Page 40 of Bloody Union
“Are you asking me or Dante?” she asks him as she glances at me looking confused.
“Both of you. I want to know what you both think.”
I nod, “I think it’s a great move. You should have been made an Underboss already and the fact that you haven’t is our father’s way of pulling your strings. It’s bullshit. Makenna’s giving you the opportunity to do what you should have been doing all along. Take it. As for the best course of action—do you see yourself falling in love?”
He laughs. “No, fuck, no. We don’t do that shit,” he tells me and I catch the hurt that flashes through Makenna’s eyes.
“Sometimes it sneaks up on you,” I tell him while looking at my wife. I never thought I’d love someone but in the past twenty four hours that thought has vanished. Makenna has gotten under my skin and pierced my dead heart.
“For you to gain respect from the men, I recommend you marry Holly. You met her brother today. It would mean that you’re stronger as you’re tied to the Gallagher family, giving you their full backing. You’d be the husband of the great-granddaughter of the Mafia. But ultimately Romero, you’re going to have to lead these men. Show them that you’re not a fucking fool. Show them your dark side and fucking embrace it.”
“Have you spoken to your grandfather about this?” he asks and I don’t interrupt. It’s going to be his position and he only should come to the decision.
If it were anyone else other than Makenna offering him the position over the Irish Mafia I’d have told him fuck no and put a bullet in their head. But it’s her and I know that she’s only wanting to build her empire, and by doing so, she wants the best of the best defending her.
“Yes, I wouldn’t have asked if I hadn’t run it past Granda, he agrees that Holly would be the perfect choice. You being Underboss for me is my decision and mine alone. That wasn’t ran past anyone.”
He sighs as he scrubs a hand down his face, he’s frustrated.
“Romero, you have twenty-four hours to give me an answer. If you decide to marry Holly, Granda will set the engagement up and you’ll have a quick wedding. If you don’t want to marry Holly and do want to be my Underboss then you’ll be introduced at the next meeting we have.”
Romero nods, “Thank you.”
She ignores his thanks and turns to me. “Are you ready for the shit storm that’s about to happen?” I take her hand and hold tight, “Da’s going to go mental.”
“He’ll be fine, once he gets over the shock. Besides, you’ve already set it up to have Danny turn up. It’ll be fine. What can he do?” If he even thinks about hurting her, I’ll end him. I don’t give a fuck.
She nods, “I spoke to both Danny and Killian about that fucker Kurt and they’re both working on it. Killian has enough contacts to find out anything I need and Danny, well that arsehole, is useful in his own way.”
“What’s up with Danny anyway?” Alessio asks, “You and he are really close.”
Makenna’s eyes narrow. “Yeah, and?” Her Irish accent is thicker, I’ve come to learn when she’s annoyed or pissed off her accent gets heavier and thicker. Hell when she was talking with Danny and Killian, her accent was thick and fast.
Alessio grins, “I just meant how did you become so close. You’re not siblings.”
She shrugs, “When I was in Ireland, I stayed in Denis’ house. Danny, Malcolm, and Holly are all older than me. Well Holly is a few months older than me. We’re all really close. There’s no rivalry as we’re all doing what we want to. I run the east coast, Danny runs the UK, Mal runs Spain, and Holly, well that woman makes sure that our money is safe. She has a legitimate business and makes investments for all of us. If you were to marry her, she’d set up a business over here.”
She glances in the rear-view mirror and whatever she sees makes her sigh. “I’m not a bitch to everyone. Especially not my family unless they warrant it. I don’t like people, I fucking hate most of them and I’m a woman ruling a man’s world. Those men that are below me constantly try to test me, hence why my Granda thought marriage would help. He was sick of me killing my men.”
I know that it makes sense having us married but hearing her detail why pisses me off.
“Any more questions?”
“Yeah, just how old is your brother?” Romero asks with a grin.
“Denis is forty, Fin is thirty three, Patrick is twenty nine, and Cian is twenty-five. Denis’ children are: Danny, twenty-two, Malcolm, twenty-one and, Holly is twenty. Then there’s a break, and the next range from thirteen to six months.”
“Jesus,” Romero mutters.
“Yep, tell me about it. Now Danny’s starting.” She shakes her head, but not in disgust, she looks disappointed.
“Romero and Alessio, are you coming home with us or do you need me to drop you off somewhere?” She squeezes my hand and I watch the heat spread through her cheeks.
“Drop them off at our apartment, they can come back later this evening,” I tell them and she smiles at me. “I want you to find out who the fuck Kurt works for,” I instruct my brothers.
They nod, “I’ll talk to our father. See what he has to say, you know what he’s like, if I make out that Makenna’s being a bitch it’ll loosen his lips,” Romero tells me and I caress Makenna’s hand with my thumb.
“When we find out who is behind it, we’re going to end them all,” Alessio tells us.