Page 432 of Lodestar

“You do,” I confirmed, leaning over to brush a kiss on the crown of her head. “Are you ready to get some sleep?”

“Conor?”

Unexpectedly ragged from this conversation, I sighed. “Yes, Kat.”

“I want to call Star ‘Mom.’ Do you think she’d let me?”

“I don’t see why she wouldn’t love that.”

“If she’s my mom, does that mean, eventually, you’ll be my dad?”

My eyes flared in surprise but with an ease I wasn’t feeling, I said, “It does.”

She hummed happily. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready to call you that, okay?”

“You do that, kiddo. Get some good sleep and remember that no one is allowed to hurt you. Not even your dreams.”

Her smile was sleepy but content, and it filled me with a contentment of my own knowing that I’d given her that ease.

My parents had never done that for me so it put me in the perfect position of understanding what Kat needed and when.

There could be some good from them letting me down.Myfamily would never know what it was to feel isolated and afraid.

Thatwas what being called a father meant.

I’d earn the title of ‘Dad’ if it was the last thing I ever did.

39

CONOR

PRAY FOR ME - THE WEEKND, KENDRICK LAMAR

NOON THE FOLLOWING DAY

Knowingthat Star had taken Kat downstairs to visit with Troy and Lyra, I started a group call with my brothers—it was time to come clean. Especially as I knew what was happening later this afternoon and wanted in.

Declan was the first to accept the call. “You heard anything from Luis Albarez?”

My nose crinkled. “Do we have to talk about soccer? I am so goddamn sick of that game.”

“Uh,yeah. Seeing as I didn’t want the team in the fucking first place but if I have to own one, then they’re not going to suck ass. Plus, for some weird reason, Shay is actually enjoying talking about it.”

“Thought he liked American football.” That was Aidan who’d just jumped into the conversation.

“He does. But I think all the time spent overseas has given him a preference for fucking soccer. I blamed Aela but she just laughed at me.”

Eoghan popped up, scoffing, “You’re lucky she only laughed at you. Seeing as it’s your fault he was overseas in the first place.”

My eyes widened. “Jesus, Eoghan. You woke up and chose war today, huh?” I cut Declan a look, but his expression had locked down.

Guilt.

Nothing better for the soul than that.

Aela and Declan had only recently gotten back together, after all. She’d kept Shay a secret for fifteen years…

“That was harsh, Eoghan,” Finn, who’d joined silently but in time to hearthat, agreed.

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