Angel and the Assassin 3: Sins of the Father

important people. I was so scared when I had you that you’d
    end up like all those other lads on the estate, involved in drugs and stealing and
    murders. It’s hard raising a boy on your own. But when I see what you’ve done with
    your life, how good and kind you are, I’m so proud.”
    If only you knew what I really do. Who I really am.
    He looked at Angel to find him smiling, even though his long, dark eyelashes
    were still wet with tears. “Daddy’s the best thing in my life, Sharon.”
    “He’s the best thing in my life as well, luv,” she said.
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    “I don’t deserve either of you,” he said.
    His mum forced a smile. “I’m going to make us something to eat. You must be
    starving. I don’t know about Angel, though. He ate half a packet of chocolate Digestives
    before he got all upset realizing he’d said something he shouldn’t.” She nudged him.
    “Didn’t you, luv.”
    Smiling at her, he said, “Yeah, but I can always eat.”
    “We have to get home. Angel’s got college in the morning,” Kael said.
    “You’re too upset to drive anywhere. You’re sleeping here,” Sharon said.
    “No, he can’t miss school.”
    “One day won’t kill him.” She stood up.
    “I’ll cook, Sharon. You talk with Daddy.” Angel got up. “I’ll go and see what there
    is. I’m becoming a great cook, aren’t I, Daddy?”
    “You certainly are, sweetheart.”
    When Angel wandered off to the kitchen, Kael took his mum’s hand. “Mum, I’ve
    never hit him across the face like that before. I want you to know that. I lost my temper.
    I know it was wrong.”
    “Don’t ever do it again. I don’t care what goes on in that spare bedroom with all
    that funny equipment. That’s your business, but don’t you ever hit him in a temper
    again.”
    “No, I won’t. I’ve smacked his arse a few times, but I know I shouldn’t have hit
    him like that.”
    “He loves you, and I know you love him. But you’re too hard on him.”
    “Am I?” He was shocked that she thought that. “Why do you say that, Mum?”
    “He’s such a good lad. He obeys you the minute you tell him anything. He keeps
    your flat spotless, and I’m a tough judge of spotless, as you know. He’s got lovely
    manners. He’s always trying to make you smile. But I’ve seen you when I’m in London
    making him do schoolwork on the holidays. And when we went to Castle Howard that
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    weekend when we all went to York, you spent the whole time making him answer
    questions about the history of the National Trust houses.”
    “Did I?” He didn’t remember doing that.
    “Yes, you did. I could see he was getting fed up with it, but he just kept answering
    you, doing his best. And you’re always watching him when he’s eating and pointing it
    out if he drops a crumb. I’d be a nervous wreck with you watching me all the time,
    looking for faults.”
    Feeling ashamed at having it all laid out in front of him, he looked at his hands in
    his lap. “I only want the best for him. I want him to do well in life.”
    “I know that, luv, and he will with you to guide him. He told me he’d have ended
    up on the street if he hadn’t met you. He said his mum met a new man and didn’t want
    him.”
    “Yes, she did.” He had met Angel the very day the boy’s mother had left for
    France, leaving him behind in the house in Cape Cod. “He’s safe now,” he said,
    wondering at his mum’s assessment. Was he too hard on his boy? Drill Sergeant Daddy.
    “Well, I’ll have to watch myself with him from now on.” Looking for the right
    words, he said, “I’m so sorry about doing what I did with Shawn. I thought I was in
    love with him. He said he loved me. I thought I was the only boy he ever did it with. He
    said I was, and I believed him.”
    “Didn’t you get enough love from me?” she asked.
    “Of course I did. You’re a great mum. You always were. But I was interested in
    sex, seriously interested, since I was twelve. I didn’t think about much else from that
    age on. I wanted him to love me, but it was the sex as well. That’s why I feel so bad
    about the whole thing. I was being selfish. He was your boyfriend, and you were out
    working so hard and I was home doing things with Shawn. I feel like such an idiot for
    believing him.”
    “You’re not an idiot.” She stood up. “I’m going to my bedroom for a few minutes.
    I need a minute to