Chapter 26
Chapter
Twenty-Six
ROISIN
F inally everyone has gone, but there’s no relief to be had.
Callum and Ciaran remained tight lipped and the only small comfort I have is that at least I haven’t heard anything awful coming through the vents from the basement.
Doesn’t mean they haven’t slit his throat or broken his neck or something equally silent, of course.
I want to rant and rage at them, tell them in no uncertain terms that I’ll never forgive them if they kill Dominic, but every bit of energy I had left went into my plea to keep him alive, and now I feel like I have nothing left.
I think I might always feel this way if my brothers have done something so dreadful. It will tear apart the entire fabric of my life as I know it, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to recover from that.
I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing despite my exhaustion. The silence in the house is oppressive, broken only by the occasional creak of the old floorboards and I strain my ears, desperate for any sign of life from the basement, but there's nothing.
My hand drifts to my stomach, the secret now out in the open. The baby. Dominic's baby. Our baby. The thought brings a fresh wave of tears to my eyes. How can something so precious be wrapped up in such a nightmare?
I consider getting up, marching down to the basement to confront my brothers, but my limbs feel leaden. The doctor's words echo in my head–rest, he'd said. Stay calm. As if that's even possible now.
A soft knock at the door makes me flinch. "Roisin?" It's Ciaran's voice, uncharacteristically gentle. "Can I come in?"
I want to say no, to shut him out along with the rest of the world, but I hear myself whisper, “Fine.” It’s not the most gracious response, but it’s all I can muster.
The door creaks open and Ciaran's silhouette appears in the dim light.
He approaches cautiously, as if I'm a wounded animal that might lash out. I suppose that's not far from the truth. He sits on the edge of my bed and I can feel his eyes on me even though I refuse to meet his gaze. Maybe it’s childish, but I’m just done.
"He's still alive," Ciaran says softly.
The relief that floods through me is so intense it's almost painful and I let out a shaky breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding.
"Thank you," I whisper, my voice hoarse.
He’s quiet for a moment. Too quiet, and I tip my head to look at him, finally realizing there’s something more. Something that has him… nervous?
Janey Mack… he said Dominic was alive, but that doesn’t mean he’s not grossly disfigured or missing a few body parts.
I screw my face up at the thought. Do I even want to know? “What?” I ask, before I think better of it.
Ciaran sighs, his whole manner uncharacteristically hesitant. “There’s someone else here to see you,” he finally admits, albeit reluctantly.
Frowning, I rack my brain to think who it might be. There’s no way our parents could have gotten here so fast, and Maricela, Niko and Lyah didn’t leave that long ago, so I’m at a loss.
“Are you up to a visitor?” he asks, but I get the distinct feeling it’s not really a question. And also, that this is not a social call.
“Okay,” I agree hesitantly, the odd vibe in the room making me uncomfortable. “Can you help me into the living room, please?” Whoever is here, I don’t want to meet with them in my bedroom.
Ciaran helps me into a robe, then supports me as I make my way to the couch where he covers me with a soft, fluffy blanket before heading to the door of my suite. The sound of voices makes me realize whoever it is has been waiting outside, but in my wildest imagination, I never expected the person who walks in.
“Mika?” Surprise tinges my voice as the underboss of La Cosa Nostra enters my quarters behind Ciaran, followed by Callum. I keep looking towards the door, hope a painful ache inside my chest, but although I can see Liam guarding my door, there’s no sign of Dominic.
“I’m pleased to see you aren’t too much the worse for wear,” Mika says with a smile, taking a seat across from me, while Ciaran sits by my side and Callum hovers distractingly, his manner even more turbulent than usual. I see Mika throw a couple of inscrutable glances his way as he paces back and forth across the floor.
“So, what’s got everyone so wound up?” I finally ask, when nobody seems inclined to start this conversation, wherever it might be heading.
Ciaran purses his lips, his face scrunched up like he’s sucking a lemon, and I wonder if Mika has taken exception to one of his capos being captured and tortured. “Considering the… delicate circumstances we find ourselves in,” he starts, choosing his words carefully. “Mika has tendered a solution. Since it goes against everything Callum and I believe in, we’ve decided to put the decision in your hands.”
Unease slithers through me at the way they’re both behaving, but Mika gives me a friendly wink which serves to take the edge off of the worst of my apprehension.
“Mika has proposed an arranged marriage between you and his cousin as a show of good faith by both parties. A way to ease the current hostilities and reinforce the ties between our organizations for the benefit of both families.”
There’s an odd inflection when he says cousin, but my head is whirling too much to make sense of anything. Ciaran continues to talk but I’ve zoned out and whatever he’s saying is lost on me.
His cousin? They want me to marry Mika’s cousin?
“I don’t understand,” I say, feeling decidedly faint all over again.
Mika raises an eyebrow, casting a sharp glance at Ciaran. “I think you missed out a crucial piece of information there, my friend.” He turns to me. “What your brother has failed to mention is that Dominic is my cousin.”
I hadn’t realized just how tightly I was wound until I deflate with that single, crucial piece of information. Now it makes sense. “I didn’t know Dominic was your cousin,” I murmur, in the absence of anything more lucid to say.
“Neither did we,” Callum says darkly, pivoting to face us all, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
Of course. In abducting and torturing Dominic, they delivered a direct slight to the LCN, after I was returned relatively unscathed. Mika’s goodwill in protecting me after the Viper kidnapped me has been thrown back in his face in the worst kind of disrespect.
“It’s not a commonly known fact, but Dominic is the son of my mother’s sister,” Mika says with deceptive mildness.
Janey Mack! That means he’s Don Salvatore’s nephew in a household skewed more towards daughters. Talk about a fuck up.
I sit forward, wincing at the ache in my body. "And what does Dominic say about this?"
Ciaran's lips twist into a wry smile. "He's not exactly in a position to object right now. But given the alternative..."
The implication hangs heavy in the air between us. I swallow hard, trying to process this new information. An arranged marriage. It seems almost laughably old-fashioned and it’s something my father would be totally on board with; has hinted at in the past. It’s also something my brothers have been fiercely opposed to, promising me they would never allow such a thing, so I can understand why Ciaran’s leaving the decision to me. But if it means Dominic lives, if it means our families stop tearing each other apart...
"An arranged marriage could be a way out of this mess. A way for everyone to claim restitution. Would you be okay with that?" Ciaran asks, his voice gentle. "Marrying him, I mean. For real."
My heart races as I consider Ciaran's question. Marriage to Dominic. I always imagined I would marry outside the world of organized crime where I could raise a family in relative peace. Put some distance between myself and the circumstances I was born into. I wanted better for my children… But since I’m already pregnant with Dominic’s child–a child that will bridge not one, but two crime families–that dream has been well and truly shot down. The very idea should be terrifying, but instead I feel a strange sense of calm settle over me.
"I..." I start, then pause, gathering my thoughts. "I think it would be okay.” More than okay, actually, I admit to myself.
The words surprise me as they leave my mouth, but I know they're true. In the chaos of the past few days, one thing has become crystal clear–my feelings for Dominic run deeper than I ever realized. Yes, I thought it was love, but still the possibility of Stockholm Syndrome lingered in my mind.
Until the very real threat of his death slapped me straight between the eyes and I thought my heart might break at the prospect of a world without him in it.
Mika leans forward, his dark eyes intense. "You understand what this means, Roisin? This isn't just a paper marriage. It would need to be a true alliance between our families. There can be no going back."
I nod slowly. "I understand. And I'm willing, if it means an end to this feud. If it means Dominic lives… if it means my baby has a father."
And the biggest reason of all–because I need him.
Love him.
I just hope he doesn't resent me for it and that we can live in relative harmony together.
That he won’t break my heart.
Callum makes a strangled sound, finally stopping his pacing to glare at me. "You can't be serious, Roisin. After everything they've done to our family?"
"What about everything we've done to theirs?" I counter, my voice stronger than I expected. "This cycle of violence is getting out of control and it needs to stop.”
“It stopped with the Viper’s death,” Callum bites out, his eyes blazing.
I give a humorless, strangled laugh. “How can you stand and say that when Dominic is imprisoned in our basement?” I demand, meeting his glare and refusing to look away.
“I bear no grudge against Dominic. He saved me from a fate worse than death. Something that would have poisoned my entire life. He did nothing more than what I asked, what I begged for, and this is the way you repay him?”
“They took you, murdered Orla–you saw what they did to her!” he yells in disbelief.
“The Viper did that,” I shout back. “Not Dominic. Even under the circumstances, Dominic and Mika did everything they could to keep me safe. And I was taken because you abducted Maricela… from her own wedding, no less. Does that mean I should blame you, too? Or do you imagine you’re innocent in all of this?”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Ciaran rises and slashes his hand through the air.
“There’s no point in batting around recriminations like this. It doesn’t change the facts. What we need to do is move forward.”
He gives his twin a hard stare. “We agreed we’d let Roisin decide and she has.”
Callum's jaw clenches, but he nods stiffly. The tension in the room is palpable as Mika clears his throat.
"There are, of course, conditions," he says, his tone businesslike. "First and foremost, Dominic will be released immediately and will endure no further harm. Second, there will be a formal ceremony to seal the alliance between our families. And third..." He pauses, his gaze flickering between me and my brothers. "The child you carry will be raised to recognize both families, equally."
I feel a jolt of surprise at this last condition. The implications are staggering–our baby, a bridge between two powerful crime syndicates. It's a heavy burden to place on an unborn child, but I understand the necessity of it.
"Agreed," I say firmly, before either of my brothers can object. "But I have a condition of my own. This feud ends now. No more violence, no more retaliation. We start fresh, as allies."
Mika nods, a hint of respect in his eyes. "That was always my intention, Roisin. You know I never wanted to risk a war. Your brothers?"
Ciaran sighs heavily but nods. "Agreed."
My heart leaps at his words. "Dominic?" I ask, unable to keep the hope out of my voice.
Mika nods, a faint smile on his lips. "He's been asking after you since he learned of your collapse. Your brothers were... reluctant to allow it, but given the circumstances, I think it's time."
I struggle to my feet, ignoring the protests of my aching body. Ciaran moves to help me, but I wave him off. "I'm fine," I insist, even as I sway slightly. "Just take me to him. Please."
“Roisin, sit down!” Ciaran orders. “We’ll bring him to you.”
I reluctantly sink back onto the couch, my heart pounding with anticipation. The minutes stretch endlessly as I wait, straining to hear any sound of Dominic's approach.
Finally, I hear footsteps in the hallway. The door opens and there he is, supported between Liam and another of my brother's men. My breath catches in my throat at the sight of him.
Dominic looks battered and exhausted, his face bruised and his lip split. But his eyes–those intense dark eyes I've come to know so well–light up when they meet mine. Despite his obvious pain, he manages a small, crooked smile.
"Roisin," he breathes, his voice rough.
I'm on my feet before I realize it, stumbling towards him. Liam and the other man ease Dominic onto the couch and I collapse next to him, my hands hovering uncertainly over his injuries.
"Are you okay?" we both ask simultaneously, then share a weak laugh.
"I'm fine," I assure him, even as tears spring to my eyes. "But you..."
Dominic shakes his head, wincing slightly at the movement.
"It's nothing," he says softly, his eyes never leaving mine. "I've had worse." His hand reaches out, trembling slightly, to brush a strand of hair from my face. "You're really okay? The baby?"
I nod, leaning into his touch. "We're both fine. The doctor said it was an anxiety attack and I just need rest." I swallow hard, fighting back tears. "Dominic, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault-"
"No," he interrupts firmly. "None of this is your fault. We both made choices that led us here." His gaze flicks to Mika, then back to me. "I assume you've been told about... the arrangement?"
I nod again, suddenly nervous. "Are you... okay with it? I mean, I know you don't really have a choice, but-"
Dominic's laugh is soft and pained. "Roisin, marrying you isn't exactly a hardship." His expression turns serious. "But I need to know–is this what you truly want? I don't want you to feel trapped into a marriage that wasn’t your choice.”
I feel a rush of warmth at his words, at the sincerity in his eyes. Even battered and exhausted, he's thinking of my well-being first. It only confirms what I already knew in my heart.
I’d like to say more, but with the audience we have, it’s neither the time, nor the place. I’ve already laid myself bare far too much today. I’d at least like a little privacy before I admit my feelings to the man I’m about to marry.
I can only hope that Dominic feels a fraction of what I do, and his words don’t reflect his own opinion.