“I’ll give you two hours. It’s off the table after that. I’ll be in touch.”
Without another word, she stands to her feet. I watch her ass as she walks away. It’s a nice ass, encased in a too-tight skirt, but she’s built nicely, so props to Sal if he’s giving it to her. At least she’s got a hot body.
“You wanna tell me if you’re smashing that?” I ask, turning to look at him after the door closes.
He chuckles. “I have, yeah.”
“Sleeping with the enemy,” I groan.
He laughs and stands as he makes his way over to her vacated seat across from me. He looks down, then lifts his gaze up to meet mine.
“This one is all her boss. Usually, I can sweet talk my way into her forgiving quite a few federal charges, and I have over the years. He wants someone to go down and he is making an example out of you. He has you on extortion, cugino.”
“You saying I should take the five years?”
He clears his throat. “I’m saying take the five years. You don’t know what a judge is going to hand you and this isn’t a bad deal. A hundred-k? That’s nothing. It’s a drop in the bucket. Five years in the long run isn’t much. I know it seems like that right now, your marriage is new, Pippa is young, but you can get out early for good behavior. I’ll make sure that’s in the agreement.”
“This is horseshit.”
“Yeah, but it’s the name of the game and you know that. Don’t worry about the bakery owner, it’s taken care of. Your position will be held for you without issue and Pippa will be taken care of. You know that she will be fine.”
Nodding, I lift my handcuffed wrists to the table. “You take care of that judge that tried to tell my wife to divorce me and it’s a deal,” I whisper to him.
Sal smirks. “Naturally.”
Five years. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it, but it doesn’t seem like I’ll have a choice. Five long fucking years, because I know even though New York allows conjugal visits, federal prisons don’t.
Fuck.
Dipping my chin down to look at my hand, I curl my lip. That hand is going to be the only play I get for five goddamn years.
PIPPA
There’s a knock on my bedroom door. Inhaling a deep breath, I let out a sigh and force myself out of bed. I’m wearing a pair of Massimo’s sweatpants and one of his t-shirts. My uniform for the past five days.
My hair is a matted mess, and I’m fairly certain that I smell pretty bad, but I don’t really care. Every day that passes without any contact from Massimo, I can’t help but think that this could all be over. The life that I had hoped we would have, one filled with possibly love and children. It’s all done and over.
Yanking the door open, I lift my gaze to Renzo. His eyes widen, surprise crossing his features and I wonder how he could possibly be shocked, he’s been bringing me food every day, he knows what a fucking mess I’ve become.
“Salvatore is here to see you, girl,” he says, his deep voice rumbling.
Lifting my shoulders as I inhale a deep breath, I drop them along with my head, exhaling as I wonder what the fuck Salvatore has to say to me.
I know that he talked to Gavino and Arlo when this all happened, but I have no clue what they discussed and seeing as Massimo isn’t home yet, whatever that plan is, it hasn’t worked.
Renzo shakes his head, turning his back to me before he starts to make his way downstairs to the living room, I follow behind him, my feet shuffling with each step that I take.
I’m depressed as hell and I know that I need to take care of myself, but I really just want to wallow until the next thing is thrown at me.
“Pippa,” a voice murmurs.
Keeping my head down, I make my way over to the corner of the sofa and sink down, pulling my knees up before I wrap my arms around them. Only then do I lift my face and look at Salvatore. I wish that I hadn’t looked. A flash of pity crosses his face and I hate it.
“You’re obviously not doing well,” he rasps.
“I would do better if I knew what was happening,” I lie.
He smiles softly, shaking his head a couple of times. “Somehow I doubt that. No newlywed would be okay with her husband being arrested and gone for a week, let alone, a woman in your position.”
“In my position?”
Salvatore smiles brightly. “You know who you are, Pippa. You know you’re the wife of a Made Man, it’s no secret.”
“What happens now?” I ask, my voice low and meek.
Salvatore nods his head once. “He’s made a deal. On my urging, and with protest,” he announces.
My head flies up and my lips part in shock. “He did?”
“He did. Just to say, he’s not happy about his deal, but it was what he needed to do. In the long run, it’s what was needed.”
Licking my lips, I open my mouth, but Renzo speaks first. “What’s the deal? How much time’s he getting?”
Time?
Time.
Fuck.
The look in Salvatore’s eyes tells me that Massimo is indeed getting time. And judging by the look on his face, I’m not going to like the length of time Massimo will be away from me.
“Five years,” he rasps.
My heart stops beating. My lungs freeze. I stare, slack-jawed at him, expecting him to laugh and say he’s kidding. He isn’t laughing. He also doesn’t seem like the kind of man who laughs and jokes, in general, anyway.
“Five years?” I finally wheeze.
He nods, but Renzo doesn’t say anything. My eyes search Salvatore’s and I just stare blankly before I decide to ask what’s been on my mind since Massimo was arrested.
“What happens to me?”
“You’re the wife
