Layla moved cautiously forward, inching closer to Donnie. She knew the movement alone could cause her husband some serious harm, but in a strange way she didn’t care. Although she would have preferred Steff to be sitting in the chair in front of her with a few of his fingers strewn across the floor.
‘I said don’t come any closer or he’s going to die, and it’ll be your fault.’
‘It won’t be my fault. I didn’t make Donnie do whatever it is that’s angered you so much. If anyone’s to blame for his death, it’s him.’ She was surprised by how cold her words sounded. Maybe that was due to living with Donnie for so long. Being surrounded by bad things, bad situations had turned her heart icy cold.
‘You’re smart,’ the man said.
‘Cammy,’ Susie said. ‘Tell her. Tell her what that bastard has done.’
‘You’re about the only one who doesn’t know what he’s really like, and you’ve been living with him for the majority of your life. Do you expect us to believe that you were in the dark about him?’ Cammy asked. Before Layla could answer, the door opened and two more lads entered the basement.
‘Cam,’ one of them said. He stopped and glared at Layla. ‘Ah, you must be Layla Black. Sunbed shop owner.’
Layla glanced at him and then Susie, whose eyes shone with empathy.
‘Layla, this is Kev. He’s Darcie’s partner. Donnie set him up and he was sent to prison. Darcie had to support herself when he went away, so she ended up working for you, although she didn’t know you were married to that.’ Susie pointed to Donnie.
Layla felt like her head was going to explode. That must have been why Darcie had left the shop so abruptly.
‘Aye, this bastard here didn’t like that we were going out and doing things for ourselves,’ Cammy said. He clamped the pliers down on Donnie’s fingers, and Donnie let out a grunt. ‘He knew that Kev was training some of our lads and organising the events, basically growing the name of our firm. So he decided to plant a stash of cocaine in the back of Kev’s van and get his mates down at the polis station to pay Kev a visit.’
Donnie wriggled in his seat but Cammy didn’t let go.
‘You don’t have to hurt him like that,’ Layla said. She didn’t know what else to say. Yes, Donnie deserved to be punished. But like this, in front of her?
‘Then there’s Demi Simpson. Poor young Demi was groomed by this bastard.’
Kev, and the other lad who had appeared with him, were now standing at the other side of Donnie. The younger lad was staring intensely at him, and Layla could see the venom in his eyes.
‘It wasn’t just Demi though. My sister too. Difference is I was able to get my sister away.’
Layla didn’t know where to look, who to focus on. So much was coming out about her husband, and she still had Steff’s lies to face too.