Page 75 of Between Dusk and Dawn

"I can go in your place?" Enzo asked.

I shook my head. "No. I played the waiting game with them long enough. Fuck them."

"Gotcha," Enzo said blankly.

"If you intend to work for me and climb the ranks, you need to comprehend that, from now on, my wife takes precedence."

I was aware of the hypocrisy, having hidden away in a hotel room for the past few days. However, witnessing Madison unravel due to my actions stirred something within me. It felt like a switch had been flipped, and in this absurd war we had perpetually waged against each other, both of us were waving a white flag, desperate to bring it to an end.

I spoke with Enzo, mapping out plans to return to Dansport. Madison's tear-stained face haunted my thoughts, visible through the surveillance cameras that had become both my shield and my tormentor.

"I can't keep doing this, Enzo," I confessed, my voice heavy with a weariness that went beyond the physical. The cold tone I used for business had fallen, hoping to reach the friend on the other line. "She's falling apart, and I can't stand by and watch it happen."

Enzo, ever perceptive, responded with a level of understanding that only a trusted confidant could provide. "It's time to come home, Boss. You've been holding this place together, but sometimes the ones closest to us need more than just protection from external threats."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see it. "You're right. I've been so focused on the bigger picture, on keeping everything with my dad and the family intact, that I've overlooked what's right in front of me."

I paused. "Is she okay?" I hesitated to ask, knowing he’d been with her. Yes, he’d sent hourly updates, but I was asking for something more—something deeper.

"The horse seemed to help, so did your sister's visit."

Fuck, I hadn’t even had a second to process Ember’s unwanted presence in my home. I watched and listened to most of their conversation, appreciating and reveling in the fact theywere having a decent chat. They both apologized, which for Madison, was huge.

There was just one more truth I needed to get off my chest. I needed to tell her everything that happened that night. She deserved to know.

The realization struck me like a revelation. We were constantly running away from each other when, perhaps, it was time to run toward each other. The decision to return to Dansport wasn't just about fulfilling my responsibilities as a leader, it was a recognition of the personal ties that bound me to Madison.

Ending the call with Enzo, I arranged for my return, including booking the jet to set off in the next hour, setting aside the cloak of detachment that had shrouded me for far too long. I packed the suitcase and headed out to the airfield, not bothering to deal with the Irish or my father until after the holidays.

It was time to stop running away and start facing the challenges that lay ahead.

Chapter Thirty-One

It was well into the night, and I refused to be in the main house because Enzo and a few of the other guards on duty were singing "The Italian Christmas Donkey" while Ms. Luchesse made them a large ham.

I wondered if Walsh knew what they were doing or if he’d be upset they weren't working. I didn’t care. I held onto a glimmer of hope that one day I’d marry someone who would put up a Christmas tree with lights, with presents underneath, and that I’d get to live a new life. My grandmother had hoped that for me, and while it seemed like a stretch, a part of me always dreamed it could be possible. Without dreams, reality felt too hard to live.

I shrugged off the small tug of disappointment that none of them dared to invite me over. Why would they? I was essentially a prisoner here, someone they were supposed to guard and keep safe because their boss paid them, not because they cared about me.

Desperate to reach out to anyone, I found no one there to grasp my hand. My sadness turned into anger boiling in my blood. How or why did he marry me only to lock me in his estate? How did he expect me to survive if I was always alone?

I curled up on the floor of my bathroom as I watched the night sky through the window. I thought I saw a few snowflakes starting to fall. I just wanted to go home, but I didn’t know where home really was. Maybe going back to Isles would feel warmer than this. I longed to walk down Main Street, go to the bars, and have a drink.

My phone buzzed on the countertop next to me. I reached up to grab it and saw it was Ember.

Ember:

Just here to say Merry Christmas Eve. I called him. No response.

The realization hit me, and with newfound determination, I grabbed my phone, dialing Ember's number. The ring echoed through the bathroom as I braced myself against the cold granite countertop, the phone on speaker.

"Hey, you okay?" Ember's voice, a blend of concern and familiarity, offered an unexpected sense of comfort.

I hesitated, grappling with the shame and embarrassment of having to make such a request. "I, uh, you know…"

"Spit it out, Madison." Using my full name carried a weight, a reminder that our relationship was more than just strained history. It was part of the fresh start we both had committed to each other.

"Do you think I could maybe, er, borrow one of your cars?" I rushed through the request, explaining my need to visit Isles.

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