Page 18 of Fragile Union

"Someone," Makenna snarls, her eyes fixed on my little brother, "has been running their mouth about the shit Holly does for them."

"Marisa found out about the investments she's made for the other Italian made men since she's been here," Dante says, his arms crossed over his chest. "So, Alessio, want to tell me what you've told him?" Maruzzo is the father of Alessio's friend, Maxim, he's an asshole who's just like his father.

He shrugs. "I told them she makes me a lot of money."

"Before we get any further," Makenna's voice is hard and filled with anger, "let me make myself fucking clear." She steps up to him and Alessio's eyes widen, she's never spoken this way to him before. "Carry on your fucking shit and I'll end you. I do not care that you are Dante's brother. Holly is my niece and I'll do whatever the hell I have to in order to protect her. If my brother finds out how you've been treating his daughter, there's no fucking place on this earth that you'll be able to hide from him."

Her words hit me. "What the fuck have you done to my wife?"

"She shouldn't have signed me up to that shit," he snarls his eyes darting between Makenna and me.

"You're a fucking eejit," Makenna tells him as she slaps him on the back of the head. "She did it on my say so. You have a fucking problem with that, then come to me. You do not fucking call her a bitch and you do not make her uncomfortable in her home."

"Yes boss," he replies, and she nods seemingly okay with his answer.

Fuck no. That's not okay. I'm going to fucking kill him. "We'll be having words later." Why the hell didn’t she tell me that Alessio was being a dick to her? He doesn’t get to call her a bitch. Ever.

He clenches his jaw but nods.

"So, what have you been telling Maxim and Maruzzo?" Dante asks, his voice is deceptively calm, yet we all know differently, the way his jaw clenches and narrowing of his eyes, he's pissed and I'm getting angrier the longer I'm left in the dark.

"I only told Max a few things Holly had in the pipeline for me," he shrugs as though it's not a big deal. "I mean that's why she's here right?" The dismissive way he's talking about her makes me want to wrap my fingers around his neck and break it. He turns his gaze to me, "Come on, even you have to agree with me."

"Holly isn't here to work for you," I snap, pissed he's even talking this way about her. "She's here because she's my wife. You may be my brother, Alessio, but make no mistake about who I am. I'll not hesitate in carving your heart out from your chest."

His eyes widen as he turns to Dante, as though he's seeking his help. "You fucked up, Ales, at least have the balls to own up to it. Holly is family, she helped you because you are family. Now, what have you told Maruzzo and Maxim?"

"They know she's able to hide money as well as property."

"You fucking arsehole!" Makenna screams. "Do you realize what you've done?"

"What? She can do those things," he says as he glances between the three of us.

"Yes, she can, and she stays out of this life, Alessio, she's kept hidden because she knows everyone's fucking secrets, she knows who's skimming from the family and who's getting money from outside sources. Yet, Maruzzo demanded another meeting with her," Makenna explains. "Do you know what happened while she was at that meeting?"

"What happened?" he asks and he's finally realizing why what Holly does is supposed to stay secret. Why you don't brag about the shit she does for you.

"There was a drive by shooting. What Holly doesn't know, and I won't be fucking telling her, is that she was the intended target," Dante casually announces.

I spin and face my brother, my boss, my anger is palpable.

"I know you're pissed, Rome, I'd be fucking pissed too if the tables were reversed. But I need you to beat it back."

"Fuck that," Makenna says as she stands beside her husband. "I say let Romero unleash his demon. I mean, if the tables were reversed and it was me that was in Granny Jones', there's no way you'd listen to anyone who told you to rein in your temper."

He sighs, "That may be so, but the way I feel for you is different than what Rome feels for Holly."

"So, he doesn't love her, that doesn't mean he doesn't care about her," she fires back, and I know if I don't step in, these two are going to be arguing and then they'll move to their bedroom and I need answers.

"Why," I ask, cutting through their hushed tones. "Why should I beat it back?"

Makenna's right. I do care about Holly. I shouldn't. Fuck, I shouldn't have been able to marry her. I can destroy her, shatter her into a million pieces and yet, I know she's the only woman that I'd ever care about.

"Because Maruzzo is on the run, as is Maxim," Dante announces, his eyes narrowed in on Alessio. "Innocent people don't run, your job, Ales, and your only fucking job right now is to find out where they've gone."

"Why would they do this?" he says, swallowing hard. He knows that he’s fucked up when it comes to his treatment of Holly, the guilt is shining in his eyes. But I don’t give a fuck. He shouldn’t be treating my wife with anything but respect. Now he’s realized just how much he’s truly fucked up.

"Because Maruzzo Damini worked with your father and has been in constant contact with Kurt," Makenna tells us and my jaw clenches. Kurt and my father organized with the Bratva to do a fucking shootout at Dante and Makenna's wedding. Alessio was shot in his gut while Makenna's arm was grazed. Since then, Kurt's been in the fucking wind. Melissa, Holly's sister-in-law who's a hacker, had tracked him to Chicago. But he’s been in the wind ever since. It’s like tracing a fucking ghost, how can one man hide from two fucking families? And yet, he’s doing just that.

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