35

TEXT CHAT

Conor: Rex from the Sinners will be in touch.

Declan: Re?

Conor: A pedophile in upstate New York.

Declan: Jesus.

Conor: Da was on a crusade after he found out what happened to me.

Declan: Yeah, I know. I got a letter from him in the will about it. Did you get one?

Conor: I did.

Declan: What did yours say?

Conor: Lots of random stuff, rambling mostly. He said the Five Points needed to take affirmative action against these pedophile bastards and I was to coordinate that. Nothing about what happened to me, though.

Declan: I’m supposed to ‘facilitate’ when the Sinners go on a hunt.

Conor: There are too many of these fucking bastards, Declan.

Declan: I know, Kid. I know. It makes me terrified for Cameron.

Conor: We’ll protect him.

Declan: Our father was a man who struck terror into the heart of monsters… But it still happened to you. I ain’t Da, Con.

Conor: Thank fuck you’re not.

Conor: He got to me because he pretended to care, Declan. Then, he shamed me into silence because I didn’t know if Da would blame me, and the idea of that was as terrifying as what he did to me.

Declan: I’m so fucking sorry, Conor.

Conor: You don’t have to be. There was nothing you could have done.

Conor: I don’t say that to make you feel bad, Declan. You’re my younger brother. I’m supposed to look out for YOU, not the other way around.

Conor: You need to make sure that Cameron knows he always has a safe place with you. Make sure he knows that you will never blame him or shame him for whatever life throws his way.

Conor: And never, EVER, minimize what he’s going through. If he comes to you with something, it’s because it matters to him and it should be important to you.

Conor: THAT is what you can do.

Declan: Yeah.

Declan: I can do that.

Declan: You’re right. Aela’s good at that stuff too.

Declan: She’ll make sure to slap me upside the head if I fuck up. Shay’s open about his feelings and things.

Conor: LOL. I figured that out when, over roasted chicken, he told Da that it was wrong to shame you for liking art.

Declan: Proudest day of my fucking life when he did that.

Conor: I get it. Da did a number on us all, didn’t he?

Declan: Yeah. It’s as if we’re decompressing now that he’s gone. Is it weird I miss him?

Conor: No. I miss him too. Stockholm Syndrome.

Declan: Lol. I’m glad I’m not alone. Brennan seems to be the most okay with it.

Conor: Understandable. Da treated Brennan like shit after what happened to Ma.

Declan: I don’t know how he could blame him for any of that.

Conor: He was only a kid. He shouldn’t have even been guarding Ma in the first place.

Declan: Da seemed to forget that we were children once we were Pointers.

Conor: I agree.

Declan: I’m not going to raise my kids how Da did.

Conor: Good.

Declan: It makes me glad that Aidan’s got it into his head that Shay’s going to be president. I can’t see it happening myself, but I think he’ll get into politics. Either way, he has to stay squeaky clean and I’m here for that.

Conor: Never say never.

Conor: Give us two decades, Dec, and we can make miracles happen.

Declan: True, lol.

Declan: Do you want kids, Conor?

Conor: It’s not something I think about. Star has a daughter. I’ll adopt her if Star will let me.

Declan: Really?

Conor: Why does that come as a surprise?

Declan: It doesn’t, I guess, if I think about it. I just didn’t realize you were ready for that move. It’s soon, you know?

Conor: Not soon enough. Star’s mine, Declan.

Declan: I know. It’s killing Bren, lol.

Conor: Why’s he got such a fucking hard-on for her?

Declan: He says he doesn’t trust her.

Conor: He’s got forty years to come around.

Declan: LMAO.

Declan: Okay, so I’ll listen out for a call from Sin.

Conor: Nah. It’ll be Rex.

Conor: Just try to keep their asses out of jail.

Declan: Will do.

Declan: You happy, Con?

Conor: This world is fucked, and I’m dealing with shit that makes my skin crawl, but I’m with her. So yeah.

Declan: I get you. Glad for you, Kid.

Conor: Same goes. Give Cameron a hug from me and tell Shay I deleted that video on Snapchat and IG.

Declan: LOL. He’ll love you forever.

Conor: He won’t when he realizes I’m the reason both will be offline for a couple days. :P