Page 108 of The Apprentice
They were talking, and Rowen glanced at the menu board, pointing at it, and Sloan laughed. Fallon came straight over tous, and the moment Fionn spied him, he cheered loudly and jumped to his feet, dragging Fallon into a hug.
“Oh. Hi.” Fallon chuckled, clearly unsure what to do about this new version of Fionn. “How much have you had to drink?”
“Lots! I like you, Fallon.” Fionn tapped his chest. “And I’m sorry if I was ever an asshole to you, okay? You’re a good guy.”
Fallon cocked his head and fluttered his long blond lashes. “I’m hot, too.”
Fionn snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but my Daddy’s hotter.”
“Your. . .. You know what, I’m not going to ask. Maybe later.” Fallon bounced his way around to Fionn’s other side and plopped down on one of the spare seats. Rowen and Sloan joined us again, with Sloan retaking the chair beside me and Rowen snatching the last one between Fallon and Sloan.
“Is this what it’s like in Ireland, Rowen?” Fionn asked loudly, to the point it was almost a shout.
Behind us, someone was singing in Gaelic again, and while the person was obviously tipsy, they weren’t half bad, even with the slurring that came with it.
“Aye, it is.” Rowen smiled and his face softened, his eyes growing distant for a moment before Fallon touched his shoulder.
It was enough time for Fionn to start speaking about Reyes. “Okay, listen, this is what we’re going to do. We’re going to find all the Cartel motherfuckers in the city and take them all down right? So—” His hands flew in front of his face dramatically and he brought out the finger guns. “—this is my idea. First?—”
I held back a laugh. “Enough, boy.” I touched my lips to his cheek and squeezed his thigh under the table. It was time to take him home. He wouldn’t be able to fight any Reyes men in this state, not to mention, he’d never been in a real gunfight. I wanted him away from the action until I had him trained better.I sent Rowen a smirk when I caught him looking at us. “Let me get you some beers. What do you want?”
Fallon’s attention went straight to Rowen. “You’re the expert on Irish beers. What should I have?”
Rowen snorted. “Eh, nothing here is quite as good as at home.” He wrapped his arm around Fallon’s shoulders, and I smiled at them, well aware of what it was like to be so fucking in love with someone. The thought made me lean over to give Fionn another kiss because I couldn’t resist.
“But if ye must choose, don’t be going for the stereotype. Guinness is okay, but I reckon ye’d enjoy a Murphy’s.”
“Murphy’s it is!” Fallon leaned against Rowen, who kissed him on the temple.
“All this love. I love love. Don’t you love love, Daddy?” Fionn muttered so that only I could hear, and then he heaved a dreamy sigh.
I chuckled quietly and stroked my fingers over his back.
“Since we’re celebrating, I’ll have a good vodka and 7UP. Been a while since I did that. Make it a double,” Rowen said.
“It’s on me.” I sent him a wink, which earned me a pout from Fionn as he poked me in the belly.
“Only I’m allowed to be on you, Daddy Daire.” The whine in his voice turned my belly warm because he was so damned adorable. If he was sober, I’d take him home right now to fuck him, but I wasn’t going to do that while he was more than halfway to smashed.
I laughed and kissed him on his supple mouth again. I couldn’t get enough. “You’re drunk.” I stroked my fingers over his chin. “But you’re cute when you’re jealous.”
“I’m not.” His pout deepened.
“Fionn.” Sloan’s sharp tone cut right through the moment, and Fionn turned toward him with his big innocent eyes.
Anger grabbed me, and I bit my tongue for a moment to exhale through my nose before I faced Sloan, too. “With all due respect, Sloan, he’s my boy. I can handle him.” Despite my irritation and all the words I wanted to say, I inclined my head forward in the respect I spoke about, but I didn’t look away. I faced him as a Daddy to my boy who wouldn’t back down in defense of Fionn.
“He may be your boy now, but he’s still my nephew, and the future of this company. I won’t have him embarrassing me.”
I gritted my teeth so hard I swore I heard one of them crack. “Then, I will handle it. . . sir.”
His stare hardened, and I kept my eyes on him, my chin raised. Sloan was many things, scary among them, but I’d known him for too long and his firmness came from the way he was raised. Niall Killough wasn’t always a fair man, and I understood why Sloan was the way he was, but that didn’t mean I was going to let this go. Fionn trusted me to take care of him when I was his Daddy and this was one of those moments.
Finally, Sloan’s eyes shifted, and an understanding passed across his face. He still wasn’t happy, and I wasn’t sure if ever would be, but he tilted his head toward the bar, giving me permission to go. Whatever fury he held for me simmered below the surface of his tight facade, but now he was giving me a chance to prove to him that I could care for Fionn and give him everything he needed and wanted.
I left the table and headed straight to the bar, ordering Rowen and Fallon their drinks. While the bartender went to get the alcohol, I turned to watch Fionn and the boys as they talked. Fionn’s face was bright and flushed from the booze, his hands moving as he spoke. His energy was electric, and now that he had an audience listening to him—Sloan included—he was putting on a show. The more I watched him, the harder I fell inlove with him. How did I go so long thinking I only wanted sex with him?
When the bartender brought back the drinks, I paid and tipped her with my card before I walked back to the table with the glasses. I passed Rowen his vodka and Fallon his beer before I retook the seat beside Fionn, and we all raised our glasses.
