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
‘I mean it, Joycie, if you touch me again in that way, I’ll go and sleep downstairs in the armchair,’ she heard her father say.
Hand over her mouth, Jessica stood in stupefied shock. ‘I can’t believe it,’ she said to Eddie.
Unable to stop laughing, Eddie grabbed her and threw her onto the bed. ‘You are so naive, Jessica Mitchell, and do you know what? I fucking well love you for it.’
TEN
After dropping his two boys home early on Sunday evening, Eddie shot up to the Flag for a prearranged meet with his dad, brothers and uncle.
As he explained that he’d offered Raymond a place in the family firm, Ronny flew into one of his tantrums. ‘He’s a fucking outsider. How do you know he ain’t a grass? He could rob us blind for all you know,’he screamed at Eddie.
Harry Mitchell did his best to defuse the situation. He took Ronny outside the pub and, knowing the best way to handle his son, spoke to him gently and respectfully.
‘Look, Ronny, I know you’ve got your doubts about Ed taking on someone new, but he knows what he’s doing. Raymond’s no stranger to us. He’s been working for Eddie on the scrap for years and seeing as he’s Jessica’s brother, he’s got family ties with us, ain’t he?’
‘But I don’t wanna share my cut of the profits. The fact is, Dad, we don’t need anybody else, especially a fucking kid,’ Ronny argued.
Harry put an arm around his shoulder. ‘Look, Raymond’s only on trial at first. Chances are, he might not be what Eddie’s looking for and it won’t work out anyway. If you’re concerned about him being young and wet behind the ears, have a word with Eddie, get him to set up a task, see if Raymond’s cut out for our line of work.’
The fact that his dad was taking him seriously for once was enough to make Ronny calm down. ‘Maybe you’re right, Dad. Testing the cunt out ain’t such a bad idea. There’s a couple of people been fucking around with us lately. That big skinhead geezer, Mad Dave, owes us a lot of wedge and ain’t breaking his neck to pay it back. How about if the wonderful Raymond pays him a visit? Mad Dave’s about six foot three. He’s a massive bastard, with arms like tree trunks. Let’s see how the dear little apprentice pits his wits against him, eh?’
Harry led his son back inside the pub. ‘Don’t rub Eddie up the wrong way now. Just put your idea forward sensibly,’ he urged Ronny.
Eddie sat in silence as he listened to Ronny’s plan.
‘I think it’s a great idea,’ Paulie said immediately.