Page 29 of Honorable Sins

"It's big enough," Joy disagrees.

"May we eat here, mom?" Neeve asks in her quiet voice.

Sadie looks sheepishly at her mom. "Fitz said I should, so I already told gran we'd be here for dinner when we picked up Neeve and Joy. She's going to Bingo with Mrs. Washington."

Apparently, if Fitz says it, it must be true.

Mamo joins us for dinner, delighted by the additional children at the table. Zoey and Fiona are there too, both doing their best to avoid the other's eyes.

It looks like the talk about setting a wedding date didn't go well, so I invite them to join us decorating Christmas cookies after dinner. Being surrounded by a bunch of kids hyped up on sugar won't allow either of them to wallow.

Zoey declines my invitation, but Fiona quickly accepts, as hungry for normal family moments as I am.

Mamo tells Neeve she would appreciate the girl picking out and setting aside a few cookies for her tea tomorrow. "Kieran will bring you up to deliver them to my rooms."

Does mamo already know about the upcoming wedding between Neeve's mom and Wraith? I wouldn't put it past her.

"Let’s see who decorated the prettiest cookies," I say later, surveying the wonderful anarchy still ruling in the industrial kitchen.

Mavey immediately holds up one shaped like a crooked reindeer. "Mine has sparkles!"

"And three eyes," Fitz mutters.

"Reindeers can have three eyes if they want," Joy declares loyally.

After everyone offers their best cookie for consideration, it is agreed that Neeve's angel decorated with royal icing like a painting is the winner. It warms my heart when all the children vote for someone else and not their own cookies, with three of them picking Neeve's cookie, two picking Sadie's star that glitters with yellow sugar crystals over yellow frosting and Sorcha unsurprisingly voting for Mavey's misshapen reindeer.

It's such a feel good moment, I look to Mick to share it with him and find his eyes on me, the expression in them a reflection of my emotions. Because he loves me, he experiences joy when I do.

And that is one of the headiest feelings in the world. To know I can give happiness to a man who is aware of so few emotions independently.

For one perfect moment, we bask together in that enjoyment with our family.

Chapter eight

Moms, Messages and Debriefing

FITZ

Da asks Cormac to help him tuck the twins in tonight. I know it's because mom wants to talk to me alone.

Is she angry with me?

I could have stopped Kenny Jr. and the other eighth graders from hurting Sadie without doing all the damage I did. And mom knows it. Da has been training me all my life. I know exactly how much pressure to exert.

Mom has to know I broke Kenny Jr's arm on purpose. That fight wasn't just about what they were doing to my friend. I would have stopped Kenny Jr. and the other boys hurting Sadie no matter what, but it was a chance to give them a message too.

"Touch her again and I will break every one of your fingers. You keep talking smack about my da and I'll cut out your tongue." I pull away, so Kenny has to look in my eyes. "Am I lying?"

Sobbing in pain, Kenny Jr. shakes his head, his eyes wide with fear.

"From now on, you treat all the girls with respect, but especially, Sadie, yeah?"

This time he nods like Cormac's favorite bobblehead.

It's a good memory.

I'm not like my da in every way. I care about a lot of people, not just my mom, da and the littles. But they're the ones that matter most. And I am like my da because I will do whatever it takes to protect them.