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“Your parents, will they come looking for you?” I ask.
A sadness appears in her beautiful blue eyes. “No. They don’t care what happens to me.”
“Are you sure?” I squeeze her hand. “You’re their daughter.”
“On my wedding day to Eric, do you know what my mom said when I told her I didn’t want to marry him?”
“She looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘Good. You’re his problem now.’ As if I was nothing more than a burden to be passed on,” Madison replies, her voice choking on the painful memory. “No, Dante, they won’t come looking for me. They don’t give a shit.” Her words hang heavy in the car, a stark reminder of the cruel world we both come from.
The criminal world was a world I knew of from a far too young age after watching my parents get gunned down at only seven years old because my dad was wrapped up in the criminal world, to being shoved into a group home and running away to live on the streets. At least we’ve both found the strength to flee that life. Together, it feels like freedom might be possible for us.
I squeeze her hand tighter, vowing silently to shield her from that world as much as possible. “Let’s go get some breakfast, alright?” I suggest turning the engine on and shifting the car into drive. We pull away from the church, leaving behind the judgmental glances.
Madison gives a small nod, wiping away any remaining tears. As I drive us toward the heart of town, a new day casts a soft, warm light on the car. It’s a fresh start in our chaotic lives, a moment of calm amidst the storm.
19
MADISON
Ikeep my head down as I walk down the Main Street of Fordhurst, noticing the harsh looks and whispers that follow me. I’ve heard the rumors and the names they’re calling me.
Slut, sinner, whore... Dante tells me to ignore them, and I don’t tell him half of what I hear for fear he’ll lose his shit and murder half the town. It’s been one week since the announcement.
Dante’s friend received Eric’s cell phone and the cell phones belonging to his men in Mexico and has them going on a wild goose chase, sending a few updates to his dad here and there to make it look convincing. They plan to send the cell phones to a contact in a Mexican gang to make it look as if they got on the wrong side of the mafia there.
“Hey, Madison. Wait up!” Eva calls as I walk down the street.
I stop and turn to face her, feeling self-conscious. “Hey, Eva. Sorry I haven’t replied to your texts, I’ve been?—”
“Don’t worry about that. I wanted to check on you. How are you?”
I swallow hard, wondering why she’s so nice when everyone in this town treats me like trash. “Not great. I wasn’t prepared for the backlash of what happened.”
She waves her hand. “Ignore them. It’s mainly the elder population. A lot of us aren’t religious and think it’s hot that you managed to snare the tattooed priest.” She chuckles. “Tessa won’t shut up about how much of a legend you are.”
“Oh,” I say, a slight smile twisting my lips. “I’m glad you guys don’t think badly of me.”
“Of course not.” She tilts her head. “Makes sense why you weren’t into Jack now.”
“Yeah, I feel bad about that.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t, you know you rejecting him actually got him to ask me on a date finally.”
I arch a brow. “I thought you weren’t into any of the guys in the town?”
She laughs. “So did I! But I’ve always had a crush on Jack. What are you up to right now? You want to grab a coffee?”
I shrug, “It’s my day off. I was going to grab some groceries. I’d love to go for a coffee, as long as you’re okay with all the whispers and funny looks I get.” My tone is light, but there’s weight behind the words.
Eva rolls her eyes, linking her arm through mine. “Oh, please. If they have a problem, they can deal with me. Let’s go.”
We head toward the coffee shop at the end of the street. Eva doesn’t seem to notice the harsh looks we get, ignoring them entirely.
She leans toward me as we get to the door. “After living in a town like this, I’ve learned that scandals always die down with time. They’ll get over it. And in the meantime, you’ve still got us.”
I glance into the coffee shop to find Harper, Tessa, and Riley sitting at a table. They give us a wave as we enter.
“You didn’t say they were joining us,” I murmur, suddenly nervous.
