Page 48 of Cherished Union

Leaving Addie is one of the hardest things I have done. She needs support but whenever it’s given she pushes me away. I’m frustrated. I know that she’s hurting, that she’s grieving and I have no idea what to do to help her.

“How is Adelina?” my da asks as I walk into his office.

“Tell me Da, how did she seem to you today?” In the past week, that is all I've heard. Everyone asked him how Adelina is but I have no answer for them. How do you tell them that your wife is slowly sinking into depression and there is not a single thing you can do to help her? How do you explain to your men that you, the boss, is so utterly helpless that you cannot help your wife?

My da sighs heavily. “I’m sorry, son, but you can’t,” he says quietly. Your wife is grieving, as is your mother. They both lost their siblings, Vivi’s death hit harder to Ade. She lost a child, one that she considered pretty much her own. She held that girl’s dead body in her arms, Hay. She is going to be grieving for the rest of her life. You just have to show that you were there for her. Let her know that she's not alone and make sure that her parents get nowhere near her.”

My eyes narrow at his words. What the fuck have those cunts done? “When have they been near her?” I ask wondering what the fuck they have said to her. My men were given specific orders Aldo and Natalia Gallo were to be nowhere near my wife.

“Today at the funeral,” he's responds, his words filled with anger. “The second you're out of their sight, the two of them close ranks and accosted her. I'm not sure what was said. But I do know whatever it was pissed your wife off. She raised her voice and she let them have it. I do not know what it was about. As your mother and I could not hear but there is one thing for sure those bastards should never be near her today.”

I nod in agreement. “Definitely not. I warned the two of them to stay the fuck away from my wife. Knowing them two fucking bastards, they’ve no doubt twisted Vivi’s death and have blamed Addie for what's happened to her sister. The only people to blame for what happened to Killian and Viviana are the Masters. They are the ones that set this in motion. They are the ones that set the bombs and they are the ones that killed our family members. For that alone they will pay dearly with their lives. Nobody and I mean nobody will ever get away with harming my family, and no one will get away with killing them,” I hiss.

“Son, tomorrow we bury Killian. From then on, we have to re-build our lives without them.”

I nod knowing that he’s right. Tomorrow Killian is laid to rest. Every one of my family will be here in attendance. Everyone will want to say goodbye to the man that wasn't just our uncle. He was like a second father to me, Danny, Jade, and Makenna. He was there for us from the get go. He always made sure that no matter what he had our backs.

I get my feet and start to pace. “Any word on where the Masters are?“ I question. It's been a week and no one has heard a fucking thing. The bastards have gone to ground.

My da shakes his head. “No. Anyone who does know is keep in quiet.”

I nod and give my da a smirk. “Then, Da, it’s time to ensure that we start loosening the lips.”

He grins. “After the funeral, Hayden. Once the funeral is done and everyone returns home, we go after them.”

Finally, fucking finally. I have waited a week to hear these words. My family has made me promise that I wouldn't go after them without backup. That I would do, as they say to ensure that I and we didn't lose anyone else. They have no idea how hard it has been. I’m not a man that sits back and waits for things. When I want something, I go after it. So having to sit back and wait is killing. Because not only did they kill my uncle, they almost killed my sister, they did kill Viviana, but the fuckers almost killed my wife. No one knows how that feels. And yet I'm supposed to be the one to come to heel. No, that fucking does not happen. And it's time for the world to know what happens when you mess with me. When you mess with my wife and when you take people we love.

For the next hour, da and I make a plan. We make sure that we have everything planned out so that when it's time we'll take everybody out leaving only Garrant and his daughter alive. Nobody else in the Masters organization is to live. It's time to bring down the Masters house and let it crumble. For once the death toll will rise and it’ll not be one of ours dying.

Once we’re both satisfied with the plan, I say my goodbyes and head on home. My gut tight the entire drive. I need to help Addie, I need her to know that she is not alone. I’ve done a piss poor job so far. It’s time to make sure she knows that no matter what, I’m here.

Walking into the house I notice that every single light is off. I pad closer to mine and Addie’s bedroom and that’s when I hear a whimpering sound. My feet take me there as my stomach clenches. I know that small whimpering sound, it was the same one that Addie made when she held Vivi in her arms. Entering our bedroom, my stomach drops, my heart fucking stops. Adelina lie lies on the ground, her body shaking as she cries while she's fast asleep.

I reach for her small trembling body and carry her to the bed. I strip the black dress from her body along with her shoes and I climb into the bed beside her and hold her tight.

“To Killian,” Makenna says as she raises her glass. “The man who loved family more than life. He was always at our sides throughout our hardest times. He’ll be missed, but his memory lives on.”

Everyone raises their glasses in a toast.

Watching as his casket was lowered into the ground hit hard. I’ve lost countless men, including my uncle Seamus, but none have hit as hard as losing Killian. The man was larger than life.

“To Killian,” Hayes says, raising his glass. “The man who taught me how to shoot straight.”

Chuckles and giggles go through the pub. Hayes was a shit shot, it took him a while to learn how to shoot straight and it turns out that Killian was the one that took the time to teach him.”

I raise my glass, Adelina’s hand trembles in mine. She’s barely spoken a word to anyone today, but she’s stayed by my side and kept her head held high. There’s a few men that’ll be dealt with tomorrow as their gazes linger too long on her scar, causing her to become self conscious. That’s not something I’ll allow. “Killian,” I say loud, my word rings through the pub. “The man that instilled loyalty in everyone, who wouldn’t blink twice if you wanted help. He was a nosy git who knew everything, but he was a man that was loved dearly by the Clann. For that, the man will live on through us and our children.”

‘Here here,’ is replied.

“To Killian,” Danny says loudly, and every man, woman, and child repeats it.

Today is the day that Killian is laid to rest. The day that we say our goodbyes to a man that saved more than a few of us. He’ll be missed by more than just me.

I glance at my ma, she’s holding up, her eyes glossy, but she’s smiling as she tells people around her tales of her childhood. In the last six years she has lost both of her brothers along with two of her nephews—although we don’t speak about Partick and Cian—she’s used to the loss, but it doesn’t hurt less.

We’ll never forget the man that helped shape us all.

We will get our revenge. Our day is coming and when it does, both Killian and Vivi will have their justice.

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