Page 68 of Fragile Union

“Rome,” I whisper, unsure as to what to say.

He gives me his panty dropping grin. “Doll face…”

I wrinkle my nose at him, and he chuckles at me. I rest my head against his shoulder and close my eyes. “I never thought I could be happy while so sad,” I tell him, “you make me unbelievably happy, Rome. In the midst of everything that happened, you are what has kept me going.”

“Fuck,” he whispers, “you can’t say that shit to me, not here.”

I giggle. “Hon, you’re the one who doesn’t want sex, not me.”

His breath is hot against my ear, “I’m constantly fighting a fucking hard on whenever I’m around you. Every time I see you, I want to fuck you.”

“You really have a way with words,” I quip. He nips at my earlobe and need hits my stomach, “Rome, please…” I whine.

The fucker chuckles as he intertwines his fingers with mine. “Later,” he promises me.

The car rolls to a stop and I glance out the window and see we’re at the church. “I’m holding you to that.”

He presses his lips against mine, it’s a quick, hard, and passionate one which holds promise of what’s to come. Within seconds he’s out of the car and opening the door for me.

“Ready, doll face?” he asks as he helps me out of the car.

I nod. I guess, I’ll never be ready, but it has to be done. We walk hand in hand into the church, Makenna and Dante a few steps in front of us. My heart fills with pride as I take a look around at the full church, so many people have come to say their goodbyes.

Hudson Brady and his wife Mia are here, Mia gives me a small smile, one I return. The East Street Kings men are here too, they take up an entire pew between them. And everyone seems to be giving them a wide berth. My gaze moves further around the church and I see Romero’s cousins, the Conti’s sitting down.

So many people have come to pay their respects, it’s something Granda would have loved. He was always a people person.

Romero leads us to the pew where Hayes, Hayden, Danny, and Malcolm are sitting. Makenna, Dante, Cian, Patrick, Killian, Edwina, Liam, Da, and Granda Henry are sitting in the row in front of us. Each of their backs straight and stiff. I slide into the pew and sit beside Danny.

Frowning, I lean into him, “Where’s Lissa?”

He kisses my head. “Annalise isn’t well, and she was up all night getting sick. She caught a bug. Which meant my wife was up all night.” He leans forward and shakes Romero’s hand. “You doing okay, Hol?”

I nod. “I’m okay, still sore, but that’s to be expected.”

His lips tighten and his eyes narrow. “It should never have fucking happened,” he says low, his voice vibrating with anger. “None of this fucking should have.”

“Yeah, I know, but it did, we need to move on from it.”

Mal scoffs, “Move on? You were fucking shot and beaten, Holly, we do not fucking get over that.”

“They’re right, doll face, none of us will ever get over that. This world should have never touched you. It did, and those responsible will pay.” Rome’s voice is hard. I rest my head against his shoulder trying to soothe him.

“Do you mind?” Ma’s voice cuts through the silence and I lift my head to look at her. She’s sneering down at Romero. “I want to sit between my sons,” she sniffs, as she dabs a tissue at her eye.

“Zoe,” Da’s voice is quiet but harsh, as he comes to stand beside her. “Take your arse to the back of the church and do it now.”

Ma smirks. “I’m so fucking glad I told your little bitch the truth.”

Da’s eyes narrow into slits, his lips thin. “Repeat that…'' he rumbles.

“Shit…” Danny mumbles but makes no movement to get up.

“That whore you’ve been fucking. She had no idea you were married.” The smirk on ma’s face is cruel. “You didn’t think you could get away with playing me for a fool, now did you?”

Da’s hand clamps around ma’s arm. “Time for you to leave,” he snarls at her. “Go back to the hotel and do not fucking leave.” He leans in and whispers something in her ear. Something that has ma paling. “Do not fucking test me, Zoe, you will not win.”

Ma huffs and yanks her arm free from Da’s hold, “This is not over, Denis,” she warns him but thankfully walks away.

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