‘I know you’re right, but a daughter is different to a son, Dan. If this baby is a girl you will understand where I am coming from. Believe me, a daughter makes you see men for what we really are, see the womaniser we once laughed at as an enemy, the friend who had a mistress or a one-night stand as a disloyal bastard. Daughters make you look inside yourself and you will not like what you see. It’s totally different to having a son. When daughters are put into your arms you feel a protectiveness that borders on paranoia.’

Daniel nodded his understanding. ‘I can imagine, I feel like that about Imelda too. In me own way, of course. But you are going to lose her if you don’t accept Delroy.’

Peter knew his brother was making sense. Delroy was making a name for himself, a good name, and he could be useful to them all – certainly until Petey Junior, his eldest, and Danny were old enough to join the family firm.

But no matter the logic, Delroy irritated him; he knew a fucking useless ponce when he saw one. He might have been loyal to Imelda until now, but Peter felt it was all an act. Delroy had more sides than a fucking tetrahedron; he hated himself for thinking as he did but he couldn’t help it. His baby, his daughter, was worth more than Delroy Parkes, and if she didn’t know that, then it was a good fucking job that her old man did.

Chapter Ten

Delroy Parkes was on his best behaviour. He knew he was on probation, as it were, with his father-in-law. He knew he had been used, but he wasn’t too bothered about it – he had wanted to prove himself, and he had done it. He had seen the sceptical look on Peter Bailey’s face when he had casually requested that his son-in-law should take out Jonny Bryant. Well, he had done it and proved he had his own creds.

Delroy had been offended at his reception into the Bailey family; after all, his own father-in-law was also black; he could have understood the animosity if the man had been white with a white daughter.

Delroy was determined to make a life for himself and Imelda and their children; a good life, that was worthy of them. He had been willing to take out Bryant if it would help his relations with his father-in-law, but he hated that he had been used, and that Peter Bailey thought so little of him. He was determined to show that fucker that he was a man in his own right. He had a plan and he hoped that his wife’s father would see the logic in it, and that it made good business sense. If he didn’t then it would be time for Delroy to do his own thing.

Chapter Eleven