Page 61 of Arthur


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“Relax, she’s happy having tea and biscuits with my men, playing dominoes, and gambling, I might add. But she’s a dear.”

I slam the drawer closed and let out a roar, turning my back on her and clutching my head in my hands. “If anything happens to her, I’ll kill every single one of you,” I growl.

“What exactly do you want?” Albert asks.

“I’m getting to that. Let’s all calm down and have a talk,” she says.

I take a few calming breaths before nodding to indicate I’m calmer. She takes a seat, and we all do the same. “First of all, I want to apologise for the Chai deal. I was looking through your paperwork. You really shouldn’t leave that stuff lying around.” I glance at Meli, knowing it wasn’t me who left it out. She looks down at the ground. “We have the chance to rule London,” she continues, “together.”

I pull my eyes from Meli. “What?”

“Me and you. You and I,” she says, grinning. “We can join forces and continue running businesses together.”

“I don’t take partners,” I mutter.

“As your wife,” she adds.

I laugh, and so does Albert. “You’ve lost your mind if you think I’ll marry you. You killed your brothers to get your hands on their business.”

“Unfortunate, but if you knew them, you’d understand.”

“I did know them,” I hiss. “You don’t kill family.”

“Unless they were scumbags who abused you most of your life.”

I inhale sharply, glancing at Meli. I wondered how no one at the club could have known what Ripper was doing, and here I was drinking and doing business with Max and Leon, and they were possibly just like him. “Don’t get caught in the details,” she continues. “Focus on my offer.”

I give my head a shake to clear the ache I’m getting. “Why would I agree to that?” I ask. “I have a girlfriend.”

Jolene looks at Meli, smirking. “Which is exactly why you’re doing this. If you don’t agree, I’ll have her killed.” I stare wide-eyed. “And if you still don’t agree, I’ll move through your family one by one.”

“This is ridiculous,” says Albert, throwing his hands in the air in frustration. “What’s to stop him killing you once we have Ma back safe?”

“What do you think the cops will say when I suggest you killed my brothers?” she asks, grinning.

I sigh. “With no evidence, how the fuck will you do that?”

“I’m very creative. Just look at this from the outside,” she continues. “I’ll tell the police you promised to marry me and then killed my brothers so you could get your hands on their business.”

Albert scoffs. “That’ll never stick.”

She arches her brow. “Are you willing to find out? Arthur will spend forever in prison, I’ll have already wiped you and your family away, and guess who’ll take over.”

“You’re fucking crazy,” he mutters.

“I prefer clever,” she counters. “Besides, the cops will dig through everything you own, every business, every employee, every dodgy deal, and every bit of dirty money you clean through your clubs.”

“What if I kill you before you get a chance to do any of that?” I ask.

“I’ll be getting a phone call every day to check I’m alive and well. The day I don’t answer, a price will be put on Albert’s head.”

“No. No. Just fucking no,” snaps Albert. “Kill me now because he isn’t marrying you.”

“Is that right?” asks Jolene, staring at me. Meli has her head down, so I can’t read her emotions. “It’s just a call away and your ma is gone. Then another call and Albert will follow.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to think through my options. “Fuck her, Arthur, she’s not doing this. She can’t have me killed. I’ll have her killed first.”

“Let me think,” I mutter, standing and pacing.

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