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

He picked up the post from the mat, separating out his monthly magazine from the bills—all in Yazid’s name—and headed into the kitchen to start dinner. Yazid would be starting full-time at the pub next month, and then no more boyfriend smelling like curried mystery meat. Ali was looking forward to it.


Speaking of boyfriends…Ali turned in time to receive the whirlwind, catching him by the shoulders and kissing his cheek. “Whoa!” he said. “Your whites are in the wash, I’m about to start dinner, how’s Kevin, and how was the hospital?”


Yazid grinned. “Sorry. Today’s been manic.”


“You look manic,” Ali complained. “Post’s on the table. How was the hospital?”


“Big, stank of antiseptics, saw a nurse that could’ve turned me straight—oi!”


Ali raised the spoon again, ready to strike. “Say it again,” he challenged.


“Could have,” Yazid said. “Didn’t. Jealous, much?”


“You have wandering eyes,” Ali accused, but leaned forward to kiss him lightly.


Chapter 83