Page 119 of Till Death Do Us Part

Felice nodded.

Guns were drawn, and we were instructed to put our hands up. I was ordered to stay where I was. The detective with the badge started reading Felice his rights, while a police officer handcuffed him. I didn’t catch what the charge was. He didn’t resist. They set him against the police cruiser, checking for weapons.

“What the hell is he being charged with?” I shouted over the wind and all the noise. I was ignored, so I shouted it again.

“Don’t move,” one of the police said, blocking me from getting closer.

Shock had melted, and I was starting to get mouthy. Especially after they put him in the cruiser and pulled off. The entire force seemed to go with him. I was left with the guests from the yacht. The men were mad, shaking their heads and cursing. Tommaso and his wife passed me, surrounded by his guards, or whoever the hell they were.

Cassio came to stand next to me. “I’m going to take you home.”

“Felice,” I said, nodding toward where the police had gone. “He—”

“I know,” he said. Even though I could tell he was put out by the set of his face, he was almost taking it in stride.

I was trembling. “What the hell is this about, Cassio? And what am I supposed to do now? Make bail?”

“This isn’t his first ride.” He placed a hand on my lower back, ushering me toward wherever his car was. “You have a lot to learn about this life.”

“Yeah, and this is a crash course. Do you know what they’re charging him with?”

“Could be anything.”

I was about to respond, but I shut my mouth and narrowed my eyes. A man I recognized stood away from the crowd, one hand in his pocket, the other holding what looked like a ripped piece of material. It whipped in the wind like a flag.

Alfonso Maggio.

Chapter42

Roma

Awatch.

They had arrested Felice over a watch. The watch he won in a game of curling against Jack. Because it was valued over a certain amount, it was considered a felony. It was also considered a collector's item because of its make and model. Alfonso's father had been a collector of them.

Felice's lawyers had provided footage of Jack handing it over at the hotel. Alfonso had told them Felice threatened Jack to get it. It just so happened Felice had his hand in his pocket when Jack handed it over, which made it look like Felice was hiding a gun. But it couldn’t be proved and the charges were dropped.

I didn't think Alfonso cared if the charges stuck or not. He was just hitting Felice back. I remembered the private plane incident and shook my head.

Felice, like Cassio, took the arrest in stride. They even shared a chuckle over it after Felice came home. It was a game they found fun.

I thought of the way the police had pointed their weapons at him, and fun wasn’t the first word that came to mind. Because of who Felice was and his history, I’d learned his name was on a list and they always arrested him that way. He would always be considered armed and dangerous.

I thought the game sucked. I felt like another stake that had been added. Another one of Grandpa Maggio's watches.

“You're quiet,” Kerry said, handing me a lantern to hang.

We were surprising Elsa for her birthday. I’d convinced Cassio to take her and Adelasia out while we decorated her apartment. Her landlords offered to cook. She lived over a Chinese restaurant. It was her favorite.

“Do you think she'll be surprised?” I asked, not wanting to keep reliving the night my husband had gotten arrested. He thought it was cute—cute—the way I had freaked out when they’d arrested him.

“You didn’t want them to take me,” he’d said, his eyes lowered, like he was high off my reaction.

I really had no comeback for that. No, I didn’t want them to take my husband to fucking jail.

“She has no clue,” Kerry said, bringing me back to the present again.

“You need another one?” Fredo asked, lifting a lantern he'd put together.

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