Page 14 of Alfie: Part One

I pinched my lips together. Shit was going all right, wasn’t it?

So far.

Figuring kids was a safe topic, I went with it. “How old are yours?”

“This is gonna take a while,” Kellan muttered.

“Fuck you, mate,” Finn laughed. “Autumn’s fifteen. The wife and I adopted her, so we’re not from Alabama or anything.”

“To be fair, you started early enough,” Kellan pointed out. “Well, Emilia did. And not by choice…”

I raised my brows.

Finn sucked his teeth. “Motherfucker, you make it sound like I’m a rapist.” He flicked me a glance. “She was very willing. I just neglected to tell her I’d replaced her birth control with placebos.”

Jesus Christ, that was all kinds of batshit. Not that I’d tell him that.

“In my defense, she’s the one pushing for more now,” he went on, and that was directed at Kellan.

“Like you’re complaining,” he replied with an eye roll.

“I didn’t say I was.” Finn shrugged. Then he got back on track and explained to me. “We had Ryan almost five years ago. Our twin boys, Reagan and Cory, will be three soon. And then we had an oops baby shortly after—Kian. He turns two next week, actually. And, so anyway, we all decided it was best if Emilia could rest for a while, but she’s itching for another girl, and the doctor cleared her before the summer.”

“So now Shannon is babysitting a whole fuckin’ lot,” Kellan drawled. “By the way, there’s nothingoopsabout fucking unprotected.”

Finn just looked proud. “What can I say, my swimmers and a bottle of wine will make shit happen for the wife.” He adjusted his cuff links absently. “In anotherby the way, nobody’s buying your act, Ford. Last time you and Dad babysat, he told me you’d taken Ryan and Kian shopping—your suggestion and everything.”

“Because you dress them like hobos!” Kellan defended.

“They’rechildren,” Finn grated out. “You know what Ryan did with the suspenders you got him? He tried to choke the nanny.”

Oh my God. I couldn’t help it. I cracked the fuck up.

“Good!” Kellan laughed too. “I never liked that old bird anyway.”

Finn rolled his eyes but couldn’t really withhold his own amusement. It must’ve been a sight. I could picture it too, mostly because it sounded like something Ellie would do.

“Whatever.” Finn huffed a chuckle and rubbed a hand over his scruffy jaw. “I reckon it’s Alfie’s turn to reveal more of himself now. I feel like talking about my kids has already given you an idea about me.”

He had a point. Given his role in the Sons of Munster, he had to come off as fairly intimidating at times. And definitely assertive. But behind the hierarchy and when everyone punched out at the end of the day, some of these men were brothers-in-arms who’d grown up together, and we were all practically the same age. When Kellan wasn’t referring to Finn as the boss, they were best friends.

“Well, if your wife’s itching for another daughter, I can assume being outnumbered by junior versions of the husband isn’t easy.” I felt bold enough to joke about that, at least.

He smirked. “You’re not wrong.” He walked over to Kellan and had a seat on the couch. “I have a few questions, if you don’t mind.”

I doubted it mattered if I did mind.

“Shoot.” I trailed over to sit down on the smaller couch. This was Trip’s spot. It was where he watched his documentaries and superheroes.

“You’re Catholic, I take it?”

That was his first question? Then again, I knew the church played a part in their lives.

“Yes.” I nodded and sat forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Can’t say I’m very religious, though. I go when Ma guilts me into it.”

“Good woman. Everyone who’s an official Son attends Mass on Sundays,” he said. “It’s not a requirement, but people know it’s what I like to see. It’s part of my quest to bring back order and tradition to the syndicate.”

Fair enough.

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