Present day ...

“Dinner is on the tabl—what are ye’ thinkin’ so hard about?”

I looked up at my wife as she entered our bedroom and crawled up onto our bed next to me.

“A lot of things,” I answered. “The good, the bad, and ugly.”

Keela sat on her behind, cross-legged, and took my hand in hers. There was a hint of worry in her eyes but understanding and compassion shone within them too.

“Anythin’ ye’ want to talk about?”

I shook my head. “No, because we already got through everything that we once needed to talk about.”

Keela frowned. “Is this because of the nightmare I mentioned earlier?”

“Maybe.” I shrugged. “I was just thinking of the shit I dealt with when I was younger, then when I met you and all that ... poison happened.”

“Hey.” My wife squeezed my hand. “Ye’ can’t change the past, and if we could, we probably wouldn’t have the present. We probably wouldn’t have our sons or our life together. Hell, ye’ probably would have never come to Ireland.”

I reached forward and pulled her on top of me so her body was lying on mine. Her cheek rested against my chest, and I closed my eyes, basking in her scent and presence.

“You’re right, of course,” I mused. “Sometimes when I think about everything, I just have a moment of disbelief that we went through everything thrown at us and made it out to the other side. It seems so surreal that we’ve lived the life we have.”

“We survived it, though.” Keela raised her head. “You, me, and the others got through all the bad things we encountered, and d’ye wanna know why?”

I nodded.

“Because we’re strong, and nothin’ can or will come between us.”

The knot that had formed in my chest over the memories flooded through my mind faded until only warmth and love remained.

“How did I get so lucky to find someone as perfect as you to marry me?”

Keela’s lips twitched. “Alannah says I was dropped on me head as a child and that I don’t know any better.”

When I laughed, I quickly covered my mouth and widened my eyes.

“Don’t tell her I found that funny,” I pleaded. “She’ll think she’s a god or something.”

My wife chuckled. “I’ll take it to me grave, playboy.”

I hummed and slide my hands down her body until I palmed her ass.

“What do you say we finish what we started in the kitchen this morning and—”

I was cut off by a large, fluffy monster as he dived onto the bed and rolled around, thinking it was playtime.

“Junior,” I scowled. “Down.”

The spoiled dog didn’t budge. Instead, he just rolled on his side and licked my face, making Keela laugh.

“He is exactly like his daddy.”

I grimaced as I wiped my face dry. “Storm learned his boundaries, though; Junior jumps over them without a care in the world.”

Keela chuckled as she reached over and scratched his belly. “I miss your daddy, baby boy.”

I placed my hand on my wife’s thigh when she straddled me so she could reached Junior easier. I looked at her face as she smiled down at our dog. There was hurt in her eyes whenever she looked at him, but that hurt was fading as time passed. Two years ago, the first member of our family passed away. Storm lived until he was seventeen years old, and he led a good life for a dog. He had survived being shot ... and attempted murder by Aideen Collins on many occasions.

Not long before he died, we decided to see if we could breed him. He had been our only pet, and we had never wanted to add more of them to our family once we had so many kids. We had always planned to get Storm neutered, but we never got around to it, having always been busy with our children, our jobs, or both.

It took one try with a breeder we found. Storm sired a litter of four full-breed German Shepherds like himself and as we had pick of the litter, we chose the only male. Junior earned his name because he was a carbon copy of his father. There were no differences between them, so much so that Aideen Collins believed Storm was born again and that his bloodline was cursed. He was two years old and was already as big as Storm was when he reached adulthood.

“Junior!”

Junior’s head shot up when he heard Murphy’s voice holler from downstairs. A second passed before he scrambled off the bed, out of the room, and zoomed down the stairs. I heard my second born yelp, followed by heavy laughter.

“Murph loves him somethin’ bad,” Keela said as she turned and looked down at me. “He still misses Storm.”

All of our kids loved Storm, but Murphy had a close bond with him, and had formed a brother-like connection with Junior not long after he was born.

“He’ll always miss him, we all will, but we had a long time with him. We have a lot to look back on and smile when we think of the beast.”

“Yeah.” Keela smiled fondly. “He was pretty great.”

I tugged her down until her face was an inch from mine.

“If I get you out of those clothes, I’ll make you feel pretty great.”

She chuckled. “Ye’ promised the boys yr’d bring them to laser tag today.”

“I did?”

“Ye’ did.” Keela nodded. “Enzo reminded me about it when they got back from their football games.”

As if on cue, Enzo shouted, “Da, hurry up! The next session starts in half an hour.”

Keela laughed when I closed my eyes and sighed deeply. She rolled off me, then pulled me out of our bed with her. She got a kick out of me keeping her close as we descended the stairs of our house. We both looked at Miller when he met us at the bottom of the steps.

“I don’t wanna go play laser tag.”

I frowned. “Why not?”

“I wanna stay with Mammy.”

“Why?”

“‘Cause she said she’d give me a big cookie after dinner if I did.”

I scowled. “You’d ditch me for a cookie?”

With a straight face, my son said, “Every single time, Daddy.”

Keela burst into giggles and lifted Miller up into her arms. I steadied her when she struggled slightly in hosting him up, and it made her huff.

“You’re gonna be a little man before I know it, baby.”

Miller put his forehead against his mom’s, and said, “No, I won’t.”

“That was cute,” I said. “If the other women were here, they’d be hounding my brothers for more babies.”

Keela snorted after she kissed Miller’s cheek.

“Not likely. We all agreed that five is our number. We’re too old for more kids.”

I raised a brow. “You’re forty-one, and I just turned forty-six. I don’t think that’s old.”

“It’s not,” Keela agreed. “But me body can’t carry any more babies. It would break me back.”

I placed my hand on her lower back and massaged it, making her melt. She went into the living room with Miller while I went into the kitchen, looking for my other sons. I slid my arm around Ace’s waist when he reached for the refrigerator, making him laugh.

“You’re always eating,” I told him when I released him.

“‘Cause I’m always hungry.”

I snorted and looked at Murphy, Enzo, and Ares, who were sat at the kitchen table eating their dinners. Junior was lying at Murphy’s feet, relaxing. I quickly reheated my food and joined them.

“Eat fast,” Enzo told me. “We don’t wanna be late this time for tag.”

I rolled my eyes. “Last time was an accident.”

“Ye’ mixed the slot times up by four hours, Da.”

“It could have happened to anyone.”

“No, it couldn’t.” Ares chuckled. “It only ever happens to you.”

Little shit.

“Well, we won’t be late this time, so eat up.”

I started eating my dinner just as Ace huffed and puffed from across the room as he tried to open a jar of carrots. Keela walked into the room, saw him struggling, and tried to help, but it wouldn’t open for her either. I stood and took charge.

“I’ve got this.”

She handed the jar to me, and when she realised I was having difficulty, she smiled, but said nothing ... Ares did, though.

“Da, relax. You’re goin’ to burst a vessel.”

I didn’t let up on trying to open the damn jar.

“You don’t understand, son,” I huffed and puffed. “Opening sealed objects is one of the perks of having me as a husband. As a man, I can’t leave this bastard of a jar unopened. I’ll never get an erection again with it hanging over me.”

“Oh. My. God.” Murphy laughed from the table. “Auntie Alannah is right; you’re out of your bloody trolley.”

My ego breathed easy when the lid of the jar finally loosened, but somehow as I pull my hand away, the wrapping of the jar gave me a paper cut, adding further insult.

“Ow!”

It stung. It stung like a bitch.

“Let me see,” Keela cooed as blood rose from the slit on my thumb.

Ares took the jar of carrots from me as I focused on my wife. She got some paper towels and dabbed at my thumb, wiping away the blood, but it kept on coming.

“Ow, woman.” I hissed when she squeezed my thumb. “Be careful.”

Her lips twitched as she lazily patted at my wound.

“Oh, sure,” I said. “Take your time, it’s not like I’m bleeding to death or anything, so please, go at your own pace.”

Keela rolled her eyes.

“Am I being passive-aggressive?” I asked. “I’m sorry, it must be a side effect of, you know, dying.”

“Alec, it’s a bloody paper cut!”

“Don’t you dare try to lessen the pain I’m feeling! It may as well be a bullet hole because it stings like fuck.”

Keela laughed. “Don’t be a sissy.”

“A sissy?” I admonished. “Sissy? Do you really think stinging pain from a paper cut is something to joke about? If you do, then I’ve truly married a monster.”

Keela laughed as she got a Band-Aid, wrapped my thumb up, and sealed it with a kiss. “You’ll survive.”

“Smartass.”

She left the room with a grin.

In record time, me and my kids had consumed our dinner, left the house, and headed to the Leisure Plex to have some fun. When we arrived there and I had parked the car, we headed inside, paid, and got suited up to kick some ass. Laser tag was only a new addition to the building, and even I had to admit that it was insanely cool. Each player was fitted with a vest that delivered a body tingling shock when a person was ‘shot’ and knocked out of the round. The guns were all black, and the styles were wide in variety. The tag room itself was a maze, and the lights were dim and the place was utterly silent during a round of tag, causing the players to play the game at full calibre in order to be aware of their surroundings as they hunted each other.

My kids and nephews loved it.

“It’s over for you little turds,” I said, stroking the barrel of my plastic gun. “I run laser tag.”

“We’ll see about that, aul’ lad.”

My eyes locked on Enzo. “You’re on my hit list.”

“That’s not the first time I’ve heard that. Girls tell me it all the time, and not in the way you mean it.”

Ares and Ace shared a look, rolled their eyes, then took off in opposite directions and got lost in the maze. I gave Enzo the finger, he gave it back to me, then we parted ways and waited for the buzzer to sound. Within the maze were large boulders to hide behind, as well as large plastic tubes that a grown man could crawl through to get to a different side of the room. I chose to hide behind one of the boulders until one of my offspring walked into my line of sight. I shot at Ace when he appeared, but he rolled on the ground and avoided the hit.

“Da’s campin’!”

“I’m not. I’m just lying here!”

“That’s what campin’ is!” Enzo voice hollered from somewhere to my right. “Move around, don’t sit and wait for us to come to ye’!”

God’s sake.

“Fine!”

I turned and zigzagged my way around as quietly as I could, and when I came up behind Enzo who was crouched as he shuffled forward, I felt a smug smile stretch across my lips. Without a word, I aimed my gun and shot my son in the back like a fucking marksman. Enzo grunted as his vest lit up red and delivered him a tingling shock. The red returned to blue, but Enzo only had two lives left, and he knew it.

“Who’s your daddy?”

Enzo slowly got to his feet and turned to face me.

“Wow.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe ye’ shot me, Da.”

My smile slowly slid from my face. “That’s the game—”

“You’re me father,” Enzo spoke over me. “I trusted ye’. I trusted ye’ to love and protect me, and ‘ere ye’ are, shootin’ me in the back the second it’s turned.”

Shame filled me.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my shoulders slumping. “You guys told me not to do the camping thing.”

“This is a betrayal I’ve never felt before,” Enzo continued, sighing. “This brings me pain, Da. Real pain.”

“Son,” I stepped forward. “I didn’t mean to—”

I jumped when my vest vibrated then turned from bright blue to red indicating that I was now out of the game. As an adult, I only got one life so I had to wait for one of my sons to win this round before I was back in the game. I looked up at Enzo and found him smiling.

“Good job, Ace!”

Ace cackled from behind me as he ran away in search of his next victim. I stared at my eldest son who looked so much like me but had the heart of a hell dwelling monster.

“You played me.”

“Ye’ played yourself by thinkin’ we wouldn’t gang up on ye’.”

“You little bastard.”

Enzo winked. “Who’s your daddy?”

He turned and ran off, and I glared after him, considering putting rocks in a sock and beating him with it when he least expected it. Like when he was in the shower or sleeping.

“Little punk,” I said, shaking my head as I chuckled.

I took my phone from my pocket when it rang and answered it when I saw Damien was calling me.

“What’s up, Damien?”

He sighed, long and deep. “I’m in a bar with Dominic.”

“Okay,” I began. “Are you both having fun?”

I wasn’t sure what he expected me to say.

“No.” He snorted. “Dominic plans to drown his sorrows, and he wants us to help him.”

I paused. “What’s got him down?”

“Are you sitting down?”

I looked around and lied. “Yeah.”

“Georgie has a boyfriend,” Damien grunted. “And the little fucker is Gavin Collins’ boy.”

I fell. I dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes when my knees gave way from under me. I managed to keep a firm grip on my phone as I brought it back to my ear and snapped, “Murder. We have to murder the boy!”

Damien laughed. “We can’t. Bronagh forbid it.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “Why would she do such a thing?”

“I don’t know,” my brother replied. “She’s not my favourite person right now.”

Mine either.

“What are we gonna do?” I demanded. “Georgie is our precious little flower cup. She can’t like boys. She’s ten!”

“She’s fifteen.”

Pain sliced across my chest.

“I refuse to believe that. She is ten years old and always will be!”

Damien laughed. “Are you coming to Croughs or not? I still have to call Kane and Ryder and give them this shitty news.”

“I’ll be on my way soon,” I said as I continued to lie on ground. “I’ll finish up this game of tag with my boys soon. I’ll be there with fucking bells on.”

I hung up on my laughing little brother and stared at the darkened ceiling above me.

“Are ye’ havin’ a stroke, Da?”

“No,” I answered Enzo. “At least I don’t think I am.”

His face came into view as he stood over me. “Are ye’ still sulkin’ cause ye’ got knocked out of the game?”

I had more pressing matters to worry about.

“No.” I sighed. “I’m sulking because Georgie has a boyfriend.”

I watched as fury blazed within Enzo’s eyes.

“She has a what?”

“A boyfriend,” I repeated. “An evil being that we failed to protect her from.”

Enzo stared down at me, then without a word, he joined me in lying down on the floor.

“I’ve a pain in me chest,” he said.

I nodded. “That’s your heart breaking, son.”

“I’m gonna kick ‘er arse,” Enzo suddenly warned. “She never told me she had a boyfriend.”

“I doubt she would have advertised she’s dating a Collins kid to you Slater kids.”

“A ... a Collins kid?’ Enzo repeated on a whisper. “She’s goin’ out with one of Jax’s cousins?”

“Uh-huh,” I answered. “Gavin’s boy, the eldest I imagine. What was his name?”

“Indie,” Enzo all but growled. “His name is Indie.”

“Indie,” I repeated. “This little shit has infiltrated our family.”

“I’ll take care of this, don’t worry.”

I snorted. “Bronagh said no one is allowed to hurt him, so I assume that means we aren’t allowed to break them up either.”

“So what the heck is gonna happen? She’s just allowed to have a boyfriend?”

“Looks that way.”

Enzo was silent for a moment, and said, “Are ye’ gonna go and make sure Uncle Nico doesn’t go and beat on Indie?”

“Yeah,” I said with a laugh. “He’s in a bar, and I’ll be joining him and the others after I take you guys home.”

My son didn’t respond. However, he remained lying on the floor with me while the laughter and screams of his brothers sounded around us as they shot at each other and continued the game of tag, blissfully unaware that our family had just been turned upside down. I turned my head and looked at Enzo. He had his eyes closed and looked both irritated and defeated at the same time, making me want to laugh.

I looked back up at the ceiling and smiled.

I knew my younger brother would be heartbroken that his baby girl was growing into a young woman—I was too—but knowing that all of our kids were healthy and happy enabled me not to dwell on it too much. I had my sons, my wife, my sisters-in-law, my nephews, and my niece. Life was good, and I knew we’d deal with this curve ball that was thrown at us just like we dealt with everything.

As a family ... and if all else failed, I’d scare the shit out of the Collins kid, so he wouldn’t look in my niece’s direction again. Either way was cool with me.