Takedown by Heather Atkinson (latest books to read txt) 📕

“I used to be afraid of you Vance when I was younger but not anymore. You can’t hurt me because if you do then everyone will find out what you’re up to.”

“Go on then,” said Faith.

Both men turned their attention back to her.

“I’m not bluffing,” Adam told her.

“I know you’re not,” she replied. “Go inside and tell everyone what we’ve been up to. To be honest, it’ll be a relief that I can finally be with the man I love.”

Adam looked like she’d slapped him. “You…you love him?”

“Yes. I have my whole life.”

“Did I ever mean anything to you?”

Her expression softened but only slightly. “Of course you did Adam, you’ve been a big part of my life but not anymore. Vance is my future.”

“You have no future. He’s your fucking brother.”

“No he’s not. I’m not biologically related to any of my family.”

This threw him and he slumped into his seat. Satisfied he was calm, Vance sat back down too.

“Only three people know what I’m about to tell you,” began Faith. “That I’m adopted.” She couldn’t give him the whole truth. If she did she’d only give him a different hold over her family. Better to let him think the whole thing had been legal.

Adam laughed. “Bollocks.”

“No it’s not. I’m really the daughter of an old family friend who had me and couldn’t cope with another child. Rose and Wilf decided to take me in. They never told anyone because they didn’t want me to feel excluded. Not even Caleb and the others know. Only me, Vance and Rose.”

“I don’t believe it. You’ve come up with this story so you won’t be done for incest. That can land you three years in prison, I looked it up. I’m sure you don’t want to go back to prison Vance,” he told him with a vicious grin. “And I’ve got the proof to have you both locked up.”

“Sorry, it won’t happen,” said Faith, taking out her phone and tapping at the screen before turning it to face him. “Here’s the DNA test I had done proving me and Vance aren’t related.”

Adam’s smirk fell when he read it. “It’s fake,” he spat. “You had someone make this up in case you got caught.”

“Actually it’s true. And here’s the email showing I’m not related to Rose and another about Caleb. I had comparisons done with all my siblings and I’m not related to a single one of them. That’s why I’m the only one in the family with dark eyes. So you see Adam,” she said with a sweet smile, slipping her phone back into her pocket. “Me and Vance aren’t doing anything wrong.”

The corner of Vance’s mouth lifted at the look on Adam’s face as he realised he’d just lost his advantage.

“I’ll still show everyone these photos,” he snapped. “Your family don’t know you’re adopted, so it’ll upset them.”

Faith shrugged. “Feel free.”

He shot to his feet. “I’ll show these photos to everyone in the pub right now.”

“Go for it. We won’t stop you,” she said, taking a sip of wine.

Adam’s eyes tick-tocked between the two of them. “You’re bluffing.”

“Try us and see,” smiled Vance. For his part, he hoped Adam showed those photos to the world. Then their secret would be out and they wouldn’t have to hide their relationship anymore.

“I’m going to do it,” said Adam, stomping towards the door leading back into the pub.

“Do what you want,” Faith told him before turning to Vance. “What do you fancy for tea tonight, Chinese or Indian?”

“Chinese,” he replied. “I’m in the mood for noodles.”

“Sounds good,” she smiled, eyes twinkling. “We’ve got that nice bottle of pinot in the fridge too.”

“Perfect.”

“I’m going to do it you know,” Adam called to them from the door.

They both looked round.

“Are you still here?” said Vance.

Adam sighed and stalked back over to them. “You’re calling my bluff but I’m not bluffing.”

“Yes, we know,” sighed Faith. “I take it this is a pitiful attempt to blackmail us? Out of curiosity, what was your price for your silence?”

“I…I want you to go back out with me.”

“And you thought blackmailing me was the best way to go about that?”

“You don’t know what my life has been like without you,” he exclaimed. “I got engaged to Harriett but all the time I was with her I was thinking about you. When I was with you life was good, I felt good about myself but now it’s all gone to shit.”

“For God’s sake Adam, you don’t need someone else to make you feel better about yourself. Get out there and find another woman and stop stalking me.”

“I am not stalking you,” he replied, turning red.

“We’ve got you on camera – outside my flat, outside Mum’s, basically everywhere I’ve been. You were the one who painted the word murderer on the side of my car in blood, weren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Where did you get the blood from?” she said, the question making her feel a bit sick.

“I killed a neighbour’s cat. The thing was a pain in the arse, always shitting in my garden. I considered using red paint but I thought the blood would be more of a slap in the face, seeing how you’re vegan.” He smiled when her eyes flared with rage.

“There was no need to do that,” she hissed.

“Faith Chambers, the enigma. You hate any harm being done to an animal but you can happily take human life.”

“What do you mean?” she said through a tense jaw.

“I saw you and Caleb sneaking into Lenny Paisley’s garden the night he disappeared.”

Once again, Faith was shocked by how long he’d been following her. It was frightening that she’d been