Kathy Donovan, for her part, was happier than she had ever been before in her life. Kathy, who wasn’t the most academic of people, had discovered sex. Pure, deep, down-and-dirty sex. She believed that her attraction to this huge, handsome, black he was love, and she was deluded enough to think that he felt the same way. She fantasised about them getting married and living in a nice house somewhere. It didn’t occur to her that the fact he was a married man already and her father’s best friend to boot could be a problem. After all, her father had always given her what she wanted. Her mum said she was a spoiled little princess and Kathy took that as a compliment. Why shouldn’t she get what she wanted? It also didn’t occur to her that this might be the one time her father would not humour her and let her have her wish granted. She had not only inherited her father’s beautiful, thick, Turkish hair, she had also inherited his stubbornness.

She stretched like the cat that got the cream and Barton felt himself hardening again. As her mouth clamped on to his, he knew that he had to finish this and finish it soon. But Christ Himself knew this felt fucking good.

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Nine

Young Lenny and Liam were in Romford picking up loans. They were both big lads; Lenny was his father’s double whereas Liam had more of his mother in him. The one thing the two boys shared was that they were both completely ruthless. Ray Donovan had seen to that and he was proud of them.

As they walked through the market they were chatting amiably, aware that people were looking at them, that people knew who they were. There was a blonde girl on one of the clothes stalls, Emma Nuttall, that Liam liked so they made their way over to her and, as always, he gave her one of his winning smiles. Today, though, there was no answering smile. She looked away and pretended to be sorting through the clothes on the rails all around her.

‘Hey, Em. No smile for me today?’

As he spoke to her a large blond man came around the side of the stall and said gruffly, ‘No, there ain’t no fucking smile. She is engaged to me, you cunt, and I don’t want to see you sniffing around her again.’

Liam and Lenny were studying this bloke who they both believed must be on drugs, at the very least, to take them on. Then, glancing at Emma, Liam saw she had bruises around her eyes that make-up had not fully concealed.

‘Has he given you a fucking right-hander?’ He turned to the man and bellowed, ‘Have you fucking clumped her, you cunt?’