Chapter 19
“No, you’re free to go. For now. Agent Daniels will walk you out.”
Madison had no idea what had happened. It was as if she woke up in the twilight zone.
Henry was dead, Dante would be in jail, and she was alone, with the possibility of going to jail too.
Madison didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t sure if she should call anyone.
The only person’s number she had who could help Dante was Enzo’s.
There was no reason for her to have Gabe or Lucca’s numbers since she only dealt with Dante and Enzo.
Less Enzo now that she and Dante were dating.
She didn’t want to talk to him, but she would do it if it helped get Dante out of jail.
At home, Madison used her phone to call Enzo. She didn’t think it was a texting situation.
“Hello?”
“Hi. It’s Madison.”
“I know.”
“Oh. Ok. Well I was calling to tell you that—”
“You’re now interested in dating me now that Dante’s been arrested.”
“What? How do you know?”
“I knew you would see the light when Dante was out of the picture.”
“Ew, no. I mean how did you know he was arrested? That’s why I was calling you to get help for him.”
“Of course you would. He gets a phone call.”
“And he called you?”
“No, he called the lawyer.”
“Who told you?” Madison was still confused. He wasn’t explaining how he knew.
“No. Look it doesn’t matter how I found out. I’m willing to take you back. Dante will be in federal prison for a long time.”
“You can’t take me back. You never had me.” She hung up.
What a weirdo. She had no idea Enzo was so unhinged.
She was resting on the sofa when her front door opened. She jumped up. Had they come to get her? The only people who had a key was Henry who wasn’t using it, and Dante who was in jail.
“Enzo, if that’s you, leave now or I’ll call the cops.”
She looked around the room for something to use and picked up her phone.
“Madison.”
“Dante?” She turned around.
He came into the room.
“Dante. What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in jail?”
“I got out. Why did you think I was Enzo?” He stopped in front of her.
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and kept them crossed. “I just called him to get help for you.”
“I got a call.”
“I know he told me. You called the lawyer. I didn’t know how he knew.”
“We always get a call or at least we can say I want a lawyer and they have to stop. Enzo would know that.”
Madison nodded. “Yeah, I guess. I was just surprised with things happening so fast that he would know you were in jail.”
Dante’s face took on a confused look, but cleared up.
“Why are you here?”
“I had to come here after they took you in.”
She opened her arms for him. “I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. I still don’t know what to do. They said they could make me testify and if I don’t tell them what they want to know they will put me in jail.”
“You don’t have to worry. You don’t know anything.” He cupped her face in his hand.
“Well, you told me that you were changing things up.”
“Right, but you don’t know what.”
“But they think I do. You said this wouldn’t touch me.”
He kissed her forehead. “I know, and I’m sorry. The only way I can protect you all the way is for us to get married. Then you could invoke spousal immunity, and they can’t make you testify.”
Madison pulled back. “I don’t know if I want to do that. Is there another way? I never wanted to be married.”
“It’s the only way I know of that is quick, and that I can guarantee you protection.”
“Ok, then I guess I have to do it.”
“I’ll go and make the arrangements.”
And then he was gone again. Madison had no idea what was going on anymore. She didn’t know which way was up. She floundered and had nothing to hold onto except for Dante’s promise to protect her, through marriage.
How did that even work? She looked it up and once they were married on paper, she wouldn’t have to testify. Dante had been right. It was pretty straightforward.
****
Madison was sketching at the table when her doorbell rang.
She opened the door part way and peeked out. “Lucca?” It was Lucca and his father, who Madison now knew was the head of the family.
“Can we come in?”
Madison was nervous and afraid to have a mafia don in her place. Especially after what happened to Dante. And he was coming to see her for a reason. It couldn’t be good. She didn’t know if she could take any more bad news. “Come in. You can sit down in the dining area.”
“Thank you, we won’t take much of your time. Dante told us you’re grieving. We are also sorry for your loss,” Lucca said.
“Thank you.”
“We’ve come to get you for the marriage,” Lucca said.
“Already? That was fast.”
“Dante wanted it done fast to protect you as soon as possible,” the Don said.
“Oh. Ok. What do I need to do?”
“All you need to do is come with us,” Lucca said
“When they interviewed you, did you say anything?” the Don asked.
“No. I don’t know anything to tell them.”
“We have a judge. He’ll marry you two, and there you go.” the Don said.
“Ok.” Madison looked around. “Right. Well, I don’t want to go to jail, so if this is the only way to avoid it, then I’ll do it.”
“Great choice. We will take you to the courthouse to meet with the judge who will be marrying you two,” the Don said.
“Great.”
Madison excused herself and went to change. She guessed she should wear something other than lounge clothes to be married in. She picked a slate gray piece she had made after her and Dante had been having regular sleepovers.
It reminded her of his eyes and how they looked when trained on her. She hadn’t worn it before. She had been saving it for something special. It was fancy with a ruffle skirt to make it flirty.
What was more special than your wedding?
They hustled her to the car, and she didn’t have time to ask how spousal immunity worked besides what she had read on the internet.
She was nervous to see Dante again. They still hadn’t spoken since he had come to her apartment.
Before that, she had been able to avoid him.
That was why his arrival at the service surprised her.
All too soon they arrived, and she was ushered into some judge’s chambers.
Dante was there in the same suit from the morning. Her eyes scanned over him, and he was as handsome as ever. Their eyes met, and the familiar spark ignited. The tug at her center that was there the first time they had met across the bar at the club.
Was it the same for him? Had it disappeared for him? Or even worse, had it never been there and was just a line he had used to get into her pants?
Dante walked over to her. “Hi.”
She gave a wave. “Hi.”
“I’m glad you could come.” He reached for her hand.
Madison let him take her hand. “I kind of didn’t have a choice.”
“This is for the best and the only way I know to protect you.” He pulled her towards the judge.
The ceremony was brief and quick. Dante slipped a ring on her finger and before she knew it she was married.
“You may kiss the bride.”
Madison turned her face for the peck she assumed to receive when Dante’s mouth came down hard on hers as if he was punishing it. And then his lips were gone.
Dazed, she looked around. The men left, and she followed behind like a dutiful wife should. They handed her off like a package as if they were playing hot potato and no one wanted to be caught with her.
Dante handed her into the car like he always did when they were dating before he went around the car. She touched her lips. They still burned from where his had scorched hers.
Madison assumed Dante was going to take her back to her place and was confused when he passed the exit for her place. “Where are we going?”
“Back to my place.”
“Why?”
“We’re married.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“So we live together.”
“Why?”
“That’s what married people do.”
She turned to look at him. “What?” They needed a marriage license. It didn’t change anything, and she believed that things would go on as they had been. Why did they need to live together?
“Bianchi men marry for life.”
“Oh.” She wanted to bang her head against the window. What had she gotten herself into? She was not only going to be married to Dante for life, but she would have to live with him. Stuck in a one-sided marriage. She should have clarified what the marriage was going to be like.
She assumed it would be like the fake ones in her romance novels. Not a forever marriage.
She didn’t believe in divorce. That was why she never planned on getting married. Could she get an annulment? How long would she be at risk for going to jail?
“What does that even mean?”
“Bianchis don’t divorce, so we’re together until we die.”
Great, so not only was she stuck with him, but it was obvious to her that he would be cheating on her. Did he have a mistress already?
“We also don’t cheat. We are loyal, so you don’t need to worry. We both have work, so we won’t be under each other all day. If we need to, we can look for a bigger place.”
Madison took a sharp intake of breath when he said they wouldn’t be under each other. They had spent a lot of time like that. In the bed, shower, anywhere they could. “Great. Can we do an annulment? How long is the statute for your charges?”
“Four years for civil and five years for criminal. I’ll have someone pack your apartment and bring everything over. I need to go out to meet with the lawyer, so make yourself at home.”
Madison looked around Dante’s place. She didn’t know how she ended up back here.
The day was like something out of a nightmare or horror film.
She had buried Henry, been interrogated, went home, married a mobster, and was sitting in his place to avoid going to jail.
She didn’t know how things could get any crazier.
Madison walked around the house in a daze. She still couldn’t believe Henry had died. She couldn’t talk to Dante. She didn’t want to hear him say I told you so. Her only hope had been Sabrina, but she was ignoring it, or at least ignoring Madison.