Because if I fought now, if I gave Caruso any excuse to add resisting arrest to the charges, it would only make things harder later. And I needed to get out of this. I needed to get back to Nick.
As Caruso shoved me into the back of the SUV, I caught one last glimpse of Nick through the window. Angelo had appeared from somewhere, his arm around Nick’s shoulders as my husband stood there watching me get taken away.
The door slammed shut, cutting off my view, and the SUV started moving. I leaned my head back against the seat, closing my eyes against the tears that threatened to fall.
I’d finally found happiness. Finally found someone who saw past the monster everyone expected me to be. And now it was all being ripped away because of something I didn’t do.
“Comfortable back there?” Caruso called from the front seat, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror.
I didn’t respond. Didn’t give him the satisfaction.
“You know, I’ve been following your family for fifteen years,” he continued, like we were having a casual conversation instead of him hauling me off to prison. “Your father, your uncles, all of you. I’ve seen what you people do. The lives you destroy.”
“Then you know I’m not the one who did this,” I said, my voice flat.
“Do I?” He took a turn too fast, and I slid across the seat before catching myself. “Because from where I’m sitting, you had motive, means, and opportunity. Benson was talking to me. Your father found out. And you’ve always been daddy’s favorite attack dog.”
“I want a lawyer,” I replied coldly.
“Of course you do.” Caruso’s smile was sharp. “Don’t worry, Valenti. You’ll get your phone call. Get to explain to your daddy how you got caught. Maybe he’ll even visit you in prison. Though I hear federal facilities don’t allow conjugal visits, so your little cowboy husband will have to find someone else to warm his bed.”
The rage that flared through me at his words was white-hot and instant. My hands jerked against the cuffs, and I had to force myself to stay still, to not give him any excuse to add more charges.
“Leave him out of this,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Oh, I don’t think I will.” Caruso’s voice dripped with satisfaction. “See, I’m very interested in how exactly you ended up married to Nicholas Wesley. Can’t imagine daddy approved of that one.” He paused for a moment, glancing back at me. “Unless he needed a new operation, a new branch ofbusiness.”
I stayed silent and forced myself to breathe, to calm down. Getting angry wouldn’t help. It would only give Caruso more ammunition.
But the thought of Nick, standing in that driveway looking shattered, not knowing if he’d ever see me again… That was almost too much to bear. We’d just found each other. Just admitted how we felt. And now this.
Now it was all over.
Chapter 26
Nick
Istood there, dust billowing behind the SUV as it pulled away with Dante handcuffed in the back seat. My stomach twisted in knots, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t prove his innocence anymore than I could prove he hadn’t blackmailed my family into an arranged marriage. The deck was stacked against him, and my heart was on the line.
“Was that Caruso?” Angelo asked, his arm around my shoulders as tears streamed down my face. “What happened?”
I nodded, unable to find my voice. The image of Dante’s face through that back window… It was resigned, defeated, and trying to be strong for me. I’d never forget that image.
“They arrested him for murder,” I finally managed, my voice cracking. “Some family called the Bensons. A whole family, Angelo. Parents and two kids.”
Angelo’s face went pale. “The Bensons,” he repeated, and something in his tone made me look up at him. “Fuck. Nick, we need to talk. Right now.”
He steered me toward the tiny house, his grip on my shoulder firm enough that I didn’t have a choice but to follow. My legs felt like they belonged to someone else, carrying me forward onautopilot while my mind raced through everything Caruso had said.
Murder. Federal charges. Evidence.
This couldn’t be happening. Not to Dante. Not when we’d just…
“Nick,” Angelo said sharply as we reached the porch. “I need you to focus. Can you do that for me?”
I wiped at my face, trying to pull myself together. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m focused.”
“Good.” He glanced around, making sure we were alone before continuing. “Thomas Benson was fencing stolen goods through a chain of auto shops, and when the cops got close, he flipped. Started talking to Caruso about everything after Caruso threatened to imprison Benson’s son.”
