You think of no one but yourself. I’m sorry I ever fucking met you, Grace Sumner. You’re no better than that cunt of an ex-husband of yours.’ There was a sharp intake of breath from around the room.

  Grace sat on her sofa, feeling like he’d punched her in the stomach.

  ‘I think you’d better leave,’ Jake snarled at Michael.

  ‘Enough now, son. Let’s go,’ Patrick said as he guided Michael towards the door.

  Grace watched as the Carter family filed out of her
sitting room. ‘I’m sorry,’ Steph mouthed and Sophia gave her a sympathetic glance as she ushered her younger daughters out.

  ‘Cheeky fucker,’ Jake snapped after they had left. ‘Who does he think he is speaking to you like that? As of tomorrow, I want him out of the club. We can get another firm in.’

  ‘No.’ Grace shook her head. ‘He was right. About me keeping Belle from him at least. And he’s good for the club. You can’t throw that away because of his drama with me. This is between me and Michael. Nobody else.’

  Jake paced up and down the room and Grace watched him. There was no doubt in her mind that he knew she was right, but he was torn between his loyalty to her and knowing what was best for his business.

  Siobhan came in from the kitchen and placed a mug of tea in Grace’s hands.

  ‘Are you okay, Grace?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m fine. Thanks for the tea.’

  Siobhan smiled at her sympathetically.

  Grace smiled back. She wasn’t fine at all. In all her life, she’d had far harsher insults than ‘selfish bitch’ levelled at her, and had endured much worse than someone having a bit of a go at her, but with the exception of Ben’s death, what had just happened had hurt her more than anything else ever had.

  Chapter 60

  Michael groaned as he sat up in bed. His head felt like a bass drummer had taken up residence in there and his mouth was as dry as a nun’s crotch. The winter sun was blazing through the windows and his body was covered in a thin film of sweat. He hadn’t been drunk since he was in his thirties. He hated the feeling of not being in control, but he must have drunk his own body weight in whisky last night. And all because of Grace. Why couldn’t he just ignore her? He wanted nothing more than to look at her and not feel anything. But every time he looked at her he was consumed with anger – and the need to grab hold of her and kiss her until he could no longer breathe. How could he love and hate her at the same time?

  He couldn’t work at the club any more. It was becoming an impossible situation. He couldn’t handle seeing her. Even though he spent as little time there as possible, he could never manage to avoid her completely. And then there was that barmaid, Ali, who was always hanging around him. He’d stupidly slept with her a few times – another attempt to forget about Grace – and now she was making out like they were a couple having some sort of epic love affair.

  Fuck it all!

  Maybe Grace had the right idea, fucking off to the country and cutting ties with everyone. Maybe he should do that?

  But he wouldn’t leave his boys. Or Belle. She’d only just come into his life and he adored her. Leaving the club would be enough. He’d still let his firm run security, but he’d hand it over to his lads. They seemed to be as thick as thieves with Jake at the minute in any case and he briefly wondered what that was about. He sensed them slipping away from him at times. Perhaps the security game wasn’t enough for them anymore? They’d always had their sights on bigger and better things, and they had the balls to take whatever they wanted. He had no doubt they would be branching out on their own sometime soon. He’d miss having them around but he couldn’t blame them. They were young and full of ambition. But they believed they were invincible and it worried him more every day.

  God, he was getting too old for this shit.

  Walking into the en-suite, Michael splashed his face with cold water and then studied his reflection in the mirror. Running his hand through his hair he noticed it was even greyer than the last time he’d looked. No doubt the stress of the last few months. He could blame Grace for that too.

  Chapter 61

  ‘Your dad was out of order speaking to my mum like that,’ Jake snapped as he stomped around his office. ‘In her own fucking house as well.’

  Connor shook his head while Paul spun around on Jake’s chair.

  ‘Are you two listening to me?’ Jake shouted.

  ‘Well, I’m trying my best to drown you out, but you’re not making it very easy, to be honest,’ Paul replied.

  ‘What?’ Jake glared at him.

  Connor sighed. ‘We learned a long time ago never to get in between your mum and our dad. Just stay out of it, mate. They’ll sort it out eventually. Your life will be much simpler if you just leave them to it.’

  ‘I’m sure your blood pressure will thank you for it too,’ Paul said with a grin.

  Jake shook his head at them both.

  ‘Look, Jake,’ Paul said. ‘I know she’s your mum. I know you feel like you have to protect her honour or something, but I don’t think you realise how much of a warrior she is.’

  ‘I know she can look after herself,’ Jake said. ‘But—’

  ‘But nothing,’ Connor interrupted. ‘She can not only look after herself, she looks after everyone else too. She has single-handedly saved the arse of everyone in this room. You have no idea some of the things she’s done. She is tougher than anyone I know.’

  ‘Why do you think we call her the boss?’ said Paul.

  ‘I thought it was just a running joke. A term of affection?’

  The twins laughed. ‘No, mate,’ Paul said as he stood up and put his arm around Jake’s shoulder. ‘It’s because she’s the top dog. She always has been.’

  ‘No,’ said Jake. ‘We’re in charge now, lads.’

  Connor shrugged. ‘We are. Because she’s happy to let us run things. But make no mistake, Jake, she is the queen, and we are her loyal subjects. She ensures the wheels are well greased to smooth the way for us. Why do you think she came back here?’

  ‘Because she was bored,’ said Jake.

  Connor shook his head. ‘Don’t be daft. Haven’t you noticed how much easier your life has been since she came back? How suddenly people are just behaving themselves and not trying to take the piss every five minutes? The club is making more money. Bobby White is being quiet, despite the fact we nicked all his coke. We don’t know how she does it, but it’s all your mum, mate.’

  Jake shook his head in disbelief.

  ‘We thought you knew,’ Paul said.

  ‘No,’ said Jake. ‘I had no idea.’

  ***

  The rain was hammering the windshield as Jake drove home. The twins had gone to their private men’s club, Xcalibur, but Jake hadn’t felt in much of a mood to party. He’d pretended to be feeling tired, but he was raging. How could the twins possibly think his mum was the one running things? Is that what she had them all believing? Had she lied to him about the real reason she came back from Harewood? And if so, why? Why had she come back when she did? It made no sense to him.

  Jake’s knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. He thought about every conversation he’d had with his mum since she’d come back. She’d made him look like a fool in front of everyone. He was the one out there risking his neck and his mum was taking the fucking credit. Well, no longer. It was about time his mum stepped aside and let him have his time in the spotlight for a change. It was nothing more than he deserved.

  Chapter 62

  Jake was so deep in thought, he didn’t notice the man walking into his office. It wasn’t until he caught the distinct smell of weed that he looked up and saw the familiar face of Eddie Redman. Jake sighed. What did this prick want?

  He’d known Eddie since they were kids, but they’d never liked each other. Eddie was a lowlife, thieving pothead as far as Jake was concerned. He was well known for robbing bikes and mobile phones off schoolkids. He’d come to Jake a while ago, asking for a job, and it had taken Jake all of his strength not to laugh Eddie out of his office. Instead, he’d told him he had nothing going. He hadn’t wanted to cause his mum any grief with Sandra, who was one of the few friends she seemed to have left.

  ‘What do you want?’ Jake snapped. He was in no mood for visitors, and certainly not for ones he disliked as much as Eddie.

  Eddie smiled. That cocky little grin had no right to be anywhere near his face as far as Jake was concerned. What the hell did Eddie Redman ever have to be cocky about?
>
  ‘I have some news that might interest you, Jakey,’ he sneered. ‘It’s going to rock your perfect little world.’

  ‘Oh, fuck off, you little prick. How did you even get in here?’

  ‘Don’t you want to hear what I have to say?’ Eddie said, still grinning maniacally at him.

  ‘I have no interest in anything you have to say. Now piss off.’ Jake stood so he could personally show Eddie the door.

  Eddie squared up to him. ‘You’re a jumped-up little cunt, you know that? I’m going to enjoy taking half this place from you.’

  ‘What?’ Jake started to laugh. ‘There’s something dodgy in that weed you’re smoking, lad, if you think that will ever happen.’

  ‘Really? This place is legally half mine, and I want what I’m owed.’

  ‘What the fuck are you on about?’ Jake had really had enough of dickheads today.

  Eddie glared at him. ‘I thought she might have told you, but obviously you’re as clueless as I was. Nathan Conlon was my dad too. Halfy half, brother.’ He spat the last word. ‘It’s only fair.’

  ‘What? You need your head feeling. Do you honestly expect me to believe that? You need professional help, lad,’ Jake snarled as he moved his face closer to Eddie’s.

  Eddie shook his head and his cocky smile returned. ‘It’s all true. Just ask your mum if you don’t believe me.’

  ‘My mum?’ Jake took a step back. Eddie was fucking batshit. There was no way his mum would keep something like that from him. Would she?

  ‘Yep. Her and my ma have been keeping it from us all along.’

  Jake shook his head. This couldn’t be true. Eddie was only a bit older than he was. That would mean his dad had got another woman pregnant after he’d married his mum. Just before she got pregnant with him. ‘You’re a fucking liar,’ he shouted.

  Eddie started to laugh. ‘I don’t think so, lad. Nathan Conlon was my dad too. Only I never got to have him around like you did. I never got a fucking penny from him. He owes me. Half of this place belongs to me.’