A Savage Betrayal: A BRAND NEW explosive gangland thriller from BESTSELLER Heather Atkinson for 2024

By Heather Atkinson

‘Heather is a bright star in the world of gangland writing...Read it, you won't be disappointed.' Jacqui Rose

Control of Glasgow’s infamous Haghill estate has been fought over for decades.

But thanks to an uneasy truce between notorious local families - the Alexanders, the Tallans, and the ruthless Savages - for now the streets are peaceful.

For Carly Savage this means she can think the unthinkable, and contemplate a future with her family’s sworn enemy, Jack Alexander, ignoring warnings that he can’t be trusted. But when crime boss, Rod Tallan, takes a romantic interest in her too, Carly feels like a pawn in some very dangerous men’s game.

As cracks begin to form in the fragile alliances, and rumours of treachery grow louder, the Savage Sisters find themselves at the heart of a deadly rivalry. And as the danger creeps ever closer to her family, Carly needs to find out once and for all who she can really trust.

Because, when the chips are down, family is everything…

Heather Atkinson’s bestselling Savage family are back and they’re tougher than ever. Perfect for all fans of Kimberley Chambers and Jessie Keane.

Readers love Heather Atkinson:

‘Oh... my....GOD....I am speechless! I thought the first book was brilliant, people this one is sooo much better! I was completely blindsided in the direction this book went and that ending ? I'm hoping Heather is writing like a demon on the next instalment. 10 stars from me ❤️’

‘Totally speechless!!!!!!! Amazing from start to finish didn’t want it to end hope there will be a 3rd book.’

‘Great characters, twists and turns. I loved it, thank you Heather Atkinson, such an amazing talent.’

‘As always I couldn’t resist reading this in one sitting. Heather Atkinson always nails it with her writing. A must read!’

‘It is a brilliant story and once again has left me eagerly awaiting the next book! It is one I would definitely recommend.’

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boldwood Books
• Release date: Jun 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9781804152140

Heather Atkinson

Heather Atkinson is the author of over fifty books - predominantly in the crime fiction genre. Although Lancashire born and bred she now lives with her family, including twin teenage daughters, on the beautiful west coast of Scotland.

Book preview

1

Carly Savage gripped onto the steering wheel, eyes wide with delight as the car went careering around the bend, tyres screeching. Just as it appeared as though the vehicle was going to leave the track, she whipped the wheel to the left and the car righted itself at the last moment. Carly slammed her foot down on the accelerator, the roar of the engine only broadening her grin as she sped down the last section of the track before bringing the car to a screeching halt.

‘Fucking brilliant,’ exclaimed Jack Alexander joyfully, sitting beside her in the passenger seat. He hastily released the handle above his head onto which he’d been gripping, his knuckles white, before she noticed.

‘That was so exciting,’ she breathed, releasing the wheel.

‘You’re a natural; you should be a rally driver. I can’t believe you’re the same woman who just a month ago was pottering around like an old biddy on her way to the bingo,’ he said in a strong Yorkshire accent. His father had been forced to leave Scotland when it was revealed he was a paedophile, so Jack had lived in England since he was five years old and had no trace of his native Glaswegian accent.

Carly laughed, still high on adrenaline. ‘You’re a cheeky bastard but I just love it. This might sound weird but when I’m driving it feels like me and the car are one.’

‘You’re right, that does sound weird but I know what you mean.’ He slid his hand into her hair. ‘Come here, gorgeous.’

Carly flung off her seatbelt and kissed him passionately, excitement still thrumming through her. She and Jack had been seeing each other for two months, to her surprise. She had assumed he’d go out of his way to avoid her after they’d first slept together but on the contrary, they’d become an item, finding they gelled together so well – even though at thirty he was ten years older than her. She really liked him and would have been happy in this new relationship if it hadn’t been for one thing: her family had no idea they were seeing each other.

The Savage and Alexander families had gone to war with each other six months ago when Cole Alexander, Carly’s ex, had been released from prison. The Alexanders had discovered that her uncle, Eddie, had set up a very lucrative deal with the infamous Tallan brothers and his family had decided they wanted to take that deal from them. The Savages had been victorious but after Cole had executed Neil Tallan on behalf of Neil’s brother Rod, the two warring families had been forced to work together. Now Cole, along with his siblings Dominic and Ross, and Jack, their second cousin, were in close collaboration with the Savages. Neil had been murdered two months ago, just before Carly and Jack had got together, and now Rod ruled with an iron fist. He employed both the families and Rod insisted they work and cooperate with one another. Not an easy order to obey when there was so much animosity but so far they’d managed it.

Not one member of either family knew about Carly and Jack’s relationship and they had to make sure it stayed that way, for the foreseeable future at least. Such news could shatter the fragile truce. Although Jack didn’t experience much guilt about keeping a secret from his family, mainly because he didn’t really like them, Carly felt terrible as she was so close to her own family. It was especially hard keeping it a secret from Jane, her older sister, as they’d always confided in each other. Carly was the only one who knew Jane’s own secret – that she was in a relationship with Jennifer, her second-in-command of the Unbeatable Bitches, the feared girl gang she led. No one had a clue Jane even found women attractive and she wanted to see how things went with Jennifer before announcing it to the world. Carly felt privileged to be entrusted with the secret, which she’d kept entirely to herself, but it made her feel even guiltier about keeping her own from her sister.

‘We can’t do that here,’ said Jack, glancing out of the window when Carly straddled him and started to unfasten his jeans.

‘No one else is here,’ she replied, kissing him.

Jack pulled her tighter against him. ‘Someone might come along. We’re not the only ones who use this track.’

They were on a piece of private land a fifteen-minute drive from Haghill, owned by a contact of his who hired it out for people to have a tearabout in their car or motorbike. It was also popular with local boys on trail bikes but they didn’t like to pay and snuck in through gaps in the fence, so it was impossible to predict when they would turn up.

‘Fine,’ said Carly, sinking back into the driver’s seat.

She started the engine and steered the car into the small but dense patch of woodland at the end of the track. After yanking on the handbrake, they jumped into the back seat together.

Twenty minutes later, Carly lay naked in Jack’s arms, resting her head on his bare chest as they caught their breath.

‘Why does driving fast always get you so hot?’ he panted, sliding his fingers through her long hair.

‘I suppose it’s the adrenaline,’ she smiled. ‘I find it so exciting.’

‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining and you’re a natural behind the wheel.’

‘I’ve got a good teacher,’ she smiled, pecking him on the lips. Carly sat up and began pulling on her clothes.

‘Will you be able to stay over at mine tonight?’ he asked her.

‘Aye, I think so. Jane and Rose will be out tonight.’

‘Great. How about a pizza and a DVD?’

‘Sounds good,’ she replied, struggling to pull her T-shirt on over her head in the hot confines of the car. Summer had begun and it promised to be a scorcher.

‘Any preferences?’

‘Cheese, tomato and mushroom pizza. Any DVD as long as it’s not a musical. I cannae stand anything with singing in it.’

‘Shame. There goes my plan to watch Mamma Mia! tonight.’

Her look was withering. ‘Please tell me you’re kidding.’

‘Course I am,’ he grinned. ‘Any film I watch has to have at least one car chase and a gunfight in it.’

‘Thank God for that. I was seconds away from dumping you then.’

Jack chuckled and pulled her down to him for a kiss while she was still tangled in her T-shirt, making her giggle.

Once she was dressed, Jack pulled on his own clothes and they clambered back into the front seats, Carly pouting when he took the driver’s seat.

‘Don’t look at me like that,’ he told her. ‘You don’t have your licence yet.’

‘My instructor says he’ll put me in for my test soon because I’m doing so well. He doesn’t realise that’s because of your instruction, no’ his.’

‘Just don’t drive on your test like you do here or they’ll ban you for life.’

‘I won’t,’ she replied with a twinkle in her eyes.

Jack smiled and shook his head as he started the engine. He drove them back to Haghill, dropping Carly off a few streets away from her home.

‘I hope it won’t always be like this,’ he said. ‘Having to hide our relationship. I hate it.’

‘Me too but we’ve no choice. Our families would lose their minds if they found out,’ replied Carly.

‘I know,’ he sighed. Mischief lit up his eyes. ‘On the bright side, having to sneak around is pretty sexy.’

‘That is true.’ She kissed him. ‘I’ll see you tonight. I’ll come round when my sisters have left.’

Carly got out of the car, pulled up her hood and hurried down the street. It had started raining that light summer rain that gently nourished the parched land. She smiled as she walked. Never would she have thought that dating someone who had been in prison for attempted murder would make her happy, but Jack did. On the surface, he seemed so intense and brooding, a touch of the Byronic, but deep down he was kind and warm – at least to her, anyway. Carly supposed the people he beat up on a regular basis as part of his work for Rod Tallan would disagree. She cared for him very deeply but if she was honest, her heart still belonged to her cousin Dean. They’d almost got together, until he’d lied to her. In Dean’s eyes, it had been a white lie to protect her from learning something very painful about her beloved father, but to her it had been a betrayal of trust and their relationship had collapsed before it could even get going. Carly didn’t want to love her own relative romantically but she couldn’t stop herself. It didn’t help that she still worked closely with her handsome, strapping cousin debt collecting for Rod Tallan. Still, she determined to enjoy herself with Jack and wean herself off Dean.

Carly headed inside her flat and called out, ‘Just me.’

Jane appeared in the hallway. ‘How did your driving lesson go?’ she asked her sister.

‘Great,’ smiled Carly. ‘Very satisfying,’ she added, thinking of what she and Jack had got up to on the back seat. ‘I’m nearly ready to take my test.’

‘Great. Uncle Eddie’s here; he’s having a meeting with Cole,’ Jane added meaningfully.

‘No problem,’ replied Carly. She was completely over her ex, a fact she’d repeatedly told her older sister but one Jane didn’t seem to believe. Her sister always felt the need to warn Carly when Cole was around, even though he and Eddie spent quite a bit of time together strategising and ensuring their families worked together in the most efficient way possible.

Carly followed her sister into the kitchen, which doubled as a living room. Even though the sisters’ father, Alec, now lived in a care home thanks to his early-onset Parkinson’s disease, his room still sat untouched. They had no wish to turn it into a living room, so the kitchen remained the heart of the home.

Cole and Eddie sat at the table, deep in discussion. When Carly entered, Cole regarded her with his brilliant-green cat’s eyes and nodded. She nodded back and wandered over to the kettle.

‘Anyone want a cuppa?’ she asked.

‘No thanks, Carly doll,’ replied Eddie.

‘Cole?’

‘I’m good, thanks.’

Jane noted that Cole watched her sister curiously as she filled the kettle and switched it on. When he realised Jane was watching him in turn, he looked back at Eddie.

‘So,’ said Eddie. ‘Our families need to stick closely together on this one.’

Cole nodded in agreement.

‘What’s this?’ said Carly.

‘We have to collect a debt for Rod but it’s from some real nasty biker bastard who always has his big, hard pals around,’ said Eddie. ‘They won’t give up the cash without a fight, so we’ve decided to pool our resources.’

‘Sounds good. How much does he owe?’

‘Seventy-five grand.’

‘Jeezo, I think that’s the biggest debt we’ve had to collect yet.’

‘Me and Harry currently hold the record for fifty-nine grand,’ said Jane.

‘Sorry, doll. Your record’s gonnae get smashed,’ Eddie told her cheerfully.

‘We’re going to take on a bunch of bikers?’ said Carly.

‘Aye. Don’t worry, they don’t belong to any big chapter or anything, they’re just a small outfit, twelve of them in total. We can handle them.’

‘At risk of sounding petty, I hope Ross manages to control himself,’ she told Cole.

‘He will,’ he replied. ‘I guarantee it.’

‘Good, because he does tend to get carried away. Tell him no’ to batter someone’s heid in with a metal bar this time. He almost killed that poor sod on his last job.’

‘I’ve already had a word and he knows.’

‘How is he coping working with us? I know he hates it.’

‘I’m no’ gonnae lie to you, he does, but he likes the money too much to let his feelings get in the way.’

‘For once his greed works in our favour.’

‘He’s no’ greedy, just ambitious. Ross understands his role. I hope you do too.’

Carly hated how coldly Cole spoke now. Once, he’d been warm, loving and full of fun, always a naughty twinkle in his gorgeous green eyes, but prison had changed him and he’d come out this callous creature who no longer loved her. It had taken her a while to deal with the pain his complete personality change had caused her but she was over it now, although it still made her sad.

‘Don’t you worry about me,’ Carly told him. ‘I’ll be there kicking arse with the rest of you.’

‘Good.’ Cole glanced at his watch and got to his feet. ‘I have to go; I’ve got to pick up Maw from the hospital.’

‘Nothing serious, I hope?’

The way Carly said this sounded sarcastic but Cole chose to ignore it. ‘Just a little nip tuck, nothing drastic.’

‘She’s had plastic surgery, seriously?’

‘Aye. Since Da’ left she’s had a new lease of life. She said leaving is the nicest thing he’s ever done for her.’

‘Even though he emptied their joint bank account?’

‘She doesnae care about that money, not with the cash me, Ross and Dom are raking in,’ he said, referring to his two older brothers. Even though he was the youngest of the three Alexander siblings, Rod Tallan had placed him in charge of his own family as he was by the far the most ruthless and intelligent. Ross let his temper get the better of him and Dominic was weak and thick.

‘Well, at least she’s enjoying herself.’

‘I suppose,’ he said, not sure again whether Carly was being sarcastic or not.

Carly’s lips twitched with amusement when he gave her a scrutinising look, before turning to Eddie.

‘See you tomorrow,’ Cole told him, shaking his hand.

‘Aye, nae bother, pal,’ replied Eddie.

With that, Cole left.

‘He’s turned into a real creepy bastard,’ commented Carly.

‘True,’ said Eddie. ‘But a bloody clever one. That lad’s got a good heid on his shoulders. He should go far.’

‘So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?’ Jane asked him, taking a seat at the table.

Carly joined them, cradling the mug of tea she’d made for herself.

‘I’ll go over it when the boys are back,’ he replied, referring to his sons.

‘Where are they?’ said Carly.

‘Harry’s on a date.’

‘I’m shocked.’

‘And Dean’s got a dentist appointment.’

‘Is it serious?’

‘I don’t think so. It’s only their second date.’

‘I mean with Dean’s teeth, no’ Harry’s date.’

‘Oh, sorry. Naw, just a wee loose tooth at the back after he got punched in the face on that job a couple of days ago.’

Carly laughed. ‘That was so funny. He wasn’t expecting to be hit by that wee auld woman. She had an excellent right hook for her age too.’

‘It served him right,’ said Eddie. ‘He let his guard down and thought she was helpless. It’s a good lesson to you all. We should be grateful she didnae whip out a knife and stab him.’

This caused Carly’s smile to drop. ‘Aye, you’re right, Uncle Eddie.’

After finishing her tea, Carly announced she was going for a shower. She thought it only right after she and Jack had got hot and sweaty together in the car.

On her way to the bathroom, she paused outside the room that had been her father’s. The sight of the empty bed made her heart ache. Granted, he was much happier in the luxury care home where he’d made friends and even got to join in activities – a far cry from what his life had been before, stuck in that bed all day – but she missed him like crazy. They visited him several times a week, as the home wasn’t far from Haghill and at least he was safely out of the way should their enemies decide to attack the flat again, but it was still a big adjustment, not just for her but for Jane and Rose too. Thankfully Rose had coped better than her older sisters had thought she would. She’d seen how happy their father was in his new home, and now her exams were over and school had broken up for the summer, she could relax. Seventeen-year-old Rose spent a lot of time with her friends, gaining some independence from her sisters.

With a sad sigh, Carly headed into the bathroom and locked the door. Life had changed drastically in the last two months and she felt like she was still running to catch up.

2

Dean and Harry arrived an hour later. Dean entered looking pale and unwell and sank onto the couch at the back of the kitchen while Harry looked annoyed.

‘I don’t know why you had to call me,’ Harry told his brother. ‘Why didn’t you ask Da’ to pick you up? I was finally making progress with Chantelle when I had to tell her, sorry, I cannae come back to yours because my wee brother has a sore peggy.’

‘Peggy?’ frowned Jane.

‘Aye, tooth. We always called them toothy peggies growing up.’ His bad mood wasn’t helped when both she and Carly sniggered.

‘Sorry,’ mumbled Dean. ‘But I felt like shite and I needed your help.’

‘I’ll be lucky if Chantelle gi’es me another chance.’

‘What’s the big deal?’ said Jane. ‘You have a different girlfriend each week.’

‘This is Chantelle Brody we’re talking about. She could be a catwalk model if she wanted to.’

‘Why does she work at that fast food chicken place if she’s so wonderful?’ mumbled Dean.

‘She wants to be an actress.’

Dean’s cynical expression said it all.

‘Stop banging on,’ Eddie told Harry. ‘Your brother needed you and that takes precedence over some scrawny tart. The drumsticks her shitey takeaway sells have more meat on them than she does.’

Harry glared at Dean when he chuckled. ‘At least she’s no’ overweight like Morgan.’

‘Morgan is no’ overweight, she’s curvy and she’s real,’ mumbled Dean, who clearly didn’t have the stamina for the argument but was determined to defend his lady. ‘If a woman doesn’t look like a rake with a wig on, you think she’s fat.’

‘That’s enough,’ said Eddie when Harry opened his mouth to retort. ‘We’ve got a big job on tomorrow morning and the last thing we need is you two going at each other like fishwives.’

Too tired and sore to argue, Dean nodded.

This talk of Dean’s current girlfriend pained Carly. He’d dated some tart with too much make-up called Candice for a couple of weeks before breaking up with her, claiming her voice got on his nerves. He’d then started a relationship with a woman called Morgan who had only lived in Haghill for a couple of years. She was attractive and pleasant but there was an aloofness about her that none of the family really liked. They’d been seeing each other for a month now. Carly had to watch them together, kissing and holding hands. She had hoped Dean would have dumped her by now, but they seemed to be going strong. It was for the best though. Dean was her cousin and they’d be regarded as freaks if they got together, but she didn’t know how to stop herself from loving him. Even now, she wanted to go to him and hold him; he looked so tired and miserable after his trip to the dentist, his light-brown hair adorably askew.

Carly realised Jane was regarding her with a disapproving expression, so she tore her gaze off Dean and concentrated on what her uncle was saying as he explained tomorrow’s job to his sons.

‘I hope you’re back on your feet by then,’ Eddie told Dean. ‘We need you at full strength.’

‘I’ll be fine. The anaesthetic will have worn off by then.’

‘Did they pull the tooth?’

‘Naw, they worked it back into the socket and put a splint on it.’

‘A splint?’ he spluttered. ‘It’s your tooth, no’ a broken arm.’

‘I have to go back in four weeks to have it taken off.’

‘So you’ll be good to go tomorrow?’

‘Aye. I just hope no one hits me in that side of the face.’

‘Don’t worry, we’ll be tackling rough tough bikers, no’ sweet auld biddies.’

Dean glared at Harry when he laughed.

‘I don’t like working with the Alexanders,’ announced Harry, folding his arms across his chest. ‘We cannae trust them.’

‘I agree, but we’ve no choice,’ replied Eddie. ‘And we really need their help on this one. Even with our two families working together, we’ll still be outnumbered.’

‘Sounds fun,’ he grinned.

Eddie scowled at him before looking to Dean. ‘Go home and get some rest, son.’

Dean nodded and hauled himself to his feet. ‘Could someone give me a lift?’

‘I’ll drive you,’ said Carly. ‘If someone’s willing to lend me their car?’

‘No,’ Eddie and Harry replied in unison.

‘Why not? I’m taking my test soon.’

‘I took you out driving once,’ said Harry. ‘We were overtaken by an auld man on a mobility scooter. It was so embarrassing.’

‘I’m no’ like that now, I’ve had plenty of lessons since. My instructor’s really pleased with my progress.’

‘Bully for them. You’re no’ touching my car.’

‘Mine neither,’ said Eddie. ‘I’ll take you home, son,’ he told Dean.

‘Thanks,’ he replied.

‘Are you sure you’ll be okay on your own?’ Jane asked him.

‘Don’t worry, Morgan will come round and let you rest your head in her enormous lap,’ Harry told his brother.

‘What the fuck’s your problem?’ Dean snarled at his brother, who grinned.

‘Shut it, you,’ Eddie told Harry, pointing a finger at him. He turned to Dean and put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. ‘Let’s get you home, son, and into bed.’

‘That’s where I could have been now with Chantelle, if it hadn’t been for him,’ muttered Harry as Eddie and Dean left. ‘What?’ he added when Jane and Carly scowled at him.

‘You were out of order there,’ Jane told him.

‘Yeah,’ chimed in Carly. ‘You’re not normally like that. What’s your problem?’

He sighed. ‘Working with the Alexanders is getting on my nerves, okay? I cannae shake the feeling that they’ll stab us in the back one day.’

‘Course they will,’ said Carly. ‘It’s in their nature but we’ve no choice but to keep working with them. If not, Rod will get really pissed off. The Alexanders know that too, so hopefully that will keep them in line, for a while at least. Besides, if we can make it work with them then we’ll become so strong.’

‘The bigger they are, the harder they fall,’ he muttered mutinously.

‘Stop being such a pessimist,’ said Jane. ‘We’re doing really well and making more money than ever.’

‘Suppose,’ he sniffed. ‘Well, I’ll call Chantelle and see if she wants to pick up where we left off.’

‘Please make it up to Dean, won’t you? We cannae have you two falling out tomorrow.’

‘Don’t worry, he was off his tits on painkillers. He won’t even remember.’

With that, Harry left too.

‘He has a point,’ Carly told Jane. ‘The Alexanders will turn on us one day. They don’t like sharing with us.’

‘To be fair, we don’t like sharing with them either,’ she replied. ‘But we have to work together if we want to stay in Rod’s good books. Sometimes I think Cole still has feelings for you.’

‘You must be joking. He’s like a bloody statue.’

‘Just because he looks that way doesn’t mean that’s what he feels inside. Sometimes there’s longing in his eyes when he looks at you.’

Carly’s expression was withering. ‘You’re just seeing romance everywhere because you’re loved up.’

‘Maybe,’ she smiled. ‘I wish you could find someone too, especially with Dean seeing Morgan.’

‘I’m fine as I am,’ said Carly, feeling warm inside when she thought of Jack, as well as a little guilty. ‘I’ve got enough going on in my life.’

‘Jennifer has a cousin called Martin…’

‘No blind dates,’ she said firmly.

‘I’ve met him and he’s really nice. He’s good-looking too, all dark and brooding. Just your type.’

That comment was a little too near the knuckle for Carly. ‘Honestly, Jane, I don’t need a man complicating my life right now. I’m still getting used to Da’ living in the care home and Dean being with someone else.’ Her smiled was strained. ‘He quickly forgot about me.’

‘I don’t think that’s true, but he has moved on – and you need to do the same.’

‘I will, one day. Just let me do it in my own time.’

‘Okay, no blind dates then. I just want you to be happy, especially when I’m so happy.’

‘And I’m really pleased for you. If anyone deserves it, you do, but you don’t need to look after me any more.’

That evening, Carly turned up at Jack’s flat at seven o’clock on the dot.

‘Good timing,’ he said after greeting her with a kiss. ‘The pizza’s just been delivered.’

‘Smells great,’ she smiled as they took a seat to eat.

‘Cole said we’re going out on a job with your family tomorrow,’ he told her as they tucked into the food.

‘Aye, we’re tackling some biker and his pals over a big debt. It’ll probably get pretty rough.’

‘Sounds fun.’

‘Only you would think something like that would be fun. Apart from Harry.’

‘Admit it, you love a good battle. I’ve seen it in your eyes.’

‘Well, maybe, but only now and then.’

‘Yeah, right. What else do you know about this job tomorrow?’

‘That’s it.’

‘You don’t have any more information?’

‘No. What?’ she added when he gave her a sideways glance.

‘You wouldn’t be holding something back, would you?’

‘Why the hell would I?’

‘I don’t know, maybe because I’m an Alexander and you don’t trust me properly.’

‘That’s no’ true.’

‘Isn’t it?’

Carly put her pizza down on the coffee table and turned to frown at him. ‘What the hell is this?’

‘I trust you but I’m not sure you trust me.’

‘That’s ridiculous, of course I do. I could never have a relationship with a man I didn’t trust, especially after what Cole put me through.’

‘Then why didn’t your uncle tell you more about the job tomorrow?’

‘Because he said he didn’t want to go through everything twice when he didn’t have to, and Harry and Dean came to the flat and started arguing.’

Interest lit up Jack’s eyes. ‘Really? What about?’

‘Dean asked Harry to pick him up from the dentist after he’d had his loose tooth fixed.’

‘Loose tooth? After he was hit by the old woman?’

‘Aye. Harry was pissed off because he was with Chantelle Brody when he called and he had to ditch her when he was on a promise. Satisfied now?’ she demanded.

‘I am, actually. What’s wrong?’ he added when she stared at him in outrage.

‘I cannae believe you thought I was lying to you.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he sighed. ‘But in my family, lying’s par for the course.’

‘Well, it’s not in mine. In fact, we’ve always been really honest with each other and I’m lying to them all in order to see you, which makes what you just said even more insulting.’

Jack put down his pizza and held up his hands. ‘Okay, take it easy. I’m sorry.’

‘Bollocks,’ she said, getting to her feet and storming to the door.

‘Wait,’ he said, rushing after her.

Jack pressed his hand against the door when she attempted to open it.

‘Get off,’ she snarled at him.

‘Please don’t leave.’

‘I don’t want to stay with someone who thinks I’d lie to them about something so stupid.’

‘I fucked up and I’m sorry.’ Jack took one of her hands between his own. ‘I was stuck in prison for twelve years, so I’ve forgotten how to have a normal human relationship. But I’m learning.’

‘Slowly,’ she pouted.

‘Yeah, slowly,’ he laughed. ‘Don’t go, I was looking forward to spending tonight with you.’

‘I’ll stay, as long as you promise to start trusting me. I’m not like Jessica or Cole or any of that lot.’

‘I know that, sweetheart. I couldn’t be with you if you were.’ He leaned in to kiss her.

‘You can’t get round me like that,’ she breathed when he moved his attentions to her neck.

‘It’s my way of apologising,’ he said softly, his fingers playing up into her hair, sending tingles shooting down her spine.

Carly slid her arms around his waist, enjoying his attentions.

‘Am I forgiven?’ he whispered in her ear.

‘Well, okay, but you have to trust me, Jack. This won’t work if you don’t.’

‘I do trust you. I’m just an idiot.’

‘I won’t argue with that,’ she smiled.

Jack liked that smile; he knew it meant he was forgiven. ‘Want to ditch the pizza and go to bed?’

‘No.’ Carly smiled at his outraged expression. ‘I’m starving.’

With that, she walked around him, returned to her place on the couch and picked up her pizza. She turned to him with a smile and patted the space beside her. ‘Come on then.’

Scowling, Jack retook his seat, picked up his food and tore a savage bite out of a slice of pepperoni pizza, broadening her smile.

‘What?’ he demanded.

‘I’ll civilise you one day.’

‘When you do, you might not find me half as interesting.’

‘You could never be boring, Jack.’

This brought the smile back to his face and they ate in companiable silence.

‘Do you think we can trust Rod?’ she asked him.

‘Christ, no. He’s a snake and would kill us as soon as look at us if he thought it would give him an advantage.’

‘That’s what I thought, especially after I saw how he dealt with his own brother. All that closeness they’d seemed to share died in an instant.’

‘Not surprising when Neil was plotting to kill him.’

‘True, but my point is, if he could treat his own brother like that then he could do it to us.’

‘I know you haven’t just realised that, so what are you working up to saying?’

Carly smiled. He understood her well. ‘I think it’s more a question of when he turns against us rather than if, and when that day comes, our families will turn on each other too. Where would that leave us?’

‘I could never hurt you, if that’s what you’re wondering. But let’s not think about it