“He’s stable. His fever is coming down. They’re keeping him for fluids and observation. Viral panel pending. Right ear infection.”
Darragh exhales loud enough that I hear it. “Good. Good. Ana and I will get back to Astoria immediately. We’ll have the jet wheels-up in an hour.”
My spine stiffens. “No need. I’ve got it.”
“Cormac…” Darragh drawls. “She’s his mother. She’ll want to hold him.”
“I get it,” I grumble. “I’m his father, I wanted this moment, too.”
“Hang on, it’s 3 a.m. there. Where’s your wife, who doesn’t even know you have a son?”
“Not sure,” I say, feeling wrapped in years of grief and mistakes. “She was out with a friend. I don’t keep her a prisoner. I dropped a text that I had an emergency. She knows I treat the Quinlans here and there. She’s in that third-year finals haze.” I take a breath. “I’ll tell her about J.P. when her tests are done and her head is clear.”
“Sounds like you really do care about her,” Darragh says. “I hear it in your voice, Cormac. You don’t think I can still read you?”
“I do.” And I want to keep her, but that’s another conversation. “This isn’t about me or her right now. Right now, this is about…our son.”
He exhales. “Thank God you were there for him. I won’t forget it.”
“Did you think I’d blow it off?”
“No, never,” he says right away. “I have to wake up my wife and tell her. Brace yourself, you might get a call from her.”
“I’m here. I’ll make her feel better, I promise.”
“Thank you, Cormac.” His words unknot inside my chest.
“I can handle this,” I say again, closing my eyes. “Maya brought Sophie home, and when he’s ready, I’ll bring J.P. home, too.”
“They won’t release him to you,” Darragh says. “Maya had an authorization signed by me.”
“I kind of lied and said he’s mine.” I clear my throat. “They didn’t catch the different first name.”
“This proves we can’t keep up this charade of telling everyone he’s my son. You got lucky.” Darragh is shuffling around now.
“You’re right.” I push a hand through my hair. “You two travel home safely. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“We’ll be home as soon as we can, and we’ll talk more about it then.” Darragh hesitates. “And Cormac… I love you, brother.”
The call ends before I say it back.
I look at J.P. through crib slats. “And I love you.”
Chapter 41
Cormac
It’s nearly 6 a.m. when I carry J.P. through Ana and Darragh’s front door. The hospital released him once he took a full bottle, kept it down, and stayed alert for a few hours.
Maya is awake and takes J.P. from me with a choked sob. I’m still not sure who she is, but she seems to really love my son.
“My king…” She buries him under her neck, rocking him like he’s precious.
King.As the sole male heir of Ana’s father Alexei Koslov, my son will be Pakhan one day. And I do hope I’m alive to see aJames Patrick O’Rourketake control of the Bratva brotherhood of Astoria.
“He’s okay,” I reassure Maya, then put the paperwork and meds on the counter for Darragh and Ana to look over.
A knock hits the door, and I spin around with concern.