Page 6 of Explosive Union
My da’s shoulders shake as he holds me tighter. “Is breá liom tú, mo chailín milis,”(I love you, my sweet girl).
I rest my head against his shoulder. “Agus tá grá agam duit,” I whisper(And I love you).
“I’m sorry, my sweet girl. So fucking sorry. I promise you, we’ll make sure they all pay,” he promises me, and I love that he wants that, but it’s my revenge to get. I will be the one to take them down.
I’m home. Right now, that’s all I’m focused on. Tomorrow is when I’ll start to rain holy hell on the bastards who hurt me.
CHAPTER2
ROCCO
“What’s going on?” Dario, my youngest brother, asks as he walks into my father’s office, where both Elio and I are seated. “Where’s father?”
“On his cell. He’s received a call from Liam Gallagher,” Elio answers as he sits back in his chair and crosses his ankles, looking every bit the composed asshole he is.
My gut clenches at the name. Liam Gallagher—my soon-to-be father-in-law—the man who has taken over the majority of Illinois, not to mention the Midwest. Those Irish fuckers have muscled in on the Croat’s, Russian’s, and mob’s turf. They were sensible, knowing that we Italian’s do not give up without a fight, and instead of a war, they pose a fucking marriage.
“The woman is twenty-four now. It means they want to marry her off,” Dario comments as he takes a seat on the couch in the corner of the room. “I do find it weird that no one has seen this girl in five years. Not a single person has caught a glimpse of her.”
That’s something that has crossed my mind on many occasions. Where is the princess of the Irish Mafia? The family that is closer than anyone I have ever known. Why would they keep the youngest grandchild hidden?
The office door opens and my father walks in, his face void of any emotion, and that pisses me off.
“So, what does the Irish bastard have to say?” Elio questions as our father takes his seat behind his desk. “What do they want? A mansion for the princess to live in? How about for Rocco to become her slave?”
I shoot him a dark glare. Fucking moron. Of all the shit to say, he says that? Ass.
“No, the Gallaghers are ready to start planning the wedding.”
I raise a brow. “Why now?” I question. After all this time, why now?
He releases a sigh. “Jade Gallagher was released from prison today.”
I blink. What the actual fuck? “I’m sorry, what?”
Dario chuckles. “So, thePrincipessais a convict. I think I may like her after all.”
“What was she sent down for?” I ask. “And how the hell did we not find out until now?” I lean forward in my seat, my elbows against my knees, and look at my father. “You fucking knew?” I accuse. “You knew she was in prison, and you never said anything?”
He nods. “Yes, I knew,” he grits out. “It was self-defense. The girl returned fire on the Masters boy. She killed him. From what I have gathered, it was either her or him. She came out of it on top. Then she was in a shootout in New York and ended up getting a five-year sentence. She was released today.”
Fucking hell. That is some bomb to drop.
“So, what you’re saying is that Rocco’s soon-to-be wife is a gun-toting felon,” Elio laughs.
“So, when is the wedding taking place?” I ask, wondering how many days I have left until I’m tied to the Gallaghers.
“In three weeks. Tomorrow, the Gallagher family are hosting a party in honor of Jade. We all will be in attendance.”
My brothers groan at his words.
“The entire Gallagher family will be in attendance,” my father tells us. “This family has managed to become the biggest players in the world. Their power spans across two fucking continents.”
“And now we’re going to be in union with them,” Dario responds. “Which means, what they gain, we do.”
My father nods. “Yes, while you may not approve of the union, Rocco, it is the way to ensure not only our legacy, but also your children’s.”
He may be right about that, but it doesn’t make it any less fucked up. I’m marrying a woman who is seven years my junior, who has been in prison since she was nineteen. The woman is a fucking disaster. There’s not a chance in Hell she’d be someone I’d have chosen for myself had I been given the choice. But I’m stuck with the woman now.