James Brewer Senior, in a gesture that had thrown everyone – even Jack Johnson – had gone to see her personally and had assured her that he was heart-sorry for her troubles, offering her his protection or his help if she or her sons ever needed it. It was an empty promise, as she had Jack, Reggie and now Ray himself looking out for her, but the fact he had expressed it spoke volumes. He had certainly gone up in people’s estimation since. Though cynics like himself, Reggie and Jack believed it might have had more to do with the man finding out that the little fucker had been robbing him blind right, left and centre. His own son! Who would have believed it? It seemed that Jamie Brewer was willing to thieve off anyone, family included, which spoke of the moral fibre he possessed.

As they were ordering their liqueurs, Ray’s hand accidentally came into contact with Sharon’s and he felt her draw back from him. But when he looked into her eyes she was smiling shyly at him and he answered that smile with one of his own. It was an intimation that she was ready to take their relationship a step further; at least he hoped so.

Barton and Jamella watched the display, both wondering why it was taking this pair of idiots so long to see that they were made for each other.

Chapter One Hundred and Five

Sharon Scott was nervous and she didn’t know why. It wasn’t like she didn’t know Ray Donovan; she spent the best part of each day with him. He had even taken to running her sons to school, which they loved. They saw in Ray a surrogate father, and that could only be a good thing. He took them on jaunts as well, joked with them about supporting Manchester United instead of West Ham, though he supported Newcastle. He made sure they did their homework and questioned them about their lives. Something Lenny had never really done.

Lenny had assumed they would follow in his footsteps; in fact, that was what Lenny expected, whereas Ray talked to them about education and what opportunities there were if only they were willing to work hard. These conversations pleased her because she thought along those lines too. She could never bury her sons like she had her husband, and like James Brewer Senior had buried his boy. She was determined to keep her boys as far away from villainy as possible. She knew first-hand the horror it could bring to the women involved, as well as the men. She wanted more for them.