Page 62 of Explosive Union

“What the fuck have I done?” Dario questions with a frown, his words angry and his fists balled.

“Nothing,” she replies, smiling sweetly at him. She turns to the double doors that are in front of us and pushes them open.

A huge boxing ring is set up in the middle of the floor and smaller ones are set up around it. There are nine rings in total. This must be where Hayden was trained.

The man in question is currently in the ring boxing with the man that was at the gala last night. Caolán, the Irish man, is young, around Jade’s age, but from the looks of things, he’s gained the Gallaghers’ respect.

“Wanna tell me,Mia cara, why the majority of your family is here?” I ask when I see her father, uncle, and cousins standing at the side of the biggest ring.

“To watch the fight,” she replies as though I’m stupid.

We join her family at ringside and watch as Hayden puts the guy to task. It’s an unfair match as the young man has less muscle, less power, and is nowhere near as trained as Hayden is. But he’s giving as good as he gets.

“Okay, Caolán, good job. Switch,” Killian Gallagher says.

I watch as the guy gingerly climbs out of the ring and smiles at Jade, who gives him a quick nod.

“You’re up,” Killian calls out.

I watch, speechless, as my fucking fiancée toes off her shoes and climbs into the ring.

“Don’t,” I hear hissed at my side as I take a step forward. I turn to my right and see Makenna Gallagher-Bianchi glaring at me. “Don’t fucking do it, Rocco,” she warns me. “You’re about to see a different side to Jade now. Watch her in action. Learn from her. She may be a woman, Rocco, but she’s a damn good boss. It’s time you accepted who she is.”

“I do,” I reply, but as I say the words, I know I don’t truly mean them. How can I accept that the woman who’s going to be my wife is in the same profession as me?

Killian tapes up Jade’s wrists and steps back out of the ring.

“Let me explain something really quickly,” she snaps. “Jade doesn’t need your protection. She sure as fuck doesn’t need you to act as though she’s weak. She’s more than capable of doing this job, and when Liam retires, it’s Jade who’ll take his place. You either learn to accept it, or we find someone else to marry my cousin.”

I know she’s threatening me, that if I don’t come to terms with what Jade is, I’ll be dead. But fuck that. Jade’s mine.

“Is it so bad that I want to protect her?” I ask, keeping my voice low. “Especially after everything she’s been through?”

Makenna’s eyes widen. “You know?” I nod. “Then you should also know that this is who Jade is. Watch and learn.”

I turn my attention to the ring and see Jade standing, watching Hayden as he puts in his mouth shield.

The bell rings, and Hayden attacks hard and fast. I tense, ready to jump in and tear the fucker to pieces, but a hand on my shoulder stops me. Elio.

“Watch her, bro. She’s fucking dynamite up there.”

I stop and focus on her. He’s right, she is dynamite in the ring. Her punches are just as hard and furious as her brother’s. More tactical, they land in places that are left unprotected, she delivers fast, brutal strikes that leave her brother winded.

I settle in to watch the fight, knowing Makenna is right. Jade doesn’t need my protection, far from it. She’s more than capable of being a boss. She’s got every skill needed to make her one of the very best. I’m proud of the way she fights. That she’s able to hold her own against one of the best fighters in the world.

Hayden’s not even going easy on her. In fact, he’s trying to get her to brawl with him, something no one should do as the man will tear you apart. But Jade’s keeping a steady rhythm.

“See now?” Liam asks. “This is who my daughter truly is.” He comes to stand beside me. “She told me what happened last night, that you were there when she had her flashback. Thank you.”

I do a double take. “For what?”

“For reminding her that not all men are like those bastards that hurt her.” He smiles as he watches his two children in the ring. “My daughter doesn’t need anyone to protect her. She’ll take on the whole damn world. Remember that, Rocco. What she does need, is someone who’ll stand beside her and worship her, just as she would them. Jade’s love is fierce and without reservation. Once you have it, you have it for life. Don’t make her hate you.”

With those parting words, he moves away and goes to stand beside his son.

Can I truly stand back and watch as she takes on the world?

Fuck yes. I’ll be with her every step of the way. She won’t be alone.