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“Booyah!” Kian says enthusiastically. “Did he fight you?”

“He tried, but he was no match for Sean.”

“Tell me about the fight.”

I proceed to give him an elaborate and completely inaccurate description of the fight between Sean and Padraig. Kian listens with rapt attention, interrupting every so often with a random question.

“I wish I’d been there,” he sighs when I finish.

“Really?”

“Fuck yeah,” he replies.

“Hey, hey, language. Ma hears that shit out of your mouth and she’ll be on me like a bad rash.”

Kian rolls his eyes. “Ma isn’t here, is she?”

I smirk. “She’s got eyes and ears everywhere.”

Kian laughs at that one. We both know it’s true.

I reach out and ruffle his feathery brown hair. “You shouldn’t be so involved in the family business,” I tell him. “Enjoy your childhood while you can. Be a kid.”

“I don’t wanna be a kid,” Kian insists. “I wanna be like you and Sean. I wanna help Da.”

“Be careful what you wish for,” I mutter under my breath.

“What?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly. “How about we play some trains?”

Kian looks at me suspiciously for a moment. The kid’s too damn smart for his own good.

“Fine,” he concedes at last. “Can we ride our bikes tomorrow at least?”

I smile. “Of course.”

Sean is the oldest son. He’s the heir. The future don.

Which means that my ability to protect him is limited. Especially from Da.

But with Kian, it’ll be different.

I promise myself that as I reach for one of his trains.

I’ll be there for Kian in every way I can’t be there for Sean. I’ll make sure he’s protected. Make sure he’s safe.

Most of all…

I’m gonna make sure he’s happy.