Page 12 of Cherished Union

“Come on, Dove, you can’t be that naïve. This is the life we live. I’ve killed countless people, most for less than harming someone that is mine.”

Her eyes narrow. “How many women are yours?”

I flash her a smile as I release her face. There she is. The anger and jealousy are beautiful to watch. “Don’t worry, my dove, you are the only woman that has ever been mine, but my family are people I kill for without a second thought.”

She once again wraps her arms around herself. “I’m fine,” she tries to assure me.

I finish my cigarette and throw the butt to the floor. “You will be, Ade,” I promise her. “It’s time to go in. It’s too cold out here.”

She nods once and begins to move, pausing beside me.

“You know, Hayden, that anger and pain in your eyes is like a beacon. You use it to ward people off. You should know that it won’t work on me. In fact, seeing you angry may be the hottest thing I’ll ever see.” With those parting words, she runs her hand down my chest lightly before walking back inside.

Well fuck.

CHAPTER4

ADELINA

“What’s going on with you?” Dario questions as he steps into the kitchen.

I don’t turn to look at him. Right now, I have no makeup on and a split lip, a bruised cheek, and a black eye. If he were to see me, it would lead to questions, and I learned while talking to Hayden two nights ago that I’m crap at lying.

“What do you mean?” I ask, as I continue to wash the dishes.

“Ade, you’re never here anymore. When you are, you’re distant. The only person you talk to is Vivi. So I’ll ask again, what’s going on with you?”

I shrug. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m getting married in two weeks. I’ve been busy.” It’s not a lie. Thankfully, Mrs. Gallagher has been a lifesaver and has helped me with organizing the wedding, something my own mother was supposed to do, but she’s been busy with our father.

“Sure you have, sis, but the distance doesn’t make sense. So why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“Why the hell do you care anyway? You’ve never given a shit about what I’ve been up to before, so why are you starting now?” I can’t stop the anger from coming out of me. I’m tired, so damn tired of pretending that everything is okay when it’s not.

My father’s health is deteriorating rapidly, and in doing so, his mood swings are even worse. And for some unbeknownst reason, he’s taking it out on me. Growing up, I had a good home. I always knew my life was mapped out for me, but I believed my mama and papa loved me and cared about me. Since I became betrothed to Hayden, that has changed. My father hurts me whenever the hell he likes, and my mother covers it up and pretends I no longer exist.

I have less than two weeks, and then I’m leaving here, and I can’t wait. So far, my interactions with Hayden have been different than what I had expected. The man is gorgeous, but he’s also extremely dangerous. He radiates power, more so than anyone else I have ever met, and considering who my family is, that’s a hard feat. But Hayden is different. I see a side to him I never expected. He’s actually sweet when he interacts with me.

I’m not stupid. I know that it could change in the blink of an eye. No matter what, I’m destined to spend my life with him. If the marriage is a sham, I’ll have a shackle to me that I’ll never be able to get rid of.

“Ade,” Dario says, his footsteps sounding against the tiled floor. “You know that’s not true. You’re my sister.”

“So fucking what?” I hiss. “When the hell have you cared about that before? You, Elio, and Rocco do not care about Vivi and I. You never have, so don’t start now. We don’t need it.”

His hand clamps down on my wrist. I can’t stop the flinch from happening, and I drop the plate I was holding in the sink. Thankfully, it doesn’t smash.

“Ade, what the fuck?” he hisses as he pulls on my arm and turns me around. His eyes darken as he sees my face. His fingers loosen from around my wrist, and he takes a step backward.

“What?” I reply stupidly.

His brows knit together. “What?” he snarls. “What?”

I instinctively take a step backward and instantly realize my mistake. His eyes widen, hurt pours over his features, and he looks as though I’ve just stabbed him in the back.

“Adelina, I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispers.

I swallow hard, hating that I’ve become this woman that’s scared of her family, but that’s what happens when a member of your family hurts you. You no longer trust anyone. I can’t stop the physical reaction my body takes when someone touches me.

“Okay,” I reply, unsure what to say right now.

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