Page 50 of Vengeful Union

I stalk toward her. Any normal woman would step backward, but not Destiny. No, she stands her ground with her head held high. “We spoke about this last night.”

She sighs. “I hate you,” she grumbles without heat.

“Sure you do.” I smile as she grits her teeth. “You fucking love me; you’re just too chickenshit to admit it.” She blinks rapidly, a furrow forming between her brows. “I’m going to feed you, then I’m going to eat you, and then we’ll go.”

Her face flames at my words. “Bastard,” she mutters as she walks over to the coffee machine.

I fucking love how sweet she is, and yet so vicious. I know without a doubt that she’ll be able to hold her own against my family. Especially my sister, who likes to test people to make sure they’re ‘worthy’. I pray to God their meeting doesn’t end bloody.

19

Destiny

My palms are sweaty as Finn leads us toward the house. On the way here, he explained that we were meeting his family at his father’s house here in New York. When he got the phone call about the change of address, his entire body went solid. The grip he had on the steering wheel was impossibly tight, his knuckles turned white, and his jaw clenched. He looked as though he was ready to kill someone. I had no idea what happened until the call ended and he told me there was a change of plan.

“Have you been back here since he died?” I ask softly.

He reaches for my hand, and I take it like it’s a lifeline. “No, I haven't. This is the first time I’ve been back since I was shot.”

My heart beats a mile a minute. It feels as though it’s going to burst out of my chest. I forgot he was shot when his father died. “Are you okay?”

He gives me a terse nod. “Yeah, baby. I'm fine,” he says through gritted teeth.

He's lying. I hate that he's hurting and there's nothing I can do about it. I want to take his pain away, but I don't know how. I’m not even sure he'd let me.

“Chill, Dest,” he says as we walk up the steps leading to the front door. “Don’t stress.”

I snort. It’s easy for him to say. These people are his family. “Haven't we already talked about this, Psycho Boy? This is your family. You're bringing me to meet the Head of the Irish Mafia. This woman can order a hit on me at any time.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “Jesus, Dest, she will not order a fucking hit on you. Just relax, yeah?”

I snort. “Relax? How the hell am I supposed to do that? I don't know these people. Plus, I don't like people. I'm snarky, sarcastic, and I have no filter. Somehow, you think it's a good idea to put me in a room with the most powerful, deadliest people in the world.” I glare at him as I shake my head. “Yeah, don't think you thought this out, Psycho Boy.”

He glares at me, a scowl etched upon his face. “What have I told you about calling me that?”

I smile sweetly at him. “Suck it up, Psycho Boy, because I'm never going to stop calling you it.”

If looks could kill, I'd be dead. Laughter captures my attention, and I turn from looking at Finn to see his sister, Makenna, and her husband, Dante, standing in the doorway, laughing at us.

“What?” Finn grunts, glaring at his sister.

I’m thankful I’m not the only one he turns that serial killer stare on.

“Welcome to Gallagher Manor, Destiny.” Makenna smiles at me, and it seems to be a genuine one. “It’s good to see you again.”

I return her smile, glad she’s not vying for my blood. “You too,” I reply. Glad that she doesn’t hold my cousin’s actions against me. The night we met, my cousin orchestrated Holly being shot.

Finn grunts beside me, and I turn, only to find his scowl has deepened.

“What’s wrong with you?” I ask quietly.

“Ignore Finn,” Makenna tells me. “He doesn’t like sharing your attention. He’s possessive. Something I didn’t know about him until recently.”

I grin at the taunting in her voice. I can tell these two have a great relationship. Finn explained what happened to her when she was a child, at the hands of their mom.

He spent this morning explaining their entire family dynamic. It’s confusing as hell. I mean, just recently, most females in his family gave birth, making Finn an uncle three times and a great uncle twice. Something that made me do a double take. His brother Denis, who’s the oldest, had twins, and Makenna had her son, Seamus, named after their father. Then Finn’s nephews both had children, making them his great-nephews. I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard of that dynamic before, but hey, they’re all happy, apparently, and I’m in no position to judge. My family is fucked up beyond repair.

“Are we just going to stand here all day or are we going to come inside?” Finn growls, his hand tightening around mine and pulling me up the remaining stairs, toward Makenna and Dante.

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