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My jaw clenched, and I looked away. I stared down at the carpeting, knowing it was eventually going to come to that – and it had. The carpet was pristine and white, even with three kids. Just like the furniture. It was perfect. Everything was perfect. A perfect little family. A perfect little suburban life. Yet, it was all a facade for the secret life my brother lived, a life I wanted nothing to do with.
“Oh, that's right,” Meredith said. “Since Jim left, you do have an opening.”
My gaze fell on Meredith. She knew very little of what her husband actually did for a living. Basically, she knew about the bar, and that was it. She was a good, Catholic woman, and if she knew what type of job my brother was talking about, well, she'd have run for the hills and taken her kids with her. I knew Killian would never let that happen, so he kept his real business from her.
“Jim a bartender, I'm guess? I can do that,” I said quietly.
Killian didn't say anything at first, the silence hung in the air between us a little too long. I looked up at him and he gave me a half-smile.
“Yes, something like that,” he said.
I didn't like the way he said that, but for the moment, in front of his perfect family, I wasn't about to cause a fight. Besides, he was helping me out there, letting me stay with my son since I had nowhere else to go.
“Actually, I have to run over to the pub for a delivery,” Killian said, glancing at his watch. “Care to join me?”
I looked over at Jack, but before I could say anything, Meredith flashed me a wide smile.
“I'll watch the little bugger,” she said. “Go, have some brother time. Catch up. It's been too long.”
~ooo000ooo~
We arrived at O'Shea's Pub, and right away, I knew we weren't there for a delivery. Rory, our other brother, was already there, along with a few other faces I'd met over the years – mostly through our father. They were all gathered around a table in the back of the pub. Ten other guys in total were there, all of them looking at me with varying expressions of surprise.
“Declan, long time, bro,” Rory said, greeting me with a handshake.
Rory looked a lot like us, almost identical, except for being the shortest and skinniest of the O'Shea clan. His hair was the same color as ours, but he kept it longer and shaggier, pulled back in a ponytail.
“Yeah, long time,” I said.
Instead of feeling happy to see him, I felt dread. A lead weight that settled in my stomach almost convinced me to turn and walk out of there. I could figure out some way to provide for Jack, right? Killian must have noticed my hesitance, because he pulled me in deeper into the room.
“Declan here has some news for the family,” he said, giving me a grin that was almost predatory. “Don't you, brother?”
Family. Yes, I guess this room was filled with some of our so-called family. There were uncles and cousins that I hadn't seen in more years that I could count. Most of them I hadn't seen since my dad died and I was no longer forced to stick around because I felt an obligation to be there.
Still, it felt like a room full of strangers, and I didn't like the way they all stared at me. They looked me up and down, like they were sizing me up.
“What is it?” Rory asked, smirking. “Got yourself a new woman?”
“Better,” Killian said. “Go on, Declan. Tell them.”
“I – uhhh – I have a son,” I said, tucking my hands into my pockets.
Rory's eyes grew wide with disbelief, then he broke out into the most obnoxious laughter I'd ever heard. His face was red, tears streamed down his cheeks, and he was having trouble catching his breath between cackles of laughter.
“It's true,” Killian said. “Meredith is watching him right now. Meaning, we have a new member to welcome into the O'Shea clan.”
“Good on you, Declan,” Rory said, patting me hard on the back. “I think this calls for a beer. What do you think?”
“Sure,” I said through gritted teeth.
I kept my hands buried in my pockets, clenched into fists, and fought the urge to turn and run, to get as far away from them all as I possibly could. There was nothing for me there. I was an idiot to think otherwise.
“Listen Declan, I have a job for you,” Killian said, seeking to overwhelm me and not give me time to think. “It's nothing too bad. I just need you to rough up a guy who owes us some money. Think you can handle that?”
“Rough them up, how?” I asked.
Killian shrugged. “You're a big, scary looking guy. A fighter. I doubt you'll have to do much to get this old man to pay up,” he said. “Just scare him a bit, you know? I'll pay you well for your time. One thing you will never lack while you work for us is money. Or family.”
