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Page 41 of Dublin Charmer (Emerald Isle Mafia #5)

Nyx

S ix Weeks Later - October

The Quinn compound’s massive front door swings open, and I hesitate on the threshold. Finn’s hand at the small of my back guides us inside, steadying me—and our son.

“Welcome home, little one.” Tag is first in the line of family waiting in the foyer, his voice warm and quiet. “How did our boy like his first car ride?”

“He slept through most of it,” Finn says, grinning. “Then, I’m pretty sure he shit his pants.”

Laine laughs, holding out her arms to take the baby carrier from me. “We can take care of that, can’t we girls?”

Nora, Piper, and Harper all nod, gathering around to take their first looks at our boy.

“Oh, he’s a Quinn all right,” Harper laughs. “What is it about the boys in this family?”

I know exactly what she means. Even at two days old, it’s obvious who his papa is.

“And do we have a name?” Brendon tugs at the fluffy blue carrier cover to get a better view.

“Antonio Noah Quinn,” Finn says.

Nora smiles. “After your dad. That’s lovely, Em.”

I think so, too. The thought that papa might be looking down at us and smiling fills me with warmth and pride. Like the Quinns, he also believed in family first. He loved me and Gio with everything he had and did his best to give us a good life.

Nothing in life comes with a guarantee, of course, so after all is said and done, things come down to fate and faith.

“Dada!” Caoimhe is standing in her playpen, staring over the padded wall as our entourage retreats into the sunken living room. The little girl, now almost ten months old, has Tag’s dark hair and Laine’s curious eyes. She’s wearing jeans and a tiny, toddler-sized Dublin Devils T-shirt.

Tag grins. “Hiya, baby girl. Did ye wake up from yer nap?”

The toddler stamps her little feet as if trying to climb the netting wall.

“Do ye want to meet yer baby cousin, princess?” Sean picks her up and tosses her into the air before catching her and giving her a big kiss. “Come on. Let’s wait until Mommy fixes his stinky nappy.” Then Sean wrinkles his nose. “Och, speaking of stinky nappies…”

“I’ve got her.” Tag steps around the massive ottoman and leaves Antonio to the wives while he takes his daughter from Sean and heads off toward the stairs.

“Welcome home, to you both.” Nora hugs me and when she pulls back, she runs a gentle hand over her baby bump. “He’s perfect.”

“Agreed. And by St Patrick’s Day, your baby will be here to join the next generation of Quinns.”

Nora lights up. “I can’t wait.”

“Let’s get settled,” Finn tugs my hand toward the couch. “Yer pale, luv.”

“I’m fine.” Childbirth is a battlefield all its own, but everything went well.

The entire Quinn clan settles in and soon after, Cora rolls in a cart of tea and tarts. “Och would ye look at that wee lad. He’s a Quinn for sure.”

I chuckle and roll my eyes at Finn. “And here I did all the work.”

He shrugs. “Aye, I know. I was there.”

“Ye did well, lass.” Cora pulls me into a hug that smells like cinnamon and home. “And we’re ever so grateful that both mam and the wee bairn are none the worse for wear.”

My girl parts would argue, but that’s TMI for the family reunion.

Cora hands me a cup of tea and sets a tray of fruit tarts in front of me. I pull my feet up onto the couch beside me and lean against Finn as we all settle in. The family truly is a unit, flowing around us like water, supporting without smothering.

They’ve had practice at this, I realize. At taking care of their own.

I can’t believe I walked away from all of it.

I take a shuddered breath. “I’m sorry, Charmer. For leaving. For hurting you. For almost ruining all of this.”

“No, luv,” Finn starts, but I shake my head.

“No, I am. You welcomed me into your family when you had every reason not to trust me. You saved my brother. You gave me a place to belong for the first time since my father died, and I ran away from it.”

“But ye came back.”

“It doesn’t erase my mistake.”

Finn rubs a hand over my arm. “Forgiven-forgotten. Yer tired, luv. This is just yer hormones workin’ ye up. All is well. We’re here. We’ve got our wee man with us. And all is right in the world.”

“And somehow that’s terrifying, too. Everything is perfect. What happens if it all goes to shit?”

Finn’s expression softens. “The Quinns are family first and we’re a family.

I won’t let anything go to shit. I promise ye that.

Whatever the world throws at us, we’ll handle it together.

First, with the two of us and then if that’s not enough, we’ll rope in the family on a whole.

That’s a lot of love and determination behind us. ”

It is. My eyes well up and he pulls me into a hug as the dam breaks. Tears stream down my face as the rest of the family looks over, their concern washing over me like a wave.

“We’ve got ye, babe,” Finn murmurs, kissing the top of my head. “Clan Quinn is an all for one and one for all family. Yer home now.”

Finn

I wake to the feeling of Nyx’s body curled against mine, her warmth a comforting weight.

The midday sun filters through the curtains of our bedroom, casting golden patterns across her sleeping face.

Even with getting up three times in the night with Antonio, I can’t remember the last time I felt this content.

She stirs, eyes fluttering open. “Hey, Charmer,” she murmurs, voice thick with sleep.

“Hey, yourself.” I brush a strand of hair from her face. Every morning I wake up next to her feels like a miracle.

“How was he last night?” Her gaze searches my eyes, looking for any signs of fatigue.

“A couple of bottles and a change. Nothing his da couldn’t handle.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Cora has him and Caoimhe in the kitchen while she bakes.”

She brightens and waggles her brows at me. “So, we have some adult time?”

I chuckle. “I like the way you think, but you’re supposed to wait six weeks after giving birth to have sex. You’re not healed. Besides, I want to show you something downstairs. Come on, get up.”

She stretches like a lazy cat and groans. “Why don’t you get up and show me something right here in bed?”

“Stop being such a temptress.”

“Is it working?”

“Not this time. Come on, you’re going to like it.”

“Not as much as I’d like your cock filling me.”

When I don’t take the bait, her gaze sharpens with curiosity. It’s the look that first made me fall for her. “What are you up to?”

“You’ll see.”

When she rolls over, I smack her perfect ass, and she squeals.

“Sure, now you get playful. You’re a tease, you know that?”

She flashes me a pouty look, and I laugh. We dress and I lead her downstairs, and through the east wing of the house. She follows, fingers laced with mine, asking questions I deflect with a smile.

“The library?” she asks when we stop outside the heavy oak doors. “You passed up morning sex to take me to see books?”

“Not exactly.” I push the doors open, revealing what was once my family’s library.

She steps inside and freezes. “What... when did you do all this?”

The room has been transformed. Where bookshelves once lined the walls, sleek workstations now stand, their multiple monitors glowing with data streams. The original coffered ceiling remains, but now houses recessed lighting that illuminates the space without glare.

The antique desk has been replaced by a command center with a 98-inch touchscreen display.

“Welcome to our new digital headquarters.” I watch wonder sparkle in her beautiful blue eyes as she takes it all in. “Climate-controlled, EMP-shielded, with redundant power systems and our own satellite uplink.”

She moves through the space in silent wonder, fingers trailing over the ergonomic chairs, the custom keyboards, the cooling systems.

“Now we won’t get caught with downed internet in the crunch, no matter how many ice storms are bombarding us.”

“You built all this?”

“I had some help with the heavy lifting, but the design was mine. I started it when the construction crews came in to do the repairs after Gravely’s men shot things up.”

Her eyes meet mine, understanding dawning. “That was ten months ago.”

“Other parts of the house took priority. You were gone, so we renovated based on need. Cora’s dream kitchen came first, then the repairs involving the main living spaces.

Pimping out the library became my pet project.

I figured when you came back, we could be the tech tag team again.

Do you remember how much fun it was? And how good we were when we worked together? ”

She swallows hard. “Of course I do.”

“And there’s more.” I take her hand again, leading her to a door at the back of the room. “This area requires both a retinal scan and fingerprint authentication.”

The heavy door slides open with a pneumatic hiss.

Inside, row after row of server racks hum with quiet efficiency, blue indicator lights blinking in the dim light. The temperature drops several degrees, kept optimal for the machines that power our operation.

“This is...” she walks between the racks, examining the setup with professional appreciation. “This is state-of-the-art. Better than anything I’ve ever worked with.”

“I named this Cormack,” I point to the main server cluster. “I thought Da would appreciate being the backbone of the entire operation.”

She laughs, the sound echoing off the metal racks. “That’s amazing.”

As we exit the server room, she stops, looking up at something above the door. Her brow furrows.

“What does that sign mean?” She points to the engraved plaque I installed myself, the letters gleaming in the light: QH-HQ.

“It means you are now part of the Quinn Hacker Headquarters. I figured by making our headquarters here, even if we’re busy with Antonio, we can do our part to support the family.”

She laces her fingers and extends her arms cracking her knuckles. “I can’t wait to get started. Which chair is mine?”

I point to the one closest to the window overlooking the patio and lawn. She strides over, sits down, and her face lights up. “This is one swanky setup, Charmer.”

I nod, proud that all my planning paid off. “I spared no expense because we will be running all of Dublin from here—from behind a desk.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

I stride over and pull her to stand, so I can wrap her in my arms. “I’m more than okay with it.

I know my place and my purpose now, babe.

I’m meant to be here, working behind the scenes as the Quinn family’s last line of defense.

And with you at my side and Antonio safe and close, it’s a fucking dream come true. ”

She sags against me, as relaxed and happy as I’ve ever seen her. “I love you, Finlay Quinn.”

I claim her mouth, nipping at her bottom lip. “I love you, too, beautiful. And I know trusting in a future like this is scary for you, but this life of ours is going to be fucking amazing. I promise.”

My teal-haired temptress eases back from our kiss and arches a brow. “What’s with this ‘going to be’ bullshit? It already is amazing. A girl couldn’t want for anything more.”

I grin. “Grand, then my work here is done.