The question catches me off guard."Why?"
"Because I want to know."
I'm quiet for a moment.Then, slowly, words start coming."He's sweet.Gentle.Too gentle sometimes.He gets upset when other kids are mean or when he sees someone sad."I smile despite everything."He's obsessed with dinosaurs right now.He can name every single one and tell me facts I never asked for, but I always find myself intrigued to learn more."
Devin's hand moves in slow circles on my back as he listens.
"He's scared of the dark.Scared of loud noises.Scared of—" I stop.Swallow hard."He has nightmares about Declan, even though he doesn't really remember him.Just knows there was a man who made Mam sad and scared.Sometimes he wakes up crying, asking if Da's coming back."
"What do you tell him?"
"That he's safe.That I won't let anyone hurt him.That Da's gone and not coming back."My voice breaks."But what if I'm lying?What if Declan…”
"He won't.I promise you, Enya.He won't get near Warren."
I want to believe him.God, I want to believe him so badly.
Devin's phone rings, sharp and loud in the quiet flat.He pulls it out, glances at the screen, then stands.
"I need to take this."
"Okay."
He steps into the hallway but doesn't close the door.I can hear his voice, low and tense.
"Yeah...Right...No, she's here...Yeah, I know...Tonight?...Alright."
My stomach drops.Something's happening.He comes back in, pocketing his phone.His expression is carefully neutral, but I can see the tension in his shoulders.
"What's going on?"
"The lads are mobilizing.Looking for Declan.They've got leads on where he might be staying."
Fear spikes through me."What does that mean?"
"It means we're handling it."
"Handling it how?"
He doesn't answer.He just looks at me with those dark eyes that see too much.
"Devin.How are you handling it?"
"However we need to."
The implication hangs heavy between us.Violence.Possibly worse.
"I don't want you getting hurt because of me."
"I won't."
"You don't know that."
"I know I'm not sitting back while he terrorizes you."He crosses to me and kneels in front of the couch."You're not staying here tonight.Not after that note.You're coming to the clubhouse."
"What?No.I can't?—"
"Yes, you can.And you will."
