‘Don’t you ever try and make a cunt of me again, Jimmy,’ Nathan growled at him. ‘Or I will let my boy put a bullet in your head. You fucking wanker.’ He gave Paul a kick in the balls on his way out too, just for good measure.

Nathan shouted to Ste who followed them out. The collar of Ste’s shirt was torn and he had a split lip and the beginnings of a black eye. It wasn’t clear who’d come out the winner in his tussle with Connor. But Nathan was satisfied that Jimmy would not be fucking with him again.

‘Jake, what the fuck?’ Nathan said to him once they were outside. ‘Where did that come from? You handled that like a pro, son,’ he said, and he couldn’t resist pulling him in for a hug and tousling his hair. He was smiling so much his face hurt. ‘I’m so fucking proud of you.’

Jake, however, was green, and looked like he was about to throw up. ‘Thanks, Dad,’ he mumbled.

Nathan took the gun from him. ‘I think this lad needs a few stiff drinks in him, and then I’d better get him home.’

‘Well done, kid,’ Ste told him with a pat on his back. ‘Your first showdown! And you were a legend. Wait until we tell the lads.’

‘No. Don’t tell anyone, Ste,’ Jake said anxiously.

‘He won’t be telling anyone, son. Don’t worry,’ Nathan assured him, giving Ste a look that said he meant it, too. The fewer people who knew about what had just happened, the better.

Chapter Thirty-Five

‘Be quiet, will you?’ Nathan slurred. ‘You’ll wake your mother up.’

Too late, Grace thought as Jake and his father came tumbling through the front door like a pair of drunken oafs. It was seven in the morning and she’d been awake since six, wondering where Jake was.

‘Shh, don’t tell her what happened,’ Jake said loudly, obviously believing he was whispering.

Grace walked down the stairs. ‘Don’t tell me what?’ she demanded. A few months under Nathan’s influence and Jake was already keeping secrets from her.

‘About the gun,’ he said to her, before breaking into a fit of giggles.

Grace thought she must be hearing things. ‘The gun! What gun?’ she said, trying to keep the anger from her voice. Her question was directed to Nathan, because she was sure he was behind whatever had gone on, and because Jake started to ramble incoherently about beer bottles and pigeons.

‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Grace,’ Nathan said flippantly. ‘There was just a bit of an incident tonight, that’s all. And our boy here saved me!’