Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
How did this happen? Because of me. The only reason we were in that lecture hall was because of me. I fucked up. I should have stayed home. Now, Emilio is locked behind bars for a murder I committed.
I tried to tell the police it was me. They didn’t believe me, insisted I was covering for Emilio. They were running the prints on the knife. Some of mine will still probably be on it. How clean could Emilio possibly have gotten it? I have no idea.
All I know is that I need to get him out of there. No way is he doing time for a murder I committed.
When the lawyers walk into Tío E’s office, I stand. I was brought back here after my dad collected me from the police station.
“Is he coming home?” I know it’s a stupid question.
“Not yet,” Mr. Valentino says. “But we need to talk.”
“About?”
“You lied to the police, Frankie. Did you think they won’t check?”
“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true,” I tell him.
“You told them Emilio was your husband and that you can’t be used to testify against him,” Mr. Valentino says.
“Oh, that.” I fall onto the sofa. “I panicked.”
“You also told them you were the one who stabbed the victim,” Mrs. Valentino adds.
“That wasn’t a lie,” I whisper.
“What?” My dad’s head snaps towards me.
“It was me,” I attempt to explain. “Hudson was there. He saw it.”
My brother is sitting next to me. He hasn’t left my side since I got back here. “She didn’t have a choice. The fucker grabbed her from behind. We couldn’t get a clean shot.”
“Fucking Emilio.” Tío E shakes his head.
“I’m sorry. I tried to tell them. I said it was me but they wouldn’t believe me. And Emilio, he…”
“He what?” Tío E asks.
“He wiped the knife off and then picked it up.”
“Of course he fucking did,” Tío E growls.
“I’m sorry.” I can’t help the tears that fall down my face.
“It’s not your fault, princesa. It’s Emilio’s fucking need to always bail you out of trouble without any regard for himself,” Tío E tells me.
“It’s still my fault. I should have stayed home. This wouldn’t have happened if I stayed home.”
“When they discover you lied, they’re going to push you harder, Frankie. They will use you against him. You have two choices: lie on the stand and risk being charged for it, or tell the truth and risk being charged for murder,” Mrs. Valentino says, sitting down across from me.
“No.” I shake my head. “We can just make it so I didn’t lie.”
“What do you mean?” she asks.
“Get me some marriage certificates or papers whatever it is. I’ll sign them. Mr. Valentino can take them to Emilio and he can sign them too. Surely Tío E and my dad can get a judge to backdate the filing.”
“Absolutely fucking not!” my dad yells.
“Yes,” I tell him.
“This is not the reason you fucking marry someone, Frankie, or how.”
“Would it be better if I was dared to marry him on a drunken night out?” I raise a challenging brow. That’s how my parents ended up married in a Vegas chapel two days after meeting. My father dared my mother to marry him, and she took him up on the offer.
“She has a point.” Tío E smiles.
“No, she fucking doesn’t. You’re not marrying Emilio.”
“I am. Tío E, find someone to do the papers. I’ll sign them. I’m not letting anyone use me against your son.” My voice is firm. I’ve made up my mind. I’m doing this.
“Frankie, think about this. It’s marriage. He could go away for life for this,” Dad tries again.
“Then I will spend the rest of my life visiting him,” I counter. “And he’s not. Mr. Valentino will get him out. Right?” I look to Emilio’s lawyer.
“We should have a bail hearing in a few days. The marriage papers will help. And that knife? It needs to disappear, any evidence of its existence along with it.”
“Already done.” Aunt Lailani walks in, holding up a plastic evidence bag.
“How the fuck did you get that?” Tío E asks her.
“I have my ways. Don’t worry. No one will ever know.” She smirks as she passes the bag to my uncle, who hands it to Elias.
“Melt it down,” Tío E says.
“On it.” Elias walks out of the room with the bag.
“I’ll sort out the paperwork. You going to be able to get him out on bail?”
“He’s a flight risk. You and I both know that. It depends on what judge they assign.”
“Find out who’s on the docket, and I’ll pay their family a visit,” Tío E grunts.
“Yeah, how about we try this my way first? If it doesn’t work, it’s all yours,” Mr. Valentino replies.
“What can I do?” I ask them.
“You can stay here. Don’t leave the house. Don’t talk to anyone, especially the cops.”
“Okay. Can I talk to him? Emilio?”
“I’ll give you a call when I’m with him tomorrow,” Mr. Valentino says. “Have faith that he’ll be home soon.”
“Thank you.”
When the lawyers leave, my dad kneels in front of me. “Princess, this… It’s not how I ever pictured you getting married. I’m supposed to walk you down an aisle. You’re supposed to be in a big white dress.”
“That can still happen, Daddy, when Emilio comes home.” I don’t bother telling him I had no intention of ever doing that, and if it weren’t for the current situation, I wouldn’t be considering marriage at all.
“Hudson, take your sister upstairs and stay with her.” Dad stands. He doesn’t like this decision, but I’m going to do whatever I have to do to get Emilio out of there.
I’ve been waiting for the last hour for my phone to ring. I know Mr. Valentino is going to see Emilio today and give him the papers I need him to sign to make us married. Tío E had everything backdated by two weeks. I didn’t hesitate to sign them. I want to do this.
Alfie is sitting in the corner. I’m holed up in Emilio’s room, wearing his hoodie and curled up on his bed. My brothers have been taking turns keeping me company, their words. I know my dad has told them not to leave my side. I don’t know what he thinks I’m going to do.
I snap my phone up from the bed. “Hello.”
“Frankie, are you out of your damn little pretty head?” Emilio’s voice sounds rough, angry.
Shit. He hates me. He’s locked up because of me. Maybe this fuck-up is the one that finally pushes him over the edge.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not signing these papers, Frankie. This isn’t what you want,” he says.
“What?”
“Marriage? Really?”
“You don’t want to marry me? I understand,” I say, my voice quiet.
Alfie stands and walks over to me. I shake my head and hold up a hand, telling him to stop.
“I’ve wanted to marry you since I was sixteen, Frankie. But I know you, and you have been very clear on where you stand with marriage. I know you don’t want this.”
“I changed my mind,” I tell him. “I want to be yours, Emilio Lopez, so sign the damn papers.”
“No. I’m not doing this to you.”
“Yes. I made this choice, not anyone else. I made your dad get the papers. I signed them already. I want this, Emilio.”
“Why?”
“Because I won’t be used against you. Please,” I beg. “You’re only there because of me. If I can take out their one witness, if that’s the only thing I can do to help your case, then I want to do it.”
“You really want me to make you my wife?” Emilio asks.
“I want you to let me make you my husband,” I tell him.
“Okay.”
“You’ll sign them?”
“Frankie Lopez, you are now mine. Forever,” he says. I can hear the scribble of a pen across paper.
“I was already yours forever. We didn’t need a piece of paper to tell us that,” I reply. “How are you? Are you okay? Are they treating you all right? Wait… Mr. Valentino?”
“Yes, Mrs. Lopez?” the lawyer answers.
“Yeah, that’s going to take a while to get used to.” I smile. “I’m his wife. I can come and see him now, right? Don’t they allow special visits for wives?”
“That’s in prison. He’s not there yet, Mrs. Lopez. We’re waiting on a bail hearing date. You can see him at the courthouse,” Mr. Valentino says.
“I would prefer if you stayed home, Frankie. I don’t want you there if it doesn’t go our way,” Emilio says.
“And you aren’t the boss of me, Mr. Lopez. Just because you’re my husband, don’t think I’m going to blindly follow your orders. I’ll see you in the courtroom. Te amo.”
“Te amo,” Emilio repeats, and the phone cuts off.