Melina stared up at the ceiling. She hadn’t even bothered keeping up with how many days passed since her bail had been denied at arraignment. Judge Allgood had said she was a danger to society, but she knew the real motive behind his decision. He wanted to make an example out of her. By refusing to allow her to be released on bail, the judge had used her to send a clear message to anyone connected to the mob. They would get no justice. To be honest, she hadn’t been expecting any.
It would’ve meant everything to go home to her family.
But Lady Justice had never cared for her, and so here she remained stuck in a cell. Melina hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the hard regret that had been on Mac’s face as she was led away. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that he blamed himself for her current incarceration. She hated that she hadn’t had more time to give him some comfort, and let him know that none of this was his fault. Instead, all she’d been able to offer was a cryptic warning.
With cameras around ready to capture her every move, and microphones waiting to pick up any little slip, she had no choice but to be creative with her warning. She only hoped it would be enough to put Mac on the right path. He had to fix this or this cell would be where she spent the rest of her life. All because she’d dared to trust. Now she was paying the price for letting her guard down.
To see the woman she’d considered a friend, basking in the ruin that she’d brought to her family’s doorstep was a shock. To say the least. The realization of how deeply she’d been betrayed had nearly made her heart stop. She’d believed every lie Erika had fed her about her past, and felt sorry for the bad breaks the woman had. It was why Melina had invited the woman into her life, and trusted her with so much.
Only to be betrayed.
But no betrayal came without a cost, and one way or another Erika would get exactly what she deserved. No doubt the woman had been an undercover plant, specifically sent to target her. And Erika had done a damn good job of it. Too damn good. Melina balled up her fists, wishing that she could be the one to unleash her wrath on her former “friend.” A bullet between the eyes was exactly what the bitch deserved, but all Melina could do was wait for Mac to put things in motion.
Mac.
Seeing him in the courtroom had been like giving a dying man a glimpse of Heaven before he went straight to Hell. They’d been apart for longer than this when she’d been arrested close to two years ago. Things were different this time around. She and Mac were bonded even closer than ever now. Having a child together did that. It made you realize just how much another person’s existence affected your own. How it made life easier to live, knowing you had that someone beside you that made every moment worth living. Every day worth looking forward to. Melina was ready to sell her soul to have that feeling once again.
“Maccari, let’s go.”
Melina got up from her bunk, and moved towards the barred entrance of her cell. A guard motioned her back as he unlocked the door.
“Where am I going?” she asked.
“Emergency hearing. That’s all I know.”
Melina presented her wrists, waiting for the guard to slap on a pair of handcuffs but he shook his head.
“No need. I’ve watched you since you’ve been in here. Causing a scene is not your style.”
“You’re right. Thank you.”
The guard nodded as he locked the cell doors back, and started moving with her down the hall. Unlike most of the guards that worked in the jail, this one hadn’t been an asshole. She’d remember that if she ever ran into him outside of the jail. He moved at a brisk pace taking her from behind the locked doors, and down the hallway that lead towards the front of the jail. As she walked, Melina wondered what the hearing could possibly be about. The judge had already denied her bail request. There was nothing now to do but wait for her inevitable trial.
Melina remained silent as she was escorted to a large conference room. Everything about this was out of the ordinary. Inside waiting was Johnathan.
“Everyone else should be here momentarily,” the guard said before he shut the door and exited the room.
“Melina. You look well considering the circumstances.”
“Cut it out, Johnathan. Why are we here instead of at the courthouse? What exactly is going on?”
The man faced her with steely resolve. “I’m about to secure your freedom, once and for all.”
He motioned for her to have a seat at the conference table in front of him.
“I really hope so,” Melina said as she sat down.
Johnathan took a seat next to her, and it wasn’t long before the door opened admitting the same thin, snooty looking attorney who’d been at her arraignment.
“Mr. Olivera, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but I intend to lodge a formal complaint with the bar.”
“Miss Townsend, you are welcome to do whatever you want, but after this meeting I would reconsider my threat if I were you.”
The woman glared at Johnathan, but said nothing further as she took a seat across from them and opened up her briefcase. The room was silent as they waited for the judge to arrive. Melina had no idea what exactly her attorney had been up to since her arraignment, but the man was plainly confident and unbothered by the State Attorney’s threats. Clearly, he had something up his sleeve.
Judge Allgood entered, and took a seat across the table from State Attorney Townsend. He gave Melina the quick once over, and she returned his gaze without flinching.
“This had better be good, or both you are going to be looking for a new line of work.”
“I can assure you, Judge Allgood, whatever this is was not my doing,” Townsend said.
“Mr. Olivera, it is highly irregular for the chief judge himself to call me, and demand that I come to the jail immediately. Please tell me what this is all about.”
Melina glanced at Johnathan who opened up his briefcase and slid a red folder across the table to the judge.
“Your Honor, there are a number of reasons for this informal hearing. For starters, my client is ready to exercise her right to a speedy trial. She has been jailed for two months, and has been unable to have phone or visitor privileges. Both are a clear violation of her rights, and at this time she is ready to proceed with the case against her.”
“An emergency hearing was hardly needed for that,” Attorney Townsend said.
Melina wanted to wipe the smirk off the woman’s face.
“That is her right,” Judge Allgood said. “Is there something else?”
“Yes, Judge, there is. The evidence against Mrs. Maccari has been, and remains, circumstantial. Now, the prosecution was supposed to have a key witness who supposedly could corroborate and give a firsthand account tying my client to the murder of Anthony Corelli. But word has reached me that this all important witness is dead. With no witness there is no case.”
Melina bit her lip in an effort to school her reaction. Her husband had realized Erika was the one who set her up, and he’d acted accordingly. The bitch was dead. No wonder Johnathan appeared so confident.
Judge Allgood cut his eyes to the state attorney. “Is this true, Miss Townsend? Is your witness dead?”
The woman swallowed hard before she answered. “Well—”
“It is a yes or no answer, Miss. I am not asking for details about the witness, only a yes or no.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“And how long have you known your key witness was dead?” the judge pressed.
“Almost two weeks.”
“Do you have any other witnesses who can corroborate the charges against Mrs. Maccari?”
“No, Your Honor.”
Melina finally allowed a smile to slip, as Judge Allgood glared at the state attorney who now refused to meet his eyes.
Johnathan sat back in his chair. “My client has the right to face her accuser, but especially in a case like this. Does she not?”
“I am quite aware of what the justice system demands,” the judge barked.
“Good. And, Your Honor, if I might also add, the reason Chief Judge Walden insisted you come immediately to this hearing, if you call it that, is because evidence has been uncovered that Miss Townsend has been trading sexual favors to get her warrants signed. For instance, my client’s warrant was signed by Judge Peters, only the good judge didn’t sign it, and had no knowledge of it. His judicial assistant, a Mr. Ryan Lockhart, signed it after some coaxing from Attorney Townsend.”
“That’s a lie!”
The woman stood up staring wide-eyed at Johnathan across the table.
“In this case, I have truth on my side. The warrants that lead to Mrs. Maccari’s arrest were fraudulent and improperly executed. Yet another reason why she should be freed immediately, and all the charges against my client dropped. You’ll find everything you need in that folder, Judge Allgood,” Johnathan said.
“Judge, you can’t really believe—”
The judge held up a hand, silencing Attorney Townsend. Melina watched him as he read over the papers Johnathan had assembled in the folder. Beside him, the state attorney fidgeted in her seat, eyes darting back and forth between Johnathan and the judge. A few minutes later, Judge Allgood pulled a pen from his pocket, and quickly signed two sheets of paper before he closed the folder and slid it back to Johnathan.
“Mrs. Maccari, consider yourself a free woman. Miss Townsend, consider yourself under arrest.”
Judge Allgood stood, and opened the door behind him calling for the guards. Two rushed into the room, and Melina sat momentarily stunned as the judge had the state attorney arrested, cuffed, and hauled from the room over the woman’s loud objections. The judge summarily followed behind them, leaving Johnathan and Melina alone. She turned to him.
“I don’t know how you managed to pull any of this off, but I can never thank you enough.”
Johnathan shook his head. “No thanks needed. Just doing my job. Now, let’s get this paperwork filed and stamped so we can get you back home to your family.”
Yes. Back home with her husband and son.
The one place in the world where she would always belong.
Home.
Melina could hardly believe she was really here.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come in, Johnathan?”
“No. You go on and enjoy your family. I’m sure you and Mac have a lot of catching up to do.”
She nodded. “Yeah, we do.”
Impulsively, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before exiting the car. Moving briskly, Melina was up the stairs that lead to the front door. She’d barely made it to the last step when the door was flung open.
“Melina.”
“Mac.”
His arms wrapped around her, crushing her to him in an embrace so tight she could barely breathe, but she didn’t care. She held him close, breathing in his scent.
“I’ve missed you, doll.”
“I’ve missed you, too, Mac.”
Melina had barely gotten the words out before Mac’s mouth was crashed down on hers. His kiss tasted of desperation. His tongue darted into her mouth, and Melina moaned, drunk on the taste of him. Heady and drowning in desire.
And then she heard her son’s cry.
“Sounds like someone needs his mother,” Mac said. He kissed her nose and then her forehead.
“His mother needs him, too. Where is he?” she asked.
“In the living room. I had him napping in his playpen next to me.”
Melina quickly moved past her husband, and down the short hall into the living room. And there she saw him, lying on his side kicking his legs against the side of the mesh pen as he cried.
“Marquise.”
She approached the crib, and leaned over reaching for her son. His crying stopped immediately, and the biggest grin spread across his face. His little arms reached upwards for her, and Melina picked him up pressing her face against his. She pressed kisses all over his face, inhaling the soft, sweet scent of him. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she let them fall. Marquise cooed, and Melina melted as his little fingers touched her nose and cheek.
“There is nothing like the bond of a mother with her child,” Mac said.
“I’ve missed him more than I thought could be possible.”
Melina smiled through her tears as she took Marquise, and sat down with him on the couch behind her. He held one of her fingers in his fist as he continued to coo and smile at her.
“And he missed you. I was afraid some days that he would never stop crying. Whenever someone came into the room his face would light up, and then when he saw that it wasn’t you, that light would just disappear. It broke my heart.”
Mac sat down beside her, pulling Melina into his arms as she held their son.
“A mother should never be separated from her child,” she said to Mac before transferring her attention back to their son. “Momma’s so sorry she had to leave you. I promise it won’t happen again.”
Marquise’s eyes stretched wide, and Melina laughed as a small spit bubble formed on his lips. He continued cooing at her.
“I won’t pretend to understand everything that you’ve gone through because of me, but I can promise you that I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for it.”
“There’s nothing to make up for, Mac. I knew what I was signing up for when we married, and committed myself to building a life with you. I don’t blame you for any of this. Honestly.”
She freed one hand from holding Marquise to touch her husband’s face. His hazel eyes watched her intently, searching her face.
“You really mean that,” he finally said.
“Of course, I do. You’re my husband, and I love you. Nothing has changed.”
Mac’s attention shifted as Marquise squirmed in her arms. Together they looked down at him. He rubbed their son’s head as she held him.
“Everything has changed, doll. We’ll soon be in positions we never thought we’d be. Our lives are never going to be the same.”
Melina looked down at their son who had fallen asleep in her arms. His cheeks were soft as she rubbed her finger against them. Marquise was growing up right before their eyes. She never wanted to miss another moment of his life.
“And what position is that?”
“No need to worry about that now, doll. All that matters is right here and now.”
“You’re right. There’s more than enough time to worry about tomorrows.”
Melina moved closer to Mac, leaning against him. She relished in the nearness and sanctity of her family. Nothing mattered but this moment, and for now it was enough.
Melina walked into the bathroom, and smiled to herself when she saw the lit candles placed around the room. The tub was filled nearly to the brim with sudsy bubbles just waiting for her.
“Get in, doll, before the water gets cold.”
Melina turned to find Mac standing behind her completely naked.
It was a sight for sore eyes.
“And might I assume from your current state of undress that you’re going to join me?”
“As soon as I get you naked.”
Mac moved swiftly, hauling her to him. His kisses rained down on her face as he pulled up her dress. Melina moaned as he tore at her panties before plunging a finger inside her. How she’d missed him. Missed this. Her thighs opened wider offering him access to what belonged only to him. Always only to him.
“God, I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
“I can tell, doll.”
Melina groaned at the soft, wet sucking sound her body made as it greedily devoured his finger inside her. As his thumb brushed over her clit, she sucked his bottom lip between hers. Mac damn near growled.
“I like that sound,” she teased.
“I think I’m going to do something about that.”
Before Melina knew what Mac was about, he was on his knees and her bottom rested flat on the bathroom counter. The first lick of his tongue on her pussy nearly made her come off the counter. Her thighs fell completely open, and her hands threaded through his hair as he ate at her greedily. Every lick of his tongue brought her higher and higher to Heaven. His lips closed around her clit, sucking hard and fast. Closer and closer her orgasm hovered towards her. And she was falling over the edge, lost in a wave of roaring pleasure. Her head rested against the glass mirror as she struggled to catch her breath.
“I can safely assume from the honey dripping down your thighs that I did something right.”
Mac stared at her from between her thighs, merriment dancing in his eyes.
“Indeed, and I can’t wait to see what else you have in store for this evening,” Melina said.
“Well then we’d better make good use of this bath tub, shouldn’t we?”
“Mac, I wish you would tell me why you wanted me to accompany you. I know that this meeting is about securing your position as the new boss. I don’t understand why any of that requires my presence.”
“I must not have done my job adequately last night if this meeting is all you can think about,” Mac teased.
“After last night I’m surprised I can even walk straight. No worries there.”
“Good to know. Now I can take this meeting with a clear mind. You ready?”
Melina nodded as Mac held the door open for her. She stepped inside and found the room filled with men, some sitting at the long brown conference table in front of them. Others sat near the walls on fold out chairs. When Melina and Mac entered the room, they all stood up, except for Enric who eased out of his chair but was not able to stand up fully.
Mac gave a curt nod to everyone in the room before he held out a chair for Melina. She sat down next to him, and faced the men in the room who were studying her, wondering what she was doing there. Melina wondered the same.
“I want to thank each of you for coming today. Times have been uncertain for all of us, but I’m sure that after today things will look better. For starters, I think it is important that all of you know that the man some of you were looking to for leadership in our former boss’s absence was a rat working for the cops. His aim was to take enough of us down leaving a vacuum of power and assuring him the boss’s seat.”
Her husband paused as the men started to whisper among themselves at the news that had been imparted. Melina was shocked. Anthony, a rat. The man had put himself out as some paragon of old Cosa Nostra values. Hell, the way Anthony had tried to paint things the only clear choice to lead in Luca Pivetti’s stead was an old fashioned man like him. To find out he was a rat trying to destroy his own family for power, made him even more of a disgusting prick than she’d thought.
“How can you be sure of this?” one man toward the back asked.
Mac carefully pulled out two rings from the inner pocket of his jacket, and slid them down his fingers. One, Melina recognized had been Luca’s. Another, Anthony’s.
Then, he set a small recorder down on the table, reached over, and pressed play. Erika’s defiant voice and Mac’s cool, calm tenor echoed over a device. A final conversation, she realized. It ended shortly after a gunshot and footsteps.
Mac waited for the recorder to click before he looked over the men again.
“I’m sure some of you recognize that woman’s voice, and who we thought she was. Anthony Correlli was a rabid dog, who finally got put down. This is the last time we will ever speak of him. Right now, we have better things to talk about. When I last spoke with Luca, it was clear that he wanted his line of succession to fall to me.” Mac waved at Enric and said, “You have his oldest, and only, son here to question on that front. I have his ring, given willingly to help speed this process along. But should any of you choose to make it hard on me that I fully intend to carry out his wishes, I will make it very hard on you to live.”
No one spoke up.
Mac smiled. “We’ve had a lot of issues lately in this business, haven’t we? Too much police attention, too many arrests, and other bullshit we don’t need. That’ll all come to a stop. With the right boss, the proper rules, and careful attention to detail and business, it will stop. I promise. Take care of me, and I will take care of you.”
A few confirmative murmurs passed through the men.
Approval, maybe.
“As my first order of business, I have a few key appointments to make.”
Melina watched as Mac paused, studying the room. She didn’t trust some of the men assembled. After all, she was sure that some of them had been supporters of Anthony, and there was no doubt that they still harbored some bitterness about Mac’s rapid rise. She waited for someone to speak. To say something untoward, but no words came. Maybe a stable future was within her husband’s grasp.
“A man cannot hope to be a successful boss without having people in his corner that he can trust. People that have proven themselves loyal time and time again. For my underboss, I choose Enric Pivetti.”
Melina’s gaze shifted to Enric. He sat unmoved, a signal to her that he had known about Mac’s intentions.
“Only a made man can be underboss,” a dark haired man sitting near the wall said.
“He was made … by me. Besides that fact, there is not a man among you braver or more dedicated than Enric.”
“He’s a cripple,” someone else spoke up. “That’s not concerning to you that he might be seen as an easy target or—”
A loud pop echoed, followed by shattering glass. The man who had been insulting Enric while he sat in the same room with the young man now held shattered remains of whatever glass object he had been holding. Blood from where the shards cut him started trickling down his arm.
On the other side of the room. Enric sat still as stone with a gun pointed at the man. “Call me a cripple one more time, Carl.”
“Well, I just … meant that—”
“One more fucking time.”
Mac chuckled. “Do you need a moment to clean up your arm, Carl?”
Carl swallowed hard, and shook his head. “No, no. I’m quite fine.”
“I’m aware that Enric has his challenges. So do the rest of us. No man in this room is perfect. His job as an underboss is to protect me, and manage the rest of you. To be my go-between. Nothing more, nothing less. He already does that. He has friends in every single one of your crews. He’s what you might call a smart boy.”
Enric snorted, but stayed quiet.
Mac waved a hand, saying, “And that brings me to my next appointment. As consigliera, I choose my wife Melina.”
Melina had to fight to keep her mask of indifference in place. Consigliere or consigliera was something she’d never expected. How could she? From everything she knew Cosa Nostra had never been open to women and now her husband had just turned everything on its head.
“A woman as consigliere? It’s unheard of,” one man said.
“First, tack the a onto the end of that and give her the respect of the feminine form. After all, there is a reason there is a feminine form of the word, no? Gentlemen, I think some of you forget the real purpose of that job. It is an advisor to the boss. A person that he can absolutely trust to give him the best advice and see to his own interests. But above all a consigliere—or consigliera—is absolutely loyal to the boss, and no one has proven that more than my wife. She has endured jail time, assassination attempts, and things no woman should have, and for that I honor her. Any man that dares to even think to disrespect her will meet with my rage.”
“Now, are we all in agreement?” Mac asked with a flick of his wrist in the men’s direction.
Melina had the feeling none of the men really had a choice, but at this point, a boss like Mac was probably the best option.
Eventually, one by one, confirmations rang out.
With his peace having been said, Mac rose and offered his hand to Melina. She took it, allowing him to help her from her seat. The room remained quiet as Mac opened the door leaving the men and the clandestine meeting behind them.
“You might have warned me,” Melina said.
“And miss out on the shocked expression on your face? Never.”
“Will they accept me, Mac? I don’t want to be the cause of more problems for you.”
Mac stopped and grabbed her hand. “You won’t. They will accept you because I have ordered it, but in time they will come to see what a valuable asset you are. They will respect you.”
“Your confidence is inspiring.”
“You are inspiring, doll. I know that whatever the future holds, it will be better for all of us with you at my side in all things. I need you, Melina. Together we can change this famiglia for the better. Will you take the position? Did I mention there are some very nice perks that come with it?”
Melina laughed as she wrapped her arms around her husband. “What kind of perks?”
“Whatever you want. I’m open to negotiations.”
“Well then, I’d say that you’ve got yourself a new consigliera.”
Their lips met in a kiss of fire and passion. For once there was nothing to worry about. Nothing to fear. The world was theirs, and the future brighter than it had ever been.