Page 152 of Fighting Mr. Knight

“Bollocks,” I sneer, taking an angry swig of beer. “Now, are you done with the intervention? Because you two aren’t very good at it.”

Danny smiles. “No, we’re not done. People don’t always react how you want them to, Jack. She’s not a puppet.” He shoots a look at Tristan. “Remember how volatile Charlie and I were when we first started dating? But I love her, so I didn’t give up.”

“You and Charlie didn’t have to work through a murder, Walker.”

His brows lift. “You’re not the only one having to deal with this. Don’t you think she needs you too right now? This is a terrible situation for her to be in.”

My jaw tightens. “She should have thought about that before lying to me.”

“Fuck’s sake, mate, you sound like a broken record,” Tristan says. “You saw the news article of you two, right? You were caught fighting in the street.”

“And? I’m in the news all the time.”

“Bonnie’s not. She’s not used to the media circus that surrounds you. You deliberately tried to protect her from it. Now you’re gonna feed her to the sharks?”

“It was just a random person who saw an opportunity,” I grumble. “The story has already died.”

Tristan frowns, cocking his head at me. “You’ve already lost one of the most important people in your life. Are you really willing to lose Bonnie as well?”

I look away. They don’t get it. She’s not the woman I thought she was. All the times she made me believe I was the most important guy in the world to her, with those big blue eyes and that soft voice, she was keeping something massive from me.

She made me believe that we were serious. That she loved me. I confided in her. I would have told her anything. I would have given her everything.

But you don’t lie this big to someone you love.

And no matter how much her tears are haunting me, my nan was right. If I can’t trust Bonnie, I can’t lay a foundation with her.

They exchange glances then Danny sighs and shakes his head. “You’re a stubborn shit, Knight. You and Lucy can sit here farting. You’ll regret this sooner than you think.”

Bonnie

“Are you ready, love?” Mum wraps her arm around me.

No. I’ll never be ready for this. We stand on the steps in front of the Hackney police station in East London.

I told Dad we were going to the police today if he didn’t do it. I know he thinks I’m bluffing, that his little girl would never do this to him. My dad always said that I was the person that kept him going.

Would I still be after this?

Perhaps, I’ll be able to sleep a little easier.

At least Mum knows. I’ve never needed Mum so badly.

“We’re doing the right thing.” She looks at me supportively. “Your father will realise that.”

My stepdad Phil doesn’t think he’ll do time. It would likely be a suspended prison sentence if anything.

But he’s neglecting the fact that Dad’s opposition is the Knight family, and they have connections.

I smile sadly at her. Regardless of what sentence Dad does or doesn’t get, he won’t forgive me for this.

I take her hand and climb the rest of the steps to the station.

37

Jack

“What’s my favourite girl doing?” I run my fingers through Poppy’s hair. She’s the spitting image of my twin sisters when they were kids. Long glossy brown hair and dark brown eyes.

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