to the sky. “That’s a burden I’m blessed not to have to carry. When I chose to walk in love, I chose the hard road. It’s not the path of least resistance, but in the end, it’ll be worth it. Because when we go, Cash, we all go alone, and our sins are our own. I’ll only be judged for what I’ve done. ‘He did it first’ or ‘he hurt me first’ will not be good enough. Not for—” he nodded up again. “And not for me.”
That was that—until this moment. Until his eyes connected with Saoirse’s for the first time in years.
Kill cleared his throat. “Father Flanagan didn’t invite us.”
I looked at my brother, and he nodded behind me. My wife stood there with our children. She smiled and waved at me.
“After I spoke to Kee, and she told me that someone refuses to sing for her, I decided that someone—” he pointed to his chest “—has to teach those children how to sing.” Kill grinned. “Properly.”
“Daddy two,” Ryan said, lifting up two fingers, trying to figure out why there was another me on the other side of our door.
“Daddy,” Connolly said, coming to take my hand. She had dropped the “Cash” part a week after she decided to give me the name. “Who are they?” Her eyes jumped between Kill and me, focused on the same thing Ryan was—how much we looked alike.
“I’m your uncle,” Kill said. He introduced his wife, whose name was Megan. Then Saoirse.
“You can call me Gran,” Saoirse said, “if you want.”
Connolly smiled. “How about Grandee?”
“I’d love that,” Saoirse said, wiping her eyes. “Very much.”
Keely slid her hand around my side and Ryan took my other hand. After a tense few minutes, I sighed and moved back some. Keely gave a low whoop and moved aside so the three could enter.
Before they did, I stuck my foot out, stopping Killian from entering. I looked each of them in the eye before I spoke. “For my children,” I said, “since you played on their sympathies. But not for me.”
Killian met my eye, reminding me of myself when I was determined to get whatever the fuck I wanted. “We’ll wait,” he said, and then he rolled into our home.
The kids ran after them, excited to get to know new people. We were an unconventional family, but our connection was even stronger than blood. Even Keely’s mam gave Saoirse the evil eye when Connolly introduced her as her new Grandee. Those children belonged to all of us.
Keely stared at me for a minute and then wrapped her arms around me, looking up. “Life doesn’t always go the way we want, thief of hearts,” she said. “But no matter what, good or bad, it goes. It moves forward. Bad times come. They go. Good times come. They go. But forever. That’s us. You and me. And them.” She nodded behind her at our children laughing in the background.
I searched her eyes, my entrance to heaven, wondering what I’d ever done in my life to deserve her. The truth was, nothing. Not a fucking thing could ever be compared to her. I’d never be worthy of her love. It was mine, though, and I’d never let anyone else get fucking close to it. We couldn’t even mess it up, and we’d been chaos and spite in the beginning.
“Good bones,” she said. “Remember?” She tapped my temple.
“Forget the bones,” I said, giving her a tap on the chest. “Strong heart.”
“You should know,” she said, taking my hand, leading me back to the party. “You stole enough of them. And I’m not only talking about men in the game. I’m talking about women, too. Molls.” She rolled her eyes.
“Only one that counts, my darlin’,” I said. “Yours.”
“Grand,” she said, laughing. “Just grand! Now it’s time for you to sing for me. La de daaa.”
“No way in fucking hell,” I said.
“Been there, Marauder. Have to do better than that.”
I stopped her before she made it to the crowd, turning her toward me. No room between her body and mine. I started slow dancing with her. And then I put my mouth to her ear and started to sing.
“Your voice is like a lullaby,” she breathed.
“You sing me one and I’ll sing you one,” I said, grabbing her ass.
“Shh the talking. Sing for me again.”
I did.
When the song came to an end, she inhaled and then exhaled. “Sing for me only,” she whispered, her eyes closed, tears slipping down her cheeks, “until the