“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.