Union

55.

Roel
There are red raw abrasions all over her face, it doesn't stop there going down the rest of her body. Every surface looks like Maria has peeled the skin back. Her mumble is clear enough for me to hear her repeating she's safe with me. That I won't hurt her. My angel is breaking my heart and putting it back together again with each rotation.
Seeing the redness wrap around her thighs I focus on her scraped face. I'm weak, if I focus on anything but her face I'll fucking crumble. "We'll be home soon. Stay with your sister and we'll leave as soon as I'm back." Maria's smile is small and she nods happy to get away from the cunts.
Instead of acting like I should and treating her raw wounds, I take the chicken shit route and pass it off to Angeline. Wrapping Maria in a towel loosely, my hands stay on her back as I lift her away from the glass littering the floor. My lips automatically go to her shoulder and she gasps smiling wider at me. My angel wraps her arms around my neck so tight she nearly cuts off my air but she nuzzles into my neck and whispers giving me all I need. "Missed you."
Maria is too light in my arms and I can feel her spine against my forearm. Every little thing is being added to the anger I'll unleash on the fuckers who done this. The benefit of my cursed soul is meeting the cunts in hell, I'll be the reason for their fucking torture in this life and the next.
Angeline stands holding a hospital gown out to Maria, the tears staining her face can't be hidden behind the tight smile she gives her baby sister but she tries. "Let me know when you're ready." She doesn't linger and walks out on unsteady feet as I set Maria on her feet.
Opening the fabric out so she can put her arms with the towel still wrapped around her body, Maria's body moves slowly weighed down with exhaustion. Once it's on she doesn't say anything and lays back in the middle of the bed with her eyes closed. Stroking her hair away from her forehead I give her my the only thing I have. "I love you." It's not enough but she smiles like it's everything and lets me press it into her skin.
My sister in law is fighting tears when I tell her Maria's ready. "Stay with her, we'll be back and some of our men are outside." She nods but then the anger comes back as she grabs my arm stopping me leaving. "My parents knew." My blood boils with anger so hot it's fucking ice. Looking at her hand on me I itch to rip it off her body in threat if she answers wrong. "And you?"
Shock has her face paling and eyes going wide but it's not an answer. Gripping her wrist she winces but it doesn't stop me as I walk her away from the sister she's very close to never seeing again. "Did you know that sick fuck kidnapped my wife, that he was raping her, one of six she told me." Her back hits the wall literally and figuratively with nowhere to escape. "Did you know and leave her there?"
Angeline shakes her head and big fat emotional tears fall. "No. I called them when you told me and they said the deal was already done." There's no lie in her features but I search anyway, not finding anything but the truth I step back and wait for her fucking explanation. Rubbing her wrist she doesn't hold any resentment towards me, a sense of respect in her eyes as she softly whispers her parents crimes. "The agreement was arranged when she was still a little girl, 14 or 15. Ernesto offered to wipe my fathers debts and he's been paying them since then."
Without realising she's just made herself an orphan and the only surviving member of her family. Maria isn't part of their fucked up shit, she's mine. My only family and my everything. "Stay with her, I'll be back later than expected." There's no tears at the insinuation laced between my words and she nods going to Maria's side.

After relaying the facts leading to the extra deaths to the others, only Niko fucking agrees with me. Lucky and H both standing with their arms crossed trying to stop us moving. "It's not our territory and there are rules about women." Verelli's fucking bullshit pisses me off.
Moving further away from the house in case Maria is in earshot, I wait until there's no one near us to prove my point. "What rules? That woman are protected? Don't rape, kill or torture them?" The dumb fuck is too slow to realise and nods his head once. "Then why the fuck did all of that happen to my fucking wife?!"
Playing fucking boss both of them look at each other, but I stop their conversation before it can start. "You aren't the head of the Kadare's. And this isn't business, whatever punishment comes I'll accept it." Will they fuck pull rank when they aren't head of the enterprise, I'm not one of their fucking soldiers to be ordered around.
Finally fucking seeing I won't back down H steps back and taps away on his stupid ass phone. "I'll ask Don Vito for a concession." Leaving him to his pathetic ass begging I go to leave when a soft croak gets my attention. "Roel?" Maria stands at the open door dressed in my sweats and a different hoodie than the blood soaked ones.
Putting my anger on hold the distance is erased in quick strides as I take the steps two at a time until I'm in front of her. Her skin is still red and cold when I cup her cheeks but she leans into the touch instead of away. "What's wrong Angel?" With shaky hands that are like ice, Maria holds my wrists pushing them harder against her skin and sighs. "Are you going to kill them?" It's a whisper but I look behind me in case there's anyone on the property who shouldn't be.
I've never hid who I am from my angel and I won't start now, I won't allow her to think their lives are worth saving. "Yeah, we'll go home after I'm done." She smiles at the word home and relaxes. "Can I come with you? I don't want to be alone and I want to find Giulio." The name isn't familiar and sourness settles in my gut at a mama name coming out of my wife's mouth. Sadness fills her eyes mixing with gratitude as she stares off replaying a memory. "He's only a boy and he helped me." The kid who was trying to help us holding out his hand sneakily, that's the one Maria is talking about. Nodding my agreement because I owe a child more than any man, she smiles wider and goes back inside.
While Maria goes to find shoes, I keep an eye on the door and stop beside Niko keeping my voice low. "Take another car, once we're done I'll deal with the other two on my own. She doesn't need to know." Looking up at the darkening sky he asks. "What about before? She doesn't need to see the shit you're going to do." Maria comes out with her sister trailing after her making this a full fucking family outing. "She wants to find the kid." Niko nods and goes off to check with H while they make their way to me.
Opening the door for Maria she has some colour back in her cheeks and her smile is bigger. If this is what it takes for her to come back to me I'll paint the world red. Angeline slides into the back with a mixed horror and vengeance on her face. At least she can make herself useful and stay with Maria while I deal with the cunts.

Pulling up in Don Vito's courtyard the silence in the car is replaced with tension. The 'Ndrangheta run this area and I don't know what my angel witnessed growing up with us all having different rules but she shakes it away. Taking her hand before she can get out, I press my apology into her knuckles. "Wait for me." There's more meaning to my words than she knows, if she checks out I'll be following her into whatever dream land she chooses.
Rounding the car her smile is bigger again as I open her door, such a small fucking act that I'll never forget to do again. Her hand is still like ice as I thread our fingers together and walk into the old bastards house. Don Vito is an old man, somehow he's managed to outlive the threats against his life and there's a harshness to him when he assesses me. It softens when he nods at Maria and Angeline welcoming them inside.
Verelli steps out, it's fucking creepy the way they can all switch from the men who I can shoot the shit with to the bosses they are. Niko is the only fucker being his usual angry self even though the humours kissing. Seeing H's grandmother Maria relaxes and goes into her open arms. They've been around each other enough to settle me and the older woman nods her head in respect and understanding that she'll keep her occupied while I do what needs to be done.
Following the others now that I know Maria won't be rattling inside her mind, soft footsteps follow behind me. "Roel, don't leave me." My angel has never been needy, she's aloof by her own design, confident in a way that made me want to be next to her and strong in who she is.
Keeping all of the heartbreak out of my features, I go to her like I will every fucking time. Cupping her cheeks I press my lips to the only skin she'll allow me to. "I will never leave you, engjëlli. I've got to take care of this, wait for me." Her deep blues are lighter some of the dullness leaving and she takes a fortifying breath before going back inside.
Joining the others I enter the underground torture chamber and the first fucking face I see is one I regret ever knowing. Alira sits with her hands and feet bound with zip ties and sighs in relief thinking I'll fucking save her. Straightening her spine she becomes the evil bitch she truly is and spits at Don Vito. "I told you he was my brother, you'll make him pay won't you Roel?" Tilting her nose in the air like she's something fucking special my hands itch to beat her to death so she knows what betrayal feels like.
Never in my life have I raised my hand to a woman. My one rule, don't hurt those who are weaker than you. It's not about mental strength but biology and training. I'm bigger than any woman I've ever met and trained for this shit. Her mother flirted with that line for 15 fucking years and now this cunt just done the long jump over it. The only thing stopping me using my hands is the image of the little girl in pink kitty pyjamas.
My heavy steps echo around the closed in space but she doesn't hear the gavel sounding declaring me as her executioner. Alira looks up at me holding her bound wrists out like that means shit to me. "Remember the story I used to tell you every year on your birthday?" The memory comes from nowhere and she nods faking emotion with a watery smile. "Yeah, the big brother bear who would get stung by the bees so the little bears could have some honey." She recounts it easily and I nod along. No wonder she's won award as an actress, I almost fucking believe her. "I left a part out." Her brows come together at my ominous tone. Not letting her try and piece it together I stop before my limbs react and end her. "The big brother bear grew up and the little bitch bear made him see she wasn't worth the stings."
Opening her mouth to plead a case that's already been tried, one shot stops everything and dead dark eyes drain of life before me. The sound echoes off the cavernous space shouting how that little girl was still there. She wasn't, my little sister wouldn't conspire to kidnap and rape. She wouldn't sit pretending it's a vacation while her little prick of a boyfriend was raping my wife.