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’ve got work in a couple of hours, and you need to sleep it off,” Ali said quietly. “I’ll nab the duvet off the bed, yeah?”


“Nooo, c’mere,” Yazid whined, tugging.


Ali sighed and bent over him for the hug. He really reeked, and he was starting to shiver. The veil was scratchy and annoying. Ali tugged it off, and smoothed his thick hair back into place.


“Love you,” Yazid repeated. “I’d totally marry you. In a bra and ev’ryfink.”


Ali chuckled and kissed his cheek. “Love you, too, you massive pisshead,” he murmured, trying to coax Yazid into dozing off. He worked his hands under Yazid’s back and tugged at the bra strap. “Oh no you don’t,” he said, shrugging off Yazid’s suddenly interested hands at the dressing gown cord. “You’re wasted, and I have work soon. You need to sleep.”


Chapter 60