Page 33 of Cherished Union

She’s lying through her pretty little teeth.

“I’m not a monster, my dove,” I whisper so that only she can hear me.

She takes a deep breath and raises her head to look at me. “I know that. Truly, I do. But I’ve never done this before, and the thought of being hurt makes bile rise through my stomach.”

Fucking Christ.

“Addie, I’m not going to hurt you,” I vow to her. I’ll do a fuck of a lot of things to her, but never will I hurt her.

“I believe you,” she whispers, and I nod when I hear the truth in her voice.

I glance over to the table where her ma is sitting, along with mine still. No doubt my ma’s keeping her in line.

“Why the hell is your ma glaring at you?” I’m so close to just offing both her ma and da. It’s no fucking skin off my nose to do so, and I know if I were to do it, I’d have the entire backing of the Clann—though maybe not Jade. Everyone else wants Aldo and Natalia dead already.

Adelina frowns as she turns to her mother. “Is that strawberries she’s eating?”

My brows knit together. “Yes, why?”

“I’m allergic,” she tells me and begins to move away from me.

“What do you mean allergic?” I demand as my hand wraps around her wrist. I pull her to a stop, noting that our fathers have joined our mas at the table. Vivi is currently sitting between my parents.

She turns to face me with a sigh. “I mean that I’m allergic. My throat tightens until I’m unable to breathe as my airways close.”

Anger balls in the pit of my stomach as I realize just what she’s telling me. Her fucking mother either had them put on the menu or brought them with her, knowing full fucking well that her daughter is deathly allergic.

“It’s time for your parents to leave,” I tell her as I take a hold of her hand and practically drag her with me toward the table that our parents are sitting at.

“Son,” Da says as he gets to his feet. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s time for Aldo and Natalia to leave,” I rumble, my anger ready to surface. If these bastards don’t get out of my face, I’m going to take it out on Natalia first.

“Someone want to explain what’s going on?” Ma asks softly, her gaze firmly on me and Adelina.

“What the fuck are you playing at?” Rocco snarls as he joins us.

“Watch it,” Aldo growls as he gets to his feet and glares at his son.

“Oh, fuck no,” Elio snarls.

“Now it’s a party.” Vivi smiles as Dario and Jade join us.

“Someone want to explain what your mam and I are missing?” Da asks. The man’s far from stupid and is glaring at Ade’s parents.

“Addie is deathly allergic to strawberries,” Vivi explains. “Our mother thought it would be funny to have them served as dessert, but I managed to stop it. Thankfully, Edwina managed to warn the caterers, along with the florist, that our mother is neurotic, and no one did anything without consulting Edwina. But I managed to stop the strawberries.”

Jesus. Fuck. This entire family is fucked up. I thought the Gallaghers were dysfunctional but we’re relatively normal compared to the Gallos. A thirteen-year-old has to stop her mother from trying to kill her sister.

“You didn’t,” Addie’s nonna gasps. “How could you, Natalia?” The woman didn’t get an invite to the wedding, she is pissed—as she should be—Jade and Rocco have promised her they’ll let her know what’s going on after the wedding. Thankfully, Elio and Dario went to get their grandmother to bring her for the reception.

Addie’s ma doesn’t give a fuck. She shrugs. “Just because she’s allergic, it doesn’t mean no one else can have them. Adelina was never going to be given any.”

“It’s time for you to leave,” I repeat, my anger palpable. Once again, Addie places her hand at my back, lightly caressing it.

“You need to remember who you are talking to, Hayden. You seem to forget that I’m not a man you can dictate to.”

“I’ll give the same choice to you that Ade gave the Masters cunt. You can leave of your own free will, or you’ll be escorted out, and let me be clear; if you’re escorted out, it’ll be by me, and you’ll not be leaving alive.”

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