Page 34 of Explosive Union

She reaches across the table for my hand, but I pull it back. It’s bad enough that I have to meet with her. I won’t have her touching me. She pulls her hands back so they’re resting on her lap. “I needed you to see that it was more than just an arrangement. That we were more than a few fucks a month.”

“This is the last time I see you,” I tell her, and watch as her lip trembles. “I’m getting married, which means our benefits are over.”

Her lips part. “Married?”

I get to my feet. “Yes, married. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend. Monica, the next time you pull something like this, you’ll never live to see another day,” I tell her as I fix the button on my jacket. “Do I make myself clear?”

She swallows hard but nods. “Crystal.”

I move away from her, glad this shit is over. I look at Elio, giving him a chin lift to let him know it’s time to go, and I’m not in the least bit surprised that he’s flirting with one of the female servers.

He catches up to me as I exit the restaurant. “That seemed to go well,” he says with a smirk.

“Yeah, fucking great,” I remark as my car is brought around to me. “She thought there was more to us than there was. I’ve set her straight.”

“Bro, you had better hope that Jade doesn’t find out you met with your fuck buddy at a restaurant.”

I glare at my brother, wondering when the hell he became such a fucking ass. “No one is going to fucking tell her,” I warn him.

He smiles as he raises his hands in surrender. “Of course I won’t. You think I’m going to put myself in the firing line? Fuck no. I’m not stupid, and your felon seems to have a penchant for guns. I have no ambition to be her next target,” he says, moving toward the passenger's side door.

I take the key and give the kid a tip. “Thanks, Mr. Gallo.”

“But I’m pretty sure you’re the next target. Especially now you’ve met with Monica.” He chuckles as he climbs into the car.

Not for the first time in my life, I’m wondering if I can kill him. I doubt our father would mind. He’d understand. It’s our mom who would be pissed.

“All I’m saying is that we have done our homework on them,” he begins as I start up the engine.

He’s talking about the information I pulled as soon as our father told me the wedding date had been set. I looked into every detail of every Gallagher member’s life and found out all their secrets.

“So, it stands to reason that they’ll do the same for us.”

I grit my teeth as I drive away from the restaurant. “I hope for all of our sakes that Jade has no idea about Monica.” My fiancée is volatile, to say the very least. She loves to threaten me, and I’m not stupid enough to think she doesn’t mean it.

Elio’s cell buzzes, and he answers it. He’s talking low, and he’s pissed. Whoever’s on the other end is lucky they’re not in front of him. I’m sure Elio would have him dead by now.

“It’s not just the coke that’s down in sales, it’s everything. That was Marcus. They’ve checked the stock, and we’re hemorrhaging money right now.”

I put my foot down, glad I’ll be able to unleash the rage that’s been burning through me all day.

Making the Famiglia lose money is a fucking no-no, and someone is going to pay with their life. I’ll be happy to assist them in meeting their grizzly end.

CHAPTER10

ROCCO

The stench of urine hits me as I enter the old bar that's now being used to house our drugs. My blood runs hot, and my fingers twitch for my gun as I see three women strung out, all the while being drilled by our men.

Our fucking men.

“No wonder why we’re running in the red with this shit going on,” Elio comments, his words clipped as he glares around the building.

It’s filthy. Fucking disgusting. Food wrappings, beer bottles, cigarette butts, and God knows what else litters the floor.

“Call the men,” I instruct him. “I want them all here. It’s time to make a fucking statement.” This is the shit that happens when you don’t stay on top of things. “Find out who was dealing with this shit.” Whoever it is, they’re going to be dealt with, just as these fucking useless assholes are.

Elio steps outside, his cell in his hand, already making the call. I bypass the fuckfest that’s happening and move toward the back of the building, trying to find where the hell Dawkins is.