Page 10 of Cherished Union

“When are you going to realize, Hayden, that I know everything?”

I shake my head. He’ll never tell me. “Whatever, old man. When are you heading back to New York?”

He grins at me. “You think you can get rid of me that easily?”

I fucking wish.

“I’m staying a while. It’s a brotherly duty to annoy the shite out of his sister.”

My lips twitch. It sure as fuck is, and Killian annoys my Mam like no one else in this world. “You’re not staying just to watch Jade take out the last fucker?”

“Well, there’s that, not to mention your own wedding that’s happening, and I’m not leaving until you sort your head out, son.”

“I’m fine,” I say through clenched teeth.

“Sure you are, and I’m a fucking saint. Now, you gotta stop this shit with The Cage. Go and fight, by all means, but stop beating them poor fuckers until they’re either dead or unable to move.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” I ask with a raised brow.

He shakes his head, a smirk on his lips, but it soon drops, and his eyes turn dark when Aldo Gallo walks past.

“That man’s a prick if I ever met one,” he grouses. “Best keep an eye out, son.”

Now that has my back up. What the fuck is going on with Aldo? “Explain.”

He lifts a shoulder as his gaze moves across the room, stopping on the table where Natalia, Viviana, and Adelina are currently sitting. My fiancée is wearing a pale pink dress, as is her sister. She looks uncomfortable in it, and I find myself learning a lot more about her. She’s a puppet in the famiglia. She’s to do and say whatever the hell her parents tell her.

“Killian,” I snarl.

“Fine,” he grunts. “I’m not entirely sure, but I’m positive your girl has bruises on her upper arms. Watch her, Hayden. Whenever anyone brushes against her, she flinches. Not to mention the disdain that woman has for her family. Something has happened, and I have a feeling it’s got to do with that prick, Aldo. The sooner that fucker dies, the better.”

My gaze sharpens on Ade. Her body is tense as she sits beside her mother. I want to storm over there and demand to know what the fuck is going on.

“I kill Aldo and there’ll be a war,” I tell him, not in the least bit bothered if I do take him out.

“Don’t worry about that,” he says with a laugh. “The cancer will get him quick enough. The fucker’s making moves to put Rocco in charge.”

I knew there was something going on with the Italians. They’re making waves, doing deals they don’t usually do. Something about it didn’t sit right. Now, it makes perfect sense. The famiglia is getting a new injection of blood. Out with the old and in with the new.

“Nothing has been made public knowledge yet, and Jade has no idea that Aldo’s dying a slow and painful death.” Killian takes joy in that fact.

“Seriously,” I grumble. “Where the fuck are you getting all this information from?”

He grins. “It pays to have people everywhere, Hayden, not to mention having eyes and ears everywhere.”

I laugh. The fucker has the Gallo’s bugged somehow. “You’re sly as fuck, Killian.”

“Best remember that, boyo.” He glances to his left, where Hayes and Annemarie are currently huddled, talking to Jade and Rocco. “You finally found out the truth about Annemarie, huh? Your ma and that granny of yours did those two wrong. She knows that. Your da hit the roof when he discovered what happened.”

Again, I’m not surprised that Killian knew before the rest of us. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has the family home bugged. The fucker loves knowing everyone’s business.

“Why the fuck didn’t they say anything?”

Killian raises his brow. “I spoke to Hayes, the man felt utterly useless due to his wife losing so many babies. She felt if you knew or if your ma knew that you’d use it as ammunition to split them up.”

I scoff. “Nothing we say could ever do that. Hayes made his devotion to her clear. He put her above the family. That’s something I didn’t agree with, but I respected.”

“She loses this one, your brother is gonna need you.”

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