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The priest gesturesfor 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 anamen.
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. Wewillfind 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.
CHAPTER26
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.
CHAPTER27
Dom
