by Ginger Ring
His father didn’t care that he was already engaged. It was a lie, but one he intended to correct soon. The ring he had for Madison wasn’t an engagement ring, but to anyone looking at it from a distance it would appear so. It was too early to ask her to marry him. Damn, he wanted to, but she deserved a proper proposal and with everything going on, the time just wasn’t right.
He popped open the small black velvet box. It held a stunning blue sapphire that matched the color of her eyes and the band had small diamonds around it. The sooner it was on her finger, the better. Roman planned to stop by her store and give it to her before leaving town. Madison would probably say it was too much, but in this case he wasn’t taking no for an answer. As far as his woman was concerned, he never would.
Roman put on his coat, tucked the box in his pocket, and slipped his overnight bag over his shoulder.
“Arlo, get the car. I’m ready to go.” He spoke into his cell and walked out the door.
Madison
Madison hummed and it wasn’t just because of the coffee cup in her hand. No, her time with Roman had her floating on air. Thinking of him made her morning stroll to the Java Shop even more enjoyable. Most of the lakeshore—the centerpiece of the town—was lined with homes, mansions, resorts, and restaurants. The first twenty feet of the shoreline had been declared public domain many years ago by early settlers. A paved path completely surrounded the lake for people to walk and enjoy the view.
All of it was beautiful, but the part of town she hiked through today was one of her favorites. The mostly undeveloped site and the surrounding buildings had been there for over a hundred years. They could probably list it as a historical district, but no one had bothered to go through the paperwork. Roman had joked about it being an excellent place to upgrade. Lake Genoa was perfect the way it was and she never wanted it to change.
They’d spent the past couple weeks getting to know each other, both mentally and physically. He’d become her addiction. The more they were together, the more she wanted him. After the fashion show, he was taking her to Chicago to meet his parents. Butterflies attacked her stomach every time she thought about it. The idea of meeting his father terrified her.
The sun’s rays heated her face. Madison stopped at the corner, closed her eyes and lifted her chin to the sky. Even though it was February, the sun felt warm. She wanted to soak in every drop. Today was above freezing. It was amazing how forty degrees in the springtime felt balmy while the same temperature in October was unbearable. Every winter, neighbors complained about the cold, yet no one wanted to move away. They might take a week’s trip to Florida or somewhere more temperate, but everyone always returned.
Yearning for the first hints of spring, she opened her eyes and headed for work. The sidewalks were now ice free and the barren yards showed more ground than snow. It wouldn’t be long. She glanced to the trees in the hopes a robin might be there but that was wishful thinking. The tips of her fingers hugged the insulated cup to stay warm. She’d abandoned her warm gloves for fingerless ones. It was hard not to be giddy knowing there were more sunny days ahead. Winter took its toll on everyone.
“Morning.” She greeted an older couple out walking their poodles. They nodded and the canines wagged their tails.
The storefront of Bells and Bows came into view. It was a love-hate relationship. There were parts of her work that she loved. Working with the dresses, happy brides, deciding what to purchase for the shop, and other aspects of running her mother’s business. On the other hand there was stress, keeping bills paid, bridezillas, and crazy wedding party members. She also had a nagging feeling there was something else out there she should be doing instead.
At least her mother had become more involved with the business, which was a blessing. It freed Madison up, but if Roman was in Chicago, she had a lot of time to herself. That never bothered her before as she worked on her designs, but the inspiration for designing had wilted. She needed to find a new passion to pursue.
Madison waved when she spotted Stephanie flipping the sign in the window to open. At least Stephanie knew what she wanted to be—a published writer. The art center already had some of her short stories and poems, but her goal was to eventually write full-time. When that day came, she’d miss her friend enormously.
“Hey, girl.” Madison placed her coffee cup on the counter and wiggled out of her coat.
“Hi. How was your weekend?” Stephanie folded her arms across her chest. For some reason she’d never liked Roman and that was even before they knew he was the infamous mafia man they’d read about in the papers.
“Good. How about you?” Madison hung her coat in the closet, walked into her office, and flipped through the mail on her desk.
“Okay. I got some writing done.” Her friend followed, stood on one foot, and twirled her finger around a long string of her blonde hair. It was a nervous habit she had and it almost always hinted there was something on her mind.
“And?” Madison raised her eyebrow but didn’t look up.
“And what?” Stephanie placed her hands on her hips.
“Is there something wrong? I got a feeling that you want to ask me about something.”
Her mouth opened but nothing came out. The door in the main room opened and an excited group of girls entered the store. “I’d better go.” Stephanie excused herself and left to care for their customers.
With a shake of her head, Madison settled in behind her desk. She really needed to talk to her friend and see what the problem was. In the back of her mind, there was also the nagging suspicion that it somehow involved Roman.
For the next half hour, Madison caught up on emails, voice mail, bills, and all the details for the upcoming fashion show. While she worked, a constant flow of customers came and went through the front entrance but Stephanie never asked for any help.
Tuning out the conversations in the other room, Madison kept her nose to the business at hand. She closed her eyes and yawned. When she opened her eyes, a tattooed finger tapped an envelope in front of her. The man placed his hand on the desk. Each digit was tattooed and tanned. Swallowing hard, her gaze slowly followed the length of his suit clad arm up to his cold, hard face.
It was him. Her breath caught and her pulse pounded in her ears. The beast who trashed her store.
“What do you want?” Her voice squeaked and she grabbed for her phone.
He was quicker and flung it across the room. It crashed against the wall and fell to the floor. The screen shattered.
“I’m here to help you.” His statement and thick accent was confusing. Russian, possibly, but she couldn’t tell. He put one finger to his lips. “Shh.” The guy straightened and then wandered around the room.
Madison sat up straight. “Who are you?”
“It’s not important who I am. It is important who I represent.” All the oxygen seemed to flow from the room.
Her mind had to interpret what he meant moments after he said it. His words were hard to understand and truth be told, she feared for her life. How did he get past Stephanie? Panic set in. Where was Stephanie? Her gaze darted to the now closed door.
“Relax. The last time was a warning.”
“Warning? Watch my back? I don’t even know what that means.”
“The warning wasn’t for you. It was for him.”
“Him who?” It was best to keep him talking while she figured out what to do. And where were the security people who watched the shop?
“Caponelli. You don’t think he is really interested in you, some little girl from nowhere?”
Madison swallowed. Her heart broke in two. Was she just a pawn in some kind of mob war?
“He is trying to buy up the town and we want to beat him to it. That was a warning for him to back off.”
“I don’t understand.” She swallowed.
“We want to develop this area. Romeo just wants to launder his illegal business through your legal ones.”
Her head was spinning. She reached for some b
ottled water and took a drink.
“I am here to make you an offer from my boss.” His pacing intimidated her as much as when he simply remained in one place. There seemed to be no one she could trust and something about him frightened her as much as Diego had.
“What kind of offer?” As soon as his back turned, she grabbed a letter opener from the desk and held it in her lap.
“My boss wishes to buy your property.”
“He wants a bridal store?” That’s the last thing she expected to hear.
“No, the property. He wants to tear it down and build bigger and better business.” The word wants sounded like vaunts.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t own the building. My mother does and I’m not sure when she will return.” Not to mention the fact that she would never sell.
He stopped in front of her desk, picked up the envelope, and tossed it closer. “I know she is in town. The offer is in here.” Mister Russian bully guy crossed his arms over his chest and laughed. “I suggest you take this one. The second offer will be less.”
“What about the third one?” Her defiance and courage grew and she avoided looking at the letter as if it was an overdue bill.
“Those that don’t take what’s offered aren’t around for a third one.” He crossed the room and rested his hand on the doorknob. “I suggest you don’t take too long. Have a good day, Miss Miller.” Good came out as goot. The man waited for a response and she finally nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”
Chapter Eighteen
As soon as the door was closed, she rushed to lock it. Then Madison flew to the window. The goon walked down the sidewalk like he didn’t have a care in the world. A black SUV waited. It was one very similar to the kind that Roman used but somehow different. She couldn’t put her finger on what. A brief warning light flashed in her mind. Were they somehow connected?
Madison jumped when someone knocked on her door. “Yikes.” She’d forgotten about Stephanie and rushed to open it.
“Are you okay?” They both spoke as the same time.
“Security just called,” Stephanie added. “They’ll be right here. Who was that guy?” Her words were flying out a hundred miles a minute. “I’m sorry. I must have been putting some dresses away in the fitting rooms. I never saw him come in, only leave. I was scared to death something had happened to you.” She had a death grip on the iron and was on the cusp of freaking out.
“You were scared. I was terrified.” The intimidation had radiated from him.
Stephanie narrowed her eyes. “So help me, if I see him again I will beat him to a pulp.” The nasty scar on her face hadn’t faded much.
“He never said who he worked for, just that he wanted to buy the building. He said the offer was in the envelope.”
They both turned at the same time and regarded the letter like a viper.
“Is anyone still in the store?” Madison asked.
“No, they all left.” Her voice shook.
In the next second, several of Roman’s men swarmed the shop.
Madison whispered to Stephanie, “Don’t say anything about the letter.”
It sat untouched on the desk while the guys took down their story of what happened and promised to watch from a car out front in case he came back. There was also a big guy in a suit camped out in the front room. Having him there was a comfort but she wasn’t sure how they would explain his presence to their customers.
Stephanie never questioned her request to remain quiet. Wiping her sweaty palms on her sweater, Madison stepped up to the desk and ripped the letter open. It was indeed an offer to buy the building. A reasonable offer, but there was no way her mother would sell the building. There was also a deadline to let them know.
“Who’s it from?” Stephanie’s exotic perfume tickled her nose as she looked over her shoulder.
Madison flipped the letter over and checked both sides of the envelope. Nothing.
“It doesn’t say. It just says they’ll be in touch.” Goosebumps raced up her arm.
They both jerked as the phone in the other room rang.
“I’ll get it,” Stephanie said.
Madison hugged herself as she contemplated her next move. She would, of course, have to notify her mother, wherever she may be at the moment. At least Connie was in town somewhere.
“What?” Stephanie’s exclamation rang loud, and Madison wandered out from the office.
She held the phone in one hand and her finger wrapped around her hair with the other.
“Okay, let me know what happens.” Stephanie hung up the phone and collapsed in a nearby chair.
“What is it?” The day was going downhill fast.
“That was Andrea over at the arts center.” Andrea had been the shy, quiet bride that Madison helped get away from her abusive fiancée. It had taken a while to get her out and about, and working at the center had done wonders for her. Unfortunately, she still had a long way to go before she would ever trust men again.
“Is something wrong?” The poor girl had been through so much.
“Apparently that jerk just made a visit there too.”
“He didn’t hurt Andrea, did he?” She pressed her shaky hand to her chest.
“No, fortunately there were other people there at the time. He just gave her the letter and left.” Exhaling, Madison collapsed in a chair and the phone rang again. She locked eyes with Stephanie as she answered it and there was no need to hear what was said on the other end to know it was no good. After the conversation ended, Stephanie sat quietly.
“Who was that?” Madison leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.
“The couple that owns the Chinese restaurant. Big, scary guy was there too.”
The phone rang a few more times with the same story.
A chill eased its way up her arm. Roman promised to never do anything to change her town, but questions niggled at her mixed with fear. All these businesses were ones they’d visited in the last few weeks. They were also places Roman mentioned should be developed.
“You know I don’t want to say this, but do you think Caponelli has a hand in this?” Her friend even had a hard time saying his name. “I mean, how did this guy get in here with the security system?”
“Stephanie, you’ve had a problem with Roman since we met. Is there something you aren’t telling me?”
“No. I know his kind and you don’t need someone like that in your life.” She looked her straight in the eye. “Look at what’s happening already. Directly or indirectly, he has caused this.”
“What should I do? I can’t believe he would have any connection to this.” It didn’t make sense. Was he behind this somehow but making it look like it was someone else? Bullying her and others she cared about into selling their businesses would only put a wedge in their relationship, not make it stronger. Had she been a pawn all along?
“I don’t know what to tell you, but we’ve got to do something and fast before whoever it is buys the whole damn town.”
“Madison?” Roman’s voiced roared from the other room before he rushed into her office. “Thank God.” He crushed her to his chest in a big hug. “Are you all right? I heard what happened and broke every speed limit to get here.”
“Yes, I’m fine. Shaken up a bit.”
“Tony.” Roman let her go and went to drill the man left behind in the main room. For a tough guy working security, even he appeared rattled at Roman’s attention. “What the hell happened? You guys are supposed to be watching day and night.”
Tony tugged at his collar. “We were. It wasn’t until we noticed no traffic or movement after a few minutes that we realized the surveillance had been stalled. These guys are good. They must have hacked into the system and froze the camera shots right before the guy entered.”
“Son of a bitch. I want this guy’s head on a platter.”
“Yes, boss. We already have the IT guy checking the whole system out.”
“Keep working on it and let me know as soon as they ha
ve something.”
“You got it.” Tony dialed up his phone to check on any progress as Roman ushered her back into the office.
Arlo walked in the front door and followed them as well. “I know you have probably answered all the guys questions a hundred times already, but is there anything at all that you remember about this guy?”
“What I mentioned before. His height, the tattoos, the accent.” She exhaled and wandered to the window. “Wait a minute.” She paused and her mind worked, searching for the missing piece.
“What is it?” Roman was at her side.
“I saw his vehicle.”
“You didn’t happen to get a license plate number, did you?”
“No, but I did notice something odd.”
“What?”
Everyone in the room was staring at her, holding their breath. “It’s probably nothing, but he was in one of those big black SUVs. You know, the kind you drive…only different.”
“Different how?”
“I think it was a Ford.” Roman used Cadillacs. “And there was something else. Dark hub caps…black.”
“Black?”
“Yes, I’m sure of it. I knew there was something odd, but couldn’t put a figure on it until now.”
“Arlo?” Roman addressed his enforcer.
“Already on it.” His man was out the door in a flash. The guy was itching to hurt someone and it was only a matter of time before he did.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through this again. We will find this guy, I promise.” He held her tight. The moment he stepped into the shop, she knew he wasn’t responsible. Roman may be a big tough guy, but she’d seen genuine relief when his eyes met hers. “If anyone dares to ever lay hands on you again, I swear I will kill them with mine.” Venom sounded in his voice as he held up his large, tanned hands.