Because Of You

Chapter 8

"I'm what?! I don't know what you've been smoking, but it's clearly made you delusional. There's no way I'm related to you!" Ryan exclaims, glaring at the mobster sat before him. The calm tone he once maintained starts to falter. The detective does his best to keep it in check.

"Your name is Kevin McConnell and you're my son" Mick declares with a serious look on his face. Before he had a bit of amusement in his voice, but not anymore.

"No, my name is Detective Kevin Ryan. My dad is called Seamus Ryan and my mom's name is-" Kevin tries to explain.

"-Claire Murphy" Mick finishes for him.

"H-how did you know that? How do you know my mom's name?" Kev questions getting defensive and very protective of his mother. This mob boss knows details about his family and he doesn't like it one bit.

"There was a time when I loved your mother. Claire and I grew up together, then she got pregnant with you, but she didn't want you growing up in this life, neither did I" Mick responds as he locks eyes with the detective sat across from him "You are my son, Kevin. I have proof"

A chill runs down his spine. Ryan doesn't know how to process this information. Part of him doesn't want to believe it. However, his gut is screaming at him, telling him that McConnell isn't lying. As a detective, he's been profiling people for years and usually has a good idea of whether they're telling the truth or not. This man seems completely sincere and it scares the hell out of him.

"What proof? If I really am your son then prove it" Kevin dares him, but he starts regretting it when he sees Mick give him a small smile. Not a particularly nice kind of smile, but not an evil one. It's the kind of smile someone gives someone when they know they can prove them wrong. Kevin really doesn't want to be proven wrong, especially not about this.

"On the far left side, at the bottom of your back, you have a small birth mark. Kinda looks like a droplet of water. When you were born you weighed exactly 6 pounds. You were so small and fragile when-" Mick starts to explain.

"-How do you know all that?" Ryan interrupts, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

Inside his head is a war zone. A battle between intuition and ideology. As a cop he values both, but there's only room for one in his mind right now. It overwhelms him. So much so that he's lost for words. First he finds out his partner is in love with him and now his real father might be the head of the Irish mob!

"I know, because I was there when you were born. If you don't believe me then I have a DNA test that proves it" McConnell points out "Remember when you gave blood at the hospital two weeks ago?"

"You mean you stole my blood in order to get a DNA test done?" the detective surmises, mouth parting slightly to allow the shock out of his system.

There's so much he wants to say. So much he wants to shout out, but he can't seem to find the words he so desperately wants to say.

"No. It's more like somebody legally acquired a sample of your blood. Say for example they got the cotton bud, that you had taped to your arm after the bloods were taken, out of the trash. For some unknown reason, somebody got a test done and just happened to show me the results" Mick explains with a small arrogant smile.

Ryan stares at him in wonder. Intuition is winning. The thought that this mob boss could be his real father is starting to ring true. The detective casts his mind back to when he was younger. Seamus Ryan - the man he's called 'dad' for 38 years. Growing up, Ryan could never find a lot of common features between himself and Seamus. Kevin just assumed he'd just got more of his mom in him. The longer he stares at Mick, the more and more he finds he's inclined to believe him. The same cheekbones, the same nose, and the same deep blue eyes.

"So, you're my real father?" Kevin questions sceptically, but he's really asking himself more than Mick.

Intuition has won. Everything is slotting into place for him. Mick McConnell, the head of the Irish mob and one of the most sought after criminals in New York City is also his father! Ryan knows many detectives with cases against his apparent father.

"I am Kevin and I know that we are from two separate worlds, but you need to know that I will always look out for you. We'll never be able to have a normal father-son relationship, I know that, but I'll do what I can to help and protect you. I will never ask you to give me information on the NYPD. I have stooped to very low levels, but I will never use you to gain information and I hope you will show me the same kindness by not informing on me and my business transactions" Mick tells Ryan as he leans forwards, getting ever closer to him.

"Those weren't your guys were they? Those three men who attacked me at the warehouse" Kevin interrogates Mick as he starts thinking like a real detective again "They weren't your guys, but the gunshots I heard before I blacked out, now those were your guys, weren't they?"

"Very clever. Just like your mother. Yes, those three men who attacked you weren't associates of mine. I sent my men in to retrieve you, safely, and they did" Mick replies.

"By retrieve me you mean you sent your hit men in to kill those three guys" the detective points out, unimpressed by the mob boss's methods.

As much as he is thankful to Mick for saving him from those attackers, he also understands the shooting of three men, regardless of how innocent or guilty they were of another crime, is still illegal.

"It was self defence. Those men were trying to take you and my men stopped them" the mobster argues back.

"Why were those men after me? I'm assuming it has something to do with the fact that you're my father?" Ryan questions. Once again his blue eyes bore into his father. They're searching for the truth.

"I don't know. I had my men watching over you. When the others attacked they felt they had no choice, but to intervene. Those masked men must have been hired by a rival group, although how they found out you're my son is something I'm very eager to find out" Mick responds as he begins to think of any of his enemies that would consider doing this. It's a very long list!

"But if they worked out that we're related then surely they must know we're estranged?Why would they take me when I was oblivious to who my real father is?" Kevin asks as he begins to consider all the possible theories.

The title of 'baby Castle' suits him well. Several different theories formulate in his mind. One of which is a government conspiracy theory worthy of the crime novelist himself.

"Because you're the one person I truly care about in this world. The love between your mother and I died years ago, but it never did for you. You're my only son" Mick tells his son with an unusual tone. Unusual in the sense that it doesn't fit who he is. It's a soft and caring tone. It's not what you'd expect a dangerous criminal like McConnell to use. It catches the detective off guard.

Kevin furrows his eyebrows "Didn't you marry or have another fling?"

To him it's surprising that Mick didn't marry anyone. The assumption he makes is that this mob boss has a few more children out there. A few step-siblings for Ryan. Possibly they too are oblivious to who their real father is?

"I married. Quite a few times, but no children. You're my only one. You're-" Mick is interrupted by a loud bang.

"NYPD! Put your hands in the air right now!"