Page 23 of Fragile Union

I raise a brow. "If I argued about it, would it change the outcome?" He shakes his head. "Then what's the point? I'll pick my battles, Rome, and this isn't one of them."

"Now, we need to talk about what happened yesterday." I close my eyes. I knew he wouldn't leave it alone. I knew he'd have to have something to say about it. "You are my wife, Holly, any man touches you, will die."

I sigh. "I didn't do anything, I told him that I’m not interested. It’s not my fault."

His eyes flare. "Not your fault? Every fucking morning you go running with him."

I glare at the asshole. "Excuse me? Because I went running and he—by the way—was told to come with me. The things he said..."

Romero's hand closes around my throat as he presses me against the wall. It's not hard or painful, but the pressure is enough for me to know that he's serious. "I heard what he said. That you deserve better than me. He's not wrong. But you're mine. If I find out that you're just like your mom, there's nowhere on this earth you'll be able to hide from me..." he presses his face close to mine, his breath hot against my skin, his hand still tight around my throat. "You're mine, doll face. I'll kill you if you even look at another man."

"I didn't," I say through clenched teeth, pissed that he is accusing me of wrongdoing. "As much as I wish this marriage was different, it's not and there's nothing I can do about it. You're my husband. Til death do us fucking part. Nothing or no one is going to change that. So, take your fucking hand off me."

A glint shines in his eyes. "Mine," he snarls and crashes his lips against mine.

God, I fucking hate how weak I am, how all it takes is one kiss and I'm putty in his hands. Why can't I be stronger and say no?

The truth is so blatantly obvious. I'm in love with my husband. I'm in love with a man that doesn't give a fuck about me. To him, I'm a possession. Someone to own, to dictate to. I'll never be seen as anything else.

Eight

ROMERO

TWO MONTHS LATER

We stayed in London for three days. Holly and Makenna wanted to stay and make sure that both Melissa and Annalise were okay before they were comfortable leaving. We went back home and things between Holly and I turned ice cold. We moved out of New York and into our home in Connecticut, but it's as though we're strangers. Hell, since the fucking day of the shootout at Granny Jones's, things between us have been tense. I know that she's pulling away from me. I can feel it. She tries so hard to keep her distance from me during the day, but as soon as night falls, she's riding my cock like she was born to do it.

My wife is an enigma. We've been married for a little over three months and yet, I feel as though I know very little about her. I've come to learn she has an impossible temper, something that the girls claim is to do with them being Irish. I must admit, watching her eyes flash with anger and her nostrils flare when she's pissed is one of the sexiest things I've ever seen and when she unleashes that anger. Fuck me, I'm hard as stone.

Now we're back in London, I swear I spend more fucking time here than home. But this time, I'm needed. Danny was kidnapped, and it turned out that it has to do with the Bratva, which means it has to do with me as those motherfucking Damini's are in bed with them. Kurt, Maruzzo, and Maxim are all still in the wind and it's pissing me off. I need to find them and soon. The longer they're out there, the more Holly's in danger.

My men are on alert, they've finally understood that I'm not someone to mess with. You're either with me or against me and I don't tolerate bullshit. I have no problem offing as many of those that are against me if it gets me to where I want to be. But since the shit with Maruzzo and Maxim, the Irish men have seen me in a different light, they know that I'll do whatever it takes to protect one of their own. My wife.

We're due to leave tomorrow, we've spent time with her family and was here to see Annalise have her baptism. But it's time to go, I need my wife alone. Her family are the biggest cock blockers. Her dad in particular, is constantly calling and checking in on her.

"Doll face?" I call out as I enter the hotel room, I've brought us breakfast.

"Yeah," her voice is distorted behind the closed door to the bathroom. "You okay?"

"Got you some breakfast," I tell her as I set it on the table. She told me it had been a while since she had a full Irish, it took me a while to realize what that was, but luckily the hotel serves it and so I ordered us both one.

My words are met by silence, moments later the bathroom door opens, and the room is filled with steam. "You got me brekkie?"

I roll my eyes at her words, she just can't say the full words, always has to shorten stuff. "Yes, doll face, I got you breakfast. Finish up and come and eat it before it gets cold."

"Hon," she whispers as she walks toward me, her hair damp from the shower and there's not an ounce of makeup on her face. She's dressed in tight black jeans and a black sweater that falls off one of her shoulders. My gaze goes to her feet where she's bare footed.

"What?" I ask, she's got this weird look on her face as though she can't believe that I've got her breakfast.

She sighs as she sits in the chair, bringing her feet up so that her chest is pressed against her knees and she reaches for a sausage. "Growing up, our house was shite. Like ridiculous." She shakes her head as she takes a bite of her food. "Ma would lose her damn mind every time Da would leave the house. She'd constantly accuse him of cheating, even though we all know that she was the one doing that. Even if Da was, I wouldn't blame him, ma's a nightmare."

I pick up the bacon and stare at it in horror. "What the fuck is this?"

She laughs, "That, hon, is a rasher. The shite you have is more like slithers of overcooked fat."

"Mouth," I tell her, and she throws her head back and laughs. She swears more than Makenna. "Carry on with your story, doll face."

Her eyes get soft, and my chest burns at the expression on her face. Fuck. She's digging herself deeper as each day passes. Even when she's angry at me.

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