Page 53 of Dirty Eoin

I shrug. “He has a solid relationship with our Dylan. Maybe he was looking out for him.”

“Jaine knows him personally,” Da adds, nodding at her.

We all turn to look at her. As a lawyer, why would she need to have dealings with the sniper? Then again, she was in a relationship with Paul Delaney for four years and the marksman always operates through the Scorpions. Maybe their connection grew organically as a result.

“Have you any idea why we were targeted, Jaine?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t. But what I do know is The Exterminator went in believing it to be Padraig who was at risk. It transpired to be the opposite. It was the rest of the O’Connells who were.”

“So, the sniper potentially saved us all.” Da looks stunned at this revelation.

Jaine shrugs. “Well, as many as the two hired marksmen could have taken down before they were dispatched.”

We sit in silence digesting this, but while important, it’s not a matter for discussion today. It’s not the reason we’ve been summoned into Da’s office.

“Anyway, we’ve digressed,” I mutter.

“Yes, we have, Eoin. Sorry.”

“So why not Aidan? He has the same birthmark.” I frown.

“Aidan wasn’t in New York two years ago.”

“So he couldn’t be the father,” I mutter.

The realization dawns on me what I’m going to be expected to do.

“Not just that, but there’s also Fin’s coloring. Jaine and Aidan are both blonde, and Fin is black-haired. I’m not saying it’s not possible, but it could still raise unnecessary questions over his parentage.”

“I won’t do it,” Jaine challenges as it finally dawns on her too.

“What choice do we have, Jaine? It would be easy to pass Fin off as Eoin’s son. You met him around then, did you not?”

“Irish would think I tossed him aside and then cheated on him with his brother!”

“He’s married, so it’s irrelevant now.”

“It’s relevant to me. He’ll hate me,” she snaps back.

“You won’t know he hates you if you’re dead. And imagine how he’d feel if, God forbid, something happened to little Fin as a result of us not keeping his parentage hidden.”

“I won’t do that to Molly.” It’s my turn to decline. She may not have been hand-picked by me, but I won’t go back on my already given word.

“What choice do we have, Eoin? Fin is family. Blood family. He needs our protection. His needs must come first.”

“What does Ma have to say on the matter.”

Ma detests Jaine. I’m hoping mentioning her will make him see sense.

“I have your ma’s blessing to do whatever is necessary to protect young Finian. That aside, I am head of this household, not your ma. The final decision rests with me.”

He turns his attention to Jaine. She hates my guts. There’s no way she’ll agree to marry me regardless of my parents’ wishes.

“Jaine?”

She turns to me, then smiles saccharinely sweetly. “I’ll marry Eoin, but I have three conditions.”

“Go on.”

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