Page 89 of Explosive Union

I realize I’m not the only one calling her name over and over. Both Liam and Elio are right behind me. Elio pulls me back as I try to get closer to the house, the heat like an inferno, burning hot as I approach. I struggle against his hold, needing to get to my wife.

“Get the fuck off me,” I growl.

“Bro,” he hoarsely whispers. “You can’t go in there.”

“Jade,” I scream, needing her to fucking hear me and answer me. Pain unlike any other pierces my heart as the minutes tick by. The house is in rubble, barely anything left standing.

Whimpering sounds behind me, and it’s quickly followed by a prayer. Edwina is sobbing while praying for her daughter and brother.

“Jade,” I yell once again.

“Ssh,” Liam instructs. “Hear that?”

I strain hard to hear whatever the hell it is he’s hearing, but then I do hear. Movement. Hope flares up inside as the movement grows closer. The smoke is so thick it’s almost impossible to see what’s in front of me.

“Roc?” I hear the painful sound of my wife’s voice.

I glance at Liam, and the worry etched on his face guts me. I have no doubt it’s also reflected on mine.

“Rocco?”

I bite back the sob when I see her. Fuck, so beautiful. Never have I felt so relieved in my life. My body sags as she walks toward me. I drop my head and look at my shoes as I try to compose myself.

“Rocco,” Elio whispers. “Fuck, bro, she’s in bad shape.”

My head whips up at his words. That’s when I see the blood soaking her head, a shard of glass embedded in her side. “Mia cara,” I say as I close the distance between us.

She’s drenched in blood. There’s not an inch of her that’s not covered. Her eyes are hazy, and she sways on her feet. I reach for her, careful so as not to jostle her.

“Killian,” she whispers, her eyes filled with tears. “He’s dead.”

Edwina crumples to the floor. This is the second brother she’s lost in the space of five years.

“Call Hayden,” Jade tells me. “Warn him. The Masters are out for revenge.” She presses against me, and I keep one arm tight around her, not willing to let her go, needing to call Hayden and then get my wife to a hospital.

“Yeah?” Hayden answers immediately, then I hear my sister Adelina’s laughter in the background and then Hayden whispering something to her. Soon after I hear the squeal of Viviana’s laughter. She’s been staying with them as the shit that went down with them and Adelina, it was either Vivi went with Hayden and Ade, or our parents were to die. They chose their lives. Now my sisters are happy. Especially Adelina. I’ve not seen her in a few weeks, but she messages every other day to let me know she’s doing okay.

“Listen—" But before I get any further, there’s an explosion, and then everything goes dead.

I glance at Elio and find his eyes wild with anger. Jade whimpers in my arms, obviously hearing the explosion. Her brother—best friend—is not making a sound.

I pull Jade closer, offering her support.

We all know what this means.

The war has just begun.

No one is safe. But God help the Masters, because now they’ve got the full force of the Gallaghers and the Gallos after them. No one hurts my wife or sisters and lives to tell the tale.

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