‘Kevin.’ She smiled. ‘If your lads are whingeing about not being paid enough money, then I suggest you either bring them in line, or find yourself some new employees. I pay you fucking well for what you do. Just because Michael and Patrick aren’t around, don’t think for one second that you can dictate terms to me. I don’t need their backup. I’m perfectly capable of handling myself,’ she snapped as she stood up.

Kevin stared at her, mouth open, but he didn’t respond.

‘Don’t contact me again unless you actually have something worthwhile to discuss.’ Picking up her handbag, Grace walked out of his stuffy little office. She rubbed her temples as she walked to her car. As if she needed anymore problems to deal with.

Little did Kevin know that some of his loyal employees were actually working for Grace. She knew most of his lads were more than happy with her arrangement with their boss. It was Kevin who was getting greedy for more. Obviously, he thought he’d chance his arm while Michael and Patrick were out of the way. Cheeky bastard. Why did men assume that women needed a man to back them up? Grace’s way of dealing with people might be different, a little more subtle that smashing someone’s skull open with a hammer, but in her experience, it was much more effective.

Grace was also aware that Kevin was keen to branch out into other areas – firearms to be precise. It was something she’d never had an interest in herself. They were too risky. There was no telling where a gun might end up once you’d passed it onto someone.

But obviously, Kevin had been given a taste of working with the big players for a few months and stupidly thought that gave him the credentials and the experience to set up an operation on his own. Grace would put a stop to that – well, Nathan would. Not that he’d have any idea he was doing it for her. She smiled to herself. This was all going to work out perfectly.

Chapter Sixty-Nine

‘Where’s your mother today?’ Nathan asked Jake, trying to appear indifferent.

‘Dunno, probably at the pub, why?’

‘She’s not. I went there before I came here.’

‘She’s probably out with a mate, then.’ Jake raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Why are you so interested in where mum is?’

‘I was looking for you, dickhead. And I’m not that interested. I was just wondering, that’s all. Anyway, out with a mate? Your mother doesn’t have any mates, does she?’

Jake laughed at him. ‘’Course she does. What, do you think she just sits in this house all the time when she’s not in work?’