Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Dara sits very still. Father’s dressed formally in slacks and a button-down. He seems older, his hair grayer, walking with a slight limp. I haven’t seen him in months—we’ve avoided the mansion as much as we could, only going there to visit with my mother, never to see my old man. I run my businesses, control my crew, and pay my dues to the family, but I’m left alone otherwise.
Father’s face is tense. He stares at Dara then at the child. He takes a step forward. “I heard it was a boy,” he says.
“Cillian.” Dara moves so he can see my boy’s face. “Do you want to hold him?”
A sudden sharp anger rips into me. I want to tell her to stop—this man can’t touch my child. This bastard, this asshole, this psychotic monster.
But Dad nods, his face softening. “Please. I haven’t held a baby in—well, it’s been a long time.”
Dara shifts Cillian. I take him, cradling him in my arms, and walk him over. “Got him?”
Dad takes him, supporting the head, marveling at his grandson. “He’s beautiful,” Dad says.
Most of my anger drains away. Dad’s looking at Cillian the same way I look at my boy, with pure love and devotion.
“He’s perfect,” I agree.
Father stands in silence, bouncing Cillian, making soft cooing sounds.
Until the doors open, and everyone else floods in.
Mother, Carson, Nolan, Liam, Kathryn, and Genna all pile inside. Dad hands Cillian off reluctantly to Mom and the pair of them congratulate Dara and me—though I didn’t have anything to do with it. Meanwhile, Genna and Kathryn sit with Dara, chatting with her about the experience.
“No way in hell am I going to push one of those out my cooch,” Genna says, glaring at Cillian. “He is cute though.”
“Ah, come on, Genna,” Carson says, grinning at her. “You just need the right man.”
“Say that again and I’ll make sure your manhood ends up flushed down the toilet.”
Carson barks a laugh, delighted.
I stand beside my wife, surveying our friends and family, the people we love most in this entire world, as they gravitate around our child. Even Liam shakes my hands and nods, which is about as friendly as he ever gets.
“Why don’t you come to Sunday dinner in a week or two,” Dad says, standing stiffly by my side. “Bring the boy.”
“We can do that,” I say, eyebrows raised. “Are you sure?”
“We’ll discuss business then.” He hesitates. “But I’m happy you two are happy.”
I exchange a look with Dara. That was like watching a pig fly.
Mother kisses my cheek and whispers, “Looks like the baby changed everything. I knew it would. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
I hold Dara’s hand as the visits continue, the baby being passed around, and for the first time in my life, I feel warmth.
Real, true warmth.
Chapter 50
Dara
Cillian shuffles toward me on his hands and knees, crawling along like a maniac. “Easy there,” I say, laughing as he makes some grunting happy noises. I help him stand, holding his hands, and we walk together. He takes hesitant little steps, but at one year old, he’s so close to walking. “You can slow down, you know,” I whisper to him. “No need to hurry. We’ve got your whole life.”
He beams at me, my beautiful boy.
“What’s going on in here?” Finn appears at the door. Cillian makes a little squealing sound, this adorable thing he does whenever his father comes into the room, and immediately drops down to all fours. He crawls over like a maniac and Finn scoops him up. “My lovely boy and my lovely wife.”
“How was work?” I ask, standing to give him a kiss.
“Work was work and now I’m home.” The same thing he says every time. “How are my two favorite people in the world doing?”
“Thriving,” I say, my traditional response.
He sits with us in the playroom on the padded floor, rolling a ball with Cillian, making silly faces, tickling his boy and crawling around on the floor. It’s incredible, the change in him, how he went from cold-blooded mobster to a dad over the course of days. He’s still the insatiable Finn I fell in love with, but there’s something new in him now, something I never imagined I’d see.
Softness. Love. Growth.
The nanny, Sara, takes over and I join Finn in the kitchen. He pours wine and we talk about our days for real. Slowly, he drifts over toward me, like my gravity pulls him closer and closer, and I end up sitting in his lap on the couch, his lips on my neck.
“Father says he wants to expand. He’s thinking about Chicago.”
“Aren’t there families there already?” I ask, frowning.
“He doesn’t give a damn, but yes, there are.”
“It’ll be violent.”
“Yes, wife, it will be.” He beams at me. “Got a problem with that?”
“Weirdly, no.” I kiss him. “How’s Genna?”
“Busy. Ever since she opened her own club, she’s been pushing for another location.”