Ronan sat across from me after the Barsettis left. “Nosy, aren’t they?”

I didn’t appreciate the way they showed up on my doorstep, but I respected the way Cane Barsetti loved his daughter. Opposing me was a suicide mission, but he didn’t hesitate because his daughter was more important than him. He knew how powerful I was. He wasn’t so proud as to lie to himself about the strength of his opponent. But clearly, he thought his daughter’s life was far more important than his own.

How could I hate a man so selfless?

Despite how emotional he was, he was rational. He listened to me even when he didn’t want to, reasoned with me to understand the truth of the situation. When I told him I loved and cared for this daughter, he seemed to believe me.

Maybe even respect me.

Because I looked him in the eye and said I loved her. I didn’t flinch or blink, meaning it from the bottom of my heart. Being loved by a powerful man like me wasn’t the worst thing in the world, regardless of how I earned my money.

And it would be hypocritical for him to think otherwise.

Perhaps Crow’s relationship with his son-in-law had paved the way for my success.

But Cane Barsetti was no longer the problem. It was Carmen Barsetti. She had a perfect picture in her mind of what she wanted her husband to be like. She wanted a quiet and simple life, four kids running around while she took care of them. If I couldn’t offer her that, it would never work.

But maybe I was prepared to offer her that. The picture wouldn’t look exactly as she imagined, but it would be as close as I could possibly make it.

I almost forgot what Ronan said. “They just care about her. I can’t hate a man for that.”

“Still stupid to march down here.”

“They had no other choice. They can’t reach me any other way, and a phone call is cowardly.”

“And you aren’t going to tell Carmen?”

I told her everything, but I would keep this secret to myself. I wouldn’t want her to know that her father overstepped his bounds. It might create problems between them, and that’s not what I wanted. She wore that diamond necklace around her throat just because he gave it to her. Her love for him was written all over her face. I was never threatened by their relationship. I just wanted to be welcome in their circle. “I think her father respects me a little.”

“I doubt it’s very much. You did force her at one point.”

“But I was honest about it. And I was honest with my feelings now.”

He grinned. “My big brother is in love. Who would have thought that would happen?”

I drank from my glass then licked my lips. “Certainly not me.” I’d been with beautiful women all my life. They were lovely people with kindness in their hearts. Even the ones who wanted me for my money weren’t bad. But Carmen had something the others didn’t…and that was why everything changed.

“So, what now?”

Carmen was home at that very moment, waiting for me to return to the penthouse so she could finally go to sleep. Sometimes I stayed out a little later just because it made me feel more powerful. This woman was at my mercy, and I liked seeing how much she needed me. “I give her a reason to stay.”

I watched her through the window for a moment, seeing the way she worked in her shop. She was focused on her job, grabbing handfuls of flowers and throwing together beautiful arrangements like it wasn’t a challenge at all.

My objective was to go in there and actually talk to her, but I was so entertained that I chose to stay put. I watched the way her fingertips tucked her hair behind her ear, the way her beautiful cheeks were revealed, slightly rosy from her makeup. She did her eye makeup differently today, giving it a smoky look that was innately sexy. She wore light colored jeans that were skintight, brown boots, and a loose sweater that still managed to capture her curves. She was beautiful and classy, a queen without a crown.

Minutes passed before I finally crossed the street and entered her shop. The place smelled like fresh flowers right after the rain, along with her perfume. My footsteps sounded against the tile, and I slowly moved up behind her.

She set down her shears and pulled off her gloves before she looked at me. “How may I—” Surprise entered her gaze before it quickly changed to joy. A soft smile appeared on her red lips, her eyes softening at the same time.

I pressed her against the counter and slid my hand into her hair as I kissed her. The public could watch us through the windows, but I didn’t care. My hand glided up under her sweater, and I felt her tummy underneath. My cock was hard from watching her from across the street, and I wanted her to feel it, to know I wanted her all the time. My kisses moved to her neck, and I gave her soft embraces, my warm breath moving across her skin. She’d told me not to make an appearance here again, but since Griffin knew about us, there was no harm anymore. My lips moved back to hers, and I gave her another kiss before I pulled away.

She was winded by my affection, like always. Her hands rested against my chest, and she wore that sexy look in her eyes, the same expression she showed when she was on her back and her legs were wide apart. “What brings you here?”

“You know how you can’t sleep when I’m at work?”

She ran her hands down my chest, pressing through the thin fabric of my t-shirt so she could feel my abs. “Yes.”

“Well, I can’t do anything while you’re at work.”

“Well, that’s not good because I need to make money.”

“No, you don’t.” I continued to stand against her, not caring if a customer walked through the door. “You’re the richest woman in this country—because I’m the richest man in this city.”

The corner of her mouth rose in a smile. “Your money isn’t my money, Bosco. I’ve never wanted it, and I still don’t. I like my profits. It’s not a fortune by any means, but it’s mine. I can afford a nice apartment, a car payment, food, and I can pay back my father for opening my shop in the first place.”

“You’re paying him back?” I asked in surprise.

“He didn’t want me to, but I insisted. If this were Carter, he would expect to be reimbursed because it’s part of a life lesson. But since I’m a girl…he goes so easy on me. That’s not what I wanted. I pointed that out to him, reminded him it was sexist, so he caved. My father took care of me for eighteen years. He did his job. Now it’s my time to take care of myself.”

I admired her for her stubbornness. Most women wouldn’t have cared to pay him back, and I didn’t even want her to pay him back. But when she made that argument, I couldn’t help but respect her. “You’re so hot, you know that?” My fingers touched her neck under her curtain of hair.

“Hot?” she asked, being playful.

“You’ve got balls. I like that.”

She chuckled. “You should really think about what you just said…”

I pressed my forehead to hers and chuckled. “You know what I mean.”

Her hands rested in the crook of my arms, and she continued to show off her pretty smile. “As much as I’m enjoying you being here, I should get back to work. I don’t distract you at the casino.”

“That’s all you ever do,” I corrected.

She pulled away from me, keeping her hips away from my hard dick. “I’ll see you at home later.”

“Actually, I was headed to the cemetery. Wanted to buy some flowers for my mom.” She’d been gone for many years, but I made sure I didn’t forget her. She was too important to my life to fade away like an old memory.

Carmen looked at me, her face immediately hardening in pain. “Oh…of course. Let me make something special for her.” She moved to the counter and pulled on her gloves. She picked a few blue flowers, mixed them in with some white lilies, and added a few pink roses. “How about this?”

“Lovely.”

She wrapped them up for me.

I pulled the cash from my wallet.

She pushed my arm down. “A gift from me to her.”

Being the stubborn man that I was, I wanted to pay her. I made millions of dollars every single day. I didn’t want to take a penny from her. But her gesture was sweet, and I didn’t want to ruin that with my testosterone-fueled bullshit. “Thank you.” I put my wallet away and took the flowers. “I know you’re working right now, but it would mean a lot if you came with me.” I’d never taken someone to the cemetery with me. Even Ronan and I went at separate times.

If she had to stay at the shop, I wouldn’t be angry with her, but the request didn’t seem to disappoint her. “I would love to. Just let me lock up.”

“My mother is in Siena, so it’s a bit of a drive.”

“Then I’ll just close up for good.” She went behind the counter and put all her work tools away before she grabbed her things.

I kept a stoic expression, but the gesture pulled at my heartstrings. It didn’t seem like she was coming just because I asked. It seemed like she wanted to come. She wanted to be there for me.

I drove the Bugatti into the countryside, heading to Siena, which was a short distance away. My men followed behind at a distance, giving me the peace and quiet I craved during times like these.

“I’ve never seen you drive a car before.” She sat in the passenger seat with the flowers in her lap.

“I have at least a dozen of them in the garage.”

“Why do you have them if you never drive?”

I shrugged. “I guess they’re high-powered trophies.”

“My brother likes Bugattis. Says it’s the one competitor he actually respects.”

“I have a few of his cars in the garage, actually.” I liked the sleek design on the outside and the way he didn’t compromise on power while making his engines environmentally friendly.

“He’d be flattered.”

I entered the city then took the road to the cemetery. It was sunny but cool. The cemetery was deserted, and we seemed to be the only visitors that afternoon. I parked the car a distance away then killed the engine. “It’s her birthday today.”

“Oh…” She gave me a sad smile then placed her hand on mine. “How old would she have been?”

“Fifty-seven.”

She sighed with sadness. “That’s so young…”

“I know.” I looked straight ahead with her hand in mine, not afraid to show my emotion in front of her. My mother’s death still filled me with so much pain. I’d never been dependent on anyone for anything, but my mother was different. I missed her because I loved her, not just because of everything she did for me. “It’s not fair. I still struggle with it.”

“It’s understandable. If I lost my parents…I would never get over it. They could be a hundred, and I would still think it was too soon.” She squeezed my hand again.

Her father would probably live to be a hundred just so he could look after her.

We left the car and walked to the plot Ronan and I had bought for her. It had a large tombstone decorated with an angel. She had extra space around her area, a private plot so I could visit her without other people around.

Carmen stood at my side then placed the flowers against the tombstone, the arrangement handmade for my mother. She came back to me then hooked her arm through mine, her face leaning against my shoulder. “I’m so sorry, babe.”

Despite my misery, I loved hearing her call me that. I loved hearing the affection in her voice as well as the love. I loved having this woman on my arm, carrying the weight for me so I didn’t have to carry it alone. The bad shit in life seemed a lot more bearable when I had someone to share it with. I’d decided I would be alone for the rest of my life, focused on making money and maintaining my power. But now that I had something more important than all of that, those things didn’t matter anymore. Money and security didn’t console me during my grief.

It was Carmen.

We stood there together for at least fifteen minutes, staring down at my mother’s grave. Her tombstone showed my name as well as my brother’s. We were the two people who survived her since she didn’t have any other family.

Footsteps sounded behind us, and I turned to see who was approaching.

It was Ronan, with his own handful of flowers. “Sorry to interrupt…” He placed his flowers beside mine before he stood up again.

Carmen left my side and hugged him, squeezing him around the waist as she rested her head against his chest.

He hugged her back before he kissed her on the forehead.

I didn’t mind the affection, knowing my brother looked at her like a sister.

He came to me next and sighed. “I think Mom would be happy to see us together on her birthday.”

“I think so too.” I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and stood at his side, looking down at our mother’s gravesite.

Carmen came back into my side and hugged my waist.

The three of us stood together at my mother’s grave, and with both of them there, it was the first time visiting my mother wasn’t brutally painful.

The second we were home, I had Carmen on her back, her naked body pressed against the sheets with her head on the pillow. My arms were pinned behind her knees, and I was inside her instantly, relieved the second her wet pussy was wrapped around my length. When we were naked and combined, nothing else in the outside world mattered. It was just the two of us.

There was no such thing as pain.

I moved between my woman’s legs and cherished the pussy I was obsessed with. No other woman had ever felt this good, had ever motivated me to take the condom off and commit to her. They were all the same. Carmen was the only one who was different.

She was as beautiful as she was smart. She was as sassy as she was bold. She was perfect in every single way.

The perfect woman.

I took my time, slowly rocking into her and feeling my toes arch in pleasure. There was nowhere else I’d rather be than nine inches deep inside this cunt. A high-stakes poker game wasn’t nearly as exciting, nor a cigar or the smoothest scotch in the world.

Nothing could compare to Carmen.

I moved deep and hard between her legs, feeling the stickiness develop between our bodies. If I pulled my dick out, there would be a line of drool between us because her pussy was so wet and my dick was so hard. “Tell me you love me.” I held my weight on my arms as my hips pressed deep into her body, my cock moving all the way until only my balls were left in the cold. I pulled back and prepared to slam into her again, claiming her over and over.

Her lips were open in the sexiest way, and her eyes were bright with desire. “I love you…”

I shoved myself inside her harder. “Again.”

Her tits shook with my momentum. “I love you.” She bit her lip when the words were out of her mouth, like saying them out loud turned her on.

“Again.” I could get off on that confession so easily, even though I was demanding her to say those words out loud.

“I love you, babe.” She dug her nails into my ass and pulled me inside her, my big dick hitting her as deep as possible. She squeezed my girth as she exploded, sheathing my cock with her come and tightness.

Now my head was in the clouds, and I couldn’t think clearly. I thrust into her hard and fast, going from slow and steady to wild and rough. I pounded her ass into the bed and stretched out her pussy, claiming it as mine. Then I filled her slit with my come, making my nightly deposit so it would sit inside her until morning. “Fuck…” I was balls deep, making sure she got every single drop until my cock was absolutely finished.

She moved her fingers into my hair and clutched. “Now say you love me.” Her legs were still stretched apart because I was deep inside her. Her wetness soaked into my length, and now my come was mixed with hers.

I kissed her perfect tits then her neck. “I love you, Beautiful. With all my heart.”

I stopped by the flower shop a few days later, to see if she wanted to get lunch. When I walked inside, she was doing the same thing she always did, creating beautiful arrangements to put on display in the window. She knew her way around a pair of shears and moved quickly to make the perfect bouquets for people to take home.

I walked around the shop, impressed by her work ethic but also disappointed she didn’t stay home all day with me. It would be nice if we had the whole day together before I went to work, but sometimes I only saw her for a few hours before I went to the casino.

She turned to me when she realized she wasn’t alone. Instead of giving me a generic greeting, she smiled. “You’ve been stopping by a lot lately.” She took off her thick gloves and rose on her tiptoes to give me a kiss.

“I miss you.” My hand squeezed the fabric of her sweater against her lower back as I pulled her in close.

“Well, you can miss me at home.”

“No. My dick prefers your pussy over my hand.” I never jerked off anymore, even when she was gone all day. I preferred one of her beautiful holes to my palm. There was no amount of lube I could squirt into my hand that would compare to her wetness.

“What a compliment,” she said with a chuckle.

“And I miss everything else about you too.” My fingers moved under her chin so I could get a good look at her face. “From those beautiful eyes, to that smart mouth, and your even more gorgeous soul.” I’d never said anything romantic in my life, but with her, everything came pouring out. It was easy with Carmen, natural.

Her eyes glanced down as her cheeks reddened. “Who knew Bosco Roth could be so sweet…”

“Who knew Bosco Roth could fall head over heels for a woman?” My fingers pulled her hair from her face. “But he has. And that’s never going to change.” Even if she left me, I would never stop loving her. I would always dream of her, wish she were mine.

“Are you here to get into my pants?” she whispered. “Because it worked.”

“Actually, I wanted to take you to lunch.”

“Wow, we’ve never done that before.”

“And we don’t need to clear out the restaurant.”

“Even better,” she said with a laugh. “But unfortunately, I already have plans. I’m going out with Vanessa.”

Since both women worked right in town, they spent a lot of time together. “How about I come along? I would love to meet your best friend.”

All playfulness evaporated at the question. “Uh…I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Griffin knows about us. It’s not like there’s anything to hide at this point.” In actuality, her father and uncle knew as well. There were no secrets left to reveal. All they were waiting for was the moment she decided what she wanted—if she wanted to be with me or not.

“It’s not that…”

“Then what?” I asked. “You’ve gotten to know Ronan. I should get to know her.”

“Not the same thing,” she said. “And I’m not sure if Griffin would be okay with that. He, you know…he doesn’t…”

“Like me.” I smiled, indifferent to his opinion. “I know how he feels about me. And you know I would never do anything to any member of your family—as I’ve promised. Even if I didn’t, I’m not gonna hurt some pregnant woman—even if she’s a smartass like you.”

“Oh, she is,” Carmen blurted. “Big time.”

“Even better. I like Barsetti women.”

She was still uneasy.

“Is it really that big of a deal? Could we just try and see what happens?” I tried not to be offended, especially since I’d threatened her family a few times in the past.

“Why do you want to have lunch with my cousin so bad?”

“I don’t. It would just be easier if I could tag along.” And if Vanessa liked me, she could vouch for me with Bones. I was putting all my chips into one pile, hoping that my bet was right and Carmen would stay with me. It would be nice to have someone besides Carmen in my corner.

Carmen finally agreed to it. “Alright. I guess we can try…”

We went to a bistro a few blocks away, and Vanessa was already there. Wearing a gray sweater that was loose on her arms and with her hair pulled back, she reminded me of her father, Crow. They both had the same olive skin and green eyes. Carmen looked a little different from her father, inherited more of her mother’s traits.

Vanessa looked at me then turned away. But then she did a double take, her eyes snapping wide open in shock. She turned to Carmen, her eyes narrowing like she couldn’t believe what she was looking at.

This should be fun.

Carmen arrived at the table first. “Hey, so—”

“Oh my god, is that him?” Vanessa stood up and completely ignored me, not caring that I could overhear her since she was talking pretty loudly.

“Uh, yeah,” Carmen said. “I—”

Vanessa waved her closer so they could talk in semi-private, but her voice was so expressive that their conversation was still audible. “Jesus Christ, he’s gorgeous.”

I tried not to grin.

“I know,” Carmen whispered. “I told you that.”

“Well, you should have emphasized a little more,” Vanessa hissed back. “And secondly, why the hell did you bring him here?”

“I thought we could all have lunch together.”

“Are you crazy?” There was really no point for them to speak in private because I could hear every word. Vanessa was too excited, scared, and freaked out to speak at a whisper. “If Griffin finds out about this, he’s gonna go ballistic. He was already ballistic, but now he’s psychotic with his son inside my belly.”

“I know, but he wanted to get to know you,” Carmen said back.

“My husband hates him,” Vanessa whispered but not low enough. “And since I’m married to him, I have to take his side.”

“But I’m your cousin,” Carmen reminded her. “And when everyone hated Griffin and refused to give him a chance, I saw past that and gave him a chance. I trusted your instincts and saw the way he loved you. I didn’t care what my parents said about him or how your parents felt about him. I gave him a clean slate. I would hope you would do the same for me…”

Guilt spread across Vanessa’s face once she heard her cousin’s speech. She didn’t have a single argument against it because there was nothing she could say to that.

I loved the way Carmen stood up for me.

Vanessa finally gave a nod. “You’re right…”

“Thank you,” Carmen said.

Vanessa sighed then walked up to me. “I’m sorry about that. I just—”

“Please, don’t.” I extended my hand. “Bosco. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Vanessa.”

Vanessa forced a smile as she shook my hand. “You too.”

“And congratulations on your son.” I gave her a playful smile, letting her know I overheard every single word they’d exchanged.

Her hand went over her stomach. “Thank you…”

We sat together at the table, and I pulled Carmen’s chair out for her, not to put on a show, but because I already treated her like a queen. My hand rested on the back of her chair, and I looked at the menu.

It was tense at first, the silence louder than the sounds of people in the restaurant. Vanessa stared at Carmen with the same look of discomfort on her face, and Carmen was still as a statue. Neither one of them looked at the menu.

“Beautiful, what are you getting?” I asked, trying to lighten the sour mood.

“I always get the ravioli.” She gave an explanation for why she didn’t look at her menu.

“You get the same thing as well?” I asked Vanessa.

“Lasagna,” Vanessa said. “And fries. That’s what he’s been craving.”

“There are worse things,” Carmen said. “Like pickles dipped in peanut butter.”

Vanessa chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so. Thank goodness he likes fried potatoes. I already liked those anyway.”

“What are you getting, babe?” Carmen asked me.

I tried not to smile at the nickname. “A salad.”

She shot me a venomous glare.

I chuckled. “Kidding. I’m getting the lunch special.”

Carmen withdrew her claws. “Good.”

“What’s that about?” Vanessa asked.

“Bosco only eats fish, vegetables, and boring garbage all the time.” Carmen rolled her eyes. “It’s torture living with him sometimes. The food is bad, but the sex is good…so it balances out.”

I wanted to stick out my chest with pride at that last part. “I don’t eat garbage, just to clarify.”

“I beg to differ,” Carmen said.

“What qualifies as garbage?” Vanessa asked, amused by the conversation.

“Let me put it this way,” Carmen said. “He never eats carbs.”

Vanessa looked disturbed, like that was the worst news she could have ever received. “Ugh, I’m so sorry, Carmen.”

“I know,” she said with a sigh.

“Griffin is like that too,” Vanessa said. “I’ll eat a bowl of cereal or mac and cheese that comes in a box just so I’ll survive.”

Carmen shook her head. “So shitty.”

My hand moved to the center of her back, touching her lightly. The ends of her strands wrapped around my fingers, and I gently played with them.

“So, how’s the baby?” Carmen asked. “Anything new?”

“Well…” Vanessa rubbed her stomach. “I picked out a name and asked Griffin if it was okay…and he said yes.”

“Ooh…what is it?” Carmen asked.

She took a deep breath before she said the name out loud. “Crow.”

“Aww.” Carmen covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes immediately watering. “That is so sweet. He’s gonna love that. You’re gonna make that stern and hard man succumb to tears.”

“I know,” Vanessa said. “He named me after his sister…and I wanted to name my son after someone great. The name came to me a long time ago. I wasn’t sure if Griffin would approve, but he did right away.”

“Because that man loves you.”

I’d only met Crow once, and he was so quiet and inherently hostile it was hard to imagine him being tender and sweet like his daughter. But he was probably like Cane, only showing affection when there was no one else around. Now I understand just how close Carmen was to her family.

And how steep my odds were.

“I know he does,” Vanessa said. “But I think he likes the name too, honestly. He’s become so close to my father working with him every day. They have their own relationship now that has nothing to do with me.”

“They’ve come a long way,” Carmen said. “I remember when my father punched him…and Griffin just took it.”

“Yeah, he had to deal with a lot,” Vanessa said in agreement, her eyes drifting to mine. “So…I feel like I know everything about you. It’s honestly all Carmen and I ever talk about.”

“I hope some good things are said…once in a while.” I was sure Vanessa had been whispering in Carmen’s ear to leave me. Maybe getting to know me would change her mind.

“Yes,” Carmen said. “Not a lot. But sometimes.”

I loved her playfulness, so I moved my hand to the back of her neck and gently rubbed it, forgetting about Vanessa for a second and just focusing on Carmen. She brought a light to my life I hadn’t realized I needed until now. I’d been living in eternal darkness for so long that I just got used to it. But now that I’d seen the light, I never wanted to go back again.

Vanessa watched us together. “You treating my girl right?”

“Yes. Always.” I turned my gaze back to her. “This woman has a lot of power over me. I’m only admitting it because she’s figured it out by now. I wasn’t the kind of man I should have been in the beginning, but sometimes a man needs to meet the right woman to figure out who he wants to be. And I also think good guys are overrated. Barsetti women aren’t looking for an average man with an average life. They’re looking for rough and hard men like their fathers and brothers.” I shrugged. “It doesn’t surprise me.”

Carmen and Vanessa looked at each other, like they’d never noticed the trend before.

Now that I’d met Crow and Cane in person, it was obvious to me right away. These women were strong and fearless because of their fathers, so they wanted men who were just as brave, powerful, and courageous. They wouldn’t find that in an average man. Not possible.

“So do you have any hobbies?” Vanessa asked, trying to ask me something unrelated to my profession and her obvious disapproval of my past behavior.

“Carmen,” I said honestly. “She’s all I really think about. I have one younger brother whom I’m close to. We run the casino together. My mother passed away from cancer five years ago, so he’s the only family I have left. The rest of my life revolves around work, maintaining membership dues, and keeping the peace within the casino. I’ve been managing it for ten years now with rare hiccups.”

“I’m sorry about your mom,” Vanessa said. “I’m grateful I haven’t lost a parent yet. I’ll never be the same once that day comes and goes.”

“Me neither.” Carmen placed her hand on mine under the table.

Her affection was nice.

Vanessa looked past us, and her eyes widened in horror. “Griffin.”

He was on me with a speed that contradicted his size. He grabbed me by the neck then punched me so hard I careened into the wall.

Everyone in the restaurant turned at the commotion, but no one intervened, probably because Griffin was unstoppable.

My men would move in any second now.

“Griffin!” Vanessa ran around the table and tried to grab his arm.

Carmen moved in the way, placing her body in front of mine.

It took me a second to recover because I wasn’t expecting to be hit like that out of nowhere. “Carmen, move.” I got to my feet and gently pushed her out of the way. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Griffin’s nostrils flared like a bull, and all his muscles bulged with enough thickness to stop a piercing bullet. “Stay the fuck away from my wife. You fucking piece of shit.” He grabbed me by the throat and bashed my head into the wall.

“Stop it!” Carmen shoved him as hard as she could.

I was powerless to do anything, since I promised Carmen I would never hurt her family. I just had to take it.

My men came in with their weapons drawn. The barrels were pointed right at Griffin’s head, and they were ready to pull the trigger. “Stand down. Leave.” I leaned against the wall, barely able to stand because my head was throbbing from hitting the wall twice. “Leave him be…”

They filed out, listening to my order because they knew what would happen if they didn’t.

Carmen moved in front of me again, pressing her back into my chest so Griffin would have to hit her if he wanted to strike me again. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Griffin’s face was tomato red with rage. He raised his muscular arm and pointed his finger in my face. “My wife is off-limits. I told you to stay the fuck away from her. Come near my wife or my son, and I’ll fucking kill you next time.”

“Griffin, he wasn’t hurting me,” Vanessa said. “We were just having lunch—”

“Shut up.” He didn’t look at her as he silenced her. “I’ll deal with you later.”

Vanessa’s rage was even more potent than his. Her hands moved to her hips as she seemed to grow twice in size. She stared at the side of her husband’s face, her eyes filled with wrath and threat. “Excuse me?”

Griffin ignored her. “I’m not kidding, Bosco. I have no control over Carmen’s life. But I don’t want you anywhere near my wife without me standing there. Do it again, and I’ll put you in the ground. I don’t give a shit if your dogs come after me and put me in the ground with you.”

Despite my migraine, I admired his commitment.

“Griffin.” Carmen’s voice had softened, filling with heavy disappointment. “I was the only one who took your side when it mattered most. I believed in you when no one else did. When my father hit you, I told him off and called him an asshole. I’ve always stood up for you because I knew you loved Vanessa. This is how you repay me?”

Griffin’s eyes moved to her face. Despite his anger, he softened slightly—for her. “It’s not the same.”

“It is the same. Griffin, this is the man I love. He loves me. I understand if you don’t like him, but at least be civil. Don’t storm in here and throw him against the wall. The only reason he’s not fighting back is because he promised me he would never hurt any of you. He kept his promise and made sure you didn’t get shot. So now it’s your turn to make that promise to me.” She poked her finger in his chest. “Don’t touch Bosco ever again.”

“Vanessa—”

“He’s not gonna hurt Vanessa,” she hissed. “We were talking about food, your son, and Bosco’s mom before you stormed in here like some kind of lunatic. Everything was fine until you ruined it. Did it seem like Vanessa was in trouble?”

He stared at her without blinking, his blue eyes bright like mine. “When it comes to my wife and son, I don’t take chances. Vanessa has been taken from me before, and I can’t let that happen again, not when we have a little one joining us soon. I’m sorry that I overreacted, but my position still stands. I don’t want him around her unless I’m right there. I’m the shield that protects both of them, and I don’t want her near this asshole unprotected. You know I love you, Carmen. You make a valid point about what you did for me before. I will try because it’s important to you. But I’m not gonna change my mind about that last part. Accept that compromise because that’s the best you’ll get from me.” He stepped back and turned to Vanessa.

But she was just as pissed as before. “Oh, are you ready to deal with me now?” Her hands were still on her hips, her attitude in full force. “Put your wife in her place? Tell her how to behave?” Her wrath was somehow worse than Griffin’s.

Carmen turned to me next and examined me. “Babe, are you okay?”

The pain was strong, but nothing was broken. “I’ve lived through worse. I’ll be fine.” I straightened, ignoring the pain in my skull and standing tall like the man I was.

“I’m so sorry,” Carmen whispered as she cupped my face, her eyes filled with pain.

“Don’t apologize, Beautiful.” I kissed her forehead. “I’m fine.”

“You kept your promise to me…”

I kept my promise to her more than she realized. “I don’t break my promises.”

Griffin turned back to me, still angry any time he looked at me. He wasn’t going to apologize and I wouldn’t expect him to, but there was a look in his eyes, an expression that wasn’t clear. “You love her?”

“You think I would have called off my men if I didn’t?” We both knew I had enough power to do whatever I pleased. If Carmen were just my prisoner, I would go ahead and kill him to make my life easier. If I didn’t give a damn, I would have killed her father and uncle too. “You think I would be having lunch with Carmen and your wife if I weren’t trying to…” I didn’t finish the sentence, not wanting to sound like a pussy. “You can do whatever the hell you want to me, Griffin. I promised Carmen I would never hurt any of you. So if you beat me to within an inch of my life, I still won’t fight back. I’ll kill a man with my bare hands, but I’ll also sacrifice my life if that’s what Carmen wants. You must not love her as much as I do because you can’t keep your shit together.”

Griffin didn’t react to my words, his eyes turning to Carmen. “And you love him?”

Carmen nodded. “Yes.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, like he was disappointed with the news. “Alright. Then I’ll behave from now on—as long as you do as I ask. We have a deal?”

I nodded. “Fine.” I was a little annoyed that I’d just proved I would never hurt any of them, but that still wasn’t enough for Griffin. If I’d wanted to hurt his wife that much, I would have let my men shoot him so he would be out of the way. He also knew I was an honest man, and that was something he already respected about me.

Griffin turned to Vanessa. “Baby, let’s go.”

Judging by the way she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him, that wasn’t happening. “No. You’re leaving. You’re going back to wherever the hell you came from. And maybe tonight when I get off work…I might come home.”

Carmen placed the ice against the back of my head to help the swelling go down.

“Beautiful, I told you I’m fine.”

“Well, I’m looking at the back of your head, and it’s not fine.” She sat behind me against the couch, her legs spread around me. She pressed the towel against the back of my head for long stretches of time before she pulled away to let my skin warm up again. “A lot of swelling. Maybe you should see a doctor.”

Doctors were for pussies. “I’m fine.” I would say it as many times as I had to.

She kept cycling the bag against my head before she pulled it away, giving my skull a chance to thaw out once more. “God, I’m so sorry… I didn’t even know Griffin was there until you were against the wall.”

“Don’t apologize for his actions.” I was the one who’d wanted to have lunch with Vanessa. If I was really that worried about Griffin, I could have avoided it. It was entirely my fault. I didn’t have any regrets since I’d made some progress with Carmen. Listening to her confess her love for me to Griffin made it all worth it. “He did what he had to do. Let it go.”

“He did not have to throw you against a wall.”

“Beautiful.” I silenced her with her name. “That’s how men communicate. Don’t worry about it.”

“But you were powerless to do anything about it.”

“That’s what you asked for, right?” I said quietly. Her father and uncle came into my casino and made demands no one else could pull off. Anyone else would have been thrown into the ring for that kind of disrespect. Because of their halo of safety Carmen provided for them, they could have done anything they wanted and gotten away with it. “Maybe Griffin will take me more seriously now.”

“I don’t know…he’s stubborn. I am disappointed in him for being so callous. When he first came around, I defended him to everyone. I treated him like a human being even though everyone said he was dangerous. I ignored his past and focused on his present. I wish he would do the same for me…”

“In his defense, you aren’t being fair. His wife being there was the problem. And men can’t see straight when it comes to their women.”

“He still went overboard. I don’t even know how he figured out you were there.”

“If he’s anything like me, he keeps tabs on Vanessa.” I would do the same thing, whether Carmen was pregnant or not. I reached behind me and grabbed the bag of ice out of her hands. “Stop being my nurse.”

“I like taking care of you.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and kissed my shoulders, her soft lips grazing over the hot skin. “I feel so terrible, babe. It breaks my heart seeing you get hurt.”

It broke my heart too. “I’m not hurt.” I moved away from her embrace and turned around, showing her I was fine with my steady gaze. I was man enough to handle anything Griffin did to me. After a few days, the migraine would disappear, and I would be as good as new. It wasn’t in my nature to show any kind of weakness. Even in the final weeks of my mother’s life, she never showed the pain she was enduring. She continued to wear a smile and treasure her final moments with us. She was a badass and didn’t let the cancer defeat her, even at the very end.

I could handle a fucking migraine.

She tilted her head as she looked at me, the disappointment in her gaze. “You’re the kind of man that refuses to show your suffering, huh?”

“I’m not suffering.”

She smiled. “There’s my answer. My father is the same way. Drives my mother crazy.”

Because that was how men should be.

“I feel responsible for this, so I feel terrible…” She rubbed my thigh. “I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better.”

“Well, there’s always something you can do…”

The corner of her mouth rose in a smile. “Is that all you ever think about?”

“Yes.” I blurted out my answer without thinking twice about it. “Always.”

“Alright.” She guided my back against the couch then straddled my hips. “What can I do to make it up to you?” She pushed down the front of my sweatpants so my hardening cock would appear.

She had nothing to make up for because it wasn’t her fault, but I wouldn’t tell her that. “So many things I would like…” My fingers wrapped around her neck, feeling her soft pulse under my touch. It was quickly accelerating, either because she was scared or a little bit nervous. I brushed my thumb along her bottom lip as I stared at it, noticing the plumpness while feeling the softness. My eyes moved to her tits next, studying them in the sweater she still wore. I could see the outline of her curves, the swell of her perfect rack. Now that my mind was on sex, my migraine was forgotten.

“Have you decided?” She wrapped her fingers around my hard dick and swiped her thumb over the head, catching the drop that had formed at the tip. The stickiness stretched between her thumb and her finger.

I watched her hand get messy from the arousal that poured out of my dick, and I preferred to see that stickiness stretch from her tongue to my tip. “A five-star blow job and a tit-fuck.” I would get to sit back and watch her please me, cashing in on the reward that I’d earned that afternoon.

She pulled her sweater over her head and unclasped her bra, revealing her perfect tits. “Your wish is my command.”

I inhaled a deep breath through my clenched teeth, loving that line coming out of her pretty mouth.