I stayed in the mountain overnight, feeling the freezing temperatures as the night deepened. If my muscles weren’t so thick, I could have been in serious danger. Max continued to talk in my ear every few hours, assuring me there was no one approaching me through the satellite feed.

I had a lot of time to sit there and think. And of course, I thought about Vanessa.

I wasn’t in any serious danger, but if she knew what was going on right now, it would kill her. I felt like shit for putting myself in this situation, for risking what we had for money. My loyalty to Max had trapped me in the situation, but that didn’t change anything. It was still horrible. I was sitting in the mountains surrounded by snow, and I was waiting until the following evening to finally make my escape.

When I came clean about it, she would kill me.

The hours passed until morning arrived. I stayed hydrated and snacked on the emergency food supply I’d brought. It was nothing but protein bars, not nearly enough to fuel my size, but it was all I had.

That night, Max spoke in my ear. “Chopper is moving in.”

“What about the men?”

“They’ve pulled back. They searched the mountain and the path to the town square, but they started to disperse when nothing happened. Since the chopper can’t get to your location, you need to move down to the flat surface.”

“Got it.” I packed up my gear and moved out, taking the quickest way down to the flat section of land. I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible, to end this final mission and put it behind me. I wanted my money and my retirement. “I’m in position.”

“Alright.” Max was quiet for a minute while he worked with the pilot.

Ten minutes later, I heard the sound of the rotors. All the lights were off, making it impossible to see. It could only be heard if you were close enough. The wind swept through my hair as the chopper landed on the sand, and once it was on the ground, I hopped inside.

The chopper rose into the air and flew away. The lights from the square were noticeable from this height, and as I watched the country slowly disappear, my heart rate started to slow down. I’d never been scared during a mission. I didn’t fear death or pain.

But I feared Vanessa.

That mission didn’t go as smoothly as all the others. On top of that, I lied to her.

I fucking lied.

But I didn’t have any other choice. If I’d told her the truth, she would have had a serious breakdown. Max told me Sapphire went into labor, and I couldn’t ruin this beautiful time in Vanessa’s life. I knew I’d made the right decision.

But she would tear into me anyway…as she should.

I put the headset on and relaxed when the sight of Morocco was no longer visible. Max spoke in my ear. “You alright, man?”

“I’m fine.”

“Need any medical attention or anything? Dehydrated?”

“I’m fine,” I repeated. “Just get me home. Tell Vanessa I’m on my way.”

I refueled my body on the plane, eating the enormous meal I bought at the airport. I drank water by the gallon, and after a few hours, I started to feel better. I slept the rest of the way, finally relaxing after four days in Morocco.

When the plane touched down on the ground, it was a bumpy entry, and the movement stirred me from sleep. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and felt the relief circulate in my bloodstream. I was officially back in Florence.

I got off the plane, grabbed my bag at the terminal, and finally drove home.

Vanessa would be there. Max gave her my flight information, and even though she had a new nephew to visit, she wouldn’t miss seeing me when I walked through the door. She would drop everything to see me, to make sure there weren’t any bullet holes in my flesh.

I parked my truck at the curb then took the stairs to the small apartment I shared with her. The sun had just gone down, but the late summer heat was undeniable. The front door wasn’t locked, so I stepped inside.

She was standing there, waiting for me. She was my t-shirt with puffy eyes, her hair stretched down her chest. She didn’t look happy to see me, just emotional that the turmoil was finally over. “Thank god…” She moved into my chest and hugged me, her face resting against my beating heart. “It’s over… I’m so happy it’s over.”

I rubbed her back while my chin rested on the top of her head. “Me too.”

“Never again?” she whispered.

“Never.”

“Promise me?”

“I promise, baby. Never.” Even if Max asked again, I would deny him. I finished my term because he asked, but we were even now. After what happened in Morocco, I could never do this to Vanessa again. I had no regrets about my decision. Work used to be my life, but now this woman was my life. I would gladly give it up to make her happy. “It’s over now. You never have to worry about it again. I’ll sleep by your side every single night as long as we live. I’m ready to give you the quiet life I promised.”

She stayed against me, clinging to the moment like she never wanted it to escape. She must be feeling so many things at once, relief as well as joy. She kept her hands around my waist and rested against me, using me as a crutch to support herself. She didn’t need me for anything, and that made her love even more pure. She loved me because she wanted to, because she had to.

I gave her all the time she needed to let the past go. She was probably still resentful she had to go through that turmoil for so long. It must be difficult to accept the fact that it was truly over, that it would never return again.

My hand moved into the hair at the nape of her neck, and I gently caressed her, my fingers tinging once I embraced my woman. Being on that cold mountain made me long for her even more, long for the bed we shared together. I warmed the sheets throughout the night, and she hugged me like I was her favorite teddy bear.

When she was finally ready, she lifted her gaze to look at me. “You’re right…it’s over. It’s us now. At last.”

“Yes.” I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. My lips burned the second I felt her, and the guilt inside my chest started to boil. My moral compass had never pointed north, but lying had always been something I despised. It stripped my credibility as a man. A man who lied wasn’t a man at all, because he feared the consequences of his actions. That wasn’t me. I could look her father in the eye and tell him things he didn’t want to hear. But that was still better than pretending to be something I wasn’t.

“My brother had his baby. He’s so—”

“I have to tell you something. I want to get it over with before we change the subject.”

She stilled at the interruption and slowly backed up. “Okay…what is it?” She pulled away and crossed her arms over her chest.

I hated the instant she moved away from me. I hated the space between us, the divide that kept us apart. It just made me want to get this over with even more. “I lied to you.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“I did it because I had to. But I promise you, I’ll never do it again.”

“What did you lie about?” Her voice turned firm, her hostility slowly rising.

“The reason why I stayed in Morocco an extra day was because something went wrong.”

She immediately started to breathe hard, the terror moving into her gaze. Her hand moved over her chest, like she was massaging away a dull pain that formed in her heart.

“I took out the target, but his son caught me. He set the alarm, and I had to run. There were too many men on my tail, and Max couldn’t evacuate me. I ditched the car in the mountains then moved on foot. I hiked to a place where they couldn’t find me and waited it out. I was there for about twenty-four hours, waiting for the men to move their search elsewhere. That’s when Max sent the chopper and got me out of there.”

She rubbed her chest, her eyes filled with pain.

“I told Max not to tell you the truth at the time because it would destroy you. There was nothing you could do to help me, and there was no point in worrying. I wasn’t in any serious danger. I just had to be patient before I made my move. I was cautious on purpose. If I didn’t have you, I probably would have had the chopper pick me up right away. But I took my time, knowing I couldn’t take any chances.”

She covered her face with her palms, sighed, and then dragged them down her face. “Not take any chances, huh?” Her cold sarcasm filled the apartment. “A bit ironic…since every time you leave, you’re taking a chance.”

I knew she would be pissed. But there was nothing I could do about it except face it like a man. “It’s over, Vanessa. That was the last one.”

“Like I said, all it takes is one time, and you’re dead.”

“But I’m not dead, baby. I’m home—right now.”

She crossed her arms over her chest again. “I can’t believe you lied to me. You told me you never lie.”

“I know…I didn’t feel good about it.”

“Oh, that makes it better,” she hissed.

I knew she wasn’t really angry about the lie, just the fact that I was ever compromised. “Baby, let it go.”

“You could have died!”

“I wasn’t anywhere close to that. There was just a bump in the road. Big difference.”

She threw her arms down. “Shut up, Griffin.”

My eyes narrowed. “I’m gonna let that comment go because of the context. But don’t ever tell me to shut up again. I love you, baby. But I don’t put up with shit from anyone—including you.”

She averted her gaze, taking my words to heart.

“I’m sorry that I lied. I didn’t know what else to do.”

She tucked her hair behind her ear, her breathing still rapid. “I know…”

“I never want to lie, especially to you. It’s not who I am. I never want to be that kind of man. I despise those kinds of men. But I had to protect you. Your nephew was just born, and I didn’t want to distract you from that, especially when there was nothing you could do anyway.”

“My father could have helped you.”

“And I would rather die than accept his help.”

Her eyes flashed in pain.

“Because I would never want you to risk losing your father. I’m not worth it.”

“Griffin…”

“Can we put this behind us?” I said quietly. “I won’t lie again.”

“I know you won’t.”

“Then you forgive me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Griffin, you don’t even need to ask that. I’m sorry I’m acting this way right now. I just…want you safe. I want you home. I just…it kills me inside. Everything is over now, so I need to let it go…put it behind us.”

“I agree.”

She raised her gaze and looked at me, her eyes watering with emotion. “Let’s forget it.”

I knew she would forgive me. She knew I wasn’t a liar. My decision to mislead her didn’t change her opinion of me. Now, those green eyes were on me, the gateways to her beautiful soul. Now that I was home, I didn’t care about the mission I’d just completed or the money wired into my account. It was the last time I would walk through the door from work. That part of my life was officially over. “It’s forgotten.” My hands were in her hair next, and my mouth was on hers.

Her slender hands wrapped around my wrists, and she gripped me as I kissed her, breathing into my mouth with arousal. She gave me her tongue first, her nails slowly digging deeper into me.

I didn’t bother carrying her down the hall to the bedroom. Instead, I pushed her thong over her luscious ass until it fell down her slender thighs and hit the floor. Once my jeans and boxers were pushed past my balls, I lifted her into my arms and pressed her against the wall. My large hands gripped her ass cheeks, and I angled her against the wall so I could shove myself inside her.

Her arms wrapped around my neck, and she pulled her knees against her chest, folding her body closer so I could fit deeper inside her. Her face was level with mine, and she held my gaze as I started to thrust into her. “Griffin…”

I was buried between her legs, exactly where I should be. Her pussy was warm after the freezing cold of the mountain, so slick and wet that my cock was surrounded by my woman’s desire. There was no place I’d rather be, no other woman I would rather be fucking. We were connected at all times, but when I was deep inside her, it was a different story. Our hearts beat as one, and our souls intertwined. Love was a myth until I met this woman, and now it looked me in the face every single day. Full of passion, loyalty, and trust, we had something no one else could comprehend. We beat the odds to be together, made endless sacrifices so we could have this for the rest of our lives. I’d been shot a dozen times, but I had far more scars from keeping this relationship together.

But it was all worth it.

I slept in that morning because I was exhausted from the mission I’d completed. It was almost nine when I opened my eyes, on my back with Vanessa pressed into my side. Her arm rested across my hard stomach, and her sexy leg was tucked between mine. She must have been exhausted too, unable to sleep while I’d been away.

I ran my fingers through my hair then wiped the sleep from my eyes as I took in the morning light that filtered through the bedroom. It heated the room, lifting it several degrees as the summer sun rose higher in the sky.

Vanessa must have already been awake because she sat up when she knew I wasn’t asleep anymore. Her hair was pulled over one shoulder, and when she woke up first thing in the morning, she was even more beautiful than usual. Her eyes glowed a little brighter after a full night of rest, and the olive skin of her face seemed more relaxed. As she slowly moved on top of me, the sheets fell, showing her perky tits and endless curves.

I lay back and enjoyed it.

She straddled my hips then pressed her palms against my chest for balance. “Now it’s time for you to give me morning sex.”

My hands moved to her tits, and I groped them as she sat on top of me, her lovely figure looking perfect in the morning light. My thumbs flicked over her nipples, and my cock twitched when I felt her. “I’m all yours, baby.” The only reason why I fucked her every morning when she was barely awake was because I needed her. Had to have her in order to function normally. How could a man lie next to a woman like her every morning and do nothing about it? I got to keep her for the rest of my life, and that was a great perk of monogamy. I could fuck her whenever I wanted—no explanation necessary.

She ground against my length, smearing her slick arousal from my tip to the middle of my shaft. Her body was wet because it was used to getting sex at this time of day every single morning.

My hands gripped her waist, my fingers meeting across her back because she was so petite and my hands were so big. If I pressed my thumbs into her stomach, I could crush her. She was small but not delicate. Even if I were twice her size and ten times her strength, she would still beat me somehow. That’s what turned me on about her. She was resourceful and determined.

She lifted herself up and pointed my cock at her entrance. Slowly, she slid down, putting my thickness inside her. It was never easy for me to shove myself inside her with a quick thrust. Her pussy was still tight, still needed a few seconds to prepare for my size. She moaned as she slid all the way down, taking in my most of my length like a real woman.

I wanted to roll her over onto her back and fuck her hard like I did every morning, but I decided to lie still and let her do all the work. If she wanted to fuck me, she was more than welcome.

She pressed her weight into her palms against my chest and rolled her hips, pulling her pussy down over my length repeatedly. She moaned right away, like she’d been wanting to do this for the past hour. The signs of arousal crept onto her face, and she let her pretty mouth open with the endless moans that came belting out. Her fingers dug into my chest as she fucked me harder, getting off on my fat dick.

I thrust my hips up to meet her cunt, to shove myself inside as she lowered her body at the same time. I could feel her racing heartbeat under my fingertips, feel her sexy muscles shift and flex as she worked hard to fuck me.

Fuck, this felt good.

My hands gripped her tits again, loving the way they shook right in my line of sight. I wanted to come, but I would let her finish first. She deserved a powerful climax after the way she fucked me so good.

She moved her hands to either side of my head, her hair falling down around me. “I love you, Griffin…” Spoken in a whisper but packed with the passion of a lover, it was one of the sexiest things she’d ever said. I was buried deep inside her, feeling her as intimately as possible, and she wanted me there every day for the rest of our lives. This woman could have any man she wanted. All she had to do was flash a smile and snap her fingers, and she could capture all the hearts around her. But I was the only man she wanted, the only man who was good enough for her. I was the only man she wanted to ride like this.

I propped myself up on my elbow so I could be closer to her. My hand moved to her hair, and I cradled her face against mine, feeling that pussy surround me over and over. “I know, baby. I can feel it.” I brought her forehead against mine while my fingers continued to stroke the silky strands of hair. The sound of our moving bodies was loud in the room. Her wetness increased, making it echo noisily and turn both of us on even more. There was so much slickness between her legs that it built up around my balls. I listened to her breathing, listened to it grow deeper and heavier. I didn’t kiss her because being pressed together like this seemed even more intimate. All I wanted to do was feel her, listen to her, and enjoy her.

Her hips bucked against me harder, and she started to scream. “Oh god…” She took my dick harder, pounding it inside her as she drove herself to a climax.

“Yes, baby. Come all over me.”

She grabbed on to my shoulder as she finished, breathing in my face and moaning at the same time. “Yes…”

I felt her tighten around me, crushing me with the strength of an anaconda. This pussy was unbelievable, better than anything else I’d ever had. This was the only place I wanted to be for the rest of my life. I never missed the promiscuity of my old life. Why would I, when I had the perfect woman to fuck every single day? “My turn.” I sat up and wrapped my arm around her waist, my other hand keeping me propped up. I guided her against me as my mouth moved with hers. When we were pressed together this tightly, I could feel her at a much deeper angle. My full length was buried inside, covered in the come she just gave me. She was tighter than before, her climax making her cunt constrict more profoundly. Every time I came inside her, the same look of pleasure entered her gaze. She got off on my orgasms, loved watching me dump my come inside her. “Here it comes, baby.”

“Give it to me.” Her arms hooked around my neck, and she breathed unevenly, her pussy so slick and warm. Her soft flesh was perfect against my dick, the home I never wanted to leave.

I pumped inside her three more times before I hit my trigger. I burst, dumping mounds of come deep inside that gorgeous pussy. I kept thrusting hard, moaning under my breath and digging my fingers into her skin. “Fuck…” I never got tired of this, never got tired of enjoying this woman. “Baby.” My lips moved to the corner of her mouth, and I kissed her, enjoying the aftershocks of my climax. I put my come exactly where it belonged—deep inside my woman. I moved my face in between her tits, loving the trickle of sweat that formed there. For a petite woman, she had a sexy bust. Her tits weren’t big, but they were perfect. I licked the sweat away then felt her heartbeat against my mouth. Her body didn’t just belong to me, but her heart and soul as well. I had all of her because I earned her.

She rested her face in my neck, hugging me as she felt my cock soften inside her. “I want you again.” She spoke against my ear, her gentle voice innately sexy.

I was satisfied, but if my woman wanted something from me, I delivered. “Yes, baby.”

I poured myself a cup of coffee then sat at the kitchen table. It was almost ten, and I was barely getting my day started. This kind of laziness wasn’t normal for me, but since I’d spent the last hour fucking my woman, I didn’t punish myself for it.

After all, I was officially retired.

Vanessa walked into the room wearing the shirt I had on the night before. It moved past her ass and almost touched her knees. “You want me to make you something?” She poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Define make.” I drank my coffee, looking over the mug to stare at her.

“As in, pour some cereal into a bowl and add a splash of milk.”

I couldn’t eat that shit, complex carbs along with all the sugars in the milk. “That’s not making anything.” I liked to tease her. If I got her angry enough, we ended up having sex right on the kitchen table.

“It is to me.” She pulled a bowl out of the cupboard. “So, do you want some or what?”

“Do I ever eat cereal?”

“No. But if you want me to make you breakfast, you’ll have to compromise.”

“That’s a compromise I’ll never make.” It didn’t matter to me that Vanessa couldn’t cook. I wasn’t in love with her because of the food she made. I was in love with her because of her other extraordinary qualities, like the fact that she shot me without hesitation. Those were the traits I cared about. But it would be nice if she made something once in a while. “What are you going to make our kids?”

She’d just finished pouring the milk into the bowl when she paused. “Our kids?”

“Yes. Our kids.”

She turned to me, the emotion in her eyes.

“What did I say?” She’d said she wanted kids. This shouldn’t be surprising.

“I just…never heard you say that before.” She carried the bowl to the table beside me but didn’t take a bite.

“I’m officially retired. We can talk about that stuff now.” I’d made the sacrifices she’d asked me to make. All of that shit was in the past now. If she wanted to start a family, all she had to do was tell me when. My only job would be to fuck her—which I did anyway.

“I guess we can… So you want to have a family with me?”

I wasn’t a patient or compassionate man, but I was a man deeply in love with a woman. “You gave me an ultimatum, Vanessa. I agreed to it.”

“But you don’t actually want kids?” She watched me hesitantly.

“I want what you want.”

Her eyes fell in sadness. “I don’t want to make you do something you don’t want to do.”

“I didn’t want to fall in love with you, but that happened anyway. I didn’t want to be monogamous with someone, but that happened anyway. I didn’t want to be part of the Barsettis, but that happened anyway. All the things I didn’t want to happen happened…and I wouldn’t change any of it. I’m sure having a family will be the exact same way. It’s not something I’m interested in right now, but when that time comes, I’m sure I’ll change my mind like all the other times in the past.”

The sadness slowly disappeared from her face.

“And like I said, you’re going to make cereal for the kids?”

Finally, she smiled, shaking off her sorrow completely. “I guess you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”

“I wouldn’t take it that far…” She picked up her spoon and started to eat.

We hadn’t done much talking since I came home, so I asked about the obvious event in her life. “How’s Conway and Sapphire?”

“Oh yeah.” She dropped her spoon back into the bowl. “They had a boy and named him Reid. He’s so cute.” She pulled up a picture on her phone. It was an image of her holding the baby in her arms. “Look. He has Barsetti eyes.”

I looked at the baby in her arms. I didn’t care about babies, but he seemed healthy and happy. He was staring at Vanessa, transfixed by his aunt. “Nice.”

She pulled the phone away. “Sapphire was in labor for like twelve hours before Reid came. She was so tired. She went home yesterday. But Conway was so happy. I could see it on his face. He was never the fatherly type, and then when his son arrived, he turned into a different person. And my parents are so happy. I haven’t seen them this excited in a long time.”

“I’m glad everyone is doing well.” In situations like this, I didn’t know what to say. I’d never known anyone who’d had a kid or been a part of a family like this. It didn’t seem like a big deal to me, but it was a big deal to Vanessa, so I had to pretend I cared.

“You have a nephew. I can’t wait for you to meet him. I wish you were there…”

I felt guilty for not being by her side when it was important to her, but at least I would never miss anything again. Now I would be by her side every single day. “My nephew?”

“Yeah, of course.” She looked at me with surprise. “Whether we’re married or not, you’re family, Griffin. You’re his uncle. Conway said the same thing to me in the hospital. He wished you were there to meet his son.”

Her words were jarring because my hatred for the Barsettis had lasted so long. Now they considered me to be family, making me an uncle to their nephew. I wasn’t sure how to process those feelings. I’d only been part of a family for a short time, and it didn’t last long enough for me to really remember it.

Vanessa continued to watch me, as if she could read my thoughts like they were words that appeared on my face. “Yes, Griffin. You’re an uncle.” She turned back to her cereal, which had gotten mushy since she’d spent so much time talking to me. She probably looked the other way to give me a moment to process my thoughts.

I went back to drinking my coffee when my phone rang. If it was Max, I didn’t want to talk about the business anymore since I was no longer a part of the group. I just got home and wanted to devote all my time to Vanessa since I’d left her for four days. I fished the phone out of my pocket and saw Crow’s name.

I answered. “Crow, what’s up?” I used to answer his calls with silence, but since I’d dropped our feud, I spoke to him like a normal person. Letting go of my hate helped me relax. It took a lot more work to hate someone rather than to just accept them.

“I know you got in late last night. Just wanted to see how you were doing. Everything good?”

Was he calling to check up on me? When my eyes darted to Vanessa’s face, she was grinning so wide, like she couldn’t control it. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Why?”

“Vanessa told me you had to stay an extra day. Just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

I’d never had someone check on me before. It was a little strange. “Yeah. I did the job then came home.” I’d never had anyone look over my shoulder. Vanessa was the only one who was obsessed with my well-being.

Vanessa grabbed her phone and wrote a message on it before she pushed it in front of me. He’s checking on you the way he checks on me.

I read the words and finally understood what was happening.

“Take any damage?” Crow asked.

“Not a scratch. Just a little tired.”

“I can imagine. Conway and Sapphire are staying with us for a while until the house is ready and they’ve recuperated. The two of you should come by and see Reid. Conway and Sapphire really want you to meet him.”

A lifetime of loneliness and solitude had hardened my heart so much that it was still difficult to thaw. Vanessa was my first love, my first passion in life. She showed me all the things I’d been missing, giving me the life I used to envy. I’d hated her because she had everything that should have been mine, but despite what I’d done to her, she was willing to share it with me. “I’ll talk to Vanessa about it.”

“Great. So, how does retirement feel?”

“Not sure yet. I’m too young to retire.”

“I agree. I have a proposition for you. We’ll talk about it when you come by.”

I wanted to reject his idea right away, but since I was working on my manners, I let it be. “Alright.”

“Tell my daughter hi for me.”

“I will.”

He hung up.

I put the phone down, surprised I’d just had a normal conversation with Crow. He was a man I’d despised for a long time. Now he was a strange mixture of a friend and my girlfriend’s father.

“So, you want to drive out there?” Vanessa asked, having heard every single word of the conversation.

I wanted to spend the day with her, preferably in bed. But when I saw her eyes light up in excitement at the thought of both of us visiting her family, I didn’t put up a fight. I could be selfish, but with Vanessa, I didn’t want to be. “Sure.”

“Great. I bought Reid this cute little outfit, and I want to give it to him. He’s too small to wear it right now, but in a few months, it’ll fit him perfectly.” She carried the half-eaten bowl to the sink and left it sitting there. “I’m so excited.”

I watched her move around the kitchen, her happiness infectious. I’d traded in my dangerous lifestyle for a simple one in Florence. My days would be filled with the Barsettis, but since that made Vanessa so happy, it didn’t sound so bad.

Not at all.

We walked in the door and were greeted by her parents.

It was the first time I’d set foot inside that house since I forgave Crow. It had been impossible for me to sit through dinner when I kept thinking about that shotgun pointed at me. But now it was a new beginning, a clean slate.

I had to forget all that stuff.

Pearl hugged me before she kissed me on the cheek. “How are you, honey? So glad you’re home—for good this time.” Pearl gave me her motherly affection, looking at me with love and treating me like a son. She was the person who had suffered the most in this family, and it was remarkable that she could welcome me so easily. She must see my father when she looked into my face…sometimes.

“I’m glad to be home too. So is Vanessa.”

Pearl squeezed my arms affectionately before she let me go. “I hated seeing my daughter go through that. I can’t count the number of times my husband left me to go fight some war. I’m happy to know that’s over for good. It means a lot to both of us that you made that sacrifice.”

“It’s my job to protect her. How can I do that when I’m somewhere else?” I was never worried about not coming home. But now I was worried about leaving my woman unguarded. If I wanted to be her husband, she would have to be my first priority. I couldn’t have it both ways.

“Excellent point.” She smiled and stepped aside so Crow could greet me.

He skipped the handshake and embraced me the way he embraced Conway—minus the kiss on the forehead. “It’s good to see you, Griffin. You look well. No gunshot wounds anywhere.” He patted my shoulder as he stepped back. “That’s always a good sign.”

“Yes, Mr. Barsetti.”

Crow flinched at the use of the name, as did Pearl. His eyes softened at the sign of respect I gave him. “Call me Crow. Please.” He patted me on the back, embracing me as a father embraced his son.

Vanessa had tears in her eyes. The second she blinked, they dripped down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, but not quick enough for us not to notice the emotional moment she was experiencing.

Her parents didn’t greet her the way they greeted me and chose to dismiss themselves from the entryway, giving her a moment to compose herself.

I stared at her, watching her combat the emotion that she couldn’t resist. Since this was her parents’ house, I wanted to refrain from my usual affection because it seemed inappropriate, but then I remembered I’d never cared before. I’d always been transparent about my feelings and thoughts. I was easy to read, like an open book. “Baby.” I moved into her and cupped her cheeks so I could focus her stare on mine. Over a foot shorter than me, she was tiny in comparison to my size, but all woman just the same. I kept her gaze on me, knowing my expression would calm her in a way nothing else could.

“I’m sorry… I’ve wanted this for so long.”

“I know.” I wiped away her tears with the pads of my thumbs.

“I never thought it would happen.”

“It did happen. You should be happy, not sad.”

“I am happy…” When she took a deep breath, she stopped the tears that pooled in her eyes. “Ever since I was a little girl, I imagined bringing my future husband to meet my family. I imagined him being close with my father, having their own relationship. My father is my best friend…and I wanted my future husband to be my father’s best friend too. For so long it didn’t seem possible. But now…” Her voice broke, and she didn’t finish what she was saying.

Now I felt guilty for hating her father for so long. I should have given this to her a long time ago. “I don’t know about the best friend part, but I respect your father. I respect him for raising you. Where would I be if he hadn’t done that? Where would I be if I didn’t have you?” I pressed my forehead to hers and closed my eyes, treasuring the single most important thing in the world.

“Griffin…”

The only time I’d ever shed tears was when I walked away from Vanessa. I’d kissed her goodbye and left the house, knowing I would lose her forever. Every step I took put the distance between us, and that made the tears grow bigger and bigger. It was the only instance in my adult life when I felt something so strong that it broke through my callous soul. I felt something similar now, but fainter. “Look at me.” I opened my eyes and stared at her face, seeing the way she kept her eyes closed as I held her.

She opened her eyes, the surface of those green gems still shiny.

“We have everything we want now, baby. Be happy.”

“I am happy…that’s the problem.” She chuckled and blinked her eyes quickly, trying to dispel the moisture.

I kissed the corner of each eye, getting the salt on my tongue. “Let’s visit your nephew now.” My hand cupped her cheek, my fingers reaching into her hairline. There was something arousing about comforting her, taking care of her. I’d never loved someone so much, not like this. I loved my boys and I loved my mother, but this was different. I’d trade my life for hers in a heartbeat—without even thinking about it. Her tears were my tears. Her pain was my pain.

“Okay.”

I kissed her on the mouth, a simple kiss that was soft and sensual.

When she pulled away, she rubbed her nose against mine. “I love you.”

I moved my lips to her forehead and kissed her, embracing her in a way I never embraced any other woman. “I love you.” My arm moved around her waist, and I guided her to the sitting room near the back of the house.

When we stepped inside, Sapphire was comfortable on the couch, wearing a long dress that was loose around her stomach. Her hair was pulled back, and she looked exhausted, like motherhood was just as hard as people described. But she also glowed even though she was no longer pregnant. She watched Conway cradle their son in a single arm, Reid wrapped up in a blue blanket. A quiet coo came from the bundle, and a small hand rose to reach for Conway’s face.

Sapphire smiled. “He loves you already, Con.”

“He does,” Conway said in agreement. “But he loves you more…and I’m okay with it.”

Carter turned to me first. “Hey, man. Glad you’re back.” He greeted me with a handshake, behaving like I hadn’t just helped him pull off a crazy stunt. Together, we found a corpse to replace Mia so we could get her away from Egor. No big deal.

“Thanks.” I shook his hand firmly before I turned to Carmen. I considered giving her a one-armed hug, but since her father was there, I just gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. “How are you, Carmen?”

She made a disgusted face. “What the hell was that?”

“What?” I asked, dead serious.

“This weird thing…” She patted me on the shoulder awkwardly. “Come on, you can do better than that.”

A restrained grin came across my face.

She moved in and hugged me, squeezing me hard like we were family. She hugged me when we saw each other in Florence, but since her father wasn’t watching every little move I made at those times, I was a lot more comfortable. Things were going really well with the Barsetti family, and I didn’t want to cross a line and fuck everything up again. “This is how you hug family, Griffin. Learn from your mistake.”

I chuckled. “Alright, I will.” Carmen was still my favorite Barsetti. Her blunt candor was refreshing. When she smiled, it was sincere. She talked to me like a friend when she didn’t even know me. She was the only Barsetti to give me a real chance, to trust Vanessa’s instincts and accept me.

Cane came next. A guilty look was in his eyes, like he knew that whole charade was because of him. “Heard everything went well. Glad you’re back home.” He gave me a one-armed hug then patted me on the back. “My daughter tells me you walk her home all the time?”

After we went out for drinks or dinner, I always did. “Yeah.”

Cane gave me a look of gratitude—and remorse. “Thanks, man. That means a lot to me.”

“She doesn’t need me to walk her home,” I said in Carmen’s defense. “I just do it because I like her.”

Carmen nodded in approval. “And that’s why I let you.” She turned her angry look on her father. “I told you that you were wrong about him. I’m always right, but you never admit it.”

Cane sidestepped the comment by bringing his wife over. “I don’t think the two of you have properly met. This is my wife, Adelina.”

Adelina hugged me right away. She was beautiful like her daughter, with soft brown hair and pretty eyes. She smiled when she greeted me, reminding me of Pearl. “Nice to meet you, Griffin.”

“You too,” I answered.

Conway rose to his feet then came toward me, his son cradled in his arms. “Reid, it’s time for you to meet your uncle Griffin.” He turned his arms toward me so I could get a good look at the baby’s face.

The green eyes were apparent, the same ones that Vanessa had. With olive skin like the rest of the Barsettis, Reid seemed to follow in his family’s footsteps right away. He was quiet, kicking his feet gently as he stared at me in fascination.

Conway prepared to hand him over to me. “Here, hold him.”

I’d never held a baby in my life, and I didn’t want to do it now. “No.”

Conway stilled at my harshness; everyone did.

It was touching that Conway trusted me enough to hold his son, so I knew I had to backpedal. “I’ve just never held a baby before…”

“Neither had I,” Conway said. “Let me show you.”

“No,” I repeated, stepping back.

Vanessa turned her look on me. “Griffin, just hold your nephew.” She looked at me with annoyance, not letting me get my way this time. “You’re making it a bigger deal than it needs to be.”

“This is someone’s kid, Vanessa.”

“No,” she hissed. “This is your nephew. Now, suck it up and do it.”

I looked around at her entire family, who were all patiently waiting for me to do what she asked. Maybe I was the one overreacting, but holding a kid seemed like a terrifying burden. I didn’t want to drop him or do something wrong. My livelihood depended on me being careful, shooting with perfect aim and getting myself out of difficult situations. Holding a child shouldn’t be hard. “Alright.”

Conway moved Reid into my arms and pulled away when his son was secure. “I was scared the first time too. But it’s not so bad.” He pulled away, not the least bit afraid that I would let his son hit the ground.

I stood there with Reid in my arms, the small baby that weighed practically nothing. He looked up at me with his big green eyes, fascinated by my eyes just the way I was fascinated by his. He fit perfectly in the crook of my arm, his length not spanning farther than the length of my forearm. I held Vanessa every day with ease. Not sure why I thought holding a baby would be any different. Now that I was actually doing it, it didn’t seem so difficult. All the stress faded away, and the little boy in my arms actually brought me peace.

“Aww,” Vanessa whispered beside me. “Two peas in a pod.”

Conway turned his back on me and joined his wife on the couch, perfectly comfortable leaving his son across the room with me. He grabbed his wife’s shoulders and massaged the tension out of her back, taking care of her once he was done taking care of Reid.

Crow came to my side and looked down into his grandson’s face. “Pearl and I have been on night duty, taking care of Reid when he cries. I haven’t done that since Vanessa was a baby. It’s tiring, but I enjoy it.”

“That’s nice of you,” I said, still looking at Reid.

“He’s a bit of a crier. He’s usually loud more often than when he’s quiet. Seems to like you.”

“Not sure why he would.”

He patted me on the back. “He feels safe with you, Griffin. As we all do.”

After we had dinner together, people gathered for drinks in the living room. Everyone took turns holding Reid, and whenever he started to cry, Sapphire would either feed him or Pearl would change him.

Crow pulled me off to the side to speak to me in private. “Let me give you a tour of the house.”

It was three floors of luxury, so I was not sure what he wanted to show me. “Alright.”

He took me up the stairs to the second floor. “There’s mostly spare bedrooms here, along with a small gym. When the kids were young, this was their territory. Lars’s old bedroom was down this hallway too. He’s on the first floor now since the stairs are a little hard for him.”

“He’s been working here for a long time.”

“He’s been in the family since I was born,” Crow said proudly. “He started to slow down about a year ago. He does stuff around the house to keep busy, but he relaxes most of the time now.”

“That’s generous of you to keep him here.”

“Generous?” he asked. “He’s been a loyal servant to my family since the beginning. Actually, he is family. This is where he belongs.” He guided me to an open bedroom door. “I wanted to show you Vanessa’s room.”

I followed him inside and saw the queen-size bed against the wall. Everything was decorated in tones of champagne pink and white. Classy and elegant, it fit her style perfectly. Her vanity held an old jewelry box, and there was a scarf hanging up on the back of her door. This was where she slept when we spoke on the phone last Christmas. It had been too dark for me to see her surroundings clearly, but now the image was easy to picture. I wasn’t sure what Crow wanted me to say about it, so I said nothing.

“From when she was in a crib until she left for university, this was where she stayed. I watched her grow from a little girl to a very impressive young woman. Now she’s a professional success…couldn’t be prouder.” He walked to the nightstand and picked up a picture frame. “This is the three of us at her first art camp when she was in high school.” He showed me the picture, Crow and Pearl on either side of Vanessa. Vanessa was visibly younger, maybe seventeen at the time. She had a spot of paint on her nose and on her apron. She always got paint on her nose, and now I knew it was because she rubbed her nose with her arm when it itched. I only knew that because I watched her all the time. He sighed as he looked at the photo. “She’s a dream come true. Even through the difficult times, she was nothing short of lovely. When Pearl was pregnant with her, I was hoping for a boy. I never wanted to raise a girl. And then she came…a fierce spitfire. I knew I didn’t have anything to worry about. She’s just like her mother, a titan.”

I stared at the picture for another moment before he put it back. I wanted to ask why he was showing me things, but I thought that would be rude. Of course, I found all of it interesting. It just seemed like something Vanessa would share with me instead.

“The reason I’m telling you all of this is because…this is what I imagined I would do when a man came to ask for my permission to marry my daughter.” He came back to my side, his hands in his pockets. He wasn’t the silent and hostile enemy he used to be before. Since we’d buried the hatchet, he’d only shown his vulnerable side to me. Just as he was with the rest of his family, that was how he was with me. “I would want to share these things with him since he’s the only other man who will love her as much as I do.” He looked out the window into the darkness beyond. “I know she’ll always be my daughter, but I know things will be different now. I know I have to let her go…and that revelation has been very difficult for me.”

I turned to look at him, to see the pain on his face. “You never have to let her go, Crow. I don’t want you to.”

“That’s nice of you to say…but I understand it can’t be the same. And it shouldn’t be the same anyway. You’re the man replacing me…and she couldn’t have picked anyone better.”

It was the nicest compliment he’d ever given me. “I haven’t asked for your permission yet.”

He looked around her bedroom and settled on the painting on the nightstand. He took a deep breath before he spoke. “But I know it’s coming.” He moved his hand to the center of my back and rested it there. “And I’m happy about it. Really, I am.” He patted me before he dropped his arm.

I could feel the pain in his touch, feel a father grieve like he was losing his daughter forever. “Crow, Conway married Sapphire. Now that he has a wife, it seems like he’s closer to you than he was before. They moved here to be closer to family—because they want more of you and Pearl.”

He didn’t say anything, his eyes still on the picture.

“And Vanessa has told me how much she wants to be close to you. It wasn’t an ultimatum, but she didn’t sugarcoat what she wanted. It was a compromise I was willing to make, to move to Tuscany so we can be ten minutes apart. You say you’re losing your daughter…but you aren’t. I love her more than anything in this world. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. But I can share you with her… I want to share her.”

He smiled slightly, the emotion in his eyes. “That’s very kind of you to say.”

“I’ve never wanted to come between you. I just wanted…to be accepted among you.”

“And you are now.” He clapped my shoulder again. “You’re a Barsetti with a different name.”

“Things may be changing, but they will stay the same. You can help us with our kids the way you help Conway. You can be the grandparents who watch them while Vanessa and I are at work. You can be in our lives as much as you want.”

He chuckled. “Be careful what you say. You won’t be able to get rid of us.”

“I knew from the beginning that I would have to share Vanessa with all of you. I’m happy to do that.”

He sighed. “You’re a good man, Griffin. Truly. And since you mention work…that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“I’m not sure what I’m going to be doing with my time, but don’t worry, I won’t be getting into anything remotely illegal. I’ll find honest work. I’ll just have to find something that interests me. I’ve accumulated enough wealth over the past decade that I don’t need an income anymore. Vanessa will be well taken care of. But I’m too young to stop working. I need to keep busy…or I’ll go crazy.”

“I couldn’t agree more. That’s what brings me to my proposition…”

“With all due respect, Crow, I don’t need you to find me work.” I was capable of finding something on my own. Maybe I would start a business, a gym or a personal training facility. I was in amazing shape, and men would pay a lot of money to have me get them into their prime condition.

“My idea sort of falls under that category, but not quite.”

“Then what’s your idea?”

“As you know, Conway has his own billion-dollar company that he runs. His wife and children will inherit it someday. Vanessa has her artwork. Carter runs his own car company, and Carmen is a florist. Cane and I always assumed that at least one of our kids would want to take over the winery eventually, but it doesn’t seem like that’s gonna happen. So…how about you?”

I stared at him with a blank look on my face, unsure what he was asking me, exactly. “I don’t know shit about wine, Crow.”

“And you can’t learn?” He raised an eyebrow. “When Cane and I retire, we don’t want to sell it. If it comes down to that, we will. But it’s another legacy that can live on after us. It’s our dream to hand it down from generation to generation. We really want to keep it in the family, and since you’re family…we wondered if you’d be interested.”

I kept looking at him, unsure how to respond to the offer. I wasn’t even his son, and he was giving me something he’d worked on his entire life. It was incredibly generous. “I don’t know…”

“What don’t you know about?” he asked, clearly disappointed with my answer. “You walked away from your old life for my daughter. Instead of doing something else to keep busy, be part of this. When you have your own children, you can share it with them. It’s more than just a business, it’s deep in our blood. Plus, the two of us will spend a lot more time together working side by side. Cane and I aren’t planning to retire anytime soon. We’ve both got at least a decade left in us. But when we start to wind down, it would be nice to know everything is ready to go, that you’ll be there to step up.”

I still didn’t know what to say. When I left the killing business, I figured I would spend the next six months trying to find something entertaining. I didn’t ever expect to be given this kind of offer.

“You told me you never wanted to come between my daughter and me. If you work for me, we’ll be even closer. I’ll see her even more. And more importantly, I’ll see you. You know how happy Vanessa would be.”

She would probably cry again.

“You’re moving to Tuscany anyway, so it won’t be a far commute.”

“The commute isn’t my hesitance.”

“Then what is?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Maybe you should talk to your kids and Cane’s kids first. They should get a say in it.”

He nodded. “I already did.”

I raised an eyebrow. “They were fine with letting me take over?”

“I told you, they don’t want it. They all have their own dreams and pursuits, not that I’m complaining. I’m very proud that Cane’s and my kids have all chosen their own path in life. My dream used to be having my son work with me every single day…but that’s okay. I couldn’t be prouder of who he’s become.”

That touched me even more, that Conway, Carter, and Carmen were completely fine with letting me take over the family business. They really did see me as family even though I hadn’t married Vanessa yet. “I don’t know what to say, Crow. Your generosity…leaves me speechless.”

“I’m not being generous. You’re doing me a favor.”

I knew he was lying. He was just saying whatever needed to be said to get me to agree.

“It stays in the family this way. That’s what we all want. Your old profession seemed to be solely based on money. It doesn’t seem like you’re passionate about anything else.”

Except Vanessa.

“So the winery is perfect for you.”

“I suppose…”

“If you really aren’t interested, there’s no hard feelings. But I would like you to seriously consider it.”

“If I do, I have a stipulation.”

“Let’s hear it,” Crow said.

“You can’t pay me.”

He tilted his head slightly, surprised by what I said. “What?”

“I don’t want your money. I’ll work there for free.”

“I don’t feel comfortable with that.”

“And I don’t feel comfortable taking a dime from you. I can take care of Vanessa on my own. I’m not taking her father’s money.”

He sighed. “That’s not how it is—”

“When you and Cane retire, I’ll start taking a cut. But not before.”

He held my gaze, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He didn’t like that offer at all, but he didn’t know how to circumvent it.

“I have no need for money. I own real estate, investments, all kinds of things. Honestly, the last thing I need is money. Vanessa can live out the rest of her life as a queen if she wants to. I worked hard for those earnings, and I’m proud of it—regardless of how I earned it. I’m a self-made man, going from living on the streets to living in mansions. Taking your money would undermine all of that.”

He shook his head slightly. “I don’t agree with that at all, but I respect your opinion.”

“Those are my terms. Take them or leave them.”

“So when we retire, you’ll start keeping the profits?”

I nodded. “When the two of you are really ready to let it go, then yes. But mainly because that money is Vanessa’s. It’s her inheritance that I will take care of. And when we have our own children, I’ll pass it on to them…from their grandfather.”

The second I spoke my last sentence, his eyes watered noticeably. Legacy was obviously important to him, leaving behind something for a future generation. All he wanted was to protect his family, selflessly. “That’s exactly what I want.”

“Then do we have a deal?” I extended my hand.

He glanced at it before he took it, a soft smile stretching across his lips. “Yes. We have a deal.”