Page 19 of Fragile Union

"So, Ales, your job, and your only fucking job right now is to find out what the fuck those Damini men are up to, where they're hiding and what they have planned," Dante snarls, his jaw tight as he glares at our brother. He shakes his head and walks out of the room, I've never seen Dante this pissed at Alessio before, he's usually the good boy.

"He wants you to be his consigliere," Makenna begins, her voice vibrating with anger. "What you've done," she shakes her head, "you're an asshole, Alessio. Not only have you broken the trust your brother had in you. That your boss had in you. You've put one of ours at risk." She moves toward him. "Anything happens to Holly and I don't give a fuck that you're family, I'll kill you." Her words clipped and filled with promise. "Fix this," she demands pinning him with one last glare before turning and following her husband.

"Rome..." he begins but I shake my head, my jaw clenched, right now, I'm too fucking angry to listen to his bullshit excuses. "I didn't realize."

I take a step back and stand against the wall, needing to put distance between us so I don't fucking kill him. "Didn't realize what? That what Holly does means she could be a target? Or that you called her a bitch?"

"No one fucking talked about the shit she does, how was I supposed to know?"

I scoff. "Are you for fucking real? We don't talk about it because what she does is illegal and if our enemies found out, she'd be their fucking target. Jesus, Ales, seriously, you cannot be this fucking stupid."

He glances down at his feet. "I'm sorry, Rome, honest, I had no idea."

"Fuck," I grit out, pissed that Holly's in danger. I guess now it's time to find out what the hell is up with him. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Ales? Since Holly's been here you've changed."

He shakes his head, "It's not Holly, I actually like her."

"Then what? You've been acting like a fucking asshole. You're gambling away all the money you have. Why?"

"Dad," is all he says.

"What about him?" That motherfucker is dead, I wish I had the chance to kill him, but unfortunately, I didn't get the chance, that honor was left to Dante. I was, however, lucky enough to get a front row seat to his demise. It was glorious to watch as the life left his eyes. It's a fucking shame the fucker didn't suffer, he deserved to for all he did to us all.

"He's dead, I should be fucking glad. I should be happy, ecstatic, overjoyed and yet whenever any of the men talk about him, they talk about this fierce leader who led them. A man they respected. Someone they all looked up to and aspired to emulate."

My lips turn up in disgust. "Fuck, no, that's bullshit, and you know it."

He glances at me, and I remember the little six-year-old boy who sat at our father's feet as he slaughtered two men. He watched on as our father tore the skin from their faces because of some slight he thought they did against him. Since that day, Alessio changed, he was darker, and I knew he would do anything our father asked without question. Whereas our father knew there were limits to what Dante and I would do without delving deeper.

Growing up I knew my father hated me, I didn't give a fuck. I hated him back just as hard, maybe even harder. I never had respect for a man that could beat the crap out of his wife and rape women and barely legal girls. But I knew my place, I had to show respect for him. He was the boss, the capo. It was demanded I give him respect, and if I didn't, it was a sure fire way of getting myself killed.

"Is it?" His words are clipped. "Then why the hell are all those men, our men, so fucking upset that the bastard's dead? Why do they give a fuck that he's buried six feet under where he fucking belongs?"

"Because," I say slowly, I'm pissed he's even talking about this shit. "The men haven't gotten with the times. The Famiglia isn't the Clann. We Italian's, our women are different. They do not get involved in our business. But not only is Dante younger than a lot of our men, his wife is the boss of the Irish Mafia. They don't like it so they're grumbling about shit that's not even true. Wise the fuck up, Alessio. Before you fuck your life up or anyone else's."

He sighs, his hand swiping at his stubble. "They say I'm like him. That out of the three of us, I'm the one who’s like him."

Finally, the fucking truth. "You may look like him, you may have the same fucking temper as him, but the difference between you and him is you'd never harm a woman the way he did. You'd never harm your children as he did." I finally step away from the wall and move toward him. "You need to fucking sort yourself out before you lose everything."

His hands go to his hair and he pulls tightly. His face etched in pain. "Fuck. Holly." He gasps and takes a step toward the door. I put my hand on his chest. "I need to apologize."

"Yeah, you fucking do. But not now. Do you honestly think I'd let you anywhere near her right now? Especially after the way you've been treating her?" I ask with a raised brow. "She's been through enough today. You can apologize tomorrow."

He nods and leaves the room. For the first time in months, I finally see my brother again.

This life can consume you. You have a choice. You can let it suck you in and destroy you, or you can grow from it, become stronger. This life shows us the weak from the strong. The way Alessio was going, I thought he'd be one of the ones life sucked up and spat out. Now, well now, I hope he shows the world how much like our father he truly is. No one fucks with this family and gets away with it. It's time Alessio showed the world how fucking fierce he is.

I reach for the pop tarts in the pantry and toast a few. My mind's running, as I try to come up with the best way to protect Holly. She could have been seriously fucking injured today.

"She's in the library," Makenna tells me as I pass by her for the second time. I've been searching for my wife and I've checked the entire house and yet, can't find her anywhere.

"There's a library?" Dante asks, looking up from his laptop.

Makenna sighs. "Yes, there's a library, and it's obvious only Holly uses it." She tells me where it is. "Are you going to tell her about today?"

"I've thought about it." I don't want any harm coming to her. She means something to me. Her vulnerability shines like a beacon to me and I want to protect her at all costs. "At the moment, she's to be kept in the dark. I don't want her worrying."

Makenna nods. "I agree. Just don't fuck this up, Romero."

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