Page 17 of Sins of Innocence

The boss is a smart man.

Kara lets out a long breath, her too compassionate gaze going around the room, taking everybody in. "Let's focus on what happened today, right now."

"I didn't tell you, but they started saying nasty stuff to me," Sadie admits to her mom, wearing embarrassment like another layer of clothing. "Sex stuff."

Áine leaps to her feet looking at Mick like she wants to kill him. Which is not the kind of thing the boss tolerates.

Áine doesn't seem to care, her hand out in demand to Sadie. "Come on. We have to go."

"Mom?" Sadie's on the verge of tears.

"We're not safe here," Áine says like she believes that nonsense one hundred percent. "We have to go."

Fitz stands up and takes a spot right next to where Sadie's sitting on the couch. "But she is safe here, Mrs. Gallagher. My da won't let anything happen to any of you."

That kid is going to have to learn not to make promises on his dad's behalf, even if they're something he knows Mick will do.

"He already did." There's pain twisting Áine's pretty face.

And I hate it.

"But Fitz stood up for me!" Sadie's hero worship is as obvious as her mom's agitation. "He stopped them."

"Thank you, Fitz. We have to go." Áine's crying now and I want to hit something.

Preferably Kenneth Shaughnessy.

It wouldn't even have to be a killing blow to be satisfying. At least not the first one.

Unable to stay where I am a second longer, I stand up and cup Áine's delicate shoulders. "No running. I will keep you and your daughters safe."

"You can't promise that."

"I can."

"But—"

"What happened today will never happen again," I vow.

"You understand what you are promising, Wraith?" the boss asks. "The only way you can keep that promise?"

Yeah. I understand. "I know."

"You have my approval."

At Mick's words, some of the tension drains from my body. He accepts my claim on Áine and the girls that will become my daughters.

I didn't plan to have a family anytime soon, if ever, but there's no way I'm letting this beautiful, courageous woman – so like my mom before my stepfather broke her – be destroyed by Kenneth-fucking-Shaughnessy.

"It'll have to be quick." Mick warns me.

I don't know what the rush is, but the idea of making Áine my wife ASAP feels right to me. "We'll get the license tomorrow morning. The wedding can happen the day after."

Áine's face goes slack with shock. "Wedding?"

"Who's getting married?" Sadie asks.

"Your mom and Wraith…uh, Kieran." Fitz grins at Sadie. "You're staying in New York."