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“You say my name like you don't recognize me, you daft fool,” she says, slapping my arm. “Of course it's me!”

“You've changed,” I say, shaking my head. “You're not a kid anymore.”

“I've changed?” She shakes her head. “My god, brother, you're barely recognizable!” She slaps my chest. “I know you can’t have gotten any taller, but Jesus, Tor, you're enormous!”

“Thanks?”

“My god, did you eat bricks for breakfast in prison?”

“Might've been better than the slop they did feed me,” I mutter.

“You've got that right.” My brother Cavin comes to me next, giving me a hug and slapping my back. He's built like my father, with broad shoulders and thick muscle. Dark ink disappears beneath rolled sleeves. He pulls back and holds his arm out to a beautiful, very heavily pregnant blonde woman standing beside him.

“Torin, meet my wife, Erin.”

There are a few unfamiliar faces here. I nod. “Pleased to meet you, Erin.”

“And you,” she says, taking the hand I offer. “You do look a lot like Cavin, don't you?”

“That miserable bastard?” I say, winking at Cavin, who gives me an affectionate one-finger salute.

Erin smiles, uncertain.

“Congratulations,” I tell them.

“Erin's due soon.”

“So I've heard.”

My father doesn't rise. He was once the most dangerous man in Ireland, and sitting still in that chair, watching me cross the room, he still looks like he might be. But it costs him more than it used to.

Ah. This is what the letters from my family left out.

But the eyes that find mine are still filled with the same steel that's familiar. I cross to him and take the hand he offers. It feels smaller than it should.

Mam fills the kettle and watches Da.

“Christ, they fed you well, or you ate the other fellas there?”

“Eh, bit of both,” I say, and he slaps my back.

“Atta boy.”

“You're enormous.” I turn. My sister Kyla looks uncharacteristically bashful, as she takes me in with a hint of a smile. Sarcastic and witty, we were best mates growing up. I’ve missed her.

“Hello to you too,” I say.

“They could've fit two of you in that cell and still had room when you went in. Did you have to come back that size, Torin? We'll have to feed you in the yard like a horse so you don't break Mam's good dining chairs.”

I shake my head. “Missed you, too, Ky.”

“Ky.” Something flickers, quick and gone. “You were the only one who ever called me that.” She winks. “Just don't get soft on me, will you?”

“Never.” The word comes out harder than I mean it to.

Then we're at the table, and it's loud—it's everything I wanted but didn't let myself think about. Declan's beside me, topping off glasses and telling me about his new girl, Bridget. “You'll see her tomorrow. Didn't want it to be too much, all at once.”

I take the chair at the end, near Da. The one where the wall's behind me, and I can see both doors without turning my head. Nobody comments, though I can tell Seamus notices.