Page 10 of Explosive Union

When I was seven, I was kidnapped. My mam lost her freaking mind, and when Da found me, I was alone. The asses that took me hated that I kept screaming at them, not to mention I kept telling them that my da and brothers were going to kill them. They realized that once they were found out, my threats were going to become a reality, so they fled. It didn’t matter. Da found them and taught them a lesson. A permanent one. No one fucks with this family and lives to tell the tale.

Speaking of assholes. “Tell me that you’ve put Granny Margret in a home?” I ask—well, more like pray. That woman is the bane of my existence. She loves to argue with my mam and tells Da on a daily basis that he really fucked up by marrying beneath him. We all know she’s crazy as fuck and adores my mam; she’s just bored and argues to entertain herself. If Mam’s not around, I’m her favorite target. She never fails to annoy the ever-loving shit out of me, and vice versa.

Hayden’s shoulders shake as he chuckles.

“Jade.” There’s a warning in Da’s voice. He never interferes with the arguments as he knows better. The only time he did, both Mam and Granny turned on him.

I pout. “At least tell me the old hag isn’t here.”

He rolls his eyes, but his lips twitch. “Unfortunately, my sweet girl, your granny is, in fact, here. She’s in the kitchen, cooking up a storm with your ma.”

I stare at him in horror. “And you’ve left them unattended. Are you crazy, Da?”

It’s Hayden who pipes up. He’s leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. “They seem to be getting along. Ma’s determined to have a huge breakfast for you, no matter what anyone tells her. Not to mention those Italian’s will be here soon, along with Granda and Killian.”

I smile at hearing my uncle's name. Killian is one of my favorite people ever. He’s not got a wife or any children, but he loves and adores his nieces and nephews. Whenever he’s in Chicago, he always stops by and spends time with us. No matter how old we are.

“I’ll be down once I've finished my shower.”

Da nods. “Your grandfather wants to speak to you privately before you talk with anyone else.”

I tense. Great, yet more secrets. This family is good at keeping those. Christ. I wonder what it is this time. Last time Granda kept a secret from people in this family, it was that my cousin Makenna was the boss of the East coast. When her brothers and father found out, there were mixed emotions—which was to be expected—but then Uncle Seamus, her father, died, which is what landed me in prison for leaving the state. Two of her brothers, Patrick and Cian, lost their ever-loving minds and started gathering support for a coup. But they went too fucking far when Patrick kidnapped his brother’s woman and almost killed her. Those assholes are now dead, and the Clann, along with the Bianchi Famiglia, are finally at peace and are working well together.

“What is it?” I demand. I hate surprises and secrets. Nothing ever good comes from them. Especially not in this family.

Da chuckles. “Trust me, mo chailín milis, this is good news. Well, not for your ma, but it’s been a long time coming.”

He doesn’t wait around for me to reply. He closes my bedroom door, neither he nor Hayden looking back at me.

I move to the bed and sit down. My hands are shaking as I contemplate what on earth my granda could want. Then again, he’s the head of the entire Clann and can do as he pleases, hence why I’m getting married in three weeks’ time.

I release a frustrated growl as I flop down on the bed and stare up at the ceiling. Today is going to be a long-ass day.

* * *

“Jade.” The deep, baritone, Irish voice has me smiling. I may be pissed as hell at him right now, but the love I have for him outweighs that.

I take a deep breath and look up from my cell as I walk down the stairs. Granda Henry is waiting for me at the bottom. “Granda,” I reply politely.

The corners of his eyes crinkle as he stares at me. He always has a mischievous look about him whenever he’s up to something.

“Follow me,” he instructs once I hit the bottom step.

I dutifully do as I’m told. You never disobey the boss. The man is the Head of the Irish Mafia. He built it from the ground up and has made our family the most successful and feared family across two continents. He leads me toward my father’s office, and I know Da will hate this. It’s his inner sanctum, a place he comes to when he needs peace and quiet away from my overbearing mam and granny. Not to mention whenever he’s angry, he tends to go to the workout room in the basement and let off some steam there.

“I understand that you’re not happy about your upcoming nuptials,” he says as soon as the door closes and he takes a seat in my father’s chair. “While I understand that you have been through a lot,” he begins.

“Don’t,” I warn him.

He raises a brow at me but leans back in the chair.

“You have two minutes, Jade,” he says softly. “Two minutes to get whatever it is off your chest before we continue our meeting. You will not be reprimanded for the words you will say.” He looks up at me and waves his hand. “Your time starts now.”

I don’t waste a single second. I go off. “Don’t sit there and tell me that you understand that I’ve been through a lot. You have no fucking idea what the hell I went through. You will never know of the pain and suffering I have experienced. You have no idea about the nightmares that keep me from sleeping.” I rake a hand through my hair, my anger coming out thick and fast and directed at the man it so deserves. “You knew what happened to me, Granda. You fucking knew. What the hell were you thinking by arranging this farce of a marriage?”

That’s something I can’t wrap my head around. Why is he letting this happen? Surely, if he had arranged it before he discovered what I’d been through. But the moment he found out, he should have put an end to it.

“Don’t you think I have suffered enough for this family?” I growl. “Why is it that I’m the one to suffer?”

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