Ray kept them in hand; they were already quieter, more ready to listen to reason because of his influence. When Liam had been fighting again, Ray refused him the opportunity to go on an outing, only taking young Lenny, and that had given the boy food for thought. Ray said the best way with kids was to praise good behaviour and punish the bad. It was as simple as that. Then he added ruefully that it had not worked in his case, but then his mother had been a lone parent like her. Boys didn’t listen too hard to their mothers it seemed.

Now, as they drove home, Sharon hoped fervently that he would at least attempt to kiss her. She had been looking at herself lately with critical eyes. She had given birth to two sons but her body was still in pretty good condition. Maybe she wouldn’t pass muster in broad sunlight, but she looked good enough considering. Plus she wanted this man, and that had to be a good thing, surely? After Lenny, and what she had found out, she wasn’t sure she would ever have wanted or trusted another man again. But lately she had begun to change her mind.

She watched Ray closely, noticing the way he smiled when he was talking to the boys. She saw how his thick, dark hair curled into his neck. She liked that his eyes were deeply blue and had a sparkle in them. Sharon Scott understood that she was falling in love with this man. He was another Lenny in some ways – a villain, a man who made his money off criminal activities. She knew he had been in prison for nine of his thirty-six years, yet she still saw him as the answer to her prayers. And, even knowing everything she did about him, she still desired him.

She had observed him intently with Reggie and, though they got on well and had a deep mutual respect, she sensed that was all it was. Gerry Dornan had nearly fainted at the sight of Ray and kept telling her she should de-trouser him at the earliest opportunity. She was a card, was Gerry. She was also a very beautiful girl, yet never once had she seen Ray treat her with anything other than friendliness. Gerry dressed with her assets always shown to their best advantage, but Ray had never let his eyes linger on her for too long. Sharon Scott hoped that she was right about this man because she really could not imagine her life without him in it. It was getting harder and harder to get into that great big bed and not think about what she could be doing in it with Ray Donovan. She blushed at the thought and saw that he was smiling at her, as always.