Chapter 1

Madeleine

“Mommy, are you a hooker?” Betsy suddenly asks.

The brush falls from my hand and lands on the cluttered vanity with a loud thump. The question stops me cold. 

Her voice is soft, so innocent, but she’s red in the face, and her little lips are pressed firmly together when she crosses her arms over her chest.

“Whu- uh- where did you hear that nonsense? Of course not!”

“School. Riana says hookers go to hell, and will burn in the magical fires.”

Betsy jumps up with her toy dog in her arms, and starts to bounce on the bed. “Hell,  hell, hell, hell-hell-hell,” she sings. “Mommy’s going to burn in the fire.”

A wave of rage crashes over me. Blood roars through my veins, making me dizzy and short of breath. “Stop it!” I scream, much louder than I want to.

“No!” She throws her dog at my head and jumps off the bed. She plants her fist in her hips and stomps her foot to the tune of, “I hate you! I hate you! No one likes me because of you. Riana says that’s why I don’t have a daddy. ”

I let out a heavy sigh, and glance at the cheap little golden watch around my hips - a gift from a past long since forgotten.

It’s getting late, and if I don’t leave right now, I won’t make it to work in time. “I have to go.  Miss Clarissa will check in with you later tonight. I’ll bring you some chocolate muffins for breakfast, all right?” 

“No!” Betsy lashes out. “Don’t go!”

She pulls at my hand, trying to hold me back

I can’t afford to lose my job. It might not be glamorous but it pays the bills, my debts, and Betsy’s medical expenses. 

“I have to… I’m sorry, baby.” 

“No!. I… I… I will run away. I’ll find a new mommy. A better one.”

It breaks my heart, but I extract myself from her grip, and gently kiss Betsy’s forehead then hurry to leave before she sees my tears.

An alarm warbles in the distance. It happens all the time here. It’s a constant reminder that our lives are a mess.

The tears start flowing when I close the door. I can’t stop them anymore. I have to stay strong for Betsy so I can give her a better life. I have to.

But it’s too much.

There was a time when my life was simpler, when I still dared to dream, dared to enjoy the little pleasures of life.

There was even a man once. We knew each other for just a fleeting moment in time, but I fell head over heels for him. 

Dom.

He was as sweet and gentle as any person could be. It was forbidden to get that close to any man, living in a convent ant all, but how could I turn away from his bright hazel eyes, soft touseled hair, and the way he looked at me as if I’m the only thing that matters in the world.

Then, one day, he gave me the little wristwatch, and announced. “I have to leave. I won’t be back.”

I was heartbroken, but grateful that I never confessed my feelings for him. I knew then that I wasn’t good enough for him. That’s why he left.

And soon after, the accident happened. My world was turned upside down. I had to leave the sheltered convent, and entered this dangerous frightening world. 

I'm no longer the girl I once was. And part of me is glad the he left before he saw how that innocent girl turned out to be. But somehow he means much more to me now than he did then.

I carved his name into the back of my watch so I could see it when life threatens to knock me down.

And I need his comfort more now than ever before.

**

The casino smells like cheap cologne, and booze. It’s the kind of smell that sticks to your skin no matter how many showers you take.

The escorts are flitting around, their heels clicking as they shout to each other. The air hums with tension - the girls are busier and more agitated than usual.

“What’s going on?” I ask Bridgette as I walk into the locker room to stash my coat and purse.

She glances toward the casino floor, lowering her voice. “Rafael Andoletti is here,” she whispers.

The force of his name lands like a grenade between us.

The Andoletti family runs this city. From the docks to the casinos, they control everything and everyone  – the politicians, the police, even the press.

Rafael is the kind of man whose name is spoken in hushed tones. 

The last time he was here, I heard three people died by his direct order. One of them was forced to eat sixteen bullets simply because the gun accidentally pointed at Rafael when the man put it on the table. And that happened when he was so young - less than a month after he had taken over as Don from his father. 

His fearful reputation only grew in the aftermath. A small offense can easily cost several lives.

I look toward the VIP section. The glass doors are shut, velvet ropes in place. Inside, men in tailored suits sweep the room with detectors. The excited whispers among the staff grow louder.

Bridgette stops me and leans over, her voice low and conspiratorial. “Stay out of their way,” she warns, “they are dangerous, and the men can’t keep their hands to themselves. Just ignore them. You’ll be fine.”

I nod, my eyes flicking back to the closed doors. There’s nothing to see now - the heavy velvet drapes have been drawn - but the tension lingers, seeping into every corner of the casino.

“Maddie!” Lola’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. She grabs my arm, yanking me out of sight of Bruce, the manager.

“What are you doing?” I hiss, glancing toward Bruce whose hawk-like eyes are locked on a player at one of the tables. “The boss will kill me if I’m not at my table before the next round begins.”

“Please,” Lola whispers, desperation in her tone. “I need a favour.” I notice her hand dropping to her stomach, and she winces a little as she goes pale..

“Girl!” a player snaps from my table. “Are we playing or what?”

“Just a second!” I call back, irritation rising in my chest. The commotion is drawing Bruce’s attention. I turn to Lola. “What do you want? Make it quick.”

“I need you to cover for me in the VIP lounge tonight,” she rattles of her request.

“What?” I hiss. “No. What about my table?”

“I’ll deal for you tonight. Where do you think I started?”

“I don’t know, Lola. Bruce won’t like it.”

“Please, Maddie,” she begs, clutching my arm tighter. Her voice lowers, trembling. “I’m pregnant.”

The words hit me like a bucket of ice water. I blink at her. “What?”

“It's Bruce’s baby,” she says bitterly. “He wants me to get rid of it. I can’t… I don’t feel good, Maddie. I need you to do this for me.”

I stare at her, my mind reeling. My gut reaction is to say no, to shove her away and go to my table before Bruce notices I’m gone. 

But then she looks at me, really looks at me, and her next words cut me to the bone. “You have a daughter, don’t you? Aren’t mothers like us supposed to help each other?”

Damn her. She knows exactly how to hit me where it hurts. I hesitate, torn between fury and guilt, but I know I’ve already made up my mind.

“I’ll speak to Bruce,” she pleads. “But if I… what if I throw up all over Rafael Andoletti? Best case scenario, I’ll lose a limb.”

“Fine,” I snap. “But you owe me.”

“Thank you, thank you,” she breathes, clutching my hands before running off.

He’s just a man, I tell myself. Just another temptation in a world full of traps.

I open the door to the employee lounge, my heels clicking against the polished floor as I head in the direction of the other girls.

Everyone has heard stories about Rafael, but he’s never in the news, never makes the papers. No one even knows what the man looks like.

But we know him. The people of Ashbourne. Every day, we see the havoc his mere presence causes.

I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t even be in the same sphere of existence as Rafael Andoletti. He is dangerous, everyone warned me, the kind of man who’ll hurt you.

If only I knew how accuate those words would turn out to be.