I set it up to look like an accident.

An overdose on opioids put him in cardiac arrest.

But in reality, I slipped something into his drink and put the pills where they belonged. He collapsed on the floor of his office, foam pouring out of his mouth and his heart giving out on him.

I watched the whole thing—to make sure it was done right.

Then I slipped out and headed to the airport. Egypt was warm this time of year. I headed through the poverty-stricken streets until I found my bike in the alleyway. I kicked it into gear and sped to the airport at the edge of the city, just fifty miles away from the iconic pyramids.

Max spoke in my ear. “Everything went according to plan?”

“Yeah.”

“No witnesses?”

“They won’t even notice he’s dead for a few hours.” His guards remained outside the dining room and surrounded the entire block, but they hadn’t noticed me slip inside from the roof.

“Good.”

“Tell Vanessa I’m getting on my flight.” I pulled up to the terminal and left my bike in the parking lot.

“Sure thing.”

“How has she been?”

“Spending time with her father. He’s come to Florence every day to hang out in her gallery.”

It wasn’t clear if he was doing that just to spend time with his daughter or give me peace of mind that she was safe. Maybe it was both. He’d been trying to earn my forgiveness, and the best way to do that was through Vanessa. I liked knowing she wasn’t alone, that she was distracted instead of counting down the hours until I returned. “Good to know.”

“I’ll let her know you’re on your way back.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re one of the best in the group. I’ll miss working with you.” Max never hid his displeasure at my decision. We’d decided it would be the four of us until we were too old to do this anymore. It wasn’t difficult to find someone who could kill people for money, but it was nearly impossible to find someone who could be trusted. It would be impossible to replace me. Instead of finding a fourth man, they would manage with three instead.

Words escaped me, and I didn’t know what to say. A part of me wanted to keep working with Max, but I knew that wasn’t possible anymore. Shane stayed in the business, and as a result, Cynthia wouldn’t live nearly as long because of the stress. Vanessa wanted to raise a family with me. I couldn’t do that if I was gone all the time. Once she became my wife, she would be the center of my universe—even more than she was now. My place was beside her, keeping her safe day and night.

Not killing men for money.

I finally responded to his words. “I’m going to miss it too, Max. But we both know it’s time for me to move on.”

He didn’t say anything for a long time, like he’d turned off his mic. But then his voice came through. “Yeah, I know. Doesn’t make it easier for me to accept.”

My plane landed in the middle of the night, and I arrived at the apartment past three. But the late hour didn’t fool me. I knew what would be waiting for me the second I walked in the door.

I stepped inside and set my bag on the hardwood floor next to the door. In the darkness, she moved toward me. Dressed in nothing but my t-shirt, she moved into my chest and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Thank God you’re home.”

God had nothing to do with it. I walked through that door because nothing was going to stop me from coming back to her. I scooped her into my arms so we could be at eye level with each other. Her soft hair formed a curtain across half of her face, the strands grazing against my neck with their gentle touch. My large hands felt her ass cheeks, the soft pieces of muscle I loved to spank. “I promised I would come back, baby. You know I keep my promises.” I kicked the door shut behind me and didn’t worry about locking it. With me in the house, there was nothing that could bother either one of us.

“I missed you…”

“I know, baby.” I carried her down the hallway and into our bedroom, feeling my woman shake in my arms. She’d counted down the hours until I returned, stayed up late at night because she couldn’t stop worrying about me. She didn’t need a man to be happy, but I was an exception. She needed me for everything, from protection to love. She allowed me to take care of her because I was the only man qualified for the job. “I’m here now.” I dropped her onto the bed then moved to pull her panties down her legs.

But she wasn’t wearing any.

She undid my jeans and pushed them down with my boxers, getting them over my ass but not any farther. She didn’t remove her t-shirt but pulled it up around her waist so I could move between her legs. She grabbed my hips and yanked on me hard, pulling my length inside her.

She gasped when she felt me, like she somehow forgot how I felt.

I held myself on top of her, my jeans below my ass and my shirt pulled up to my waist. We were both still partially clothed, but undressing seemed to be too much effort. I held her gaze as my cock felt her, was welcomed by the overwhelming wetness between her legs. She was ready for me long before I walked in the front door. Without telling me how she felt about me, she showed me she loved me every day. With tears in her eyes and desperation in her fingertips, she acted like it’d been three months since she’d seen me last, like this was the first time she was getting me back. Our love was so intense, it was almost too much for me to handle. But she was the kind of woman who could handle anything—even me.

Her hand slid up the back of my neck and into my hair as her legs wrapped around my waist, securing me inside her. “Griffin.” She spoke into my mouth, begging me to never leave her again. Her lips touched mine, but she didn’t kiss me. “I can’t do it again…”

I settled between her legs then started to move, surrounded by the slick arousal that coated my dick. “Yes, you can. I know you can.”

“No.” She held onto my shoulder and moved with me, her hips shifting as she took my length over and over. “I missed you so much…I couldn’t sleep. I worried the whole time.”

“I know, baby. I could feel it.” I could feel her turmoil even when we were thousands of miles apart. I brushed my lips across hers before I finally kissed her. “But we can do it one more time. One more time and it’ll be over.”

“Two more times…” She stopped moving and looked me in the eye. “I know you’re going to talk with the Skull Kings.”

Her father had obviously told her. I’d been waiting, wanting to tell her the truth at the last minute. “We’ll get through that too.”

She growled in my face, a weak sound because she couldn’t mask the pleasure between her legs. “You better marry me when all of this is over. Because that’s what I want…to live in a nice house in the middle of nowhere…just us and our family.” Her fingers grazed my hair, lightly fisting it as she took my big dick with ease.

I stopped thrusting so I could look down at her, seeing her beautiful hair cascade around her. With bright eyes and a seductive part to her mouth, she was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. She hid her thoughts from the rest of the world, but with me, she wore her heart on her sleeve. She didn’t just want me, she demanded me. She wasn’t afraid to tell me what she wanted, unashamed to love me with all of her heart. “You bet your ass, I will.”

It was good to be home, even though I would be leaving again in a short while. My woman was there with me, taking my dick first thing in the morning before she was even truly awake. I moved around the kitchen and made breakfast and coffee before I sat down at the dining table.

I hadn’t been inside the apartment for that long, but it felt like home to me. Decorated with Vanessa’s artwork and the furniture that was picked out for her, it was her haven. It absorbed her spirit, made her love heavy in the fabric of the couches and carpet. Even when she wasn’t in the room, I could feel her presence everywhere.

Crow’s name popped up on my phone.

It was the first time I wasn’t annoyed to see his name, knowing this was just business. I answered without saying a word, unsure how to greet this man.

He wasn’t affected by my poor manners. “How did your mission go?”

“Fine. Killed the guy and left.” My line of work wasn’t as exciting as people thought. I did my job then went home. There was no emotion attached to it. When my head hit the pillow, I went to sleep immediately.

“I’m sure Vanessa is happy you’re home.”

But she was miserable I had to leave again. “She is.”

Once the pleasantries were out of the way, he got to the heart of the matter. “Are we still doing this tonight? You need more time?”

I wanted this over and done with soon as possible. I had no idea what the Skull Kings were planning. Once the threat was neutralized, it was one less thing I had to worry about. The Barsettis always seemed to get themselves into trouble. Carter and Conway got mixed up in this bullshit, and Vanessa walked home alone and ran into me. Must be a family trait. “I’m ready.”

“My daughter can spare you for the night?”

Despite the tears she shed when I left, she was a tough woman who could handle anything. “She’ll be fine. I’ll meet at your place in a few hours.”

“Will you tell the Skull Kings you’re coming?”

“No. Dates aren’t really their style.”

“You’ll catch them off guard.”

I chuckled. “They’re never caught off guard.” I finished up the conversation with him just as Vanessa walked into the room. In my t-shirt and with messy hair, she was the queen of my castle. She was also the prisoner in my four walls. She constantly hovered between both, balancing between royalty and servitude. Even if she wanted to leave me, she couldn’t. Her commitment was the price she paid for her father’s life.

Her hand snaked over my bare shoulders as she looked down at me, a sleepy look in her eyes. “How’d you sleep?”

“Never better.” The bed we shared was too small, but I’d never been more comfortable. My hand moved up under her shirt to the soft skin of her belly. She’d put on some weight since I’d returned, but I liked seeing the extra inches around her middle. I preferred a healthy woman over a depressed one.

“Me too.” She smiled down at me. “I hadn’t slept in days.”

Pain pulled at my heartstrings, the guilt killing me inside. What kind of man hurt his woman like that? What kind of man made his woman sleep alone? I didn’t like who I was when I was still in this line of business.

She caught the sadness in my eyes. “You’re leaving tonight, aren’t you?”

I didn’t hide the truth from her. “In a few hours.”

A heavy sigh escaped her lips. “Here we go again…”

“This won’t be nearly as dangerous as the other stuff I do.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

I’d shoved my foot in my mouth. “It’ll be fine, baby. I promise you.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

I grabbed her hip and dragged her into my lap, placing her across my thighs. “I keep all my promises, baby. I promise you, your father and I will be fine. And I’ll be fine on my last mission too.”

She rested her forehead against mine. “It doesn’t matter what you say or do. I’ll never feel peace until it’s all over. I’ll never relax or truly be happy until you walk in that door for the last time, until I sleep alone for the last time.”

No one had ever made me feel as low as Vanessa. Her love for me raised me up, but it also crippled me at the same time. When she needed me, it gave me a greater purpose in life. Leaving her side for a job seemed ridiculous. I had more money than I would ever need, more money than she would ever need. I certainly didn’t need more of it. I just needed more of her. “It’ll happen soon enough.”

I’d just said goodbye to Vanessa a few days ago, and now I was doing it again. We stood in front of the door, my bag over my shoulder. It was packed with my rifle, shotgun, and pistol, along with ammunition. It was black leather, sleek and smooth. Anytime Vanessa saw that bag, she knew what was inside it. And she knew that meant one thing.

She couldn’t keep the pain out of her eyes. “Call me the instant it’s over.”

“I will.”

She stood in front of me without touching me, unable to keep the misery out of her expression. Vanessa had hardly shown her emotions to me when we first got to know each other, but now she wore them out in the open. She tried to hide them now, to the best of her ability. “I hate the way you make me feel. I’ve turned into one of those women who worries all the time…who stay up all night waiting for the front door to open.”

“You mean, you hate that I made you fall head over heels for me.”

She shook her head. “Now isn’t the time for your arrogance.”

“I’m always arrogant. And I love seeing you this way…even though it makes me an asshole.”

“You love seeing me miserable?” she whispered.

“No. I love seeing the way you love me, the way you can’t live without me. When I told you I loved you, you tried to run away. But now you’re so hung up on me that it’s hard to believe I said I love you first.”

She shook her head again. “Arrogant.”

“No. Just proud. Proud that I earned the love of such a woman.” I cupped her face and leaned down to kiss her, to feel the emotion in her lips as she embraced mine. I didn’t want her to cry, not after I’d seen her shed so many tears for me. My fingers touched her hair, and I felt her petite frame against me. It was nearly impossible to leave this place, to leave the home I made with this extraordinary woman. My heart would always remain behind, even if my body took me somewhere else.

“Please be careful,” she whispered against my mouth.

I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to see the sorrow etched into her features. “Always.” I turned away before I could look at her again, not wanting to see the heartbreak I caused. When I was gone, she would let her tears fall, but I didn’t want to see upcoming heartbreak. I hadn’t even been home for a day before I had to walk out on her again.

I made it to my truck and pulled onto the road, doing my best to focus on the next task at hand. My emotions had to be left behind so I could remain pragmatic for the evening. As far as I was concerned, Vanessa didn’t exist. I had to be calm, cruel, and sinister. I had to behave like I had no one to live for but myself.

But when everything was said and done, I had to marry her.

Officially make my woman mine.

When I arrived at the Barsetti home, they were gathered outside. Crow was dressed in all black, his dark hair matching the color. Pearl was in high-rise jeans and a white blouse. With her hair pulled back, she looked elegant, the opposite of her husband. Cane and his wife were there too. Cane had a gun in his holster and a shotgun across his back, even though he wouldn’t be participating in the meeting.

I left my truck parked in the gravel and joined them. Lately, I’d been spending more time with the Barsetti clan than Vanessa. I talked to her father as much as I talked to her.

It was becoming a pain in my ass.

Pearl smiled when she laid eyes on me, and when she walked up to me, she didn’t just greet me with a hug, but a kiss on the cheek—the way she greeted her son. “How are you, honey?”

Honey. That was the first time someone had called me that. “Good, Mrs. Barsetti. How are you?”

She squeezed my arm and smiled. “You can call me Pearl, Griffin.”

“I prefer Mrs. Barsetti.” It was a sign of respect that she’d earned.

She smiled but didn’t press me on it. “I’m sorry you had to leave Vanessa again.”

I didn’t want to think about what she was doing at that moment. Probably lying in bed next to the phone. “When all of this is over, I’ll never leave her again.”

She gave a nod. “I know.”

Crow came up to me next. “Griffin. Thanks for coming.” He shook my hand.

I followed the movements, my heart not truly invested. “Let’s bury this once and for all.”

Cane came next. “I really think Conway and I should back you up, somewhere outside the city. If we’re five hours away—”

“No.” Crow had made up his mind, and he wouldn’t change it. “If something goes wrong, you need a head start. There will be time for you to evacuate everyone. If you don’t get the call from me…assume the worst.”

Pearl held her gaze steady, but her eyes started to water in terror.

Cane’s face remained stoic, probably because he’d been in these situations so many times. The possibility of death didn’t unnerve him anymore. “Alright.”

“Nothing is going to go wrong,” I said. “It’ll be tense, even difficult, but nothing will go wrong, not when you’re walking in there with me.”

Crow turned to me. “Arrogance turns your strength into weakness.”

I held his gaze, unaffected by the insult. “A man without confidence becomes a human target.”

Crow didn’t back down.

“The Barsettis may have a respectable name, but I’m a respectable man. I’m not the kind of person you want to cross. I have connections everywhere from being in the game for so long. The Skull Kings need me. It will be in their best interest to establish peace, at least when it comes to me.” I turned back to my truck, dismissing the conversation. I wanted to get this over with. The sooner we got there, the sooner we could leave. The sooner this would be over and I could make that call to Vanessa to tell her we were both okay. I lived for that moment, looked forward to that moment with everything I had.

Crow said goodbye to his family, holding his wife the longest. It was one of the only times I saw him be affectionate with her, at least in front of me. He cupped her cheeks with both hands and rested his forehead against hers. They didn’t seem to say anything to one another, just holding each other.

I turned away, feeling like I was infringing on their privacy.

When they were finished, Pearl walked up to me. With tears in her eyes from saying goodbye to her husband, she hugged me next. “I need you to come back too, Griffin. Not just for my daughter’s sake…but for mine.” She squeezed me around the waist before she let me go.

The maternal love wrapped around me, made me think of my own mother, the woman whose face I could hardly remember. I never needed anyone until I met Vanessa, but now I felt a strange connection to the woman who killed my father. Vanessa filled the hole in my chest, but Pearl kept my mother’s spirit alive. “I will.” I pulled my arms away from her, uncomfortable touching her when Crow was standing right there.

We got into the truck and pulled onto the road. I was behind the steering wheel, and Crow was in the passenger seat. I’d screwed Vanessa in this truck a couple times, so it was strange to have her father sit there, but I pushed the thoughts from my mind so it wouldn’t be awkward.

It would be a long drive, and I wasn’t looking forward to spending so many hours with this man. I still resented him for what he did to me. I still hated him for the pain he caused. It was strange to respect his wife so much but have so little for him.

Crow didn’t say anything, and I hoped the tense silence would continue. I preferred the quiet over forced conversation.

The first hour was spent driving through the countryside without sharing a single word. We left Tuscany and headed north, taking the shortest path to Milan instead of the most scenic route. He spoke. “If you had it your way, we wouldn’t say anything the entire time?”

I kept one hand on the wheel while my other arm rested on the windowsill. “Yep.”

He shook his head slightly and kept looking out the window. “I’m not much of a talker either, but that sounds boring.”

“I like boring.”

He sighed from his side of the truck. “Fine. We’ll do it your way.” He rested his elbow against his windowsill and propped his head up, enjoying the scenic views in silence. He didn’t try to talk to me again, allowing the silence to become the loudest sound in the truck.

It was exactly what I wanted, for it to be so quiet that I could pretend he wasn’t there at all.

Twenty minutes later, his phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. Once he saw the name, he immediately took the call. With the phone pressed to his ear and his gaze focused out the window, he addressed the person on the phone. “Tesoro.”

My body stiffened slightly when I realized Vanessa was on the other line. I kept my eyes on the road and my hand on the wheel, but my mind became distracted, focused on the conversation they were having.

“Hey, Father.” Her words were audible through the phone, her beautiful voice filling the truck. There was anguish in her tone, tears in her voice. “Are you busy right now?”

“No. Griffin and I are in the truck. It’ll be a few hours before we get there.” He had a distinctly different tone when he spoke to his daughter. Affection mixed with protectiveness, he addressed his daughter like an adult. But there was always an undertone of childlike gentleness, something he didn’t use with Conway. Crow balanced between the two different approaches, treating her like a young princess and a grown adult at the same time.

When she spoke again, her voice was brimming with emotion. Like rising water about the burst from a dam, she was barely holding on. “Please be careful…”

He swallowed the lump in his throat and struggled to keep his composure even though she couldn’t see his face. But he kept his voice stoic, a mask of strength that was forced. “I’ll be fine, tesoro. Don’t worry about me.”

“I need both of you to come back, okay? I can’t live without either of you.”

The fields passed me on the left, but I wasn’t paying attention to the open road or the setting sun. The sky was starting to blend with the colors of pink, purple, and blue, but I didn’t care about the beauty of the land right in front of me. All I could do was focus on the pain in my woman’s voice, the heartache she couldn’t contain anymore.

“We will,” Crow said, keeping a strong front for his daughter. He refused to show any kind of vulnerability, giving her the reassurance she needed to hear. “Griffin and I are both experts. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

“Okay, I hope so.”

Crow lingered on the phone even though there was nothing else to say.

“I love you so much. You’re my best friend…”

I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, feeling my heart ache for the words she was saying. I wished I could do this on my own and keep her father out of it to give her peace of mind.

“I love you too, tesoro. And you’re my best friend as well.”

I didn’t expect to witness such a heartfelt conversation. It made me uncomfortable because their connection was so deep. Now it didn’t surprise me that Crow did everything he could to keep me away from her. And it didn’t surprise me that Vanessa worked so hard to get his approval, and when that approval didn’t come, she couldn’t stay with me.

“Please come back,” she said. “Both of you.”

“We will.” Crow took a deep breath as his eyes remained focused out the window. “I should get go. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Okay…talk soon.”

He hung up and dropped the phone on his thigh. He purposely turned his head away and focused his gaze out the window so most of his reaction wasn’t visible. He never showed an expression besides annoyance or anger, at least that I’d seen. But when Vanessa was around, it was a different story. She stripped away his hardness and made him softer than a cloud. He purposely hid his face from me, and if he could, he would have walked away to have this moment to himself.

But since we were stuck together, there was nowhere for him to go.

We arrived in Milan and left the truck at the curb outside the Underground. Hours had passed, and it was deep into the night. At midnight on a Monday, there was no one out. People had retired to bed long ago.

We sat side by side.

Crow turned to me, most of his face hidden in shadow. “Let’s do this.”

“Alright. I’ll go in first. If I don’t come back, leave without me.”

“You really think that’s a possibility?”

I faced forward again. “It’s unlikely, but I like to prepare for the worst.”

“Armed or unarmed?”

“Unarmed.” I opened my door. “I’m gonna offer the cash Conway profited from their operation. Bring your laptop to make the transfer.”

“Alright.”

I stood in the street with the door open. “I told your wife I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” I wouldn’t protect him just for Vanessa’s sake. I saw the way Pearl looked at her husband, the way she always defended him. There was nothing but love between them—and undying loyalty. “I’m a man of my word, Crow.” I shut the door before he had the chance to say anything.

I walked to the back entrance and entered the Underground. I was stopped by the guards for a quick pat-down before I stepped inside. The auction wasn’t starting for a few hours, so I was early—and there was hardly anyone there.

I headed to the bar, watched the blonde behind the counter smile at me, and I ordered a drink.

A few minutes later, Tony appeared. Dressed in black and gray, he was a man ten years older than me, with his nose pierced and tattoos up and down both of his arms. He leaned against the counter and fist-bumped me. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Got a big hit list?”

“Very.”

He chuckled then ordered a drink. “Life is more fun when business is good.” He downed his drink in one gulp. “And there’s blood on your hands.” He patted my back then turned to the rest of the room where the empty tables sat. “Why are you here so early? Heard that we have fresh meat tonight?”

“Not exactly.” I drank my glass in one gulp, matching his thirst. “I have business to discuss with you and Rush.”

“Business, huh?” he asked. “We’re usually the ones coming to you, not the other way around.”

“I think you’ll be interested in what I have to say.”

He grinned, like this was all a joke. “You are an interesting man…” He drifted away and spoke to one of his men. They exchanged a few words before the guy disappeared down one of the hallways. He came back to me, the tattoo on his neck more visible when he turned the other way. It was an image of a naked woman in chains, her wrists and ankles bound together. “Rush is finishing up. Be here in a second.”

I leaned my back against the bar and kept up my indifference even though my heart was pounding more than usual. Normally, I didn’t have anything important on the line. Before Vanessa, even my own life didn’t matter. But now, I had to make sure everything went well, that Crow made it back to his family. “Business has been good for you?”

“It’s always good. And it has extra perks…like playing with the goods.” He winked.

I’d paid for sex a lot in my life, but I’d never paid for a slave. A woman submitting of her own will was far sexier than forcing her to. Vanessa wanted me constantly, used me for sex all the time. Seeing the way she needed me was the biggest turn-on in the world. Sometimes I wanted to tie her up, but watching her bounce freely on my dick was the sexiest thing of all.

Rush joined us a moment later and greeted me with an embrace. “It’s been a while, Bones. My bar sales have gone down.”

I gave a sly grin. “Looks like that’s about to change.”

“Good. My bartender missed you too.” Rush was the leader of the Skull Kings at the Underground. Of course, he had a man above him. And that man had someone above him in a different place. The Skull Kings were a widespread group with many different connections. It was why they were so formidable. “So, I hear you have a business proposition for me.”

“I do.” I ordered another drink, getting rounds for all of us first.

Rush grinned before he took a drink of his scotch. “Always the gentleman.”

I leaned against the counter again and looked him straight in the eye, showing the same fearlessness I was known for. “I know you’ve got beef with the Barsettis. You tried to take them out, and it went to shit.”

Rush’s endearing smile immediately faded away, the scar underneath his eye becoming more noticeable. When he frowned, he seemed innately hostile. “We originally called you for the job, but you turned it down.”

“Had other obligations.” They had no idea I was the one who killed most of their men—since there were no survivors to tell the tale. “The Barsettis are pretty formidable. Have a lot of contacts in a lot of places. Their allegiances are unknown, and that’s what makes them unpredictable.”

“What’s your point?” Rush asked, flustered by the compliments I showered his enemy with.

“I’ve done work with Crow Barsetti in the past. Pretty ruthless guy. He was informed of the attack on his son’s life and the bloody massacre that followed. The streets outside the opera house are still stained with blood.”

Rush’s eyes shifted back and forth as he stared at me. Tony did the same.

Having their full attention, I continued. “Crow’s got a business deal going down soon. Doesn’t need any distractions. Contacted me to intervene in the situation. He has a peace offering for you, if you’re willing to hear it.”

“A peace offering?” Rush asked coldly.

“His piece of shit son undermined our operation,” Tony spat. “You think there will be peace when some asshole crosses us?”

“If it’s convenient for both of you,” I said. “And I think it is.”

“We don’t give a shit about convenience.” Rush’s voice lowered, turning sinister. “That asshole undermined us, took a cut of our profits that belong to us exclusively. He may have wiped out our team, but that doesn’t mean the war is over. It just means they won the battle.”

This was worse than I thought. The Skull Kings had a serious vendetta against the Barsettis, because of Conway’s and Carter’s stupidity. It was fortunate they hadn’t struck again in the last few weeks. “What if I told you Crow Barsetti wants to make an offer?”

Rush raised an eyebrow. “What kind of offer?”

“To pay back the money Conway profited. Plus interest.”

When Rush didn’t shoot down the offer right away, I knew there was hope. Tony listened to every word too, not detesting the offer put on the table.

I continued. “It’s money you didn’t have to work for. He’d transfer it into your account right now. In exchange, he wants this issue to vanish. He has a big business venture he’s planning overseas, and he doesn’t have time to address this at the same time. But if you don’t agree, he will switch his focus to the Skull Kings.” I couldn’t tell them the truth, that the Barsettis just wanted to disappear. If I made them seem weak, the Skull Kings would try to take advantage of their exhaustion. The Barsettis had to maintain the front of strength, that they could keep fighting forever.

Rush finally turned to Tony, their eyes having a private conversation.

It was good news they didn’t say no right away. “Obviously, Conway Barsetti would never come near the Underground again. None of the Barsettis would. You’re both worthy opponents. If the war keeps going, you’ll both lose men and resources over the next decade, but neither one of you will be the victor. Take the deal.”

“Why did he bring you into this?” Rush demanded.

“Because I’m an objective third-party negotiator,” I said simply. “You trust me. He trusts me.”

Rush pulled Tony to the side, and they spoke quietly for a few minutes. Neither one of them raised their voices, so that was a positive sign. After a few minutes, they returned to me.

“What have you decided, gentlemen?” I asked.

“He’s outside?” Tony asked.

I nodded.

Rush snapped his fingers. “Bring him in.”

“Does that mean you accept the deal?” I asked.

Rush narrowed his eyes. “I said, bring him in.”

“Rush.” I gave him a firm look. “Cross him, and you cross me. And we both know you don’t want to do that. If you think you can take the money and kill him, that would be a mistake. Because there would be hell to pay.”

“Are you threatening me?” Rush asked, stepping closer to me.

“Depends on your intentions,” I said calmly. “But yeah, I’m threatening you.”

It was a testament to his unpredictability, because he grinned. “Bones, I’ve always liked you.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Bring him in—only him.”

I was convinced that Crow wasn’t walking into a danger zone, not after I reminded the Skull Kings they were also declaring war on me if something sinister happened. I knew that changed their tune pretty quickly. I pulled out my phone and made the call. “They’re interested in the deal. Bring your shit.”

“Alright.” Crow hung up as quickly as he answered.

I stood at the bar and waited, my eyes on the door.

A minute later, Crow made it past security with his satchel over his shoulder. He walked toward me, appearing tall and confident despite the antagonistic air in the room. He headed for me, his eyes on Rush and Tony. For a man who had everything on the line, he seemed oddly unaffected. I admired him for his bravery, for wearing his heart on his sleeve when he spoke to his daughter, but now for appearing as unemotional as a rock. He set the bag on the counter then turned to the three of us.

Silence.

Hostile silence.

Rush stared Crow up and down, the rage deep in his eyes.

Tony stood with his hands in his pockets, detesting Crow with the same enmity.

I didn’t speak, knowing I had to let Crow take the stand on his own. It wasn’t like he needed me anyway. I laid the groundwork. He could handle the rest.

“I have the account set up.” He spoke with a strong voice, his back straight and his muscular shoulders rounded. “All I need is your information, and we can get this shit over with. All the funds will be transferred in less than five minutes. Then we can move on.”

Rush was silent as he stared at him.

When Crow didn’t get a response, he opened his bag.

“Asshole.” Rush rested one arm on the counter as he stared at him.

I stood between them, ready to intervene if it came to that. I could take a bullet and survive. Crow was too old for that.

Crow turned back to Rush, his green eyes vibrant with hatred.

“Where’s my apology?” Rush demanded.

Crow’s eyes shifted back and forth as he looked at him, the fury no doubt simmering deep in his gut. He was too proud to apologize to a tyrant like Rush, but he had to respond in some way. He couldn’t bend and look weak. But he couldn’t fight either, not when that would escalate the already tense situation. “The only thing I will apologize for is the stupidity of my son. I thought I raised him to be smarter than this, not to be so greedy, not to profit off a woman’s life like she’s livestock. He’s better than that—better than you. That’s the only apology you’ll get from me.” He turned back to the counter and pulled out the laptop.

It was a smart thing to say, an acknowledgment but not a pussy move.

Rush was silent, which was a good thing.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest.

Crow set up everything on the laptop then slid it down the bar toward them. “Enter your account information, and I’ll begin the transfer.”

Rush turned to the screen and typed in everything, having memorized his banking information instead of writing it down. He finished and pushed the laptop back, his jaw tense.

Crow turned to them before he finished the deal. “We have an understanding, gentlemen? I never want to hear from you, and you’ll never hear from me. If you cross me, I’ll make sure your operation crumbles beneath your feet.”

I had to hand it to Crow. He knew how to hustle pretty damn well.

Rush raised an eyebrow. “No one could pull that off.”

Crow turned back to them. “I already have men in Hungary, Russia, and Romania, your main ports of operation. I know you funnel the women through those channels. If I pay the right money and tell the right people, your entire operation will be undermined. I’ll retrieve every woman you sell, distribute all your secrets to your enemies, tell all the authorities where you auction your women. This income is easy for you to streamline, and all I’ll have to do is interrupt the food chain. Yes, I can pull it off, asshole.”

I tried not to grin.

It was the first time I’d ever seen Rush speechless.

Crow didn’t blink. “So, do we have a deal?”

Tony glanced at Rush before he nodded. “If every cent is put in our account, then yes, we have a deal.”

“Good.” Crow turned back to the laptop, typed in the information, and then hit the enter button. He stared at the screen and waited for the funds to be transferred. It took almost a full minute for the transfer to go through because of the size of the funds. When it was completed, he turned back to Rush. “Check it.”

Rush pulled out his phone and logged in to his account. “It’s there.”

Crow immediately packed up his laptop into the bag. “It’s been a pleasure.” Like nothing happened at all, he turned his back to Rush and Tony and walked out, leaving his back exposed as he left the Underground.

I stayed behind, wanting to make sure this was really settled. “Sounds like a fair trade.”

Tony looked at Rush’s phone before he met my gaze. “He paid up. That’s all that matters.”

“We’ve got more important things to do than chase him around,” Rush said in agreement. “Let the Barsettis disappear. They must be scared of us if they paid us all that money.”

“And you must be scared of him,” I reminded them. “As you should be.”

We didn’t say a word to one another until we were outside of Milan. The light shone in the rearview mirror, and then we were on an empty road leading to the south of Italy. Crow kept up his indifferent persona, like he wasn’t relieved that the tense confrontation was now behind him.

When we were far away and certain no one was following us, the conversation began.

“They won’t be a problem,” I said. “They’re happy with what they got and ready to move on to the next thing.”

“That’s the impression I got too.”

“And you said all the right things. Defused the situation without sounding like a pussy.”

He looked out the window. “Not my first time.”

“It just sucks that you’re out that much cash…it was a lot.”

“I don’t care about the money,” he said honestly. “I’m just glad this is over. I’m grateful my son can have his child without looking over his shoulder, that my wife isn’t scared about our kids. And besides, Conway and Carter are paying back every single dime. I cleaned up their mess, but I won’t pay for it.”

I grinned. “That’s fair.”

It was late into the night, so Crow rested his head against the window and closed his eyes. “I know I should call my wife, but I don’t want to. She’ll cry…I hate listening to her cry.”

“She didn’t cry when you left.”

“She always tears up when I tell her I’m okay,” he said quietly. “She holds her breath the entire time I’m gone, and once I’m back, she releases all her pain. Instead of feeling it at the beginning, she feels it at the end. Her tears don’t annoy me, they just hurt. I hate it when she hurts.”

I understood that feeling all too well. I pulled out my phone and called Vanessa, my elbow resting on the windowsill. She answered before the first ring finished.

“Are you both okay?” she blurted, breathing hard like she’d been marching around the apartment with her phone clutched tightly in her hand.

“Yes. Both of us.”

“Oh…” She breathed into the phone, her eyes probably closed as she stood in the middle of the living room. “Thank god. I’m so happy to hear that…you have no idea. I haven’t been able to sleep. I’ve just been staring at my phone all night.”

I felt the same pain Crow described, feeling like shit for scaring her. “We just left Milan. We’ll be home in a few hours.”

“And it went well?” she asked with hesitation.

“It went better than I expected. They took the money. There were a few bumps and some hostilities, but your father handled it well. We both parted on good terms. They stopped thinking about us the second we walked out…which was what we wanted.”

“Good…I’m relieved. When will you be home?”

“Not for at least five hours. I’ve got to drop your father off first.”

“Oh…”

“Go to sleep, baby.” She was probably exhausted from stressing all night, from being upset for almost an entire week.

“I want to see you when you get home.”

“I’ll wake you.”

“Promise?” she asked. “Don’t let me sleep. I would much rather see you right away.”

I should feel awkward with her clinginess in front of her father, but strangely, I didn’t. I didn’t care at all. I loved her and she loved me. There was no reason to be embarrassed about it. “Promise.”

“Alright, I’ll let you go,” she said. “Love you.”

“Love you too, baby.” I hung up and returned the phone to my pocket, not looking at her father’s reaction to the conversation I’d had with his daughter. I didn’t care about his opinion anyway.

After a long stretch of silence, he addressed it. “Thank you for making my daughter so happy.” He didn’t look at me when he spoke, staring straight ahead. “You’ve put up with me, my brother, a bunch of bullshit…never gave up on her. I don’t care how much you hate me. Even if you always hate me, that’s fine with me. Regardless, I’m grateful she has you. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, for my little girl to have the right man.” As if he hadn’t just said something heartfelt, he called his wife and told her he was fine.

As he predicted, she cried on the phone a bit.

Like a real man, he listened to it. Consoled her. Told her he would be home soon. Gave her a shoulder to cry on even though he wasn’t there for her in person. After several minutes, he got off the phone with her and got comfortable, prepared to sleep for the rest of the drive.

I kept thinking about his conversation with Vanessa, how she loved her father so deeply, called him her best friend. They had a close relationship, remaining loyal to each other regardless of what life threw at them. I never wanted to come between them, but I knew I already was.

How could I hate a man who loved Vanessa as much as I did? Who would do anything for her, even risk turning her against him? Crow always had his daughter’s best interest at heart, and I had to admit I was the worst possible guy for any man’s daughter. It was unrealistic to expect him to behave in any other way. I wouldn’t make excuses for the hurtful things he did and said, especially when he got carried away, but when I witnessed their tender relationship with my own eyes, I knew I couldn’t be a wedge between them.

I could bring them closer together.

Nothing would make Vanessa happier than to see me build a relationship with her father, to become part of her family in a meaningful way. After everything I put her through, it was the least I could do. Vanessa and I were going to spend the rest of our lives together and start a family. Holding on to this hatred for Crow wasn’t realistic.

I should let it go.

There were better people to hate besides Crow Barsetti, people who deserved it more. I respected this man in a lot of ways, the way he could walk in there so calmly and establish peace, the way he took his son’s place without thinking twice about it, the way he listened to his wife cry and carried her pain with him. I admired this man because he’d raised a strong daughter, the perfect woman to spend my life with. Without him, I never would have found her. I would have spent my entire life alone, never knowing love. I didn’t believe in soul mates, but I certainly believed in that.

I had a terrible past, but perhaps everything was meant to happen…to lead me here. My forgiveness would bury the past for good. The blood war that had continued for three generations would be buried in the past like the dead. I would never be a Barsetti, but my children would have Barsetti blood.

Our bloodlines would fuse together and become one.

Crow woke up when I pulled onto the gravel. He ran his fingers through his hair then wiped the sleep from his eyes. He looked at the front door, the large wooden slab that reached the ceiling of the first floor. The lights in the windows turned on as everyone in the house woke up. Before Crow got out of the truck, the front door flung open and Pearl stepped out first.

Crow got out and watched his wife run to him in the darkness, her bare feet crunching against the gravel with her movements. She jumped into his arms, her legs and arms hooking around his torso.

I stared at them, immediately thinking of Vanessa and me. She greeted me in the same way, with overwhelming affection. Regardless of who was watching, she loved me openly, showing the depth of our romantic relationship.

Pearl cupped his face and kissed him, like a young couple still passionately in love.

I got out of the truck next and saw Conway and Sapphire on the front steps. Conway had his arm around Sapphire, but he wasn’t watching his parents. With his gaze averted to the ground, he found something else to look at.

I heard Pearl and Crow talking as he held her.

“Our babies are okay?” she whispered, her forehead against his.

“Yes.”

“It’s over? You’re sure?”

“Yes.” He kissed her on the mouth as he carried her closer to the front door. “Everything is alright, Button. Our simple life is safe. Our children are safe. I’m safe.” He held her against his chest as he carried her to the front of the house with ease. He set her on the concrete so her feet wouldn’t have to touch the gravel again.

She was in the same clothes she’d been wearing earlier, but her hair was messy from lying down until we came home. She cupped his cheeks one more time before she stepped back so he could greet their son.

He kissed the inside of her palm before he dropped her hand. He looked at his son next. “Con—”

Conway embraced his father, hugging him tightly. “I’m glad you’re home, Father. I’m sorry about everything.”

Crow stilled before he hugged his son back. Whatever he was going to say didn’t seem important anymore, not when his son said those words to him. He hugged him tighter and closed his eyes, holding his son even longer than he held his wife. “I’d do it again…a million times.” He cupped the back of his head and kissed his forehead. “I love you, son. So damn much.”

“I love you too, Father. I’m so sorry—”

“Forget it. It’s over.” He pulled away and looked his son in the eye. “It’s time for us to be happy. To live quietly. To welcome the new Barsetti that will be here any day. I just hope this is the last lesson I have to teach you.”

Conway stared at his father, his eyes starting to water. “I will always need you to teach me things, Father…”

Crow’s eyes watered in return. “Then this better be the last mess I have to clean up.”

“I can’t promise that either,” Conway said. “Sapphire and I are going to need you to babysit and change diapers…”

Crow blinked the emotion away and chuckled. “I don’t mind cleaning up after my grandbaby. But I’m not cleaning up after you anymore.”

“Deal,” Conway said. “Carter and I will pay back every dime you gave them.”

Crow gripped his son by the shoulder. “I know you will. That’s how I raised you.” He moved to Sapphire next and embraced his daughter-in-law, delicately hugging her because of her enormous stomach.

Pearl came to me next, tears still in her eyes. She moved into my chest and hugged me. “Thank you for everything, Griffin. You’ve been such a blessing to this family. We love you very much.”

Love. They loved me. “Thank you, Mrs. Barsetti.”

“I don’t want to hog you too much,” she said as she pulled away. “I know Vanessa is probably waiting by the door as we speak. I was sleeping on the couch in front of the window, waiting for the lights from your truck.”

“I told her to go to sleep. I’ll wake her when I get back.”

She smiled. “I promise you she’s wide awake.”

I smiled back. “You’re probably right.”

She kissed me on the cheek before she pulled away. “Good night, Griffin. Hope to see you soon.” She walked inside with Conway and Sapphire, leaving Crow behind.

Crow turned to me and extended his hand. “Thanks for everything…again. I’m sure that would have gone quite differently if you weren’t there to lay the groundwork. As my wife just said, you’ve been a blessing to this family…definitely not a curse. I’m sorry I ever said otherwise.”

I didn’t take his hand, letting it hang between us.

When Crow realized there would be no reciprocation, he lowered his hand, his eyes filling with disappointment. “Good night, then.”

“I forgive you.”

He flinched in place, his eyes widening when he heard the words I said. He regarded me with focused eyes, as if he didn’t believe the words that came out of my mouth. Perhaps it was part of his imagination. Perhaps he’d misheard what I said. He didn’t say anything, unsure how to proceed.

“You’re a great father. I think a man isn’t only judged by his strength and success. He’s judged by the way he takes care of other people, even if those people don’t deserve it. I see the way you respect your wife, treat her like a queen, and put her before yourself. I see the way you love your children, the way you’ve been a great example of what Vanessa should expect in a man. She’s a picky woman, only falling in love with a man who’s strong enough to handle someone like her. And you’ve been a great example to your son, to make him follow in your footsteps.”

Crow tilted his head to the ground, seeming to be overwhelmed by the praise he’d just received.

“When I hear you talk to Vanessa, I understand how much you love her. I can hear it in your voice, see the way you react to the sound of hers. You’re different, softer. I know you would do anything for her, even keep her away from me because you thought she deserved better. How could I hate a man who refused to let his daughter settle for anything less than the perfect man? You taught her loyalty, how to throw a mean punch, and how to take care of herself, not wait for a man to do it. If you hadn’t had her, hadn’t raised her to be so damn perfect, I wouldn’t have found the woman to spend my life with. There’s no other woman out there who would have brought me to my knees the way she did, who would have softened my rage and anger the way she has. She’s turned me into a better man, a man I’m actually proud of. So instead of hating you…I should be thanking you.”

Crow lifted his gaze again, his hard expression gone. He took a deep breath, his eyes softening in the way they did for Vanessa and Conway. He didn’t erect any of his walls around himself. He allowed me to see a more vulnerable side to him…since I’d showed him a different side to myself. “That means a lot to me, Griffin.”

“And it means a lot to me that you raised the perfect woman. I respect her so much. She’s not the kind of woman to wait for a man to save her. She saves herself. I’ve never seen anything like it. She’s half my size but manages to put me in my place…over and over. I didn’t realize I wanted a wife and kids until I found her. I didn’t realize what kind of man I wanted to be until I found the right woman.”

A half grin formed on my face.

“I was really wrong about you, Griffin. I’m sorry for that.”

I shook my head. “You wanted the best for her. I understand that now.”

“I never thought I would say this, but…I’m glad all of this happened. I’m glad the Skull Kings attacked us and all these events were put into motion…because my daughter never would have found the right man…since you’re the right man.” He stepped closer to me. “You’re a part of this family, Griffin. Whether you’re married to my daughter or not, you’re a son to me. You’ll always be a son to me.”

I never knew how much I wanted to be part of something until I had it. Vanessa was family to me, and now the rest of her family was too. They didn’t accept me because they had to. They accepted me because they wanted to. I could see the sincerity in Crow’s eyes, the way he admired me the way I now admired him. On the surface, I was a dangerous guy covered in tattoos who had been shot more times than any other man. But underneath that, I had a heart the same size as his.

He extended his arms and moved into me, pausing before he touched me to gauge my reaction.

I didn’t move away.

He was an inch shorter than I was, and he closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around me. He hugged me the way he hugged his son, with the same kind of grip and the same kind of affection.

My arms moved around his body, and my chin moved to his shoulder. I held my greatest enemy in my arms, embraced a man I’d plotted to murder. But now there wasn’t a hint of rage inside my chest. Now I embraced this man as a friend…as a father.

He cupped the back of my head—just the way he did with Conway. “When my time comes, I know you’ll take care of my wife. I know you’ll take care of Vanessa. I can rest in peace knowing you’re there…and that is the greatest gift you could have given me.”

Pearl was right.

When I walked in the door, Vanessa was wide awake.

Judging by her tired eyes and flat hair, she hadn’t closed her eyes—even for a few minutes. The sun had already risen about twenty minutes ago, so the night had passed. She stayed up the entire time, waiting for the moment she would see me in person.

“Griffin.” Relief washed over her face when she saw me with her own eyes. Just the way Pearl broke down when she saw Crow, Vanessa did the same with me. She buried herself in my chest, her fingers exploring my body to make sure I was okay. “I’m so glad you’re home.” She kept her face against my chest, the tears from her eyes soaking into my t-shirt. “I couldn’t sleep…”

“I’m here now.” My hand cupped the back of her head, and I watched her lean on me like a crutch. “Everything went smoothly. Nothing to worry about.”

“You don’t think they’ll be a problem again?”

“No.” I scooped her into my arms and carried her to bed. “They got their money. That’s all they care about.” I set her on the bed then stripped my clothes off so I could get into bed beside her. It was one of the rare times when I wasn’t in the mood for sex. There was something else deep inside my chest, a satisfying feeling that completed me. I didn’t want anything more.

She was already in my t-shirt, so she got under the covers with me. She was happy just to hold me, to feel me beside her as the sun continued to rise and fill the bedroom with sunlight. “I’m glad this is over. I know how much my father worries about these sorts of things. Mama too.”

“They’re both happy. Relieved.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear that.” She rested her hand on my stomach while her leg was tucked between mine. With her face on my shoulder and her hair spread out everywhere, she was the perfect sleeping companion. She was light, soft, and beautiful, and there was no one else I’d rather share my bed with—along with everything else. She closed her eyes, finally finding peace now that I’d returned home.

I watched her, entranced by the woman who’d captured my heart. She was my reason for living. It used to be cash and violence, but now both of those things didn’t matter anymore. She was my purpose, my world. “Baby?”

“Hmm?” She kept her eyes closed, more comfortable in my arms than in any other position.

“I forgave your father.”

Her eyes snapped open, her fatigue instantly wiped away. “You did? Why? What happened?”

“When I listened to your conversation over the phone, I realized that he loves you as much as I do. And how could I hate someone who would do anything for you? We have the same thing in common, the biggest thing in common.”

Her eyes softened.

“He was just doing the right thing for you. He stood up for you when most men would have backed down. He was never afraid of me, never afraid of making me a worse enemy. All he cared about was protecting you, regardless of the consequences to himself. He risked turning you against him by rejecting me, but he did it anyway. Maybe he didn’t handle it the best way, but there’s no doubt that your father would do anything for you, even the hardest things. Then I saw the way he treated your mother and brother, the way he selflessly protects his family. Maybe we got off to a bad start…but he’s definitely a respectable man. I decided to let it go…since his blood and my blood will be mixing to start a family. How could I hate a man you love so much? Someone you consider to be your best friend? So I let it go, knowing it was the right thing to do.”

“Griffin…” She rubbed my chest as the emotion grew in her eyes. “You have no idea how happy that makes me…how happy that must have made him.”

“It did make him happy. He hugged me.”

“Aww…” She cuddled into me closer, her face moving into my neck.

“And he said I was a son to him.”

“Because you are.” She squeezed me tightly. “This is what I wanted for so long, and it’s finally happening… I can hardly believe it.”

My arms moved around her waist, and I cradled her against me, her size dwarfed by mine. She was a petite woman, but her spunk made up for her stature. Plus, she didn’t need to be big when she had a big man for strength. “There are better people I should spend my time hating. Your father isn’t one of those people.”