Page 70 of Alfie: Part One

Colm returned to his spot by the door.

Finn lifted a brow at me.

“It’s enough, boss,” I said quietly. “He’s a kid.”

“He’s doin’ grown-up shit,” he told me. “If you do that, you better take the grown-up heat for it too.”

I…I saw his point, but I was undeterred.

“Lookat him,” I said, still keeping my voice low. “He’s sixteen years old. He’s shaking like a leaf, he’s crying, he’s remorseful,and he’s pissed himself. I’mwithyou, Finn—I swear I am—and I will keep proving myself. But he’s been warned enough.”

He didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he glanced over at Colby, and Finn appeared to be considering my words at least. So that meant I had to keep pushing. I had to sweeten the deal somehow to win him over.

“He’s already scared, and now, he won’t be anywhere near his brother anymore,” I went on. “Tony won’t drag him down with his bullshit.”

Kellan cleared his throat. “Eric got back to me. Said the kid had a promising online presence under his username as a hacker.”

“So he might have a prosperous future with the Sons. He has potential,” I finished.

Finn shifted his gaze and narrowed his eyes at me. “Congratulations, Alfie. He just became your responsibility. If he fucks up a single time in the next six months, it’s on you.”

Uh…fine. So fucking be it.

“All right.” My stomach tightened, and I suddenly had warning bells going off in my head, but fuck it.

Finn took a step closer and jabbed his finger at my chest. “That means full responsibility, cousin. You make sure he gets to work on time, that he becomes an earner, and that he cleans himself up. Six months. You got it?”

I nodded. “Loud and clear. I’ll keep him with me. He’ll work hard to earn my trust.” I swallowed and felt the need to say something else too. “Also, I love it when you call me cousin. It gives me the warm fuzzies.”

He stared at me with an intense expression, kinda blank, yet full of no-nonsense attitude and gravity, the one that said he was either one second away from killing me or cracking a smirk, and it was very confusing.

In the end, he looked to Kellan and said, “He’s as batshit fucking crazy as you are.”

Kellan grinned. “And you love me.”

I smiled, even though I wasn’t ready to relax yet.

Finn shook his head and tossed his bloodied handkerchief on the floor. “Get T here.”

“He’s on his way already,” Kellan replied. “You go home and take a walk to the fridge. Let Emilia calm you down. Shan and I will deal with Tony.”

“I’m fucking calm,” he bitched. “Christ.” He turned away and aimed for the door, but he spoke to Colm first. “You stick around until cleanup’s finished.”

“Aye, boss.”

Finn walked out after that, taking his personal security guard and driver with him.

“Did I pass the test, cousin?” I hollered.

No response.

Right.

I’d get it another time.

I released a heavy breath, and— “Ouch!” I received a smack upside the head from Kellan. Real fucking nice.

“You’re crazy,” he told me. “Do you realize how this changes things? Tony and Colby have been staying at a motel because they drink up most of their money, and JJ won’t take them in when he’s got a baby at home and another on the way.”