Page 43 of Fragile Union

“I for oneam glad that she’s okay,” Melissa says as she pulls Holly from me and into an embrace. “I thought Danny was going to kill people. When Denis called last night, Danny lost his mind.”

“So did Da,”Danny grunts.

“Doyou know what it’s like to find out your daughter’s been shot and you’re across the fucking Atlantic?”

“I’m fine,I’m just pleased you left Ma at home.”

“I thinkyou’ve had enough of one bitch for the day,” Denis replies. “Besides, your Ma has no idea I’m here.”

I takea seat and pull Holly onto my lap, she settles against me and sighs, “Da, how the hell did you manage to sneak out the house without Ma knowing?” Holly asks, her head resting against my shoulder.

“I wasn’tat home when you called.”

Danny,Melissa, Makenna, and Holly all have matching grins. “You have a woman?” Holly says excitedly.

“Please,fuck, please tell me you do,” Danny pleads.

“Of course, he has,”Melissa says, “that’s why he’s been spending all his time with us. It’s not because of Annalise, it’s because he’s got a woman. What she like?”

Denis glares at them,not bothering to answer them.

“But Da,”Holly whines and I shake my head, she’s so fucking spoilt when it comes to her family. “Is she nice?”

“Fuck,”he grunts. “Yes, she’s nice. I’ve been seeing her for about four months and no, you can’t meet her.”

Danny narrows his eyes, “Why?”

“Because she’s your age.”

Holly’s mouth falls open.“But Da, do you like her?” Denis grunts, “Do you love her?” This time he doesn’t acknowledge that he heard her. “If you like her, who cares how old she is?”

His eyes softenat his daughter’s words. “We’ll see.”

Holly tenses against me.“Da, she does know about Ma, right?”

“Breakfast,”he says and just like that, everyone’s mood plummets. It’s fucking weird that they’re all happy that he’s found a woman even though he’s married to a fucking bitch. I don’t blame him for looking elsewhere, Zoe has done it for the past two decades. But not letting the woman know is a fucking shit thing to do and this can only go one way. It’s going to shatter around him.

Sixteen

ROMERO

“You sure about this?” I ask Dante as Stefan drives us toward the meet with Dimitri.

He spears me with a piercing look, my brother hates being questioned, but right now, he needs to be. “Don’t ask me that shit again. I don’t need you on my back too. This is family business and as you damn well know, I’m head of this family.”

That tone has no effect on me. I’m well aware of what my brother can achieve, just how ruthless he can be. I’m not pissed that he talks about himself that way, it’s the way he should be talking about himself. He is the motherfucking boss. Anyone who doesn’t treat him that way is considered disrespectful and, in our world, being disrespectful means you lose your tongue.

“I’m not questioning you.” Bullshit, I totally am, I think the man lost his damn mind somewhere between that fucking bitch showing up at his front door looking for me and having breakfast. “I’m just saying that this is our brother, Dante.”

He shakes his head, “Listen to me, Rome. You’re both my brother’s and I’d do whatever the fuck I had to in order to protect you. But when you put people in danger, especially someone as close to this family as Holly is, then I cannot protect him. I thought of all people you’d be fully on board with this.”

“Oh, I want to kneecap the bastard so bad, but Holly would be pissed, and Makenna would go for my balls if I got blood on your floor. But a test? Surely he’s not that stupid to fail it.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know that he is that fucking stupid.

“While the Gallagher’s are here, I’ve asked them to do some recon work for me.”

Damn it.

---