Chapter 10
SOFIA
Aday later, Maggie marched me through the glass doors of a bright, high-end department store in an air-conditioned mall in Vermont.
She pushed a chrome shopping cart with purpose, her eyes scanning the racks of cotton blouses, denim trousers, and leather boots while she pulled garments from the hangers.
Maggie dropped a stack of cotton tees into the basket, followed by a stunning dress.
‘You’ll need a full wardrobe for the Tennessee humidity, Sofia. Most of all, a simple, elegant dress for the courthouse tomorrow morning. My son has a black titanium card, and it’s our civic duty to stretch it. He told me I’ve no limits and I plan to test his word.’
I ran my fingers over the smooth silk of the ivory-colored dress she pulled on, the fabric cool and luxe.
‘It’s far too beautiful, signora. Also too expensive.’
‘Call me Maggie, love,’ she corrected with a gentle smile, taking the garment from my hands and holding it up to my shoulders to gauge the length. ‘And you deserve it all; we all need a little joy in our lives every so often. This tone suits you. We’ll take it.’
She piled her shopping cart with more selections, and I, helpless to say no, followed her lead, picking a few pieces I liked.
As we walked toward the shoe department, my initial excitement at the unexpected shopping trip gave way to a disquieting worry.
What the hell was I doing right now?
I was about to marry a tall, inked, muscled rock star I had just met and move to Nashville with him.
I’d be living under his roof, invading his personal space, and playing house with a total stranger.
This wasn’t some casual roommate situation; I’d be invading his privacy as his inconvenient wife.
How was he even going to treat me behind closed doors?
He appeared to be the type who lived for his quiet routine.
The second I messed up his vibe or got on his nerves, what was stopping him from just tossing me out at a moment’s warning?
I’d be at his mercy, stranded in a strange city with zero backup. Praying he wouldn’t just lose his mind and dump me on the curb the minute he got annoyed by my existence.
‘He won’t bite, you know,’ Maggie said, reading my thoughts, speaking into my spiraling concern. ‘Jude will be a total gentleman, Sofia. I raised him right. If he fumbles the ball even once, you call me immediately and I’ll chew his head off.’
Despite myself, I chuckled at the fierce, protective expression in her eyes. I wanted to believe her; I did, but on the other hand, I couldn’t picture it.
Her son wasn’t some soft-hearted guy who aimed to please.
Jude was forbidding and brooding, carrying himself with aloofness, making the idea of domestic bliss with him feel like a huge gamble.
Maggie picked up a pair of leather flats, turning them over to check the sole before her blue eyes found mine.
‘Jude told me about your parents, Sofia,’ Maggie murmured just above the store’s music, changing the subject. ‘I’m sorry for your loss. It’s a heavy burden to navigate this world without them.’
A sudden ache squeezed my ribs, and I tightened my grip on the handle of the shopping cart. I swallowed the dryness in my throat, staring down at my scuffed sneakers.
‘Thank you. I miss mum. Every single day, I think about her. Also about my dad.’
‘You have anyone else?’
‘I have three brothers who are itinerant farmers, and my cousin and Aunt.’
Maggie stepped closer, her hand settling over my wrist.
‘I understand that pain, darling. My own mother passed away when I was in my thirties. Even now, as an older woman, I still find myself wanting to dial her number when things get messy. It’s a scar that never fades.’
She gave me a reassuring squeeze.
‘Jude carries his own set of scars, you know. His bio father walked out on us. That’s where his detachment comes from.
He learned very early to build barriers around his heart so nobody could abandon him again.
For years after that man left, we were lost and broken, functioning like a kitchen chair that’s missing one leg. ’
The analogy resonated with me, capturing the fractured reality I survived for the past couple of years.
‘That’s how I feel every morning when I wake up. Like a stool without one support. Just waiting to collapse.’
Maggie’s mouth curved into a warm smile.
‘Well, you don’t have to balance on three legs anymore.
Now you have me. As a friend for life, at the very least. I don’t care what the legal documents say or where you end up living after this nonsense is sorted.
Whatever you need, whether it’s a shopping date or just someone to curse out the world with, you call me. Understood?’
‘Yes, Maggie. I understand.’
At one point, Maggie insisted I try on a ridiculous, oversized sun hat.
On seeing what I looked like in it in the store mirror, we both dissolved into bouts of breathless, snorting laughter right in the middle of the shop.
We bought more shoes, tees, trousers, a skirt, and shorts for me, plus a few items for her.
Maggie took immense delight in handing Jude’s black credit card to the cashier.
She chuckled to herself as the receipt machine chattered out a long ribbon of paper.
‘Jude’s rehearsing a guitar solo in his room, lost to the world,’ Maggie joked, tossing the shopping bags into my arms with a wicked glint in her eyes. ‘He has no idea he just relinquished a small fortune.’
By the time we got back to her home, Kian had done his magic, and the bureaucratic machinery was well underway.
Our marriage license application was in progress.
He also announced a deal with the feds, provided I made myself available as a material witness at the prosecutor’s request.
24 hours later, I stood in a drafty room deep within the Vermont County Administration Center.
I wore my new cream dress, and Jude was by my side in black from head to toe as we signed our names on a thick decree.
This was happening.
I was in disbelief about being married, and doubts flooded my mind.
Was I delusional for having agreed to this marriage of inconvenience?
Would Jude keep his word and treat me with respect?
I was an extrovert, while I sensed Jude was more the brooding, isolated type.
Would our incompatibility result in strife and chaos?
He was also freakin’ handsome and downright sexy.
Was our transactional agreement sustainable in the long term without losing my dignity?
I jolted from my musings when a state magistrate stamped the paperwork that bound our fates together.
It was done now; it was too late to back out.
We were joined, not for life, but for now.
The threats from Dario kept coming on my phone, so after the small ceremony, Jude and I packed up to leave Vermont.
We left Maggie’s house mid-afternoon as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon.
At the front door, I handed my device to Kian for monitoring.
Moments later, the screen flashed with another demand.
‘That’s the third one in twenty minutes,’ Kian said, sliding the smartphone into his uniform shirt pocket. ‘He’s getting desperate.’
‘Let him spin his wheels,’ Jude growled as he opened the door, hoisting my single canvas tote bag over his shoulder as we headed to the waiting SUV.
‘What if he and the Compagni family never stop coming at me?’ I asked.
Jude reached out, his tattooed hand gripping my elbow and turning me to face him.
‘Sofia, he won’t be able to track you down in Nashville. If he does, he’ll soon come to realize I’m a trained SAS sniper with enough protection to keep you safe.’
‘Alright,’ I whispered, my voice caught in the back of my throat as I hurried to match his long stride to the car.
The engine roared to life, and we left Maggie’s stunning cottage.
The pretty house disappeared from view, leaving me with a knot of worry in my chest.
The weekend had been a temporary escape, and now reality waited around the corner.
While Kian navigated the highway traffic toward the airport, Jude called his bandmates.
I heard him say that he was missing a few days of practice due to a family matter.
He kept murmuring into the phone as Maggie turned to me.
‘We aren’t letting you get on that aircraft empty-handed, darling. Kian, pull up right at the main terminal entrance. We’ve got a couple of stops inside before you newlyweds get to the plane.’
Jude groaned. ‘Really?’
‘You’ve an hour until the flight takes off,’ Kian replied, checking his rearview mirror. ‘Make it quick, folks.’
The truck came to a halt in a parking slot, and Jude was out of his door, rounding the hood to help me out.
With our luggage in hand, we all then tracked into the terminal.
Maggie found a high-end jewelry and electronics shop in one, with gleaming gemstone rings, bracelets, and wristwatches in glass cases.
‘Pick fast, please,’ Jude muttered, pulling out his titanium credit card from his wallet and tossing it onto the counter. ‘Whatever fits your finger, Sofia. Let’s not turn this into a three-hour shopping excursion.’
‘It’s tradition, can’t rush it,’ Maggie retorted. ‘Kian bought my ring in a duty-free shop in Nashville twenty years ago before he flew across the world chasing after me.’
Jude shook his head in exasperation, and I pressed my lips to stop laughing at their dynamic.
‘I’ve no clue where to start,’ I murmured, blinking at the display.
‘This one,’ Maggie declared, pointing through the glazing at a delicate platinum band set with a brilliant, clear diamond in a square-cut design.
The store attendant opened the case for us and took my hand, sliding the metal over my knuckle.
Maggie clapped her hands together. ‘Look at that. It’s a perfect match.’
I stared at the glinting stone in wonder, then at Jude as the tiny price tag left me blinking.
‘It’s, it’s too much, I can’t accept this.’
‘I don’t do cheap,’ he growled, with some impatience. ‘We’ll take the latest iPhone as well. Wrap it up.’
Minutes later, the ring was mine.
The salesman at the store also configured my new phone, transferring my contacts from my old device and setting it up in no time.
Jude grabbed the small velvet box and the iPhone bag.
We then headed to the terminal, where Jude hugged his parents.
‘Love you,’ he rasped.
‘Love you more, honey,’ Maggie said, kissing him on both cheeks, then giving him a long hug.
Next, Maggie wrapped me in her arms, while Kian and Jude bumped fists.
‘Take care of him for me,’ Maggie whispered in his ear. ‘He acts all gruff and tough, but he’s a softie inside who needs a fantastic woman to bring down his walls.’
‘I’ll do my best, signora,’ I murmured, not sure what I could be that woman for him. Especially given that Jude and I didn’t have a relationship based on love.
‘Thank you for everything, it’s much appreciated,’ I told her.
I stepped back from her clasp, and Maggie smiled at me.
‘It’ll work out, you’ll see. You both feel right to me, and I’m never wrong.’
‘Maggie, you’re relentless,’ Jude groaned again, shaking his head at her. ‘Cut it out.’
She laughed as she waved, stepping into Kian’s arms.
I waved back as a pang of feeling hit.
I was going to miss Jude’s parents; they’d been so kind to me.
‘You ready for this?’ Jude growled as he maneuvered our bags towards the gate.
My stomach did a slow flip.
‘As I’ll ever be,’ I lied, clutching the strap of my purse close like a shield.
I was in the hands of a husband who’d married me purely to protect me and, I believed, was not entirely happy about it.
I was also heading toward a city I’d never seen, leaving everything I knew behind in the dust.
There was no going back.