“Really?” I can’t help the sneer that comes out of my mouth. “What about those two? You really believe they give a shit about me?”
He nods and I step closer to him, he instantly pulls me into his arms. “They don’t care about me. I’m the reason ma’s dead,” I tell him quietly and his arms convulse around me, tightening as it does. “I’ve got what they’ve desperately wanted for their entire lives. They hate me.”
I feel like that twelve-year-old girl that was lying on the floor bleeding out. Vulnerable.
“I don’t give a shit,” he growls in my ear. “You’ve been through so much and came out fighting. You’ll always have my love and loyalty, Kenna, always,” he tells me and I sink further into his embrace. “If they don’t see that, then they’re fucking idiots.”
I pull back and I’m instantly pulled into Da’s arms. “I’m so fucking sorry, Kenna, I should have protected you and I didn’t.”
I take a deep breath and nod. “It’s okay, Da, you did what you thought was right. I’ve forgiven you. I did a long time ago.”
He sucks in a deep breath and his entire body shudders. “Love you, baby girl. Always have and always will. I’m sorry that you felt that you were alone.”
“It’s okay, Da. I’m just being bitchy. I don’t like being put into a corner. I tend to get my back up.”
He chuckles, “Yeah, I know that feeling. Your brothers are being bastards, they’re jealous and when they fucking see that they’ll realize just how much they’ve fucked up.”
I pull out of his arms and look up into his eyes. The pain in them is so much that it takes everything I have not to look away. “They're hurting right now, Ma’s dead, and they’re feeling it. I get that. They blame me; I’m the only one they can blame.”
“You quite finished?” Granda asks and I nod. “Good. Finn, Patrick, and Cian leave us. We’ve business to discuss.” The boys look furious at being made to leave, but do as they’re told. Once the door closes, I take my seat again. “Makenna, have you thought about who your Underbosses are going to be? You have Connecticut, Philadelphia, DC, and New Jersey.”
I hide my grin, those fucking bastards doubted me and they paid the price. Nobody undermines me and gets away with it.
“I have for Connecticut, and Philly, but not the others.”
He nods in approval, “Who have you in mind for the job?”
“Romero for Connecticut as he’s marrying Holly, it’ll be his wedding gift and Finn for Philly.”
Granda’s grin spreads across his lips, “I agree with both of them. What about Pat and Cian?”
I scoff, “Why would I have anyone working below me that I don’t trust to have my back?”
Now it’s Da who grins widely. “I wouldn’t have anyone work for me that I don’t trust.”
Granda nods. “Okay, well maybe think about having two of your men move up the ranks.”
“Yeah, I’ll think about it. I have a few in mind,” I tell him absently. I had wanted to ask Patrick and Cian but that shit’s not going to happen any time soon. If they want the position, they’re going to have to work for it.
Shouting pulls us from our conversation and I’m on my feet and moving toward the door. When I open it I see Patrick and Cian standing on one side of the room and Finn, Danny, Dante, Romero, Alessio, and Killian standing on the other. It’s like they’re having a stand-off.
“You two are a fucking joke,” Finn growls. “What you said to her in there was out of fucking line. She’s our sister.”
“What the fuck did you say to my wife?” Dante demands moving past Finn and stalking toward Patrick and Cian. “What. Did. You. Say. To. Her?” He clips out each word.
“Enough!” Granda yells and I walk toward Dante, needing to touch him. “This shit isn’t going to happen anymore. Your father and sister are the Bosses. You have a problem with that, come to me about it. You ever show the disrespect I saw in that room again, I’ll see to it that you’ll disappear from the face of the earth. Do I make myself clear?”
Both of them nod, looking contrite. Stupid fuckers.
Dante pulls me into his arms and I place my hand on his chest, feeling the beat of his heart beneath my fingers, loving the way it settles me. “You okay?” he asks quietly.
“We’ll talk about it later,” I assure him as I tighten my arms around him. I lift my head so that I can see his face. “Thank you for not killing my brothers.”
His lips twitch, “It’s only fair, you restrain the urge to kill mine on a daily basis.”
I can’t help but laugh at that, “That is true.” I pull out of his arms but instead of releasing me, he leans down and captures my lips, giving me a long, hard kiss.
“Jesus Christ,” Finn mutters. “Get a goddamn room.”
“Everyone sit,” Granda instructs us.
I can’t keep the smile from my face. I reach for his hand and pull him toward the sofa. He keeps his hand in mine as we sit.
“As you all know, between Da and I we run the Irish on the east coast. What you don’t know is that I have a few vacant Underboss positions.”
Danny chuckles, “That’s because you’ve killed them.”
I glare at him, “I have four vacant positions and I’m filling two of them. Romero is marrying Holly and therefore he’ll be my Underboss of Connecticut. Finn, you’ll be my Underboss of Philly.”
I watch as my brother’s eyes widen before he grins. “Fuck, Kenna, I’m honored.”
I smile and give him a nod. I knew he’d be the one for the job.
“Who’re the other two positions going to?” Patrick asks, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
“Not you two fucking pricks,” Dante snarls and I place my hand on his thigh, trying to soothe him. The last thing we need is bloodshed.
“You and Cian will be working for me, you have six weeks to show me that you deserve to be made Underboss. You’ll do whatever the hell I tell you and you’ll do it without a fucking complaint. If you so much as disrespect me or Dante, there will be blood spilled.”
They both nod and I see the guilt in their eyes, they went too far in Da’s office and it’s going to take a while before I’ll be able to forgive them. Today has been a hell of a fucking day and I can’t wait to get home and crawl into bed beside Dante.
“Now that’s sorted out, your brother is outside waiting. Danny, go let him in,” Granda instructs him and turns to Finn, Patrick, and Cian. “Denis, Danny, and Malcom are Bosses. Remember that.” Granda’s voice is hard.
“Piss me off anymore today and I’m going to lose my temper,” I warn them, the anger of what happened in the office still on the surface. Dante’s hand goes to my nape where he begins to massage it. Instantly my anger starts to diminish.
“I’m sorry for what I said, I was way out of line,” Cian begins and Dante’s hand tenses on the back of my neck. “It’s been a fucked up few days and I shouldn’t have taken my anger and frustration out on you.”
I nod. “Apology accepted.” I don’t turn to Patrick, if he were to apologize now, I wouldn’t accept it, it would just be because Cian did.