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

“Hey,” Yazid mumbled, and lifted an arm.


Ali put the tea on the side and climbed into bed fully-clothed, the searing heat a welcoming balm. He cuddled up to Yazid’s side and kissed a bruise he’d left with his teeth last night.


“I have to call the hospital tomorrow,” Ali whispered. “I’m…I’m going to do it. I’m going to donate.”


“Okay,” Yazid said, the passive tone a relief. “I’ll book a hotel tomorrow then and we’ll head up for your blood-sucking sessions.”


Ali laughed, the sound too high and giddy.


Yazid’s arm tightened around his back.


“If I back out, that’d be okay, right?” Ali whispered into the quiet gloom.


“Yeah. Now ssh, this is a good film.”


“You’ve seen it a hundred times.”


“Yeah, but Kenneth Branagh is actually kind of fit in this,” Yazid whined.


“Oi, enough of that. You had plenty last night.”


Chapter 81