by Ginger Ring
Diego raised his fist. Terrified, she cowered from the expected blow but it never came. A sick smile crossed his face. “We’ll have time for that later. Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you.” He took a step back before adding, “The first time.” With that parting threat, he was gone.
Trying to get her wits about her, Madison glanced around the room for a weapon, or even a clue as to where she was. Rubbing her arms to keep warm, she tried to concentrate. The sound of birds fluttered somewhere in the rafters. Was she in a barn? Getting to her feet, she dragged herself to the doorway but could go no farther. One foot had been chained to the wall.
The room had probably been used for tack, as a few old saddles hung on one wall. The amount of dust and spider webs indicated that it hadn’t been used in quite some time. At least he’d left a small bottle of water on top of a shelf. Madison cracked the seal and took a much needed drink.
Leaning against the wall, hopelessness took over. Did her mother even know she was gone? The shop was closed on Sunday, so no one would even notice she wasn’t around until Monday morning. What about Roman? He said he would call, but if she didn’t answer, would he give up? People were searching for Andrea, but were they looking for her too? With a heavy heart, she took one last look around for a big stick or tool of some kind but there was nothing. The room was empty. She had no clue where her purse was, so she had no phone.
She had to conserve her energy. On wobbly legs, she staggered back to the unappealing cot. Whatever was on the cloth he covered her nose with last night had done a job on her. Her last thoughts before slipping off to sleep were of Roman. She’d finally found a man she liked only to be stolen away by a man she hated.
Roman
“Where the hell is she?” Roman yelled into the phone. It was his fault no one had followed her home. It was sloppy and careless on his part. He had a man guarding Madison’s mom’s house but not hers. He’d floated on air thinking of her kisses only to come crashing to the floor when he remembered Diego would be after her, not her mother. When Arlo arrived at her home, her car was there but Madison had vanished. There had been a scuffle in the snow and her purse lay near the front door. His men were looking everywhere, but so far there was no sign.
Roman clenched his fist. He’d let his guard down long enough for Diego to slip in unseen and take his woman away—his woman. He tossed the phone on the desk and paced the room. Yeah, he was as crazy as Diego for thinking that some woman he danced with and talked to for a few hours was now his, but he couldn’t help but feel they had a connection. A relationship he wanted to further pursue.
It had been a long time since he’d met a woman who hadn’t bored him after ten minutes. She didn’t know who he was, either—an added bonus. Some chicks liked the thrill they got from sleeping with someone they thought of as a killer, a monster, a member of a mafia family. Then there were the others who were only interested in his ample bank account.
She had her own business and dreams and never once asked him anything that had him question whether she was a gold digger or thrill seeker. His head throbbed and he pinched his nose with his fingers. Fatigue set in. He hadn’t slept in hours.
“Dammit. What the hell’s taking them so long?” He blew out his cheeks and wore down the carpet some more.
The cell phone rang and he sprang for it. “What’ve you got?”
They’d found Madison, alone and unharmed in a barn out in the countryside. “I’ll be right there. When you find Diego, bring him to me.” Relief battled it out with the fury roaring through his veins. “Keep him alive. That bastard is mine.”
Madison
Madison awoke to an angry voice coming from the other room. Peeling herself off the dingy cot, she stood and tried to shake some circulation back into her limbs. Diego screamed and she jumped. Last night he’d kidnapped her. This morning he’d made threats to kill her, yet she was unharmed and her leg was free. She was also alive.
“Where is she?” It was Roman, his voice harsh and threatening. Had he come to save her?
On shaky legs she staggered over to the open door and collapsed against it. A group of men circled around her abductor. Diego had been tied to a chair. Suddenly Roman’s fist smashed the side of the bound man’s face. Diego’s head whipped to the side and a few of his teeth flew to the floor.
“I’ll only ask one more time.” The menacing sound of his voice sent a chill down her spine. “Where is she?”
“I’m here.” All the men in the room turned. Madison weakly pushed away from the wall.
“I got this, Romeo.” In an instant, Arlo was by her side. He pulled out a folding chair and motioned for her to sit. Romeo—the mobster called Romeo? Months ago, Stephanie had mentioned a mafia connected man who was coming to town. A cold-hearted mobster who had a reputation with the ladies as well.
Roman’s dark eyes met hers. It was a side of him she hadn’t seen before. He was all business, with no pleasure and no compassion. His crisp white shirt, blood stained and the sleeves rolled up. A shoulder holster and gun completed his attire.
“Where’s Andrea?” Roman was in Diego’s face.
“Andrea deserves what she got. How dare she turn me down?” Diego spit blood as he spoke. “That bitch talked her out of it.” He didn’t and couldn’t point with his hands tied behind his back but everyone in the room knew who he meant. Madison’s spine stiffened, and Arlo placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
With a deadly stare, Roman kicked Diego’s chair and it fell backward. Diego’s skull smacked as it connected with the hard floor.
Madison jumped at the sickening sound and studied Roman as he paced. She’d hoped of making him her boyfriend, yet right now there was nothing boyish or friendly about him. Just hours before, she’d prayed for him to find her and he had.
A cellphone sounded from Roman’s back pocket and he held it to his ear. His face relaxed. Andrea had been found. Alive. The tension in the room eased. Diego would go to jail and the nightmare would be over with.
Roman faced her across the room. A fierce expression crossed his face. Pulling the gun from the holster, he marched over to Diego. A shadow crossed her view as Arlo stepped between them. The loud blast of a gunshot echoed. She screamed and sprang to her feet. Arlo’s hands gripped her shoulders but she could see anyway. Roman stood above Diego, the gun still pointed at the now dead man’s head.
“Call the cleaner and get rid of this mess.” Roman put the gun to his side and headed her way. It was the last thing she remembered before fainting.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled the blankets higher and rubbed the slumber from her eyes. Yawning, she opened her eyes and bolted upright. The room and bed weren’t hers. She swung her feet to the side and sat up. Once the dizziness subsided, she wandered into the nearby bathroom. At least she recognized the reflection in the mirror, although she appeared a little rough around the edges.
She was still dressed in her gown from the ball. The hem of the gown couldn’t be fixed, not that she would ever want to wear it again. When she returned to the bedroom, bits and pieces of what happened had resurfaced. The ball, her romantic walk with Roman, their kiss, Diego’s abduction, and Roman killing the man point blank. That fact alone should have her running for the hills, but surprisingly, it didn’t.
Roman had brought her here. Madison remembered a physician examining her and proclaiming she needed some rest. Since when did doctors make house calls? They’d called him Romeo. He was the mobster Stephanie warned her about. Steph had to have known who he was when she dragged her from the coffee shop that morning. If only she’d told her then, but they were both worried about Andrea and busy with work.
A knock at the door disturbed her thoughts and an older woman entered carrying a tray.
“Good morning. We heard you had quite the scare last night.” She set the food filled platter on a nearby table and the hearty fragrance of coffee, cinnamon toast, and bacon brought her near.
“My head hurts a little.” Ma
dison pulled out a chair and bit into the sweet toast. The warm bread oozed butter onto her tongue.
“I’ll let Mr. Caponelli know you’re awake.” The woman patted her shoulder as she walked by. At least that explained where she was, with the mafia man Roman Caponelli, and this was his house.
“Thank you,” Madison managed to get out before taking a long sip of java. The caffeine instantly eased her headache and snapped her awake. Settling back in the soft chair, she managed to take in her surroundings. The bedroom was masculine with warm colors and dark wood. Did it belong to the man of the house?
Again, knocking sounded from the door, but this time it was the man in question who entered. “How are you feeling?” He took the chair opposite her and poured himself a cup of coffee.
“I think I’ll live,” she joked, but he didn’t laugh.
“The thought of that man touching you makes me wish I’d have skinned him alive before killing him.”
She shuddered at both the thought of Diego’s touch and of the man being desquamated.
“Are you all right?” Roman quickly knelt by her side.
“Yes. I’m not used to being kidnapped and seeing people killed in front of me.” Everything from the past few hours started to flash before her eyes. “You killed someone,” she accused.
Roman got to his feet. “Yes, as I have in the past and will in the future. I will not tolerate someone who hurts women or harms anyone in the family.”
Clutching her coffee mug in both hands, she pondered his words. Where did she fit in?
As if reading her mind, he spoke. “You said you’d go out with me. Do you think you can look past who I am?”
“I don’t know who you are.”
Madison
Madison pressed the veil with her iron one last time. Who gets married on New Year’s Eve? Luckily someone did. The money sure didn’t hurt and it was a much needed distraction from the previous week. She placed the veil on a hanger and started on one of the bridesmaid dresses. The color was called crimson but it looked blood red. A shudder ran through her. The sight of Diego’s half blown out skull would hopefully fade someday, but for now, it was too soon to forget.
After waking up at Roman’s home and their talk, he encouraged her to go to the police. Romeo had been with her the whole time. He comforted her, gave her a shoulder to lean on, and coached her on what to say to the authorities. Fortunately, Roman’s friend on the force did most of the questioning and he didn’t press too much. Diego was gone and no one knew. No body, no crime.
It still weighed heavy on her shoulders. Roman had killed Diego in cold blood. Sure, he had deserved to be punished, but shouldn’t the law have taken up that task? Apparently it was mafia code to avenge the honor of one of its members, but the fact that he was a member of another mafia family would most likely result in problems somewhere down the line. Andrea’s father was the leader of a biker gang, so Diego’s days were numbered either way. How quickly she’d started thinking about mafiosi and biker gangs as if it were a common thing.
Madison never had a problem being alone but now she was anxious. With Roman around, she felt safe, content, and wanted. Was it because he’d rescued her? He stirred feelings that she’d not felt in a long time. Feelings like desire, excitement, and a need to see him again. Her shoulders sank. What to do?
Yes, it was her fault he’d left without further discussion of their relationship. She didn’t want to deal with it. How could she comprehend dating someone she’d just met, a mobster? He was handsome, a sharp businessman, a fantastic kisser, and during the brief time they spent together, they’d never lacked for things to talk about. Was he compatible with her? Could she carry on a relationship with a person who lived in the underworld, yet held a respectable profile at the same time? She’d spent Christmas alone. Roman had to return to Chicago for business. What business that was, she didn’t ask.
Any time Roman had phoned, the sound of his voice caused her heart to beat faster. He wanted to know everything she was doing and how she felt. During their last talk he made it clear he wouldn’t wait any longer. He wanted an answer tonight. Would she or wouldn’t she be with him?
Once the dresses were pressed, bagged, and ready to go, she left Stephanie in charge. Finding Arlo by her car was not what she wanted or expected. The man was hard to read but he made it perfectly clear he had Roman’s best interests at hand, not hers.
“Hello.” Arlo pushed away from the car and took a step closer. In his arms was a huge box. “The boss wanted me to drop this off. He said to tell you that he’s looking forward to seeing you tonight.”
“I haven’t decided if I’ll attend.” Her key fob beeped as she unlocked the car door.
Arlo smiled and placed the package in her arms. “You will.” The wink he gave offered proof that he’d be seeing her again soon.
Before she could respond, the man turned his back and strolled away. Madison’s lower lip puckered and she mumbled, “Are all the men in the mob so cocky?”
“Yes, ma’am. We are.”
Her eyes widened as Arlo twisted, gave a brief salute, and kept walking. The corner of her mouth lifted and she tossed the gift from the boss in her back seat.
When Madison arrived at the hospital, many people lined the halls outside Andrea’s room. One of the nurses finally had to step in and ordered them to a nearby waiting room. They did not go willingly until an old man exited her room and signaled them to leave. He bore a slight resemblance to Andrea, and if she were a betting woman, it was a good chance this was her father. When his eyes locked with her, he smiled.
“Miss Miller?” He stepped closer.
“Yes. Are you Andrea’s father?”
He nodded and she shook his now extended hand. “I’m Mario and I want to thank you.” His other hand now covered hers as well. Worry lines creased his forehead. “I’ve been sick with worry ever since Andrea took up with the bast…sorry, that miserable excuse for a man. I can’t thank you enough for stepping up and talking some sense into my girl.”
“I’m so sorry for all that she had to go through, and I’ll be there if she needs me.”
The pain in his face was evident. He finally dropped her hand and spoke so only she could hear. “If you ever need anything, anything at all…you come to me.”
It was hard to swallow, but a nod of her head seemed to be all he needed. He said a quick farewell, and with a strong stride in his step Mario stopped at the waiting room. Briefly addressing the men there, they all stood, looked her way, and then all but a few left. In some weird way, she had a feeling that not only Roman’s men would now be watching over her, but Mario’s as well.
Never had it dawned on her before that she might need it, but in a way it was comforting, as if she’d gained an extended family. Madison breathed easier and the tension in her shoulders lifted for the first time in days.
She admired the way the rust-colored gown caught the light. The fabric shimmered with bits of gold. Madison had tacked the straps up, but other than that it was a perfect fit. Valentina must have picked it out for her, yet the low cut front and lace back had her wondering. The dress was to replace the one that had been ruined. Was it bad that she’d accepted Romeo’s gift so easily? Romeo. Even she’d started thinking of him by the nickname. Madison’s Romeo, if she could be so bold. Had she made her mind up yet? No.
Slipping on her coat, she locked her door and walked to the car he’d sent for her. It was close to eleven when she entered the ballroom of the town’s community yacht club. This event was open to everyone. In recent years, she’d spent New Year’s at home, but this was too important to miss. At midnight Romeo wanted an answer. Would she go out with him? It weighed heavily on her mind as she made small talk and sipped drinks for the next hour. Could she risk dating a man she knew so little about but the papers painted as the playboy son of a Chicago mobster? One who would one day take over as boss of his own family? Yes, she’d looked him up online and did her homework.
It felt
a little like a business arrangement but it wasn’t. The man wanted to make sure she knew what she was getting into. That it wouldn’t always be ball gowns and mansions. There were risks, and she’d already found that out the hard way. Not only was she captivated by Romeo but there was also the added warmth of knowing there would always be someone looking out for her, to have an extended family so to speak. Because she’d grown up an only child, that was something she’d always dreamed of.
As the clock inched closer to twelve, Romeo still wasn’t there. Bad roads had delayed his arrival. Andrea had convinced her that Roman had done the right thing. If convicted, Diego would spend some time in jail, but it wouldn’t be forever. The poor girl would have spent years always looking over her shoulder for him or someone he might have hired to torment her until the end of time. The whole family was thankful the awful man had been killed.
One of the local councilmen tapped a microphone and brought her back to the present. The hair on her arms stood up and her heart accelerated. She could feel him watching her. There, across the room, stood Romeo. His gaze locked on her. It was time to decide if she would step into the New Year with a man by her side or slip back into her safe but lonely existence. Was he as nervous as she? If she said no, would he walk away like he didn’t care? Her pulse raced as he came closer.
“You look lovely. I’m so glad you wore the dress.” His fingers settled briefly on the side of her neck as he leaned in for a quick kiss to her lips. His touch always made her knees weak.
“Thank you.” Further words escaped her.
“Have you decided?” The man didn’t mess around. “I’ve missed you and I want to spend more time with you.”
What to do? What to say?
Ten. The crowd started the countdown to the next year and everything she planned to say flew right outside the window.