Bloody Union

by Brooke Summers

  “I know you want to help, but it’s going to take a while to trust you.” His eyes narrow at my words and for some reason I want to ease his worries, “I don’t trust many people, including my brothers, so please don’t be offended.”

  I’ve shocked him, but he quickly recovers and in doing so, he lowers his mouth to mine and gives me a quick, hard kiss.

  “Fuck,” I mutter when he leans back.

  “I’ll see you in a bit,” he says as he walks to the door. My heart is pounding and yet he seems completely unfazed. “And Kenna…” he calls as he opens the door. “You look beautiful.”

  My heart melts at his words.

  This isn’t good. This marriage was supposed to be an arrangement, I wasn’t supposed to get attached, to catch feelings. Knowing that the made men of the Famiglia are cruel, it would only hurt more when they abuse me. But Dante, he’s given me hope and that’s one thing that can break me.

  Four

  Makenna

  “You really do look beautiful, Makenna,” Kinsley tells me as she dabs her eyes.

  My stomach is full of butterflies fluttering their wings frantically against my belly. My nerves have kicked in but for some reason I’m not scared. When I was told that I’d be marrying Dante, every scenario went through my mind. I always pictured being scared, being so distraught that I’d be a shivering mess. Instead, I’m calm and ready. Everything I’ve come to know about Dante is that he’s a monster, but not to me. The soft look he gives me makes my body react in ways I can’t explain. Thinking about this day, I thought I’d be in hell, but I’m looking forward to our future. Although, I’m not sure how it will go but I’m hopeful and that’s a good thing.

  “What do you think of Dante?” I ask her, smoothing down my dress.

  Her eyes widen, “Um…”

  I laugh, “Kins, you’re my best friend. You know how to read people, you’ve been doing it since you were a child. What do you think of Dante?”

  She sighs and takes a seat on the sofa, “Makenna, that man doesn’t know how to love…” hearing her say those words is like a punch in the gut. “From the little I’ve seen you interact, he’s not a maniac around you, the two of you could have a reasonable marriage but that’s about it.”

  I close my eyes and sit beside her. “Do you think he’ll push me to tell him what happened?”

  She nods, “Definitely. He’s possessive of you already. The hand to the waist, the smouldering looks. He’s going to want to know everything about you, including what happened that night.”

  “I can’t tell him everything,” I whisper, there’s no way I can.

  She reaches for my hand and gives me a reassuring squeeze. “You need to set the boundaries, Kenna. Make him be truthful, that way, there’s no surprises. But if that happens, it means you have to be completely honest too.”

  “Grr.” I cry, “Why do you have to be so wise?”

  She laughs before sobering, “You need to decide what you want. You can keep him in the dark, but I know you, I know that if that happened, you’ll be miserable. If you’re honest, then make him be too.”

  “Let’s see how tonight goes and then I’ll decide.” I still don’t think it’ll be wise telling him everything.

  “Okay, but think about how it will impact your marriage if you don’t be honest with him.” She gives my hand one more squeeze before getting to her feet.

  “Kins, he’ll want to know about you too.”

  She nods, “Yeah, I know, I’m okay with that.”

  I get to my feet. “You are?” Since fucking when? “You’ve made me keep this shit quiet for years, Kins, years! I could have had Da sort this out, hell, I would have done it.”

  “It would have caused a war!” she whispers.

  “And you don’t think telling Dante what’s going on, will cause one?”

  “You won’t let it.”

  I laugh, I can’t help it, she’s got an awful lot of faith in me. “I don’t see how that will happen. Anyone who finds out what’s happening isn’t going to sit back and let it continue.” I hate that it’s gone on for this long already. If I had a choice, I’d have made sure it ended from the get go.

  She shrugs, “When my father dies, then I’ll be free.”

  I shake my head. “Your dad is a piece of shit, Kins; he’s letting you get hurt and doesn’t give a shit.”

  “I think that Stuart has something on him, that’s why he’s letting him do it.”

  My anger is bubbling beneath the surface, we’ve spoken at length about this in the past and this is the first time that she’s telling me this. “It doesn’t matter if he has something on him. You don’t let your daughter be hurt! You just don’t fucking do it.”

  “I think my father killed my grandfather.”

  I suck in a sharp breath, Kinsley and I aren’t supposed to have secrets, but we do. We’ve both hidden things from one another in the past, this is one of them. “What makes you think that?”

  She glances down at her hands and then back to me, “He was a bastard, Kenna. He really was, was worse than dad. He lashed out on Ace more than anyone, but then Ace got bigger and then he turned his attention on me.”

  I know what happened, Ace came to me, hoping that I’d help him by asking my father for a favor. Ace believes that my da will call him when he needs a marker.

  “What happened to him?” I never want anyone to know that I was the one that poisoned the bastards coke stash. If it comes out, then there will be war. The secrets I carry are there to stop the people I love from getting hurt.

  She shrugs, “The cocaine he had was shit.” She shakes her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “He wasn’t found until morning.”

  “Why are we even talking about this? The man’s been dead for almost six years, why bring it up?”

  She bites her lip, she’s thinking carefully about what she says. Everyone sees her and sees this gorgeous brunette who is just the princess of the Vipers Fury Motorcycle club, but she’s manipulative when she needs to be and that’s most of the damn time. “Don’t.” I warn her, she’s never like this with me and I’m pissed off that she’s starting now. “Kins, whatever the hell you have to say, say it.”

  “Fine,” she breathes, “we’re talking about this because I need to know what happened, Kenna. I need to know why the hell my father is letting that animal hurt me whenever he likes.”

  “I don’t know, Kins. I really wish I knew why this was happening. I’ve tried so hard to take you away from them but you never would leave. You kept going back.” I would have kept her with me at all times, every time she went back made me lose a part of myself. How can I protect my best friend if she willingly went back into that hell? Instead, every time it happened, I’d get a phone call and I’d have to be the one to get her. Bring her home with me and stitch up her wounds, clean up her cuts, and hold her while she cried until she fell asleep.

  “I had to go back. If I didn’t, they'd have come for me. You and I both know that. We’re the same Kenna, we both do whatever the hell we have to, ensuring the ones we love are safe. So I go home and I take what that asshole does and then I call the only person in this world that I can rely on. The girl that’s been my best friend since as long as I can remember. The one who’s had my back from the very first moment we met and the woman who’s been my backbone.”

  I will the tears not to fall, “Don’t make me cry!” I warn her. “You’ve been here for me just as much as I’ve been there for you. You also cleaned up all the cuts and bruises I’ve had.”

  She nods, “Let’s hope I’m right about your soon to be husband. I don’t want to clean up any more cuts.”

  I reach for her and pull her into my arms, “I don’t want to clean anymore of yours, but until your father dies, I’m going to have to.” I release her and take a step back, once again, smoothing down my dress. “It’s time.”

  She reaches for the bouquet and hands it to me. “Try not to kill my father as you walk past him.”
r />   I grin, “Your dad’s here? Who the hell invited him?”

  She shakes her head, gone is all the seriousness and in its place is happiness, just the way it should be today. “Let’s get you married.”

  I exit the door and I’m greeted by my father, “Have you two been behaving?”

  “Don’t we always?”

  His brows practically hit his forehead. “Now, the day you two start acting like ladies, is the day, I begin to worry.”

  “You love us really, Mr Gallagher.” Kinsley grins.

  Dad shakes his head, “Kinsley, how many times have I told you to call me Seamus?”

  She ignores him and turns to me, “I’ll leave you both alone for a few moments.”

  Dad waits until she’s out of sight before turning to me. “Baby girl.”

  I shake my head, “Don’t, Da…” It’s been a long time since I was this emotional. Today, my life is changing and I’m not sure if it’s for better or worse.

  “No, I’ve failed you.”

  “You haven’t,” I implore, needing him to realize he did what he needed to do.

  “Kenna, will you be quiet for a minute so I can talk?” I nod. “Thank you, as I was saying. I’ve failed you. I couldn’t keep you safe even though that was my job. You’re my baby, Kenna, and I’ve fucked up in more ways than one. I’m sorry.”

  “Da, you’ve done what you thought was right. This is our way of life, this marriage is what we do. It’s going to bring peace between the Italians and the Irish. Besides, I could marry worse than Dante.”

  Da scoffs, “Yeah, if you say so. The boy’s a fucking psycho. He’s not what you think, he’s everyone’s worst nightmare.”

  I laugh, “And, I’m the one that gets to marry him.”

  “Remember, you’re a Gallagher Kenna, through and through. Even after you take the Italian bastard’s name, you’re still ours, and we’ll always protect you.” There’s a promise in his words, he’s letting me know that no matter what, he’s going to be there for me.

  “I’ll be fine,” I promise him.

  He kisses my cheek, “I know you will be. I’m proud of you.”

  My heart swells at his words. “Da, you’ve got to stop, otherwise I’m going to cry.”

  He shakes his head, “My Kenna doesn’t cry.”

  “You don’t know me, Da, not anymore.” His eyes flash with guilt and I feel bad, “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “You did,” he says simply. “I sent you away hoping to protect you.”

  I know he did, if only he knew the life he had sent me away to.

  “You hate me for it, don’t you?”

  “Da, I don’t hate you…” not anymore. “You did what you thought was right. That’s all that I can ever ask of you.” I place a kiss on his cheek, “I don’t hate you, Da, I don’t. So, we’re going to put a smile on our faces and I’m going to get married. Besides, I’ll be back on Sunday.”

  He smiles, “Yeah, you will. You’re not allowed to miss Sunday dinner unless you're dying. That includes that husband of yours.”

  I lift my brows, “Dante doesn’t seem to go anywhere without his brothers.”

  Dad’s eyes narrow, “Fuck, do I really have to sit around a table with those Italian bastards?”

  “Da!” I gasp, “you’ve got to stop calling them bastards.”

  He laughs and I can’t help but smile. “Let’s get you married, huh?”

  He holds out his arm for me to take and I do. A few sharp turns from my dressing room and we come to the doors of church. “I love you, Da,” I whisper as the bridal march song starts.

  “And I love you, Makenna.”

  The door opens and my breath is taken from me when I see Dante standing at the front of the altar, his eyes on me.

  Kinsley walks ahead, I notice that Romero’s eyes follow her every move, her body tenses ever so slightly as she passes her father and brother on her way to the altar.

  My arm tightens on Dad’s as we move toward Dante and the priest. My mother has outdone herself today. The church is full to the brim, the who’s who of the Mafia world are here and then some. The men of the East Street Kings are here, Landon, Scantor, Miller, and Prior. In front of them is Hudson Brady, along with his wife Mia, and his right hand man, Jagger, and his wife, Sarah. Dante’s family take up a huge portion of the church, each and every single one of them are armed to the teeth.

  I finally make it to Dante and once again, my breath is taken from me; his gaze is piercing me as he stares at me. He shakes Da’s hand and the priest begins to talk, but I’m unable to concentrate on what he’s saying. Dante has a hard grasp on my hand, his thumb rubbing circles against my palm. I’m in a daze, I can’t help but glance up at him throughout the ceremony, and whenever I do, he always seems to catch me.

  When the priest says, “You may now kiss the bride.” My heart speeds up and I glance at Dante once more. His eyes are filled with lust and need as he lowers his lips down on mine, gently and yet promising. It’s a promise of what’s yet to come. I cling onto him as though he’s my lifeline and I’m wondering when the hell I became this woman? The woman that wants someone in their life, to be a part of it, in ways that no one else has?

  “Dante…” I whisper and his gaze hits my lips.

  “Kenna…” he replies and I practically whimper.

  The sound of glass shattering breaks through our moment and I cry out as something hits my arm. I’d have fallen to the ground if Dante had not been holding onto me. His eyes narrow in on my arm and I’m too scared to see what’s wrong; what’s made that dark look come onto his face?

  Then all hell breaks loose as the doors burst open, showing the Bratva holding guns. Dante pushes me behind him as he pulls out his own gun.

  Shit, this is going to be a bloody wedding.

  Five

  Dante

  My heart batters against my chest as I watch Makenna walk down the aisle, there’s something about this woman that fucking gets to me and I don’t even know her. When my father told me that I’d be marrying, I had assumed that the relationship I’d have with my wife would be cold and sterile. I know the way things work in our world, women are to be seen and not heard. They’re to make a home and look after the children, but as I watch Makenna walk toward me there’s no way things will be cold or sterile. The woman makes my blood run hot, she’s brought out a protective instinct I never knew I had. When Finn told me that Makenna wanted me, I didn’t know what to expect but walking into the room and watching her kneel in front of a panicked Kinsley wasn’t it. Hearing them talk made me realize that I’ve underestimated my soon-to-be wife. Her words hit me like a fucking sledgehammer, “I survived that shit. We’re here. Together, we’ve overcome so fucking much. We’re fine.”

  She’s far from fucking fine, seeing the two women huddled together, heads touching, made me see that there’re things Makenna hasn’t let anyone see. I’m determined to find out what the hell she’s been through and I’m not going to stop until I find out all of her secrets. I’m unable to take my eyes off her, she has a bright smile on her face. You’d think we’ve known each other for years the way her smile lights the room. Whereas the truth is so much worse, she’s been handed to me in a fucking deal, and yet she’s not showing an ounce of fear. She’s strong and vulnerable. She’s a walking, talking contradiction and yet I crave her.

  I shake Seamus’ hand and instantly grasp Makenna’s, my thumb moving in circles over her skin, needing this contact. Goosebumps break out over her skin and I bite back a smirk; she’s affected by me. When my lips touch hers, it takes all my restraint not to take it further. Instead I pull back, my hands on her hips, holding her tight. Her eyes are heavy with lust. She’s fucking gorgeous, she’s holding onto me as though she needs the strength to keep her upright.

  “Dante…” she whispers and my cock stirs, my gaze goes to her lips, plump and kissable.

  “Kenna….” I reply gruffly, pissed that we’re in a church and not near a be
d.

  Glass shatters and she jerks in my arms just as a cry escapes her, I reach for my gun as the doors to the church burst open.

  The fucking Bratva.

  The blood on Kenna’s arm has my blood pumping, murder running through my veins. They fucking shot her. They’re going to pay for it. Tightening my grip on her waist, I twist her so that she’s behind me, my gun in hand and I start shooting.

  “Shit,” Romero says and I glance at him, his eyes on Alessio, who’s on the floor bleeding.

  Kenna pulls out of my hold and I hear material ripping, more shots are being fired and I focus on the bastards shooting at my wife and brothers. As far as I can tell there’s thirty, if not more, Russian bastards here. They picked the wrong fucking wedding to hit. Every man here is firing back at them, we’re taking them down but they just keep coming.

  “We need to get him out of here.” Kenna’s voice pulls me through the blood lust I have. “Dante, if we don’t he’s going to die.”

  Fuck.

  “Finn!” she yells and instantly her brother’s by our side. “I need you to cover us, we need to get Alessio out of here.”

  He instantly nods, crooking his finger, his men are surrounding us.

  “We need to go out the back, there’s a car waiting.”

  I turn back to my wife and I’m fucking shocked, she’s torn off the bottom half of her wedding dress. Blood covers her torso, and I’m not sure if it’s hers or my brothers, seeing as the bottom half of her dress is on Alessio’s body where Kinsley is applying pressure. But what shocks me the most is her calm like appearance, her mind clear as she barks orders at people.

  “Romero, I need you to carry Alessio out. Kins, Ace is waiting for you.”

  “Keep a tight perimeter. Shoot anyone who gets close,” Finn tells his men and they instantly nod. “Let’s go.”

  “Dante,” Kenna whispers and for the first time, I hear a tremor of fear in her voice. “If you have to stay, I understand.”

  Fuck, this woman. She understands. I don’t even have to say a word and she knows what I need. For the second time today, her hand lays over my heart and she takes a deep breath. “Be safe,” she whispers and places a kiss against my lips before she releases me and they leave.