Daniel Bailey was looking at his sons as if he had never seen any of them before in his life. A detached part of him realised that they were boys to be proud of. They were trying to talk to him as men – as men who saw themselves as his equal. But it was a shocker because it occurred to him just how much he had taken them for granted; somehow along the line he had missed them growing up, growing away from him. They had all grown closer to each other and now they were a formidable team. He had never truly appreciated them, and that was a mistake he was now paying for big time.

Daniel Bailey had only ever shown real affection to the women in his life and, of course, his brother Peter. He had only ever seen his boys as a potential workforce who would, one day, run his businesses alongside him. And, as his flesh and blood, he had assumed that they would always be as easy to manipulate, to manage, as they had been as children.

Well, he had certainly fucking got that wrong! They had become great big lumps who he now saw he had seriously underestimated. He had to diffuse this situation, he knew that much.

‘Are you going to answer me, Dad?’

Daniel Bailey nodded, his whole demeanour changing in an instant, as he attempted to appear contrite. ‘Derek fucking mugged me off, and you know me, boys – I don’t take kindly to people who think they can take advantage of my good nature.’

‘Look, Dad, it’s not just us who have had enough of your fucking antics, right? Uncle Peter has asked me to tell you that he is not impressed with your behaviour either. He makes sure you have your earn, and we, my brothers and me, your sons, are trying to keep up with Uncle Peter and his lads. We could be earning a lot more if you weren’t hanging round our necks like a fucking albatross. So you think twice before you threaten us in the future, because if we walk away, you won’t have fucking no one.’

Daniel Bailey saw that if he wasn’t careful he would lose them once and for all. They were good earners, he knew that better than anyone. His eldest lad had a flair for negotiating with people, and he was fair. He had a lot of Peter in him actually, had his brother’s understanding of people’s weak spots, and how best to utilise them to his own advantage.