Page 9 of Cherished Union

I glance over at my sister and see she has a bright smile on her face as she dances with her new husband. It’s been hard watching her these past three weeks as she tries to readjust to life outside of that fucking prison. Having her be married so quickly after being released is a fucking kick in the teeth to her. She shouldn’t have had to do this. But seeing the love on my sister's face, I know she’s actually happy with the Italian asshole, Rocco.

“We’re trying to keep Jade out of prison. We don’t need you being locked up instead.”

I sigh. “It’s fine. Nothing is going to happen.”

He shakes his head. “You keep saying that, but fuck, Hay, every night you go to The Cage, you’re either killing someone or you’re paralyzing them. What the hell is going on with you?”

I pin him with a glare. “Mind your damn business and go make sure your wife’s okay.”

He grins at me. “You know damn well that I’m right, and if Jade or Da were to find out, they’d lecture you to hell and back, so why not save yourself the pain and just fucking stop?”

“Hayes,” I say low so no one can overhear us. “Leave it, yeah?”

He turns so that he’s facing me. “I won’t leave it,” he grits out. “You’re marrying Adelina in two weeks. What the fuck do you think is going to happen to her if you get locked up? Your enemies are going to come for her.”

My jaw tightens at the thought of anyone going after Ade. The woman is softly spoken. She’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen, and her smile lights up the fucking room. The moment she walked into her father’s office not dressed up as though she was meeting the Queen, I was instantly captivated by how beautiful she was.

“Think about it,” he tells me.

“Go to your wife, Hayes,” I grunt, not wanting to listen to him lecture me anymore.

“Fine. If it happens again, then don’t blame me if your ass ends up in prison,” he hisses. “Think about it, Hay. You keep this up and Jade’s not going to be the only serial killer in the family. The difference between you and her, though, is she’s warranted for her killings.”

“I fucking know,” I snarl. “You have no fucking idea what the hell it’s like. My only outlet is fighting. To inflict pain on others.” It’s fucked up, but it’s the only way I can unleash the guilt and rage I feel for being the reason my sister was hurt.

“You gotta get over it,” he tells me. “She is. Why can’t you?”

I don’t answer him. There’s not a fucking chance in hell I’ll ever get over what happened.

“Go back to your wife, Hayes,” I instruct him.

“Fine, but think about what I said,” he says with a pointed look.

I nod, my jaw clenched so fucking tight it’s a wonder I’ve not broken any teeth. I watch him move away from me and go join his wife, who’s smiling brightly as she watches the happy couple have their first dance.

“He’s right. You know that he is.” I grit my teeth at the sound of my uncle’s voice. Killian always knows everything that’s going on. The fucker doesn’t even have to be in the same state as us and he always seems to know what the hell is happening.

“Right about what?” I ask him, not once turning to look at him.

“You’re going to land yourself in prison.” His Irish accent is thick, like my mam’s. “You’re beating yourself up. It’s what you’ve been doing for the past six years. When the fuck are you going to give yourself a break? What happened wasn’t your fault, nor was it Jade’s. Those bastard’s who hurt her deserved everything they got. The last cunt will be shaking in his boots as he waits for his turn.”

“I’m the reason she was in there in the first place.”

“The Masters are the reason, Hayden, not you. Them. They came at you both. You did what you had to, and you protected your sister. She returned the favor.”

I glare at the asshole. He’s watching Jade and Rocco with a smile on his face. “You really believe that? Or are you bullshitting as always?”

“I don’t bullshit you, Hayden. You’re not one to bullshit. You’ve always been hardheaded and determined. The moment Jade was kidnapped when she was seven, something in you switched. You became her protector.”

“But I didn’t protect her when she needed it the most.” That’s what fucking tears me apart. I should have been there to stop that shit, to ensure that she was safe at all times. Had she not taken the fall for me, this would never have happened.

“Bullshit,” he grinds out. “You did everything she asked and a fuck of a lot more. You think I don’t know that you’ve been slowly bringing the Masters down? Working with James to take those cunts for all they’ve got?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “And how the fuck do you know that?”

James is the right-hand man of Garrant Masters. The old man has been living a life of luxury for too fucking long and it’s coming to an end. Over the past five years, I have slowly but surely taken over the majority shares of his clubs in Illinois. I have also found out who he does business with, where he gets his drugs and guns from, and am in the process of ensuring they are out of business for good.

Those bastards came for Jade at the gala last week, wanting to get an eye for an eye. Thanks to Rocco, Jade didn’t die, but he lost yet another son in the process. That means the cunt only has two children left, his eldest son Kevin and his daughter—the apple of his eye—Lila. It won’t be long until Garrant loses all his children, and when that happens, I’ll be going after the bastard myself.

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