DOM: Alliance Series Book Three (49)

And it feels awful.

It feels so lonely and cold. And endless.

Like it will be my forever.

I blindly reach across with my right hand until I’m gripping Dom’s palm between mine.

I want to hate him.

He settles his left hand on top of our combined ones.

I want to hate him, but I can’t.

His body leans into mine, and he presses his mouth to the top of my head.

A kiss.

A sign of affection.

It’s exactly what I need, but it’s still too much.

I want to crawl into his lap.

I want to hit him as hard as I can.

I want to scream at him. And I want to tell him everything.

I want to tell him about my mother’s funeral. I want to tell him how horrible it was. How much it hurt. How alone I felt.

How alone I feel.

How I haven’t been able to shake that feeling.

It’s been six years… Six years of feeling lost.

Six years of hoping and wishing for someone to come in and save me from myself. Save me from the desperate blank feeling inside me.

But I can’t focus on any of that now. Because the man at my side, the one holding my hands like no one has before, might be my husband, but he’s also the head of the Chicago mafia. And the people filling this room are his family and his men, and I can’t break down here.

I can’t break down next to a mother grieving her son.

I can’t do anything but cling to him.

I’ll have to pick up my pieces later.





CHAPTER 25





Dom





The priest gestures for us to rise for the final prayer, and I reluctantly let go of my wife’s hands long enough to extract the handkerchief from my pocket.

I hold it out for her, and she takes it while the room choruses an amen.

It’s been a long time since I’ve believed in anyone’s god. I’ve seen too much of the underside of humanity to believe in a greater plan, but I do believe in tradition. And in honoring the dead.

I slide a hand up Valentine’s back. “Stay right here,” I tell her quietly.

Stepping away, I take the priest’s place as he disappears into the shadows.

Because I also believe in avenging the dead.

“Family.” The word booms out of me.

“Family.” The room echoes back to me.

“We are under attack.” I pause, making sure everyone can hear every word. “Someone is coming after us. After our family.” I point at my cousin’s photo behind me. “And they will pay.” A rumble of agreement rolls up the aisle. “They will pay with blood. Because they came after us, and we won’t settle at an eye for an eye.” I look around at the faces before me. “We take a soul for an eye.” I let the rage simmering under my skin heat. “And we’re owed a lot of souls, because this is our fourth funeral in four months. We will have no more. Not one more of us dies at the hands of these cowards. We will find them. And when we do, we will bring war to their doorstep. And we will win.” I let my eyes move to the golden ones staring back at me from the front row. “We will win because we have The Alliance. Because a good woman can change your life.”

And I see it. I see her understand.





CHAPTER 26





Val





Hope is heavy.

And when the hope of so many people settles onto my shoulders with that one sentence, I feel like I might sink through the floor.

Dom holds my gaze, and the silence in the church is deafening.

There’s no need for a response. There’s no room in this world for applause.

Dominic just made his family a promise, and it all hinges on me.

The hope of all these people hinges on the fact that I willingly married this man and that our union will bring them The Alliance.

Another tear drips down my cheek.

He shouldn’t have done this to me.

Dom shouldn’t have put me in this situation.

I use his black handkerchief to soak up the next tear.

DG is embroidered in the corner, with thread the color of his eyes.

Dom is still staring at me. Watching me.

And since I can’t bring myself to hate him. Not completely.

I do the only thing I can in this moment.

The only acceptable action in a room filled with so much emotion.

I lean in.





CHAPTER 27





Dom





She comes to me.

Valentine squares her shoulders, and she comes to me.

And when I extend my hand and she places hers in mine, I feel the weight of all the expectations I carry lessen. I feel her share them.

I feel her join me. Not just in this moment. Not just for show. But she joins me in this fight.

And when she turns to the sea of faces, I witness their acceptance.

Their acceptance of her. Of my decision to join with The Alliance. Of my promise.

I squeeze her fingers in mine and nod.

Then, together, we walk down the aisle and away from the sadness.





CHAPTER 28





Val





I understand now.