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and we’ve raised our families together. We are very fortunate. Hold up, here comes your mother, looking like the poor man’s Diana Dors. You got to give it to her, she scrubs up fucking well. I’m going to go say hello.’
    Peter smiled in agreement as Lena walked away. Theresa had always looked after herself. It was a shame really, because if he had been white she would probably have been married by now. Men overlooked a lot for a beautiful woman and, in all fairness, she had been a beauty in her day, but no one had overlooked
that
.
    His thoughts were interrupted by Imelda’s entrance; she looked gorgeous, bless her, and far too good, in Peter’s opinion, for the Rasta on her arm. Delroy had a lot to prove to win Peter’s trust and tonight they would find out if he was worthy of it.
    ‘So what do you think, Pete?’ Daniel joined his brother and passed Peter a full glass, easily reading his brother’s thoughts.
    Peter shrugged. ‘Let’s see if he’s come through for us, shall we? See if we can trust him.’ Catching Delroy’s attention, he raised an eyebrow speculatively.
    And Delroy, knowing exactly what was being asked of him, nodded back.
    ‘Well, well, it appears, bruv, that our little problem with Jonny Bryant has been well and truly taken care of.’ Daniel wasclearly impressed. ‘Now are you going to give him a break?’
    ‘I still don’t trust him, Dan. He’s a fucking waster, a Jamaican jumper, all smiles and no bite.’
    Daniel Bailey shook his head ruefully. This side of his brother bothered him. Daniel saw Delroy as a potential asset to the family, but Peter had taken umbrage and it annoyed him.
    ‘He’s all right, for fuck’s sake, he’s taken out fucking Bryant and, be fair, asking him to do that was an insult. But he’s done it. He knows you were testing him, and he’s come up fucking trumps. Your trouble is you don’t like your daughter with a man, any man. Well it was going to happen sometime, especially with a girl as good-looking as her. For fuck’s sake, Peter, she is a grown woman. Get over it. Delroy is her choice, and I like him. He is well liked by his peers, he’s a grafter. And we need another good man on-side until our boys are old enough to do the business. Anyway, love him or loathe him, he is now your flesh and blood. Imelda will breed with him, and his kids will be your grandchildren.’ Daniel laughed out loud then. ‘It’s the cycle of life, Peter. Give him a chance, for fuck’s sake. He put a ring on her finger. We were all there, remember? He even swallowed the Catholic service. Now I don’t know about you, but that screams dedication to me. If you’re not careful you will push him away, and that will mean she will go with him. She’s mad about him and, from what I can see, he is mad about her. Give him the benefit of the doubt, eh?’
    ‘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. Whendaughters 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