Her voice was quiet, timid. ‘He’s my husband, John. Everyone deserves a second chance. I mean how many chances have you had from Paige? You’ve been caught out that many times so don’t judge me when your wife has given you chance after chance. I don’t know how she does it, honest, I’d have you six foot under by now.’

John smirked and sat back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. ‘I just love the women, don’t I? And they love me. I can’t help myself. But Donny is another story. You’re my sister and I won’t have no prick taking the piss out of you. I told you when you first met him that I wasn’t sure about him, didn’t I?’

Susan was quick to jump in. ‘You said that about every man that I dated, John. But now … I just need to put my mind at rest and find out for sure. It’s making me ill. Night after night I lie awake and any chance I get, I go through his phone. Can’t you get some of your boys to watch him for me? If I could do it myself I would, but I daren’t do much more than drive by the school gates.’

‘I suppose, but are you sure you want me to? Imagine if he is cheating, what then?’

Susan sat cracking her knuckles and her expression changed. The softness and uncertainty vanished; she looked hard, unforgiving. Her voice was slow, deep as she replied. ‘Then I’ll ruin him. There will be none of what happened last time. I’ll make sure I leave the bastard with nothing. I’ll take him to the fucking cleaners.’

John chuckled and threw his head back laughing. ‘That’s my sister sat right there. I knew you were in there somewhere. That’s it, girl, break him, take him for everything and leave the fucker with nothing but the clothes he’s standing in.’

Susan grinned, reached over and patted her brother’s knee. ‘Let’s get this plan into action then. If he’s fucking about then God help him. I’m ready this time, ready to destroy him and everything that he loves.’

John nodded his head slowly and sat staring out of the window. ‘Consider it done.’

Chapter Seven

Donny made his way into the boozer on the way home from work. A pint or two was just what the doctor ordered after today, his head was done in with all the stress. And if Susan wasn’t at home, he could grab a few cheeky drinks to help him settle down before he watched the match and she’d never know.