Page 67 of Fragile Union

We reach the elevator and the doors open, my heart soars when I see who’s standing there waiting. My husband has his arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the elevator walls. Looking every inch of the badarse he truly is.

“Killian has warned her, she’s not to say a word to anyone,” Makenna informs me with a smile.

“As long as she steers clear of me, I’ll be happy.” I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with her today.

“Don’t worry, doll face,” Romero says as he comes to stand beside me, his hand going around my waist and I release Makenna and lean into his body. “Your mother even opens her mouth today, there’ll be bloodshed.”

Makenna laughs. “The sooner she meets her maker, the better. I know she’s your Ma, Hol, but Jesus, that woman has been skirting death for a very long time.”

I shrug, it’s evil I know, she’s my ma and I should love her, but I don't. She burnt her bridges with all her children a long time ago. “Eh, I’m surprised Da hasn’t killed her yet.” I’ve always wondered what leverage she has over him. He’s never admitted she has, but we all know it’s something huge.

Romero’s arm tightens around me as he leads me into the elevator. I clutch onto him like he’s my lifeline, even though I’m high as a kite from the painkillers the doctor gave me, there’s still pain whenever I move. My arm isn’t in a sling, thank god, I thought I’d have to be in it, but a week was long enough for me.

“You doing okay?” Rome asks softly as the elevator doors close.

“Yeah, just tired.” I’ve not been able to get much sleep, every time I do fall asleep, I move and severe pain radiates through my body.

He kisses my head, and I can’t help but sigh into him. I love this man more than I ever thought possible.

“Any word on Jade?” Dante asks.

“Killian said she took the plea deal,” Makenna informs us and my gut churns. God, Jade doesn’t deserve this. “She’s serving five years.”

“That’s a good deal, no wonder she took it,” Dante replies, a serious look on his face. “It’s fucked up she’s got to go to prison but there’s nothing anyone could have done. As soon as she was brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound, she was in the database and there was no hiding the fact she wasn’t in Chicago.”

He’s right, but it doesn’t negate the fact Jade doesn’t deserve to be in prison, she didn’t commit the crime and yet she’s paying dearly for it.

“She’s okay, Hol,” Makenna assures me. “She’s tough, you know she is, hell that girl looks sweet as hell but she’s vicious when she needs to be.”

I nod. “Yeah, she’ll give you a run for your money.”

The elevator door opens, and Romero leads me toward the exit. “Doll face, you’re fucking pale,” he gripes, “the sooner this is over, the better.”

“I’m fine,” I lie. “I need to say my goodbye, hon, if I don’t…” I shake my head, unable to think about it. It’s why I hate Finn’s not able to say his goodbye.

“I know, that’s the only reason I’m letting you go. But as soon as it’s over, we’re going home.”

I love how protective he is, how much he wants to look after me. I’ve been spoilt in my life by the men I have in it. Da, Danny, Mal, Seamus, Liam, Killian, Hayden, Finn, and Romero. I never thought we’d get to this place, yet here we are, and I feel cherished by my husband.

“Okay,” I reply, not going to argue with him.

He helps me into the car, where Neri is our driver. Since the shit went down with Georgina and the Ortega gang, everyone has tightened the security. Neri has been promoted to be Romero’s driver and bodyguard so to speak. He’s young, probably a few years older than I am but Rome says he’s one of the best.

“When we get home, your ass is going to bed.” I grin up at him and he shakes his head, “to sleep,” he says as he climbs into the backseat beside me. The partition is up so Neri can’t hear us.

I pout, “Damn.” It’s been over a week since we’ve had any sexual relief and I miss it; I miss the closeness of it.

“Nympho,” he quips, and I smile, this is the side to him I love to see. Carefree and relaxed. It’s not often this side gets to come out, he’s usually tense and on alert.

“You love me…” as soon as the words are out of my mouth, I wish I could take them back. He’s made it more than clear to me he’ll never feel that way about me and saying those words pierces my heart.

His eyes flash with heat, “Yeah, doll face, I do.”

I blink. What the hell? A tinge of a memory comes forth of Romero saying that before, but I can’t quite grasp it.

He chuckles. “When you were taken, I realized the truth, well Dante helped me realize the truth. I fucking love you, doll face.”

Tears spring to my eyes as my heart melts. I never thought I’d hear those words and now I have, there’s nothing better.

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