Chapters (48)
- Cover
- THEFEUD
- Dedication
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- PROLOGUE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Jessica closed Joey’s bedroom door and went downstairs.
Aware that his sister looked upset, Raymond hugged her. ‘Shall I see if I can find Eddie?’ he asked her.
About to answer, Jessica ran to the window as she heard a car pulling up outside.
‘Speak of the devil, eh, sis?’ Raymond joked, as he went outside to speak to his brother-in-law.
‘Is everything OK?’ Raymond asked him.
‘Not really, but I’ll know for definite later. Did you stay here with Jess last night?’ Eddie enquired.
Raymond nodded. ‘She was a bit upset and rang me. Listen, Ed, I know the score, Jess told me about Frankie and O’Hara’s boy. If anything kicks off and you need backup, I’m there for you, you know that.’
Eddie put his arm around Raymond’s shoulder. ‘Cheers, mate, much appreciated.’
Raymond laughed as Eddie lifted a massive bouquet out of his boot. ‘Fucking hell, they ain’t for me, are they?’
‘Get over yourself, you fucking tosser. Listen, Ray, can you do me a big favour? I’ve got a gut feeling today’s gonna be a bad day. I’ve got a bit of running around to do, but do you think you can stay here? I don’t wanna leave Jess and the kids on their own.’
Raymond immediately agreed. ‘Frankie ain’t here though, Ed. She never came home last night.’
Eddie felt his pulse start to quicken. ‘If I find out she’s in that pikey’s fucking caravan, I’ll kill him, then kill her,’ he told Raymond.
Aware that Eddie’s eyes had turned cloudy and angry, Raymond led Eddie back to the house. ‘Just calm down and go and see Jess. You going off your head ain’t gonna do her pregnancy any good, is it?’
Eddie handed Raymond his phone and he told him to put it on charge and make himself scarce for five minutes.
Jessica was in the front room and didn’t look up as her husband walked in.
‘Jess, I’m so sorry for having a go at you. None of this is your fault, I know it’s not. You know the old saying, “You always hurt the ones you love”? Well, I don’t mean to, but I suppose because we’re so close I take my frustrations out on you.’
Jessica had never been one to carry on an argument. She had only ever done that once with Eddie, when he had shoved Joey into that boxing ring and she had gone back to her mother’s for a few days.
As Eddie knelt in front of her, Jessica smiled. ‘Look, I’m on me fucking hands and knees, begging your forgiveness. Don’t tell anyone, will ya? Got me reputation to think of, ain’t I?’