“Okay, kiddo,” he says as I enter the master bedroom. I turn to face him. “I’m going to leave you be and let you get settled in. We’ll have dinner later?”

  I blink, my heart sinking. “Um, yeah, sure,” I reply. “Do you have somewhere to be?”

  He glances away, and I instantly know that means yes. It’s the same thing he does whenever I ask about his plans and it involves a woman. He feels guilty—as he should. He’s cheating on Christina. Not that I like the woman, but she doesn’t deserve the heartache of what my father’s doing to her.

  “Dinner?” he asks again.

  “Sure,” I reply. “Let me know when.” I turn my back on him, trying my hardest to quell the disappointment. I shouldn’t feel this way. He’s helped me so much already. But I can’t help it. It just brings up a lot of memories and none of them are good.

  “Sweetheart,” he begins, but I don’t turn around. I don’t want him to feel guilty for this. It’s his life. He’s able to live it how he wants.

  “Call me later, yeah?” I say as I reach for my duffle bag on the floor. “Hopefully, I’ll be unpacked by then.” I release a little laugh. It’s humorless, but it seems to do the trick.

  “Alright then, have fun. Love you, Gabby.”

  I sigh. No matter what, he’s my dad and he’s trying. “Love you too, Dad.”

  Unpacking takes me the best part of the day. By the time I’m finished, darkness has descended. But my house is now a home. Everything has been unpacked and is in its perfect place. I had to move some things—I’m a perfectionist when it comes to my home—as I like to have things tidy and neat.

  I collapse onto the couch and sigh. I’m tired. I could sleep for a week right now, but first, I need food. I reach for my cell that’s sitting on the coffee table and see I have two missed calls and a text from my dad. I hit dial on his number and call him back.

  “Sweetheart, is everything okay?” he asks as soon as he answers. “I tried to call but there was no answer.”

  “Sorry, Dad, I was busy. I didn’t hear my cell ring.”

  I hear the long release of breath, and I hate that I had him worried. “Good. Are you still on for dinner?”

  I curl up more on my couch and pull the blanket down on top of me. “Any chance of us getting a takeout?”

  “Absolutely,” he responds instantly, and I giggle. “Pizza?”

  I laugh. “You read my mind,” I tell him, glad I don’t have to get dressed up and go out and face the world. All I want to do is shower, get into my ratty sweats, and chill for the night. “Dad, I’m not sure what your plans are, but I want you to know that there’s a room here for you whenever you want.” I need him to know that I want him in my life. I want him to know that he’s not just someone I expect to help out when times are rough. I want him around always. I missed out on spending time with him when I was younger, but since I moved to the States, I’ve learned a lot about him. Some things I love, others I don’t, but it’s him, and I love him because he’s my dad. I just haven’t been able to show how much he means to me.

  “Alright, sweetheart, I’ll order the pizzas, get some beers, then I’ll swing by. Is there anything you want?”

  “Ice-cream,” I reply, knowing I’ll probably eat the entire pint myself.

  He chuckles. “Should have known. I won’t be long. I’ll see you soon.”

  Once the call ends, I drag myself upstairs to the shower. There’s nothing better than sleeping on fresh sheets when you’re all clean and snug.

  “Gab?” I hear my dad call out almost thirty minutes later.

  “I’m upstairs, Dad. I’ll be down in a second,” I yell back. I pull on my sweatpants and hoodie and make my way toward the smell of food. My stomach rumbles as I enter the kitchen. “Hey, Dad,” I say as I walk up to him. “You okay?”

  He presses a kiss against my head. “I’m good. You’ve done a great job, Gab, the place looks amazing.”

  I smile at his praise. “Thanks. I’m about ready for bed,” I laugh. “But first, food.”

  He shakes his head. “A child after my own heart.”

  I roll my eyes and reach for the boxes of pizzas. He’s in great shape for a man in his late fifties, but he sure as hell eats a lot. I've never seen anyone eat or drink as much as my dad. He’s like a human garbage disposal.

  We sit down and Dad puts a movie on. It’s the latest action blockbuster. I sit back all snug in my blanket and sweats as I set about eating my pizza.

  An hour later, we’re both finished eating, and my dad’s cell rings. I watch as he glances down at the screen and scowls. He gets to his feet and walks out of the room. He doesn’t even hit pause on the movie, and we’re getting to the good bit.

  I groan as I reach for the TV remote. Ugh, I’ve eaten so much that I’m bloated, but damn, it was the best pizza I’ve ever had. I now have a new place to eat at, and I couldn’t be more excited.

  “Sweetheart,” my dad says as he walks back into the room.

  “Yeah?” I say as I look up at him. I swallow hard as I see the sorrow in his eyes. I know that look. I’ve seen it before. It’s the look everyone gave me when my best friend, Mayer, died. It’s one I wished I’d never have to see again. “Dad?” I whisper, my heart racing.

  He crouches down in front of me and takes my hands into his. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he begins, and a lump forms in my throat. No. “Your mom—”

  “No,” I snarl. No, this can’t be happening.

  “I’m so sorry, Gabby, but she was in a car accident. She didn’t make it.”

  His words hit me, and I hear a loud shriek rent the air. I realize it’s me. I’m screaming and crying. The pain I feel is like no other. I’m lost, utterly lost, like I’m out at sea floating.

  My dad holds me, whispering reassurances that I’ll be okay, that no matter what he’ll be here with me. My sobs wrack through my body, my heart explodes with pain. I’m broken, my heart is shattered.

  “Why her?” I ask, needing to know why she’s gone.

  He gently brushes my hair with his hand. “I don’t know, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”

  “But I never got to tell her,” I wail. “She never found out she was going to be a grandma.”

  “She’ll watch over you both, Gabby. She’ll get to watch you both grow. She’ll be so proud of you, just as I am.”

  His words are comforting but painful. The thought of her not being with me throughout this experience is heart-wrenching. It never crossed my mind that I’d have to live without her, that my child would be without her.

  Mum… God, I can’t even remember the last conversation we had, nor can I remember the last time I saw her. I feel like such a bad daughter. I should have done better, should have made the effort to call her more, spent more time with her. Now I’ll never be able to get that time back.

  I just want to call her, to hear her voice, and for all this to be a bad dream, but it’s not. I know it’s not. My heart feels as though something heavy is sitting on it. God, what am I going to do? How can I go on without her? The sobs flow through my body, but my dad doesn’t let go. He holds me tight and promises to hold on.

  “I’ll arrange for our flights in the morning, Gabby. Once we’re there, we’ll organize the funeral.”

  At his words, my body buckles and I collapse against him.

  “I can’t,” I breathe. The thought of burying her is abhorrent. I can’t do it. I can’t be without her.

  “I know, baby girl, I know, but we’ll get through it.”

  I sob against him, hating that such an amazing day has turned out this way. I’ve lost one of the most important people in my life.

  “You’ll be okay,” he promises me.

  I don’t know if that’s true. When Mayer died, I lost a piece of myself. I watched the man I considered a brother be beaten to death. I never recovered from it. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from losing my mum either.

  Chapter 10

  Alessio

  A week later

  “We’ve got our window,” Stefan says as he strides into the office. “The Serbs have set a meeting. It's taking place in two hours.”

  It’s been a week since the shooting at our club. Everything since then has been full tilt. Every member of the Clann is now in New York. We’ve been planning, watching, and waiting. Melissa managed to find out which motherfuckers shot up the club and has been able to pinpoint their location. For the past week, we’ve been sitting on that location as we watch what happens next.

  “And this information has come from…?” Denis asks. His Irish accent is thick and sometimes unintelligible.

  “Maksim,” Stefan responds as he takes a seat.

  Dante and Makenna share a look. Neither of them have told anyone about the deal they made with Maksim a year ago, but I think their time’s up. This family wants answers, and they’re all as fucking stubborn as each other. Both Danny and Malcolm are glaring at their aunt, while Denis crosses his arms over his chest and waits his sister out.

  “Fucking assholes,” she hisses as she glares right back at them. “Sit down. You’re making the place look untidy.”

  I hide my smirk as she takes her seat behind the desk, Dante standing behind her, as always. Ever present and protective. As much as we all know that the people in this room would never harm Makenna, Dante still feels the anger and fear he had when Makenna’s other brothers tried to make a move and take over while I was in Denver. Lucky for us, they’re now dead, and we don’t have to deal with their brand of fucking crazy.

  “When the shit went down when Da died,” she begins, “we all know the Bratva got dragged into this shit.”

  Denis slides his gaze to me. I glare at him. Only my family knows why I was with the Russians, and I don’t owe anyone else an answer. They don’t like me, I don’t give a fuck.

  “Anyway, Alessio had been working for Matteo. He had to infiltrate the Russians as Matteo and Maksim were running guns, selling drugs, and selling women. As you know, I don’t want a stable full of women. I have no problem if that’s what the girls want to do, but I’ll not have any of them forced into that life.”

  Dante stretches his legs out as he leans against the wall behind his wife, his arms crossed over his chest as he looks to Makenna’s family. “When my father died and I took over, I was left with the deal Matteo and Maksim had made. With the relationship between us and the Russians at an all-time low, we decided to do what we thought best—”

  “You gave the Russians the stable,” Danny surmises. “Okay, so they’ve got a business that is no doubt worth millions now, so it would make sense that they wouldn’t hold a grudge, but we’re talking about the Russians. They’re not exactly known for their tact.”

  “True,” Dante agrees. “But after speaking with Maksim, I believe he has nothing to do with this. He hates the Serbians more than we do.”

  “So the meeting is legit?” Denis asks. “Maksim knows for sure they’re all meeting?”

  Stefan nods as he fights his smile. “Yes. They think they’re untouchable, that we have no idea who hit the club.”

  “Waiting a week for revenge is unlike us,” I say. “We’re not the type to sit back and wait. We hit hard and we make them pay.”

  Makenna smiles. “That’s true, which is why they think they have gotten away with it. But don’t worry, those fuckers are going to get their comeuppance.”

  The sound of pipes roar in the distance, and I turn to my sister-in-law. “Really?” I ask. “You’ve got the Fury Vipers coming along for the ride?”

  She merely grins. “What? Ace wanted to help. He heard about the shooting, and he says he owes us.” She shrugs. “The more the merrier.”

  I shake my head. The Fury Vipers are the local motorcycle club. The president of the New York chapter happens to be Makenna’s best friend’s brother. Over the past two years, they’ve had a fuck of a lot to deal with. When the shit hit the fan and Ace’s woman was in danger, Ace turned to Makenna, and as he’s family, she didn’t hesitate to step up to the plate. Now he’s here to help us.

  “While we’re all practically congratulating ourselves for pulling this off—” I begin as I take in all the smiles around me. “We still haven’t uncovered who’s pulling the Serbian’s strings. They’re not doing this alone, and if we take out the Serbians, we won’t find out who’s actually gunning for us.”

  The look that’s shared between Dante and Makenna tells me they've also thought about this.

  "Ales,” Dante sighs. “Kenna and I have spoken about this. We either take out the Serbs now and then dig deep into who they’ve been working with, or we miss this opportunity and have to go after them individually, meaning they’d catch on to what’s going on and we could lose men.”

  Fuck, but he’s right. Today is the best chance we have. If we’re going to limit the casualties on our side, taking the Serbs out when they least expect it is the right way to go.

  I nod. “Alright,” I say as I get to my feet. Today’s the day to get our revenge. “Your women, are they here?” I direct my question to the Gallagher men. Romero’s wife is at Dante and Makenna’s home under more guards than anyone can count while she looks after my nephew.

  “No,” Malcolm says. “Melissa is at home with the kids, but she’s on standby if we need her. Callie is in Ireland, and Raylee’s in Spain. Her best friend lost her mother, so Raylee’s with her.”

  “Good,” Dante says. “It means there are less targets for them to go for. Those that are here are protected.”

  We will never make the same mistakes we did in the past. The women have been targeted one too many times as a result of who they’re married to. This time we’ve got them protected, just as it should always be.

  Ace walks into the office, a grin on his face. “Are we ready?”

  Makenna laughs. “Bored are we, Ace?” she asks with a raised brow.

  “Pyro wants to make something go boom,” he chuckles.

  I turn to the guy in question. The fucker has no teeth in his mouth but still manages to give everyone a fucking bright smile. Christ, where the fuck did they find this dude?

  “You all know the plan,” Dante says as he moves toward the door. “No one survives.”

  The darkness in his tone sets the mood. Everyone has been told what to do, the Fury Vipers are here to help. Their guy, Pyro, is going to rig the compound the Serbs are in to explode. Any one lucky enough to survive will be gunned down as they scramble out of the wreckage.

  “Are you ready for this?” Romero asks as he stands beside me.

  Cold air wraps around us as we wait for the signal from Pyro. Our men, along with the Gallaghers and Vipers, are situated around the compound. We’re ready to finish this shit. Once it’s done, we can find out who’s behind it all.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” I ask with a frown.

  He shakes his head, not wanting to answer, and I grit my teeth. This is the shit I’ve had to put up with since I got back from Denver. My family has been watching me, whispering about me.

  “Spit it out, Rome,” I growl. I’m far from breakable.

  He heaves a heavy sigh. “The women are worried. You were shot and you’ve not mentioned anything about it.”

  I shake my head. “Don’t want to talk about it,” I grunt.

  “That may be so, but, Ales, you and I both know more than what you’re letting on happened down in Denver. Are you going to finally tell me what you’ve been holding back?”

  I pause as I look into the darkness. Do I tell him?

  “I met a woman. She’s the one who helped me. She saved my life.”

  I feel his sharp gaze on me. “What?” he grunts. The word that got back to Dante was that one of Joe Ranieri’s men helped me and brought me to a safe house where the doctor was called. I’ve kept the same story as I don’t want anything happening to Gabriella.

  “She was in the bar that night. She was on her way home. She should have fucking walked away, Rome. Instead, she stayed and dragged my unconscious ass to her car and got me the fuck out of there.”

  Silence spreads between us. My gaze firmly on the compound in front of me, I watch as Pyro and a guy called Shadow move silently through the night, setting the explosives.

  “You and this woman—” he begins carefully. “—is it just gratitude?”

  “Fuck no,” I hiss. “If it were, I wouldn’t be losing my fucking mind over the fact she’s gone.”

  “What do you mean, gone?” he asks, and there’s no anger or malice in his voice. He’s merely curious.

  “She was skittish. She didn’t want this. Didn’t want anything to do with me. But fuck, Rome, I tried staying away, but I couldn’t. She’s not like anyone else. I promised her I’d be back, that I’d return to her in a week, and now it’s been almost two months since I was back there. I had Thomas check up on her.” I grit my teeth, my anger at the situation raw and explosive. I should have known she’d run. I should have prepared for that possibility.

  “What happened?”

  “She left,” I tell him. The anger in my voice is filled with bitterness. “She packed up her shit and left.”

  “You have no idea where she is?”

  I shake my head. “Right now, my focus is on this family. I’ve let you all down before. I’m not about to do the same again. So when this situation with these fucking Serbs is done, I’m making my way to Denver and finding out what the fuck happened.”

  “I’m coming with,” he tells me, and I turn to look at him. “You’re different,” he says. “Since you came back, everyone was worried because you were more focused, more energized. I get it now. Your woman—that’s why you changed. It happens. You find the one you want, the woman who means the fucking most, and you become more focused, so you can be with her. She saved you, Ales. That means I owe her. So I’m going to help you find her.”

  I heave in a deep breath, letting the air fill my lungs. For the first time since I found out Gabriella was gone, I finally feel relief. “I doubt Dante and Makenna will feel the same.”

 

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