While Sharon made him a late-night snack, he checked on the boys. They were both asleep; one good thing about that school was that they concentrated on sports and, for boys like these, that was important. He remembered that they had another boxing night soon, and he was determined to take them with him. They always enjoyed meeting some of the older boxers. It was a nice treat for them; Lenny was a good fighter, but young Liam was a natural. If he chose to, he could go far in that world. He had the temperament needed for a professional fighter and he could parry and dance with the best of them. Most of his opponents had been hard pushed to even land a punch, let alone dodge the boy’s right hand. Ray was proud of them both; they were turning into nice young lads. Very polite to their mother and helpful to him when he asked. They were asking cheeky questions about the businesses as well. He knew that Sharon was not too pleased about that, but those two would go their own roads.

Ray went around and locked up the house. He loved this place; it was everything he had ever wanted and more. Best of all, he knew that Sharon was happy and content here. Once the baby arrived they would be complete as a family. He hoped for a boy, but a daughter would be almost as good, and his mother, he knew, secretly wanted a granddaughter. She had stepped in as nan to the boys and they adored her just as much as he did.

As Ray settled back into his life he was well pleased with how much he’d achieved and how much he had to be grateful for. He knew that there were a lot of men who would kill for what he had. He also knew that he would kill anyone who tried to take it all away from him.

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Nine

George Thomas was in the operating theatre for five hours. He had lost an eye, and his ankle had to be reconstructed using metal plates and pins. His handsome face was ruined for ever, and he would never be the same man again. When he eventually awoke in intensive care, he gradually pieced together a timeline.

For the next two months in the hospital, only one thing kept him going and that was how he would find out who had harmed him and, more to the point, who had ordered it. He had his suspicions, and every time Micky Biggs visited him, all solicitude and compassion, he was more and more convinced that he had found the culprit.

Chapter One Hundred and Forty