Sharon shook her head in abject disbelief. ‘You never made me feel like Lenny did. You never really touched me, Ray. You were a means to an end. As for Reggie, he is closer to me and mine than you could ever be.’

Her lies hurt him, as she knew they would. She had loved him once with all her being and she’d believed that he was the answer to her prayers. Now she hated him with every bone in her body.

‘I want you dead, Ray. I want you gone from my life and my kids’ lives too. Especially my kids’ lives. You really thought you were something else, didn’t you? Something special. You fucked like an amateur, Ray. You were just a pay cheque to me, darling. And now, I’m afraid, you have been sacked.’

Reggie pulled back the barrel of the gun and slipped the cartridges into their place. Then he said pointedly, ‘This one’s for Lenny.’

He took Ray’s legs from under him and, as he hit the floor, pain exploding through his body, Reggie was reloading again. Holding the barrel to Ray’s face, he said, ‘And this one is for Lenny, too. And his kids and his wife for that matter. And for me, as well. Fuck you, Ray Donovan. Fuck you to hell.’

Sharon watched as her husband and the father of her daughter died before her eyes. She could hear the gurgling as he drowned in his own blood. It seemed to her to be a fitting end for the man she loathed with every fibre of her being. She was amazed at how calm and collected she felt. For the first time in years she was free, and she knew that this was a good feeling. One to hang on to for the future. She needed to remember this moment, the death of her daughter’s father, the man she had married with such love and such hope. Would she never learn?

Across the room, Elton groaned – he knew he was next.

Barton grinned at him happily. He had dodged a bullet and he was in a wonderful mood. ‘You backed the wrong fucking horse there, son.’

Then he took Elton out with one shot.

Jack was laughing. Their ears were ringing from the gunshots and they were all relieved that the night was over. Jack stood up and, bending over Ray’s body, he spat on him.

‘Who would have thought I would have outlived you, eh?’

They laughed again.

‘Burn this place down with those two still in it. I have removed everything of value. Fuck them. Let the Old Bill sort it, useless cunts that they are.’

Barton and Reggie did as they were asked and, as they drove away in their separate cars, they knew that it had been a good night’s work. They felt justified at what they had done and they all breathed a very heavy sigh of relief.