Page 71 of Paddy
“Elijah, you never have to worry about the people who care about you not giving you attention. Have I ever given you reason to think that you can't count on me?”
“No.” The kid had to know I had no desire to replace him.
“I promise you this, siblings are like built in friends. Sometimes you hate them, most times you love them, but they only expand our family, not replace anyone. Since you’re a lot like me, you’re gonnalovebeing an older brother. I only got to do it once, but it’s someone you get to push around and tell them what to do,” I bragged and I got that cheery little smile on his face.
“But most of all—and this is probably the most important—you also learn to protect and look out for someone. You'll be good at that since you're a Sullivan now.”
“I know Dad.” Not gonna lie, my fucking heart sunk into my stomach every time Elijah slipped and called me Dad instead of Paddy. He didn't have to, stepfather, father. This was my son, and I knew where he stood with me. But I had a lot of work to do when it came to him, so I loved that he was warming up to me, even if it was only shown through the smallest of gestures.
Giving Elijah a final hug, I sent him off to go find his cousins, only to be later joined by this beautiful, amazing goddess of a woman. Leaning in to kiss her, I couldn't stop until my stomach started growling again.
“You better take care of that,” Pretty joked.
“It can wait for just one more,” I said, grabbing her face and stealing another kiss. “I can't wait to be one of them annoying husbands, bringing up his wife in every conversation. Whether I'm bitching or bragging,” I said in jest.
“Well, I can't wait to be yours again.” I ran my fingers across her temporary collar, relishing in the fact she was mine for all the see.
“You'll be mine tonight. One little baby bump ain't gonna stop me from being all over you. Remember, you didn't marry no saint Pretty, you married a fucking scoundrel. And we got two weeks of abstaining to make up for, so that baby's gonna have to prepare for a rowdy few months.”