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“Yes.”
“No.” Her eyes slip closed as she shakes her head. “We’re telling him you’re the father. That I love you, and you love me. I’m not giving him any details. He doesn’t deserve any. He gets to know I’m alive. He’ll get to share breathing air with me in Astoria, and know his grandchild but that’s it. What he did to Katya…”
I’m so turned on by her fire and strength. “You know your father best.”
And that my family will protect me. Us.
“We have to face that J.P. is the heir to the brotherhood, Darragh.”
I brush my hand across my son’s forehead just as he lets go of her nipple. “One day.”
Taking him into my arms for a good burping, I pace in small circles around the nursery.
I look up and a small crowd is forming out in the hall, all eager to see the baby. I forgot what having a massive family feels like. People everywhere.
“Priscilla?” I say to the dark-haired woman who Riordan risked his life for over the summer.
She steps into the nursery. “Aye, I’m Priscilla O’Rourke.”
She shakes my hand, and I’m only slightly surprised she speaks with a brogue as thick as Riordan’s.
“Nice to meet you,” I say. “And thank you for coming all this way to help us.”
“My pleasure.” She looks me up and down. “We met when you were in the sixth grade. My father was Craig Nolan. He worked for your da.”
The name goes over my head, but I remember sixth grade. Sort of.
“You’re an O’Rourke now, and that means I trust you.” I give her a smile.
“You see Kieran is here.” Lachlan returns. “Eoghan is setting up your dining room for a meeting.”
I glance out the window. “Now that you’re all inside, who’s watching the place from the outside?”
“The Quinlan brothers came with us,” Priscilla says. “They’re guarding the house. With the Reids.”
Quinlan rings a bell. I will never question my brother’s judgment when it comes to security.
I grasp Ana’s hand. “She has to be part of the meeting.”
“I’m not the king.” Lachlan shrugs. “It’s not my call.”
“It’s my house.”
Lachlan laughs and turns to leave. “Okay, go with that.”
“Daddy!” Sophie runs into the nursery and dives into my arms. “There’re so many people downstairs.”
I bend to hug her since I can’t manage her weight right now. “Honey, I need you to stay in your room for a while, okay?”
“Why?”
I can’t tell her there is blood all over the kitchen. She’s an O’Rourke and may have a morbid curiosity to see it. “You need to pack. Remember we said we were going to Astoria?”
“I don’t know how to pack,” she says sadly.
“I’ll help Sophie pack,” Priscilla says. “And I’ll take care of this wee-one. This isn’t my first. I have a son in college.”
Was not expecting that…
