Page 47 of Honorable Sins

"Miles is always a good dog, da." Fitz looks at Kenneth with open dislike.

He doesn't know what Wraith said to the gobshite earlier, but my boy is smart enough to realize I was threatening Kenneth with the question.

"Why isn't Sadie Gallagher here?" Duffy asks, showing that he isn't just a criminal, but he's criminally stupid.

Wraith swells with anger. "Because your fuckwit sons have traumatized my daughter enough."

Done with this bullshite, I nod toward Brice and he instantly signals to his men, who guide the boys to stand against the wall to my right.

"Turn your chairs to face your sons," I order their fathers.

Casey is still standing but he doesn't hesitate to turn to face Jasper. The others glare and try to posture, before grudgingly doing as they're told.

Only then do I stand to pass sentencing. "While the penalty for rape, or the interrupted attempt, is death according to our code, the guilty are children."

"I'm surprised you recognize the distinction," Kenneth jeers.

The temptation to do as Graham Casey requested and visit the punishment on the fathers in place of their sons is strong, but that's not what Brogan and I agreed to.

And until he officially steps down, Brogan is still Boss.

"I dill day my dun dint do anybing." O'Grady pounds his fist on his thigh, his broken nose from Wraith making his speech almost comical.

Casey and Duffy remain silent.

I continue as if O'Grady hadn't said anything. "There is hope that the problem lies with the training these boys have received, or not received, in their homes, rather than reflective of character deficiencies they will take into adulthood."

Kenneth sputters, "Now, see here. I've raised Kenny just f—"

"In that hope," I say, talking right over Kenneth. "Each boy will be fostered for at least one year to a family in an allied mob whose parents are considered exemplary."

"You're not taking away my son!" Duffy jumps from his chair and storms toward my desk, or tries to. Brice shoves him back into his seat like he did to Kenneth earlier. "I'll see you in hell first!" Duffy yells past my second.

Doesn't he realize? I am an diabhal. And as the devil, I'm already the king of hell.

"After an initial ninety-day assessment, if the fostering parents agree it is what is best for the boys, they will be allowed supervised visits with their families of birth," I continue passing sentence and then wait a beat before adding. "In the cities of their new domiciles."

"I think Jasper's assessment should be shorter," Fitz says.

"Do you?" I ask, unsurprised my son has been moved to a measure of leniency toward the other boy. He is, after all, his mother's son too. "Why?"

"First, because Mr. Casey already showed that he's a better father than the others."

I agree. "And second?" I prompt.

"I don't think Jasper being separated from his dad will be good for him or the mob. He already has a better understanding of our code and what it means to be honorable than the other guys, even if he needs to grow a spine."

The look Fitz gives Jasper makes the other boy wince, but he nods. "I'm working on it."

"Why not good for the mob?" I ask, proud of Fitz for thinking in the long term.

"Taking him away from his dad will cause him to resent you and me. I want him to be a loyal soldier one day, not someone who hates us and causes problems because of it."

Fitz doesn't know about Kenneth's plan, but his words show that he understands human nature better than the wannabe underboss. He'll be a bleedin' good boss one day.

"You don't think that will happen with the other boys?" Kara asks our son, her tone pensive.

Fitz shrugs. "I think there's trouble there already, or they wouldn't have said what they did about how da shouldn't be underboss."