“Damn, little one, are ye playing nice?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Shut it.”
“I know another way ye could thank me,” he growled, smirking at me and curling his finger for me to come closer. I knew what he meant, and even though, I wanted to resist I moved in closer.
“Men,” I complained.
“What about men?” he grunted out, getting bent out of shape.
“You’re frustrating,” I muttered.
“Look who’s talking little one,” he whispered, sliding his hand around my waist and dragging me down to him. “I hate what yer family represents, but all I can think of is fucking my baby into yer tiny, little womb.”
I wanted to argue, but a big part of me wanted the same thing. “I’m not going to be payment for my brother stealing your woman.”
“She was never mine. Ye on the other hand…are…” His hand slid up to the back of the neck and pulled my face to his, kissing me slowly, claiming me. “Silvia,” he moaned, breaking our kiss. “Don’t leave, baby.” He closed his eyes and scared me for a minute, but then his vitals were normal. He passed back out, and I sat down on the chair next to his bed.
“He’s going to be just fine,” Mrs. Sullivan said, standing at the door with Mr. Sullivan.
I jumped up from the chair. “Um…Regan told me to keep an eye on him.”
“I’m sure she did.”
“I’m going to go check on my brother. Excuse me.” I left the room as fast as I could. I didn’t know how much they saw, but I had to stay away.
Chapter 6
Declan
I was being discharged today, so my ma was back at the house preparing a nice meal. While I waited to be released, I changed clothes.
“Ready?”
“Just about.” I took a seat on the bed then took a deep breath before I demanded, “Father, we need to have a talk.” I never called him father unless I was angry, and I most certainly was. What I witnessed boggled my mind. Since I told him about Franchetti coming, he has been on top of it and almost ready to take them or anyone on.
“About what? Do ye need me to deal with her father?” he asked, cocking his brow.
“What? I don’t,” I hollered. “I want to bloody know why the hell Mr. Daley and ye aren’t shaken up by the damn war going on?”
He took a moment to gather his thoughts. “Son, but I must confess something. I wasn’t always a farmer. Daley and I were mercenaries.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe what he just said.
“I’m telling ye, boy, we took jobs for money boy. It almost cost me everything…” He drifted off, and it struck me that he meant the accident all those years ago. “It broke me emotionally and physically. We took care of business when we recovered, but I hung up my tools and cracked on with the farming.”
“Ye should have told me,” I complained.
“Ye were just a little lad.”
“I was bloody fifteen.”
“Sure, but I didn’t need a hot head trying to even the score cause I knew ye would.”
“Damn bloody right.”
“But ye had no clue what to do. I didn’t want to lose ye. I almost lost yer mother and my world that day.”
“Can ye tell me about it?”
“Maybe some other time. Tell me about Silvia and what yer ma and I witnessed.”
“I want her.”
“She’s not a one-night stand kind of girl.”
“Da, I know. Her father’s a mobster.”
“That’s not what I mean. She’s a good little betty. Ye shouldn’t mess with girl’s feelings.”
“Da, if I have her, it’s forever. I hate myself for it, but I love her.”
Chapter 7
Silvia
The past few days passed by quickly, and Dante and Regan were getting married today. Dante didn’t want to wait another day to tie her to him. It was a shame her mother couldn’t be with her, but we just hoped she would pull through. My mother and Mrs. Sullivan stepped out of the room for a minute to handle the rest of the wedding preparation, and that was when Regan cornered me. “Silvia, can I ask ye something?”
“Sure,” I said, feeling uncertain about this conversation. We haven’t really spoken this whole time.
“Are ye interested in Declan?” she asked.
“No!” I blurted out. A little too quickly and by the change in her expression she thought the same thing.
“That was a fast response,” Regan accused, narrowing her eyes.
I shrugged it off. “Why waste time when I know the answer?”
“Well, I got the vibe that ye liked him. Ye fight like cats and dogs.”
“We’re not that bad. He’s just pissy because you left him for my brother and is taking it out on me.” It was my turn to throw out accusations.
She didn’t hesitate to answer it with a laugh, “Declan isn’t upset about Dante and me. We’ve talked about it twice now, and he has been nothing but supportive when it comes to Dante and me.”