Derek Greene had already had a message delivered about how he would help him get on his feet, and he would see that the man followed through on his promises. Not many young lads would have been as tight-lipped as he had, leaving their little girlfriend alone and pregnant and prey to the world.

It had been hard watching poor Gabby try and get it together. He had understood her going off the rails a bit – she was a young girl and young girls needed someone to keep them on track. All that was forgiven and forgotten now. Her nana and granddad had been fucking diamond, and he would reward them for their kindness and their loyalty to his little family.

But he was itching to get out and start paying back the debts he knew were his and his alone. When he had finished with the people he felt had mugged him over, his name would be a byword for fucking retribution. And he would guarantee that no one, not one fucking person would ever think they could have him over ever again.

Prison was a strange place – it either broke you or it made you stronger. Well, he was stronger now both physically and mentally than he had ever been before in his life. He had read books until eventually he had understood them, he had trained daily to keep both his body and his mind from stagnating and he was ready for literally anything.

He thought of Gabby on her last visit; she was a fucking beautiful woman now, everything and more he would ever want. His feelings for her had never wavered. He would give her the earth on a plate, and he would enjoy giving it to her. Together they were capable of great things. Of that much at least he was sure.

Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen

‘I think we should have warned her.’

Jack Callahan had no such qualms and he said as much to his wife. ‘Fuck her! He’s her son, she sent him on the turn, so let her, for once in her life, deal with her own mess.’

‘Supposing he hurts her . . .’

Jack shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Well, we can only hope, love. Now, make me a cup of tea, and stop worrying.’

Mary went to the kitchen and put the kettle on, but she was worried. There was no telling what James Junior was going to do and, whatever Cynthia might be, she herself would not want something like that on her conscience.

In her heart she had always known that James would one day turn up at their door. It was natural that he would eventually want to seek out his kin. She had just hoped that he wouldn’t, if she was honest.