“No.”
“Yes.”
“That’s not true. Dante paid protection money.”
“Ha, is that what he told you?”
“Well, no. He didn’t say that.”
“So that was something you told yourself to make you feel better when you were getting fucked by a bad boy.” He moved into her space. Madison stepped back, unsure what he was going to do. She looked around behind him, but no one else came into the changing room. She wanted to push him away, but didn’t for fear of what he would do.
“Let’s see how long you two last.” And he turned and stomped out.
Madison was left standing alone in the room. Things had been so promising this morning, but now she didn’t know what to do. If she knew for sure that Dante was in the mob, could she continue to see him knowing what he was? In her heart, she still wanted to. From what the other girls had said, her time with Dante was limited anyway. He hadn’t promised her forever and either way he still wanted to be married and Madison didn’t. And there was the small matter of kids. She had woken up in the night and taken her birth control pill. Better late than never.
****
Dante noticed that something was off with Madison, but he didn’t know what the cause was. Before her set, there had been no girls on the floor which was unusual. During her sets, she did a good job of looking around the room, but when their gazes connected they held for a few seconds, but this time hers danced away, as if she was afraid to look at him.
He hoped it didn’t have something to do with Enzo. Enzo had been in but disappeared after Madison was done, and Dante hadn’t seen him since.
When Dante got back to his office. He found Madison inside on the couch. Her legs were curled underneath her and she stared off into space, with one hand touching her hair. He closed and locked the door behind him and walked over to her. She didn’t react, like she didn’t hear him.
“Hey.” He reached for her shoulder.
She jumped and looked at him. Fear and wariness crossed her face. He knelt down in front of her and she pulled back.
“What’s the matter?”
“Are you part of the mafia?”
Dante was caught off guard with the question, but he wouldn’t lie to Madison. “Yes. Why?”
“You said you owned il Signore.”
“I do. It’s part of the family businesses.”
“When you said family, I believed you meant like a real family.”
“We are a real family.”
“You’re a mob family?”
“Well, yes.” Dante had no idea what brought this on, but from the look on Madison’s face it didn’t look good for their relationship.
“So I’m sleeping with a mobster?”
“If that’s how you want to put it, then I guess yes.”
“What do you mean if that’s how I want to put it? You’re telling me it’s the truth.”
“The truth is you’re dating me.” He put his hands on his chest. “Dante.”
“Who is in the mob.”
“Yes. I happen to be in the mob.”
“I didn’t know you were a criminal.”
