If you could save someone's life, would you? Anyone's? Ali's older brother has a swastika tattooed on his knuckles, a prison ID number for nearly beating an immigrant to death, and spent his teenage years ruthlessly persecuting Ali for being gay. Blood may be thicker than water, but Ali has spent most of his life desperate to prove he is nothing like Tony. A committed vegetarian, charity-supporter, and blood donor, Ali would do anything for anyone. Ali may share parentage with Tony, but he’s determined not to share anything else if he can help it. So when Tony contracts leukaemia, and Ali is the only match for the urgently-needed bone marrow transplant, Ali is caught between two equally awful choices: to refuse and condemn a man to death, or to donate. And in donating, save the life of the man who nearly murdered Ali's Iraqi boyfriend?

Thicker Than Bone

“I don’t know if I can step in and save him when he nearly killed you,” Ali whispered, “but I don’t want to become the kind of person who lets somebody die.”


“People let people die all the time, Ali,” Yazid murmured.


“Not like this,” Ali said. “I’d…I’d deliberately be refusing, you know? And—I mean, it’s hypocritical of me all over again because if he was a stranger, I’d do it. I’d…I’d say he could change, or I don’t believe in the death penalty, but—he hurt you.”


Yazid sighed heavily. “Okay. Look, I can’t help you here, Ali. Whatever decision you make, it’s one you have to be able to live with, not me. I can honestly say I don’t give a fuck if he dies, but I mean what I said when you came home. Whatever you decide—whatever—I will be on your side. Okay? Whatever you decide to do, I’m on your side.”


Ali managed a tremulous smile. “Promise?” he whispered.


Chapter 47