When he got back in the car, he gave her his suit jacket so that she could cover up.
“Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Madison. I should be apologizing that I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.” He was gentle when he touched the back of her neck. He noticed in her hands she still had the thing she stabbed the guy with clutched in her hand.
He looked at her face and could see the bruise forming, and he wanted to turn the car around and punch the guy who hit her again. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there in time.”
“You did. They didn’t touch me.” She was careful when she touched her face. “Well, besides this.”
They stopped at a red light and she turned and looked at him. “How did you know where to find me? I know Sabrina didn’t tell you.”
“My men. I also have connections and once I knew it was the Donnettis, I figured that was where they would take you.”
“Good thing you had guys follow me today.”
“Yeah.” Dante had never told her that he had her tailed since they first decided to sleep together. He should tell her, but he didn’t think now was the right time. He would tell her later. “Why did you go to meet her? You said you were done with her.”
“I was, but she called and told me she was pregnant with Henry’s child and she had a picture for me to take to my dad.”
“I can see how that would get you out of the house.” Dante pulled up to his place and helped Madison out of the car.
“I’m going to take a shower.” She pulled the jacket tight around her and walked past one of his men in a suit, and then back to the master bath.
****
Madison entered the house and headed straight for the shower. The feeling of being dirty was there, and she wanted to get out of her clothes and into something else. She couldn’t believe how the day had gone. It seemed to have lasted forever. There was something that had triggered a memory in her, but it slipped away before she could grasp it.
Her fingers started to look like raisins, so she figured it was time to get out of the water. She didn’t want to face Dante or anyone else. She just wanted to lie in bed and forget everything that happened, but she couldn’t. She climbed in the bed and looked at her phone. Dante had given it back to her.
She had missed calls and texts from Becky. Madison had missed the final fitting and the chance to see her dress walk in the rehearsal. She would get time to tweak it on the day, but it wouldn’t be as long. She’d also missed the chance to see the competition.
Dante walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed.
“How are you doing?”
“I guess I’m fine. I still can’t believe how these last two weeks have gone.” Her and Dante had gone from being together to breaking up, Henry’s surgery, and then finding out that Henry had died. And then this week with the funeral, being interrogated, getting married, and then being kidnapped, and she still had to present at fashion week in three days. It was a lot.
“Yeah, it has been a hard time for you.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “And I’m sorry for what happened between us.”
“I wish I could go back in time.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the headboard. “I would do the interview. I wouldn’t be near you to have to be taken in for questioning. This thing with Sabrina would have still happened somehow, though.”
“What do you mean you wouldn’t have been near me? We would have still been together.”
“No, we wouldn’t have.”
“Did you plan to dump me all along?”
“No, but what I said when we broke up is still valid. We’re too different, and it’s clear I can’t trust you to keep me safe, and I’m still uncomfortable with your family background.” Madison touched her hair.
“You’re part of that family now.”
“Not because I wanted to. It’s because your family’s criminal dealings spilled onto me, when you said they wouldn’t.”
“So you don’t want to be married to me?” Dante placed his hands on his thighs.
“I told you that before we broke up. I don’t want to be married to anyone. I don’t see how you’re latching on to that and ignoring the fact that you broke your promise to me.” Even though she wasn’t one hundred percent sure she wanted to be married, she was eight-five percent sure she wanted to be with Dante.
“No, I didn’t.”
