Page 288 of Redeeming 6

“Never said he did,” he replied, scrunching the empty crisp bag up and stuffing it into the pocket of his navy tracksuit. “Listen, I’m not thick. Everyone treats me like I’m the same as Ollie and Sean when I’m not. I’m not a baby, Aoife. I know things too, ya know.”

Yeah, he knew things alright. Things no boy of his age should know or be subjected to.

“I’m here for Joe because I know he’s fucked in the head right now,” Tadhg continued, taking another swig from his bottle of Coke. “I saw it in his eyes that day in the kitchen. I saw him check out. I know he’s not here anymore. Dad broke Shannon’s lungs, but he broke Joey’s mind and Mam helped him do it.”

“He’s still here, Tadhg,” I croaked out, repressing a shiver at how accurately this boy had taken his brother’s measure.

“No, he’s not,” the little guy challenged. “He’s gone and you know it, too.” He gave me a hard stare when he said, “But my brother can get better. I know he can, and you need to not give up on him.”

“Tadhg…” My breath caught in my throat, and I sucked in a shaky breath, wondering just how much he knew. He was turning twelve in a couple of days, and knowing that he had this level of intuition and awareness about his family was heartbreaking. “I’m not giving up on your brother.” Swallowing harshly, I offered him what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “I never will.”

“He’s going to make it hard.”

“Nothing worth having comes easy.”

“And it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

“I’m well aware.”

He watched me for a long beat, clearly taking my measure, before nodding his blond head. “Good. Because you won’t get better than him.”

“I know.”

“I mean it,” he pushed, tone defensive. “Joe’s the only parent I remember having, so trust me when I tell you that your kid…” He paused to gesture to my stomach before adding, “Is going to have one hell of a father.”

I absorbed his words like an addict would crack cocaine because in this moment, whether he meant it or not, Tadhg Lynch was giving me everything I needed. He believed in his brother in the same way I did. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t yet a boy of twelve; the fact of the matter was that he got it. He saw the same person I did and was prepared to fight for him. It gave me hope. It gave me comfort.

“I’m going to come over as soon as my shift is over,” I told him, unable to disguise the emotion in my voice.

“They’re going to try to force you out,” Tadhg said, standing up, seemingly done with our conversation. “Mam and Darren.” He gave me another hard look before saying, “Don’t let them. Don’t give up on my brother.”

“Don’t worry,” I replied. “I won’t.”

“Good.”

“Do you want to hang out here until I’m finished work?” I asked, watching as he moved for the wall of the smoking area. “I’ll drive you home.”

“That’s what I’ve got legs for.”

“But your dad’s still out there.”

“My dad can go fuck himself,” Little Alpha called over his shoulder as he climbed onto a wheely bin and vaulted effortlessly onto the stone wall enclosing the smoking area. “If anything, he needs to hope he doesn’t run into me.”

“Tadhg, hold up—”

“I’ll be seeing ya,” he called out, offering me a half-assed sailor salute before disappearing over the wall.

86

The Family Line

JOEY

Our life was a train wreck.

Standing in the kitchen doorway, after persuading the younger boys to go for a kick-about on the green across the road, I watched as the older members of my family ranted and roared at each other. It reminded me of a scene straight out of one of those soap dramas that Molloy roped me into watching with her, and I was glad that for once I wasn’t the instigator of the drama. No, that title had undisputedly fallen to our mother, who had made the fatal error of accusing some rich lady’s son of statutory rape.

I mean, really?

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