Page 77 of Hateful Union

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Raylee

Three months later

“You should have gone with him,” Bentley says. “Ray-Ray, you’ve got to stop hovering.”

My brothers are the best, with Malcolm in Ireland, they've invited me to dinner to keep me company. I'm grateful that it was Jake that cooked and not either of the other two.

Kiro nods, a smile etched on his face. “He’s right, you’re mothering us.”

I scoff. “Am not,” I hiss, appalled that they’d even insinuate that.

Bentley’s eyes soften as he wraps his arm around me. “We love you, but you have to live your life.”

I frown, what is he talking about? “I am. I have Mal and we’ll be having our baby soon. I’m living my life. And that doesn’t mean that I’ll stop worrying about my brothers.”

My brothers mean the world to me. While Bentley and I are the closest, I love all of them. I miss Wayne and Francis, being behind bars is hard for them, but they’re building the empire from the inside. They’ve somehow managed to expand it while they're behind bars.

Jake, Kiro, and Bentley are working tirelessly to rebuild the reputation that my father destroyed. I’m proud of each and every single one of them. They’ve done an amazing job to be able to come back from the horrific business that my father had.

“We love you for that Ray, but we’re supposed to protect you,” Kiro says and I see the anger and guilt in his eyes.

He feels at fault for when Bentley and I were taken. No matter how much we assure him that neither of us blame him, it doesn’t stop the guilt eating away at him.

I hear footsteps from behind me, turning I see Jake coming toward us, a scowl on his lips and his eyes hard. Great, what the hell has happened now?

"Who the fuck pissed you off?" Kiro asks.

Jake comes to sit beside me. "Mum," he replies and I instantly tense. Nothing ever good comes from talking to her these days. She's changed so much, she hasn't once asked how any of us are, she just talks about herself and how hard things are on her.

"What she done this time?" Bentley growls. Out of all of us, he's the one who's taken this the hardest.

Jake pinches the bridge of his nose. "She wants to know why none of us have gone to see her."

I can't help the laughter that burst from me. "Seriously?"

As much as Malcolm hates my mum, he encourages me to talk to her as he knows that I love her. But I haven't spoken to her in a few weeks. I've been trying to figure out what it is that I want from our relationship.

"Yeah, she's pissed that no one calls her or that we're not traveling to see her."

I stare at Jake in disbelief.

"She has a phone, right?" Kiro asks sarcastically. "What else has she said? You wouldn't have a face like thunder if that was all that she had said. So what is it?"

He glances at me before quickly looking away. "I asked her if she'd be coming home for when Raylee gives birth."

I hold my breath, a sense of dread hits me. What was said? She obviously said something that's upset him.

"Oh great, what the fuck she said now?" Bentley snarls, his hands balled into fists.

"I'm sorry, Ray-Ray, but she won't be coming," Jake says softly.

I roll my eyes, I guessed that much. I actually hadn't thought much about her coming back for the birth. "But what did she actually say?" I ask him, needing to know.

He runs his hand through his hair and releases a heavy sigh. “She said that she doesn’t want anything to do with a child that belongs to a Gallagher.”

“Well she can fuck off,” I reply hotly. I’m enraged. I push to my feet and waddle toward where my phone sits on the counter.

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