Page 62 of Fragile Union

Well at least that’s something. Hayden’s one of the best fighters there is. He trained Makenna when she moved back to the States. Our Danny is good, but Hayden is even better.

“It’ll be fine,” she assures me.

I nod, the pain hitting me at full force making me wince.

“Rest, Hol, your body needs it. I’m not leaving. I’ll stay with you until either your da or husband comes back.”

God, I love my family.

I hope she’s right and that she’ll be okay. Before I’m able to say anything, the door opens and when I glance at the newcomers I frown, who the hell are they and why are they here? The two men that enter, have cold expressions on their faces. Their focus solely on Jade.

“Who are you?” I demand, trying to sit up and the pain making it impossible to do so.

“I’m Detective Hanna, this is my partner, Detective Nelson.” The taller of the men says as he steps forward.

“Okay…” I say, wondering what they’re doing here.

The men step forward. “Jade Gallagher you are under arrest for….”

His words fade as I stare at my beautiful cousin, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “I’m so sorry,” she mouths to me.

My heart is in my mouth when they reach for the handlebars of her wheelchair.

“Please,” I plead with them, my fingers curling into the sheets on my bed as I once again try to sit up. “She’s hurt, she should be resting.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, this has to happen.” His tone soft, but adamant.

I watch with tears as they take her from my room. God, I want to kill Hayden. My tears fall thick and fast when the door closes behind them. It’s too much, today, we’ve lost too many people and now Jade’s been arrested.

The sob that bursts from me is soul wrenching.

I need Romero, I want my husband.

Twenty-Three

ROMERO

Stepping into the derelict building the men somehow managed to find, my rage is back with full force. I hear the muffled grunts from Ortega, they grow louder the closer I get to the room he’s holed up in.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh fills the house and they’re followed by grunts. My gut twists, who the fuck is hitting him? I glance at Denis and see his narrowed eyes and know he’s wondering the same motherfucking thing.

Walking into the room where the bastard is being held, I realize it’s Danny that’s reigning holy hell on Ortega. I can’t deny I’m angry but at the same time, I can’t deny he deserves to get some punches in just as much as Denis and I do. Holly is his sister, he’s the one who held her unconscious body in his arms as he walked her out of that fucking hell hole.

Ortega is standing against a support beam, his feet together, tied around the beam. His hands above his head, also bound to the beam. He has no escape.

“Enough,” Denis roars, his body tight as his eyes promise the hell he’s about to unleash. I can imagine what you’d see behind mine.

Danny’s body heaves, his knuckles red but the skin isn’t broken. Ortega’s torso has been worked over. Kidneys, ribs, stomach, liver. Each spot has been meticulously targeted. Danny knows how to get maximum impact from his punches. And damn, I bet Ortega is in some serious fucking pain right now.

Denis takes Danny’s place. The Gallagher men are getting their revenge for a whole lot more than just Holly. Denis’ brother lies in the hospital and his father is dead, all at the hands of this fucking bastard.

What Denis does, is so unlike his son. Instead of punching him, he whips out his knife, the flick of the switchblade has Jose tensing. He’s not stupid, fuck no, he’s not, he knows what’s about to come and not even fucking God can help him right now.

“You killed my father.” His voice is quiet, but like a whip, it makes its impact. “You shot my brother,” the smirk on his face is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. This is a side to Denis very few ever get to witness. Damn. “But your biggest mistake,” he says as he steps up so he’s face to face with the asshole, “was taking my daughter.”

He effortlessly pushes the switchblade into the motherfucker’s shoulder, the exact place that Holly was shot. Lightening quick, he withdraws it and rams it into his thigh, again, the same place that Holly was shot.

“Now, I’m going to watch with immense fucking pleasure as you die. I may be a sadistic motherfucker, but he,” Denis says pointing at me, “he’s your worst nightmare. You are the reason his wife is in hospital, why she was shot. For that he’s going to enjoy taking strips from your body.” Denis steps back and joins Danny standing against the wall. Every single man is here. Whether they’re Irish or Italian, they’re either lined up against the four walls or standing somewhere in the house, watching, waiting. Knowing they’ll have their revenge.

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