Multiple humanoid shapes emerged from the dark corners of the room and converged around Rose and Jimmy.

An arm encircled Rose's waist from behind, and her alarmed gasp was cut short as a hand covered her mouth. She knew from the skin tone of the hand and the scent of herbs that it was Elijah who now held her fast, but that didn't make the sudden assault any less startling.

Two large men in gray dock-worker's coveralls that Rose did not recognize restrained Jimmy, pinning his arms behind his back and forcing him down onto a heavy wooden chair.

Around them, Ransom, Jackson, Archie, Crispin, and Mickey Sullivan came into focus, fedoras on and expressions smug.

William watched in muted apathy from his chair by the window. Behind him, the plum-colored drapes were shut against the night sky, isolating the hotel room from the rest of the city.

Jimmy struggled in vain against his burly captors, a series of panicked curses spewing from his mouth. “Fuck you, Liam Mercer! Fuck you, and your sodding Deansgate Streeters!”

Ransom let out a blithe chortle. “Got a mouth on him, don't he, Liam?”

With a slight incline of his head, William said, “He does. And it's not gonna be of service to him tonight.”

Another string of obscene words burst from Jimmy's lips, as loud as they were lacking in eloquence.

Jackson stepped forward and smacked Jimmy across the back of the head. The action was meant to serve as an insult more than a cause of pain, and Jackson smirked down at the younger Gallagher, his lips quirked in amusement. “You'd do well to shut the hole in yo' face until Liam asks you a question. Y'hear me?”

Jimmy glared up at him. “Fuck you!”

Jackson chuckled and nodded. “Fuck me, eh? Heh, no thanks.” He turned his head and gave Rose a lazy once-over. “Your lady-friend, maybe. I'd let her fuck me.”

Rose made a little agonized sound of protest behind Elijah's palm.

“Keep yer hands off her, ya bloody tinker!” Jimmy barked. “Oi! Oi, help! We need help in here!”

For his outburst, he received another smack across the back of his head, courtesy of a gleeful Jackson. Rose watched on, her eyes wide and frightened, but beneath her fearful façade she was cheering.

William held up a hand and got to his feet. “Enough,” he said, his volume low. “There's no point in causin' a ruckus, Jimmy. No one's comin' for ya.”

Jimmy sneered at William, hatred in his eyes. “Got the staff of the Mitre Hotel on your payroll, d'ya?”

William sniffed. “I've got Manchester on my payroll.”

The sneer on Jimmy's face intensified. “I ain't me father,” he spat at William. “Ain't done nothin' to you! What d'ya want with me?”

“Straight to the point,” William observed. “Good. Let's get right to it, then.” From a leather bag that sat atop the desk, he pulled a stack of burgundy legal folders. Rose immediately recognized them from Gallagher's safe. “I want your father's businesses and properties. And I want the influence of the Gallagher family eradicated from Manchester.”

“Then you gotta talk to me father! Not to me!” Jimmy insisted. “I got no control over none o' that!”

“But you do,” William differed softly. “You're named as a second on everythin' he owns.” He hefted the folders up and down in front of Jimmy's face. “But you already knew that. Which means ya just lied to me.”

Jimmy's eyes widened as he stared at the stack of folders. Still caught in Elijah's arms, Rose felt a twinge of satisfaction in her stomach. She knew Jimmy recognized those folders from Mr. Gallagher's safe just as she did.

“Where'd ya get those?” Jimmy asked. His complexion had turned ashen.

“I didn't get them from anywhere,” William stated. “You took them from your father's safe, in his office. Ya took 'em, and ya brought 'em to me.”

“No, I didn't!” Jimmy cried. “Wouldn't have done! What a pile o' bollocks! No one's gonna believe that shite!”

“No?” William stared down at him, expression impassive. He handed off the pile of folders to Mickey. “Tell me then, who in Manchester knows the location of and combination to James Gallagher's safe?”

“Just me and my da'!” Jimmy shouted. He began to say more, but bit back his words. By the look on his face, he'd realized the implications of his statement a moment too late.

“That's what I thought,” William said, removing his cigarette case from his pocket. “So, here's what happened: you waited 'till after hours, went back to your father's office, opened the safe, and took these deeds and documents of ownership.” He struck up a flame on his lighter and lit the end of a cigarette. With a lethargic gesture, he took a drag and exhaled the smoke at Jimmy. “Then ya brought them to me.”

“And just why the bleeding hell would I do that?” Jimmy demanded. “Makes no sense!”

Ransom cocked his head to one side. “Makes plenty o' sense to me. How 'bout you, Jack?”

“Yeah, makes sense to me, too, Ransom,” Jackson replied, bouncing one shoulder in a lackadaisical shrug.

“Me, too,” Archie chimed in.

“And me,” Elijah added, his hand still covering Rose's mouth.

Jimmy's head swiveled haphazardly back and forth as he gawked at all the occupants of the room. “Shove off, the lot o' ya!” he cried. “Where d'ya get off? Eh?! I got no reason to go against me da'! I ain't that stupid!”

“That's not the way I heard it,” Ransom argued, laughter in his voice.

“Get bent! What're you on about?” Jimmy questioned.

“Heard ya like to gamble,” Jackson remarked off-hand. “But that ya got bugger all for luck.”

“Heard the money ya gamble with is yo' dad's,” Mickey added. “So's the money ya use for everythin' else, come of it.”

“Heard ya got no interest in the family businesses,” Ransom piled on. “And ya made that clear to your da' every chance ya got. Lazy git.”

“And I heard that you and your father don't get on so well,” William stated. He exhaled a plume of smoke toward the ceiling and stood directly in front of Jimmy. “Heard through the grapevine that he considers you nothin' but a disappointment. And you're angry about it.”

“And?” Jimmy pressed, his eyes narrowed. “What of it? That's just family shite! None o' that would be enough to get me to cross my da'!”

“None of that, no,” William agreed. With a final drag, he extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray on the desk. “But maybe findin' out that you're not his only heir would.”

Jimmy scoffed and tossed his head. “What the fuck you on about now? I am my father's only heir. Facts are facts. Even Liam Mercer can't fabricate a second son for him.”

As Rose watched, a ghost of a smile grew on William's lips. “You don't know me very well, Jimmy,” he said softly. “But as it happens, fabrication isn't necessary.”

For the first time since the ambush, Jimmy looked uncertain. “What?” he asked.

William grabbed the chair by the window and set it down in front of Jimmy. He sat before his captive, the two of them knee to knee, face to face. From the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he pulled a photograph. The photograph of Geneviève and baby Jacques.

Rose's heart leapt within her chest. They'd found it! Mr. Gallagher had kept it, just as she'd hoped.

“We found this in your father's safe, along with all those documents,” William said. “Well, you found it, rather.” He held the photograph at eye level so that Jimmy had to look at it. “Recognize this woman?”

Jimmy blanched in his seat. He jerked his shoulder forward, as if to snatch the photo away from William, but his pair of burly captors held him fast. “That's Geneviève! That dancer from Paris!”

“Sure 'nuff is,” William confirmed. “And she's holdin' your baby half-brother.”

The flesh of Jimmy's cheeks turned an alarming shade of scarlet, and even in the low light, Rose swore she could see steam coming from his ears. “Lies! Fuckin' lies!” Jimmy exploded. He jerked forward in his chair again, as though he could somehow attack William through sheer willpower alone. “My father never had a baby by that fuckin' tart!”

William continued to sit, unmoved, his impassive gaze on Jimmy's irate face. “Then why would your father have kept this photograph in his safe?” he posed. “Along with a letter from the woman herself, confirming the baby's identity?”

“There ain't no goddamn letter!” Jimmy exclaimed.

“That so? What's this, then?” William asked. He reached into his lapel pocket again and retrieved the letter Rose had rescued from the rubbish bin. Taking the time to clear his throat, he began to skim the written contents, murmuring bits and pieces aloud. “Let's see... still miss you...generous gift...with the money you sent...new dress... Ah. Here it is: ‘...the baby is yours. A boy. In your honor, I have christened him Jacques, the French variation of James. He has my dark skin, but your steely disposition’.” William glanced up from the letter at his detainee. “Need me to go on?”

Jimmy's expression showcased a myriad of ballistic emotions. From fury, to confusion, to contempt. He sputtered a nonsensical smattering of syllables.

With a sniff of indifference, William pocketed the letter and photograph, then leaned back in the chair and laced his fingers across his torso. “Y'see, you're not Gallagher's only heir. And what with the constant disappointment you've proven yo'self to be, I'd wager your father is rethinkin' his long-term plans for inheritance. And how does that sit with ya, eh? Knowin' that a half-French bastard will likely be gettin' what ya always assumed you were entitled to? 'Cause in honest truth, were I in your shoes, knowledge like that would piss me right off. How about you, Ransom?”

“I'd be mad as hell,” Ransom agreed. “Wouldn't let it stand.”

“Mm-hm,” William hummed. “Jackson?”

“Probably do somethin' to hurt my prick of a father,” Jackson said. “Somethin' extreme.”

“Like take all the deeds and documents of ownership from your father's safe and bring them to his business rival?” William prompted. “Somethin' like that?”

“Aye,” Jackson concurred with a cock of his head. “Somethin' exactly like that.”

“Good way to stick it to the old man,” Ransom said. “Don't know anyone who'd say otherwise.”

A chorus of murmured agreement rippled throughout the room from all parties, save Jimmy.

Despite her artificial dire state, Rose could hardly contain her elation. William's presentation was better than she ever could have imagined. Jimmy was trapped, and he knew it. He would have no choice but to comply.

“So, that's what happened,” William stated. His cold, intense eyes settled on Jimmy's face. “You were pokin' around in your father's office, gettin' inside his safe because you can, found proof of his bastard son, and brought his collection of contracts to me in retaliation.”

“What good will they do you?” Jimmy contested. “Unless my father signs the assets over to you, that's just a pile o' papers! Worthless!”

“As I said, you're named as his second. For now,” William reiterated. “That means I don't need him. You can sign them over to me.”

“Like hell I will!”

“I have a solicitor on retainer and standing by,” William continued, as though Jimmy hadn't spoken. “Come morning, everything will be notarized and legal. No way to withdraw or negate. No loopholes.”

“Then we'll sneak ya outta Manchester,” Ransom said. “Only way you'll survive this ordeal once yo' father finds out what you've done.”

“My father will never believe I fucked him over like this!” Jimmy snarled.

“Sure he will,” Ransom differed with a grin. “'Cause you left a nasty little letter on his desk tellin' him it was you. Look! Been practicin'. I got your chicken-scratch down pat, don't I?”

He showed Jimmy a piece of paper with several lines hand-written across it. From her vantage point, Rose couldn't make out the words, but Jimmy's horrified expression was proof enough that the penmanship was a match. The card about her ugly yellow dress had come in handy after all. Good.

Jackson chuckled. “And what did the letter say, Ransom?”

“Details are a bit fuzzy,” Ransom replied with a good-natured shrug. “But somethin' like, ‘Dear Dad... Fuck you, fuck your bastard son of a whore, and come tomorrow, everythin' you own will belong to William Mercer’.”

Jackson, Crispin, Archie, and Mickey began to applaud.

“No!” Jimmy cried. “No, no! I wasn't nowhere near my father's office tonight! I was at the theater! Rose will speak for me!”

“Rose?” William repeated, his voice indifferent.

Jackson jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Rose where she stood, still held by Elijah. “Think he means his lady-friend.”

William turned his head and observed Rose as though it were the first time he'd noticed she was in the room. With a blasé tilt of his head, he got to his feet and crossed the room, coming to a halt by Rose's side.

Rose met his eye. Hers were large and fearful, his were icy and aloof. Were this not part of the plan, she would have been genuinely frightened. Even though the threat of danger was false, his oppressive demeanor caused a knot to form in her stomach.

William made a small gesture at Elijah, and a moment later Rose felt the restricting hand leave her mouth. She gasped and gulped down a few deep breaths. William took her chin between his forefinger and thumb and turned her head this way and that. He leaned in and inhaled along her neck.

“This is pretty,” he said, speaking of her as though she were an object rather than a person. His cold eyes appraised her as he released her chin and twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. “Think I'll keep it.”

Jimmy spasmed violently against the two men who held him and growled obscenities. “Don't you fuckin' touch her!”

William waved his hand. “Heard just about enough outta you,” he said.

One of the men anchoring Jimmy to his chair stuffed a handkerchief into his mouth, muffling the verbal assault.

Satisfied, William turned back to Rose. “What was the name again?”

Rose swallowed as she watched the display. She found it took very little effort to keep up her façade of intimidation. “Rose,” she said, her voice coming out a whisper. “Rose Appelbaum.”

Jimmy continued to struggle against his jailers.

“Rose Appelbaum,” William repeated. He smoothed the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “Hm. Yes. Despite this hideous dress, you are a lovely thing.” Resolute, he nodded and took a step back. “Lads, I think our new mate Jimmy needs some incentive to sign his father's assets over to me. Elijah, Crispin, take Miss Appelbaum outside and put her in my car. For safe keeping. Got that?”

Elijah and Crispin both voiced their dutiful compliance.

“Not gonna cause any trouble, are ya, Miss Appelbaum?” William asked.

Rose gave him a tense shake of her head. “No,” she whispered.

“There's a good lass,” William said. “Off you go.”

Taking an arm each, Elijah and Crispin led Rose toward the door. Jimmy's look of distress was the last thing she saw before she was ushered over the threshold and out of the hotel room.

【♜】【♞】【♟】

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