Crow

I pulled up to the house and handed my car over to the valet. My phone was still blank because Cane hadn’t contacted me since his meeting with Tristan the night before. A part of me worried something went wrong. Cane was a pain in the ass on a personal level, but when it came to business, he was always on his game.

I walked inside and handed my jacket over to Lars.

“Good afternoon, Your Grace.” He folded the jacket neatly over his arm even though he was going to drop it off at the dry cleaners anyway. “Is there anything I can get you before dinner?”

“No. Mrs. Barsetti and I will be eating dinner on the patio this evening.” It was a beautiful day in Tuscany. The sun was bright in a cloudless sky, and the heat had soaked into the Italian dirt. Once the sun set past the hillside, the breeze would rustle through the olive trees and make the white candles flicker on the table. The gentle glow would light up Button’s soft features, particularly those beautiful eyes I was so fond of.

“Of course. Any preferences?”

“I trust your expertise.” I walked up to the third floor and checked my phone again, expecting Cane to call me at any moment. I was a very paranoid man after everything I’d lived through. Once something was out of the ordinary, it was difficult for me to ignore it.

Before speaking to Button, I walked into my office and called him.

Cane answered on the second ring. “Hey.”

“Everything alright?” I poured a glass of scotch and sat behind my desk.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“You didn’t call me last night.” I didn’t hide my annoyance or my accusation. It was unlike him not to check in with me.

“Does that mean you were worried about me?” he teased. “Pearl swears you have a soft side. Maybe she was right.”

His teasing nature assured me he was perfectly alright. There weren’t any problems with the deal. Calling me had just slipped his mind. “I only have a soft side for her, so don’t expect to see it.”

“I wasn’t counting on it.”

“So, what happened?”

Cane immediately launched into business mode. “I told Tristan the price, and he said he needed twenty-four hours to think about it.”

Our clients didn’t waste our time like that. If they wanted our services, they knew they had to pay top dollar for it. “You think he’s playing games?”

“No. Tristan has always been good to us. I think there’s something else going on.”

“Like?” I sipped my scotch.

“I don’t know. But I’m staying at the hotel until I have dinner with him again.”

The fire wasn’t burning in the fireplace because Lars only lit it when I asked him to. Now that Pearl was my wife, I rarely came in here anymore. Most of the time I ended up doing work in bed while she slept beside me. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I left pretty late last night.”

I suspected something was bothering him. I could feel his consternation over the phone. “You aren’t telling me something.”

“I had an encounter with one of his slaves. Can’t stop thinking about her.”

Cane couldn’t resist a beautiful woman under any circumstances. I’d seen him pick up whores right in front of me. Sex was on his mind more often than money. He and I were opposites in that way. “Get a go?”

“I fooled around with her. But I didn’t fuck her. She’s Tristan’s woman. Who knows what she has?”

Good point. “Then why are you still thinking about her?”

Cane usually talked too much, not too little. But right now, he didn’t have much to say. “I’ll call you after I speak with Tristan again. I’m sure he’ll agree to the terms. He didn’t try to negotiate.”

“Because Barsettis don’t negotiate.”

Cane hung up.

I downed the rest of my glass before I left my office and walked into the bedroom. My dark furniture had been replaced with pieces in a lighter wood color. Now there were vases of flowers everywhere and new paintings on the walls. The bedside lamps had been replaced, and there was a framed picture of the two of us on our wedding day. I didn’t care for the changes she’d made, but I didn’t make a fuss about it.

Didn’t care enough to.

“Button?” I loosened my tie as I walked inside. The bathroom door was open, and she was nowhere to be seen. I scanned the room and noticed the handwritten note on my nightstand next to the picture frame.

Husband,

I went into town to do some shopping. I’ll be back before dinner.

Love,

Your wife

Her tender use of husband and wife didn’t dim my anger. She went on an adventure alone in a country she still knew nothing about, and she didn’t have the courtesy to give me a heads-up. She did it on purpose because she knew I would never let her go. That just pissed me off more.

I pulled up her tracker on my phone to see where she was. After a glance, I realized she was in Florence, the next major town close to my estate. I zoomed in farther and found her inside a clothing boutique.

Did she really need clothes?

I stormed back out and down the stairs. I didn’t bother telling the valet to get my car ready. I was in too much of a hurry to wait for anything at the moment.

It seemed like Lars knew exactly where I was at any given time because he stepped out of the kitchen as if he expected me. “Your Grace, are you leaving?”

“Yes.” I didn’t break my stride or even look at him. “I should be back within an hour.”

“Dinner is still on, then?”

I may not have an appetite once I was through with Button, but she probably would. “Yes.” I got into my car and took off, heading down the lonely road to Florence thirty minutes away. I yanked my tie off and tossed it into the passenger seat beside me and drove with one hand. I didn’t call her because I wanted to catch her off guard, to prove to her that anyone could sneak up on her at any time.

I made it into the city and left my car at the curb. Italians were off work and browsing the farmers market down the cobblestone streets. The ancient buildings stood the test of time by towering high above the mortals. My life would pass in the blink of an eye, but those buildings had been around for thousands of years.

I followed the tracker and turned down a small street lined with cafes, bookstores, and barber shops. A man with a thick beard passed with a fresh loaf of bread tucked under his arm, and another woman sat on a bench with two little boys who each had an ice cream cone. There didn’t seem to be any danger anywhere.

But those people were ignorant.

I was a criminal, and I walked the streets just like everyone else. I was disguised by my expensive clothing and good looks. Women looked at me with interest, seeing me as intimidating in a sexy way. But they didn’t know I was a very dangerous man.

I walked into the clothing store and spotted her immediately. She was examining a sleeveless white dress that stopped above the knee. It was tight around the waist and flared out slightly. She paired it with a large floppy hat that would shield the sun. As furious as I was, she looked like she belonged there. She looked like one of us, blending in with her deep brown hair and bright red lips.

I ignored the thickening of my cock and moved through the racks of clothing until I came up behind her. She still hadn’t noticed me, examining the price tag with a scowl. She must have thought it was too expensive because she returned it to the rack.

Now that I was right next to her, close enough to smell the hint of rose on her skin, it was hard for me to remain angry. My body flushed with heat when she was near, and I felt a dull pain in my heart. It wasn’t from sadness, but adoration. Seeing her put that dress back made me want to buy her everything in the store. “Get it.”

She flinched at the sound of my voice, recognizing me without even looking at me. She slowly turned my way, her eyes decorated with eye shadow and mascara. She was in dark jeans and a purple halter top, showing her rounded shoulders and beautiful sun-kissed skin. “It’s too expensive.”

“Nothing is too expensive for you.” I grabbed the dress without looking at the price tag. “Get whatever you want, Button.”

She knew exactly why I was there, but she didn’t show any anger. I abandoned my fury once I looked at her, and she did the same once I encouraged her to buy something she wanted. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I had more money than I could spend in a lifetime. Half of everything I owned belonged to her. She could buy any damn thing she wanted. I wanted her to spend my money—our money. “I’ll be outside.”

* * *

She came out with a bag stuffed with new clothes. I was glad she took my words to heart and treated herself to whatever she wanted. She joined me on the bench along the sidewalk where I had a great view of the cobblestone streets. Cars weren’t allowed in the area, so only people were passing.

I stared straight ahead and didn’t look at her.

She crossed her legs and enjoyed the quiet companionship between us. Perhaps she didn’t want to say anything because it would begin the conversation she was trying to avoid. She wasn’t the kind of woman to shy away from anything—not even me. “You can’t expect me to be cooped up in that house all day.”

“Yes, I can.” That wasn’t a tactful way to approach the conversation, but I always led with my anger. “And I do.”

“Would you want to be cooped up in the house all day?” she countered.

“The estate is pretty big. Lots of stuff for you to do.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “I don’t feel bad for going out. So don’t bother.”

“It’s not safe, Button. With just one look at you, people know you’re American. You’re an easy target.” Tourists were always hit the hardest. Locals knew they weren’t familiar with the area and took advantage of their ignorance.

“He’s dead.” I knew exactly whom she was referring to, and I appreciated that she didn’t mention him by name. “Now I want to go out and live my life. I want to enjoy my surroundings. I’ve been here for almost two years, and I haven’t done any sightseeing. Do you know how absurd that is?”

“You wanna go sightseeing? I’ll take you.”

“That’s not the point, Crow.”

“And if you want some clothes or something from town, Lars can pick it up for you.”

“Again, that’s not what I want. If I want to get out and do something, I will.”

“You don’t know the area. I’m not even sure how you drove here.”

“With two legs and a brain,” she snapped. “I’m a lot more capable than you give me credit for.”

I knew exactly how strong she was. She’d suffered more than I had, but she still held her head high. I admired her more than anyone else in the world. But I didn’t want her to suffer anymore. All I wanted was a happy life for her. “Button, I know how strong you are. That’s never been the issue.” I watched an elderly man pass with a cane. He still held hands with his wife, who looked to be about the same age. Old and faded, they were approaching the end of their time together. That’s what I wanted with Pearl. To grow old with her. “I don’t ever want anyone to take you away from me.” I’d lost many people, and it was agonizing. When I thought I lost Pearl, I was a mess. I did my best to convince myself she didn’t mean anything to me, that she was expendable. But the more I pushed her away, the more I realized I couldn’t live without her. Now she was my wife, the other half of me. If I lost her, it would be different than it was with my parents and Vanessa.

It would be a million times worse.

Button snaked her hand through my arm and cuddled close to me on the bench. Her chest pressed into my arm, and her face rested on my shoulder. Her hair gently grazed my neck, soft like a rose petal. “I’m not going anywhere, Crow. There’s nothing that can come between us now.”

Even if I left the business entirely, I still had enemies all over the world. The price on my head was still high, and my bank account made me a prime target. My past couldn’t be erased, and blood would always be spilled. I would never be safe, so I couldn’t take down my guard. If someone took my life, then there would be no one to look after Button.

I was everything to her. What would she do without me?

“You never know when things can change. I need to be careful—we need to be careful.”

“I know, Crow. But we have to live our lives too. I was a prisoner for what felt like an eternity. Trust me, there’s no point in living if you can’t be free. I need to feel free.” She spoke into my shoulder, her lips moving against the fabric of my t-shirt.

I understood her point of view. Truly, I did. But my life was complicated. “I’ll never be free, Button. I was born into a blood war. The Barsetti name is both worshiped and cursed. I’ll never walk the world without looking over my shoulder. You and I will never truly be free. That’s something we both have to live with—because you’re a Barsetti.”

She leaned away so she could look me in the eye. “I’m proud to be a Barsetti. But I need more.”

“That’s all I can give you.” If I could give her the world, I would. But that was one thing my fingertips couldn’t reach. “If there’s someplace you want to see, I’ll take you. If there’s something you want to do, I’ll make it happen. But we have to strategically plan every move. Otherwise, we can take a wrong turn. I know this is hard for you to understand, but this is the only life I’ve ever known. One wrong move—and you’re dead.”

A handful of hair fell from behind her ear then repositioned itself around her face. Despite her abuse, she looked like someone who never lifted a finger. She was poised and graceful like a queen, with flawless skin that was healthy and vibrant. When she painted her lips that color, her teeth looked even whiter. Her eyes looked bigger, seductive when she did them that way. “Okay.”

“Okay, what?” I eyed her lips, wanting them pressed against mine in a heated embrace. Sometimes when I looked at her mouth, I only wanted it wrapped around my cock. But right now, I just wanted to kiss her. I wanted to make love to my wife, to take the time to really feel her lips—both pairs.

“I’ll be more cautious.”

She wasn’t even Italian, and she was a very stubborn woman. For her to make that gesture, no matter how small and vague it was, was significant. So I would take it with gratitude. “Can I take you to dinner?”

“I’m sure Lars has something cooking.”

“We can have that for lunch tomorrow. There’s this great place around the corner I think you’ll like.”

“Ooh…are we going on a date?”

I stopped resisting the temptation of her lips and kissed her. “Yes. And I want to make love to you when we get home.”