January
One Month Earlier
When Madison got the call that they’d have to find a new place for bridal event, she wasted no time in driving over to discuss it face to face with the owner.
“What is the meaning of this?” She was on the verge of a breakdown. Her mother may have owned the only bridal store in the small town of Genoa, Wisconsin but that didn’t mean their annual fashion show wasn’t vital to attracting new customers. “I’ve booked your banquet center every year, year after year.” She sat back in the chair and crossed her legs. “I paid the deposit months ago. What do you mean it’s been cancelled?” Agitated, she swung her foot back and forth.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Mr. Gilmore, the club’s owner, retrieved a check from his drawer and slid it across the desk. “Here’s your money back.”
“To hell with the money.” Madison pushed the slip of paper back in his direction. “My spring wedding fashion show is always held here the second week of February.” Her voice shook as the panic rose.
Find a new venue? Everything was set, from the DJ to the caterers. Heck, the ads were already in the paper. The cost alone to change them was going to hit her mother’s pocketbook hard.
“We’ve had it here, for what?” She waved her hand in the air angrily. “Ten years in a row. How in the world can you say less than a month before the show the place is now booked? By who?”
“I’m sorry.” The jerk thrust her deposit back in her direction and at least had the decency to look sheepish. “It can’t be helped.” His tone was firm.
This was a nightmare. It might be January, but it was still going to be a struggle to find a new place at this short of notice for her family business bridal show, the catalyst that drew new business every year. Not to mention her chance to show off some of her dress designs. It had been her lifelong dream to be a dress designer, but that dream was losing some of its sparkle. Her heart just wasn’t in it as much as when she was younger and it was getting harder and harder to come up with new and exciting ideas.
She let her breath out loudly and shook her head. “You’ve put me in a horrible position. This show generates a massive portion of our revenue.” Her voice shook with contempt at such a callous man. “All the new brides who got engaged over the holidays are looking for dresses and it’s our chance to showcase our goods.”
“I know.” The dismissive idiot had the nerve to agree. “We’ve enjoyed hosting it all these years. I wish I could help out but my hands are tied.” He folded his long fingers across his ample stomach.
His apology did zero to ease her misery. The asshole didn’t realize how quickly this could spiral the bridal business she ran with her mother into the red. Nothing about this made sense. Madison snatched her check, shot to her feet, and rushed to the door.
She grasped the door handle to leave but made one final attempt to solve this wretched mess. “Do you know anyone, anyone at all who could host our event at this short notice?”
He leaned forward hesitantly and paused before saying, “Why yes. I do.” The guy’s smile spoke volumes. He was glad she was leaving.
“Firenza.” Gilmore’s response caused Madison to groan inwardly. “I believe it is available. The new place…you know, where the ball was held last year.”
A flood of emotion tingled down her neck as she remembered the dance and the tall, dark, dangerous man who’d been there.
Mr. Gilmore leaned back in his chair. The wooden back screeched with his weight. “I was sure I saw you there. The company you kept was…interesting.” What nerve. How dare he point out he saw her and insinuated about who she was with. “It would be a perfect spot.”
“Thanks.” She gritted her teeth. “I’ll be sure to give them a call.”
Madison mumbled to herself on the walk to her car. Give them a call. Never had she been so mad. If she were a gambling person, she’d bet it all that Roman Caponelli paid off Mr. Gilman to force her hand to reach out to his sister’s venue, Firenza, for the bridal event.
Fastening her seat belt, she beat her fist against the steering wheel. Roman Caponelli, a man whose advances she’d rejected. Mafia, my ass. He’d just moved to town in the fall and was already trying to run the place.
She’d danced with him on the dreamlike night of the ball. Images of them gliding across the dance floor with his arms tucked around her made her lightheaded. The scent of his costly aftershave was forever locked in her brain. Just a whiff could make her knees weak.
But Madison did what she did best. She stuffed down the feelings he’d awoken in her because no matter how much electricity hummed between them when they were together, it didn’t change the bottom line—that he was a front runner in the mafia.
She put the car in drive and hit the gas. Flying around the parking lot faster than she should, Madison came to the exit and slammed on the brakes. The heavy pile of snow on her roof slid down over her windshield.
“Damn,” she muttered. “Can this day get any worse?” Her shoulders sank and she put the car in park. Huffing with annoyance, she got out of the car and flung the heavy snow off her car with the scraper. Usually she was careful about cleaning it all off the roof, but she’d been in a hurry knowing that her entire year’s work was going down the toilet.
Settling back in her car seat, Madison backed up and parked her car. She didn’t want to give up, and called a few of the other venues that were already programmed into her phone. Hope died more and more with each call. They were all booked. Of course they were all spoken for, because this was the type of luck she was having.
The last call was to Bells and Bows Wedding Shop, her mother’s business.
“Stephanie, how’s it going there?” Madison asked, hoping she’d have better news.
“I’ve got two wedding parties looking at dresses but other than that, things are under control. Did you get the venue straightened out?” Tittering women’s voices could be heard in the din through the phone.
“No, we are S.O.L.”
“What? The show is next month.”
“I know.” Madison sighed. “I’m at my wit’s end.”
“Did you try some of the others?”
“I called everyone I could think of and everything is booked. Maybe we can have it at the playground at McDonald’s.” Madison’s breath frosted the tiny confines of her car and she stabbed the defrost button to clear her foggy windows.
“I hate to ask but…what about Firenza?” Stephanie knew the subject was a touchy one with her. She’d also been the first one to warn her of the Caponelli family reputation. Roman Caponelli, the man who’d swept her off her feet at the ball was the son of a mob boss and nicknamed Romeo for a reason.
Madison groaned out loud. “It looks like I don’t have a choice.”
“No, it doesn’t. Sorry.”
“Do you want to come with me?” The thought of seeing Roman again had her shaking in her knee-high boots.
“No. He knows how I feel about him so that probably isn’t a good idea.”
Madison’s chin hit her chest. “Okay. I can do this. I can fix this.” Madison wasn’t actually sure whether she was reassuring herself or Stephanie.
“Good luck. Oh, and the cheese factory that’s providing the hors d’oeuvres had a salmonella outbreak.”
“What?” Madison widened her eyes. “Are you serious?”
“Afraid so.” More laughter from the shop’s customers sounded over the phone.
“I’ll add that to my list.” Madison groaned. “Well, I’d better go. I have to solve the first problem before I can think about the rest.” A dull ache started to form in the back of her neck. Stress was building. No venue, no show, no money.
“Let me know what you find out.”
“I will. Thanks, Steph. Bye.” Tossing her cell in her purse, Madison drove her car to the one place she said she’d never go again, Firenza.
It wasn’t that she hated the place; it was quite the opposite. Valentina, Roman’s sister, had done a spectacular job renovating it. The new reception hall and summer restaurant was a remodeled old mansion with a very colorful past. It now had an updated Italian flare. The outside featured ivory stucco and a red tiled roof. During the warm weather, the grounds would be breathtaking with gardens, iron trim, and fountains.
After turning down Roman’s advances on New Year’s Eve, Madison hadn’t talked to Valentina since. It had only been a few weeks, but she missed her new friend. They’d really hit it off fast.
Madison phoned the number of the restaurant at Firenza, but only the cleaning crew was there. A dead end. The venue issue needed to be solved or all the non-salmonella poisoned hors d’oeuvres would mean nothing without a place to put them. The Mr. Mouse Cheese Factory had a month to solve their issue which was doable. Finding a venue was next to impossible in such a short time. Chewing on her fingernails, Madison Googled more places that might be about to handle her event. Nothing. She even considered moving it completely out of the area, but her customers and clients would have to travel farther away and that could mean more loss of business.
She slammed her hand on the steering wheel again while emotions battled it out inside her head. Desperate, she had no choice but to go to the Caponelli homestead—or rather, fortress. The huge estate Roman purchased was set amongst the other mansions and villas along Lake Genoa. The small town of Genoa, Wisconsin, was a couple hours’ drive from Chicago. A good portion of those living on the lake were wealthy inhabitants of the windy city that maintained beautiful homes on the enormous lake in the historic town.
The drive up to Roman’s house, sans Tuscany castle, was halted by estate gates and a guard shack. Through the scrolled iron, Madison noted again, the three stories and sprawling compound. A six car garage sat around the back. She’d not seen the front, which faced the water up close, but she knew there was a boathouse to the side in the front with a large covered patio on top. Many times in the summer she’d taken boat rides with friends or walked the sidewalk that surrounded the entire lake.
“Welcome, Miss Miller.” The man inside the tiny square guard house greeted her. He must have noted the stunned look on her face. She’d never met this man before but he knew who she was. He gazed down for a second before hitting the button that set the whir of a mechanism in motion and pushed open the large gates.
“Thank you.” She waved cordially before pressing the gas pedal to propel the car forward up the winding brick driveway. Most of the homes were set way back from any main road. In the past, most people only lived at their lake homes in the summer and they were only accessible by water. Therefore their mail was delivered by boat. It was one of those old traditions that were still maintained and tourists even rode the mail boat as it cruised slowly around the lake. The quick footed delivery person would jump off the front of the boat, deposit the mail in the home owner’s dock mailbox, and then jump into the back of the long boat before it sailed off.
One of Roman’s bodyguards stood as a sentinel on the front steps as she pulled the car up to park. He opened her car door like he was a beefy valet with enough firepower under his coat to level a small building. Another man stepped forward and held a dog leash as it sniffed the wheels of her car.
“Hello, Arlo.” Madison knew him. The man was a constant companion to Roman. Anytime she had been in Roman’s company, Arlo was there. The guy was built like a freight train and practically reeked of testosterone. There didn’t appear to be an ounce of fat on him, and he wore a permanent five o’clock shadow better than any male model.
Madison briefly considered taking her handbag, but instead left it in the car. The place smelled of money and no one here would be interested in the sixty dollars in her wallet or her dime store purse.
“Follow me.” Arlo opened the door, and she was awed by the home.
Madison had only been there once before and that was after she’d been kidnapped. Andrea, an unlucky-in-love bride whom Madison once worked with, had been abused by her fiancé, Diego. After Madison convinced her to go to the police and call off the wedding, Diego went crazy, and kidnapped both Madison and his former bride-to-be. If it hadn’t been for Roman and his men rescuing them, there was no telling what would have happened. She’d be forever grateful for them coming to her aid, but the image of Roman shooting Diego in the head with no remorse whatsoever would haunt her for a long time. The local police still suspected Roman in the monster’s disappearance, but with no body and no one making a fuss about it, the case had been dismissed.
After they set her free, she fainted and found herself here, weak from lack of food and fear. Everyone had been kind to her, but there hadn’t been time to take in the décor of anything other than the room she’d woken up in. Now she stopped and took in her surroundings. The place was open and airy. A few poinsettias dotted the tables while strands of holly still hung from doorways.
Like most people in the north land, Christmas decorations came down in stages. The tree was put away on New Year’s Eve, but wreaths, plants, and greenery stayed around for as long as they lasted. One year Madison had forgotten to take down the wreath above her garage. After birds built a nest, it remained up until their babies flew away. Harming such fragile creatures appalled her even if it meant having a Christmas wreath up past Easter.
She wiped her snowy boots on a rug in the expansive foyer and trailed behind Arlo down a long hall. His broad shoulders made the hallway appear small even though it wasn’t. Warm dark woods and burgundy accents carried out throughout the home’s architecture. Expensive paintings dotted the wall between windows with breathtaking views of the lake. Madison barely missed bumping into Arlo’s back when he stopped to knock on a door.
“Come in.” The deep voice behind it sped up her heart. He was a dangerous man but at night she still dreamed of Roman’s kisses. A flutter ripped through her lower belly thinking about what might have happened if she’d said yes to his pursuit. Arlo opened the door and motioned for her to enter.
Shaking off her nerves, Madison reminded herself why she was here. She marched into the room and planted her feet in front of his desk. He was just as gorgeous as the last time she saw him. Even more so if that was possible.
“My fashion show is scheduled for next month and now my venue has cancelled my booking. You wouldn’t happen to have had anything to do with that, now would you?”
Roman rose from his chair. He came around the front and leaned against his desk. The cover model of a gentlemen’s fashion magazine couldn’t hold a candle to his luscious appearance—lavender dress shirt, patterned tie, and black pants. Did he not own a pair of jeans? It was a Saturday. Her weekend attire was leggings and a fleece zip-up. In summer it was shorts, tee, and flip-flops.
“So accusatory.” He dragged out his response smugly. “It’s nice to see you too, Madison.” The way her name rolled off his tongue always made her swoon. “You look beautiful as always.” He gave her a once over as she folded her arms across her chest. A raspy laugh rumbled from his throat and her cheeks flushed.
She stomped her foot and a chunk of missed snow slid on the carpet. The man had her flustered like a teenager with her first crush.
“Uh…thanks,” she said, feeling less than beautiful and even more anxious. Madison shoved her hands in her pockets to keep from running and jumping in his arms. If she focused on their last knee-weakening kiss, she’d be a goner. Her mother’s business was at stake. “Did you do that? It’s been held there each year. My mother’s business depends on that show.”
He shrugged his shoulders with a confidence that couldn’t be taught.
“If your venue is unavailable, you are welcome to use Firenza free of charge.”
“How charitable of you.” Folding her arms in front of her again, she paced the room.
“I am charitable.”
“A man in organized crime.” Madison used air quotes for emphasis. “Charitable. Hmm.”
“Firenza is my sister’s place. It’s a legitimate establishment.” His eyes narrowed and flashed with anger. “The family business does not affect hers.”
“How much?” She had no choice but to take it, but it would not be for free. There was no way she wanted to be indebted to the family.
His lips spread wide in a panty dropping grin.
“Consider it a gift from my sister. Valentina would be more than happy to help you out of a bind.”
She found it hard to believe anything from a crime family was free. There had to be a price to pay or a future favor to be asked.
“Really?” She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side.
Roman pushed off from the edge of his desk and wandered way too close, invading her space. Sultry aftershave of an enticing mixture of musk and pine wafted to her nose. She inhaled deeply, letting it wash over her. Was it bad that she wanted to jump his bones? He was so wrong for her. He stood for everything she didn’t, but there was something about the man that drew her in to the point he could make her sin and never regret a second.
What was it he’d said the first time they met in the coffee shop? She was debating over her favorite piece of cake and he whispered behind her, “Sometimes doing what you want is worth the guilt.” Oh how she wanted to do things with him that would leave her feeling guilty and loving every minute of it.
“Why don’t you have dinner with me and Valentina this evening? I’ll cook.” His smile made her knees weak. “We could discuss the logistics of your event.”
He made a good case, but she wasn’t fooled for a minute.
“As long as Valentina is here, I’ll be here.”