Page 72 of Explosive Union
I grin at him. I think that’s the best invitation I’ve ever had.
* * *
“The ceremony was beautiful,cara ragazza,” Rocco’s nonna says with a weathered smile.
“Grazie, Mrs. Gallo,” I reply. I fucking hate small talk, and I’m going to kill my husband when he finally gets back. He, Elio, and their father disappeared almost thirty minutes ago.
“Cara ragazza, call me Nonna,si?”
I nod. “Si, Nonna.Grazie.”
Her eyes soften as she cups my cheek. This woman is entirely too comfortable with touching me. “You,bella, are famiglia now.”
Well damn, she’s sweet too. The woman took a shine to me. I guess it’s more than my own grandmother has. My granny has been deceiving people all morning with her sweet smile. Little do they know that she’s the devil’s right-hand woman.
“Ah, there’s myragazzo,” Nonna says, which makes me smile. I can’t imagine Rocco’s too happy about his granny calling him her boy. But it’s cute.
“What are you smiling about?” he asks as he takes his seat beside me.
“Nothing,” I mutter. “Been busy?”
He sighs. “There’s a lot of shit going on,Mia cara.”
I shrug. “You’re not the only one who has stuff they need to do, Roc, but we both promised.”
His hand rests on my back and he presses close to me. “I know, baby, and I swear, once we’re alone, we’ll talk, and I’ll tell you everything.”
A dread settles in my stomach. I hate that his eyes are void of emotion. That just makes the feeling of something bad happening intensify. “I’m holding you to that.”
His lips twitch. “I have no doubt that you will.”
The doors to the restaurant open and two men dressed in badly tailored suits walk in.
“Fucking pigs,” Rocco grunts as he leans back in his seat. The epitome of nonchalant.
“Jade Gallagher, I’m Detective Barker and this is my partner Detective Morris,” the taller of the men says, and that gnawing in my gut is now gone. In its place is full-on screaming. “You’re under arrest on suspicion of murder.”
Rocco jumps to his feet as the two men move toward me, their hands on my arms, and it takes absolutely everything in me not to panic and lash out. Instead, I get to my feet and keep calm, knowing if I lose it, Rocco will too. The detective snaps cuffs onto my wrists, the metal biting against my skin. I fight against the onslaught of memories.
“What the fuck is going on?” Hayden roars as he, Da, Hayes, and Finn rush into the room.
“Sir, step back,” Detective Morris snaps, his hand held in the air with his palm up.
“Someone,” Da growls, “had better tell me why my daughter’s in cuffs.”
“Mr Gallagher, your daughter is under arrest on suspicion of murder,” the detective says as he pulls me away from Rocco.
My husband is furious. He rushes toward us, but thankfully, his brothers hold him back.
“Get Annemarie,” I urge him. I’ll be damned if I’m sent back inside.
“I’m calling her,” Hayes assures me. “Don’t worry, Jade, this will all be sorted out.”
The grip the detective has on my arm is painful. I know I’ll be bruised tomorrow because of it. Bloody asshole. I glance back as we exit the door and see Rocco on his cell, his eyes on me, and they’re full of rage.
“Don’t worry,” he mouths. “I’ve got you,Mia cara.” His feet move toward me, his jaw tight as he talks low to whoever’s on the phone.
I nod. I believe him. As crazy as it is, three weeks and I’ve fallen so hard for him, so much so that I trust him with my life.