Grace was still looking at Nathan when he started to stir.

‘Stop staring at me, Grace,’ he said, but she could see he was smiling.

She didn’t stop, continuing to watch him. What had she done to deserve him? How could someone like him, love someone like her?

Taking hold of her hand, he opened his eyes. ‘I told you to stop staring at me.’ He smiled. ‘It’s very unnerving when I’m trying to sleep.’

‘I can’t help it.’ She blushed. ‘Anyway, you’re my husband now, and that means I can stare at you all I want.’

He raised one eyebrow. ‘Is that so, Mrs Conlon?’ Before she could answer he rolled on top of her and silenced her with one of his incredible kisses. She thanked her lucky stars that she would get to spend the rest of her life as Mrs Nathan Conlon.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Present Day

It was unusually hot, even for an afternoon in late August. The sweat trickled down Nathan’s back. He’d been sitting in a stifling car for twenty minutes, waiting for Jimmy Dillon to make an appearance at the shithole he called a home. Jimmy had been trying to poach some of Nathan’s customers, trying to undercut him. He claimed he had a better product, too. Jimmy had been around for a long time, but he was too much of a nutjob to ever make a serious bid to take over anyone’s business. Besides, he’d had dealings with Nathan’s firm before and had been given such a hiding, Nathan questioned how he’d ever even walked again. He was more suited to knocking off post offices and off-licences than he was selling drugs.

Nathan wondered what had prompted Jimmy’s sudden change in circumstance, why he thought, after all those years, he could possibly get one over on Nathan Conlon. A warning from the man himself would ensure that Jimmy didn’t dare take liberties again. But Nathan was becoming increasingly fed up of waiting.

Deciding he had better things to do with his time, Nathan took his phone from his pocket and rang his newest recruit, Ste Jones.

‘Find out where that prick is, Ste,’ he barked at him, ‘and fast.’

‘Yes, boss,’ Ste replied obediently.

Nathan phoned Jake as he was driving back to the club. His son’s voice, bright and chirpy as ever, filled the car when he answered.

‘All right, Dad.’

‘Jake, come and meet me at the club for a few drinks.’

‘Ah, I would, but I promised Mum I’d help out at the pub.’