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“Finn,” my father rumbled.
“Go ahead,” I directed, seeing that there was some kind of silent pissing match going on even though there were several hundred miles separating the pair of them.
“The threat has been handled.”
Relief hit me. “That’s great news.”
“I wanted to let you know… I have to go. Stay safe.”
He cut the call, and Finn murmured, “I don’t like that man.”
“You voted for him.”
“So did you. I don’t have to like him to know he was the best of two evils. Fucking democracy,” he grumbled. “What kind of election is it when you’ve got a corrupt piece of shit on one end and a corrupt piece of shit on the other?”
“You’re talking to the wrong person. You know Jen’s the one who digs all the conspiracy shit.”
“This isn’t a conspiracy!” was Finn’s snippy retort. “That’s what makes it worse. What kind of world is this little man going to grow up in, huh?” He sighed and reached over to run his hand over Jake’s head before he pressed his other to my belly. “Sometimes, I despair for this fucking planet.”
His somber tone filled me with concern. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
He shot me a weary smile. “I’m better knowing you’re safe.”
“You’ve been down—”
“I just need a break. The holidays weren’t exactly that.”
“Do you want to stay a couple days in Boston? Maybe get some downtime?”
He’d mentioned the cruise, and now I realized it was as much for me to relax as it was for him. Yet the prospect of being on a ship right now didn’t fill me with glee.
“I can’t. The Hanover takeover just triggered an explosion of work. I’m taking more time off than I can afford tomorrow for the ceremony.”
“What are you working for, Finn?” I asked, tipping my head to the side. “We have all this.” I looked around the room, themassiveroom, just one of a dozen in the penthouse. “What more do we possibly need?”
“I’m not trying to get richer,” he denied.
“Then what, love?” I questioned, pressing my hand above his on my belly and bridging my fingers with his.
“I’m buying respectability.”
His words had me looking at Jake. “For him?”
“For him. Senior will expect him to join the ranks. I don’t know—if I don’t provide another path, then…” He paused a second. “They’re all I had when I was growing up. You and Jake and this little one are my family; you’re what matters the most, but I—”
“You need them too. I get it, sweetheart. You don’t have to justify—”
“If you knew what I did for them, what I’ve done…” He released a shaky breath. “It keeps me awake at night, Aoife.”
“Then I need to get better at helping you sleep.”
“No, this isn’t on you.” He stared at Jake who’d grown bored with the hedgehog and was cackling as he slammed it against the comforter. “I have to provide another path just in case Aidan’s figured out how to stay alive forever.”
“Aidan Jr. wouldn’t force the issue? Isn’t that his job? He’ll want to continue the line, won’t he?”
“He’ll have no choice,” Finn confirmed.
“Unless there’s another way.”
