herself and keep her safe all at the same time.”
“Your Honor, that is highly prejudice. My client is happily married, his wife is happily married as well. What you’re inferring is gross defamation.”
The judge smirks before he shakes his head a couple of times. “Honestly, I don’t care what you think.”
Without another word, he stands, turns and walks away. The sheriff’s deputies immediately make their way toward me. Turning my head, I look back at Pippa. She’s just inches from me. My wrists are still bound in the cuffs so I can’t reach out for her.
Lowering my face, I touch my mouth to hers with a brush of my lips. “Massimo,” she exhales.
“Be good. I won’t be here long, dolcezza.”
“C’mon lover boy,” the bailiff grunts as he wraps his hand around my elbow.
“Salvatore, we meet soon?”
Salvatore dips his chin, and I nod my head once before I turn back to Pippa. “Be good,” I say, repeating my words.
“I will, Massimo,” she says, her voice soft and sweet.
Without another word, I follow behind the deputy and make my way back to goddamn jail.
PIPPA
“He was angry,” I whisper to Salvatore as he walks me into the house.
Salvatore grunts as he follows me inside. “Gavino and Arlo are on their way, I’ll wait here with you.”
“He was angry, wasn’t he?” I ask, pushing the subject.
There is a moment of silence, then Salvatore finally speaks. “He was, but in the end, I don’t think he was upset. He just didn’t want you to see him like that. He was more embarrassed than anything.”
“But I’m his wife,” I say.
Salvatore snorts. “You don’t know many Made Men, do you, cara?”
Licking my lips, I press them together and shake my head. It’s true. I knew my father, but otherwise, I’ve only ever known of Made Men. I’ve only ever seen them from afar or observed them. I haven’t been close with any of them, not like I am now.
“Seriously?” he asks.
“My father was Made, but died when I was young. I don’t think he was very high up on the totem pole, if you know what I mean.”
Salvatore nods his head, his eyes searching mine. “Massimo is lucky to have you, Pippa,” he rasps.
“Is he?” I breathe.
He nods his head, then jumps when there is a knock at the front door. I watch as he stands and practically runs over to the door. He yanks it open, Gavino and Arlo waltz in as though they live here, as if they were made to walk through that front door.
“Pippa,” Gavino murmurs, dipping his chin.
I give him a small smile, but I don’t say anything. I just want to know what the hell happens next. Sitting on the edge of the sofa, I watch them, waiting to see what they’re going to say. I know this meeting is for me, and I have no doubt that they’ll be laying some ground rules for the future.
“How are you doing?” Gavino asks, his voice low and concerned. I don’t know if he’s concerned for me personally, or trying to gauge my mental and loyalty status.
Smiling, I fold my hands in my lap to keep from fidgeting under his scrutinous gaze. “I’m good, Gavino. Scared, but I’m good.”
Gavino sits down in the corner of the sofa across from me. Salvatore is sitting in the chair next to me and Arlo is sitting in a chair across from him. I wait, silently, for them to speak, any of them.
“It’s okay to be scared, it’s understandable, but know that you are ours to protect when Massimo is unable to, Pippa. There will be two men on you twenty-four hours a day until this is done. One will always be stationed outside and one will be in your guest room here,” Gavino explains.
My eyes fly up from my lap to meet his. “Here? With me? A stranger?” I ask in a rushed panic.
Arlo clears his throat. “You’re safe, Pippa. It’s normal procedure any time there is a threat to protect the women. Massimo has had a man on you every time you’ve gone out by yourself in public. This will be no different, except he’ll be with you instead of just following you,” he explains.
I knew Massimo had someone on me, I just knew it. I’m not even mad, actually, I’m kind of flattered and glad that he did. Lenora, Nicola, and Luciana have guards and I was wondering if maybe Massimo just didn’t care as much about me as their men do them.
“Okay,” I