I didn’t realize Muse had called me until past midnight. The conversation with my family lasted longer than I anticipated. It ended on a cold note, just as cold as it was before. Instead of moving past this difficult time, we seemed to be in the exact same place.

I stayed at the hotel again that night because I didn’t want to be at the house.

Even though I wasn’t certain if I was welcome anyway.

I promised I wouldn’t be involved in the Underground anymore, and it was a promise I’d never wanted to make. I was furious my father didn’t admire me even a little bit for what I did. I spent thirty million of my own money to save a girl I didn’t even know.

Still didn’t know her name.

And that meant nothing to him?

I understood my father just wanted to protect me. I wasn’t that dense. But he obviously didn’t respect me as a grown man. Most of the time, he acted like he did. But once the circumstances changed, the truth came out.

I was too pissed to call Muse back. I would just be shitty company and probably piss her off. She was the only thing in my life that made me feel good, and I wasn’t going to fuck that up by calling her right now. If she called again, I would answer. But I wasn’t going to ruin her night by calling her.

The next day, Carter and I got into the SUV and drove back to my parents’ house. The two of us didn’t talk much last night, both too exhausted by all the bullshit we’d listened to all evening. There was nothing left to say anyway.

Carter was behind the wheel, his eyes full of exhaustion like he hadn’t slept much the night before. “I’m gonna head back to Milan today.”

“Good idea. There’s nothing left to do here anyway.”

He faced forward again, one hand on the wheel as he drove through the countryside. He drove a Range Rover, even though it wasn’t related to the cars he designed for his company. “How’d you sleep?”

“I didn’t sleep.”

“Me neither,” he said. “I thought we’d be past this by now, but they still seem pissed at us.”

“I know… It’s like we’re children.”

“Ridiculous, right?”

Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up to the house and walked inside. My mother greeted us by the door, and despite the heavy conversation we’d had the night before, she hugged me tightly and kissed me on the cheek. I felt her love surround me, unconditional and everlasting.

I was grateful I always had her love—no matter what. Not everyone could say the same thing about their mothers.

She hugged Carter the same way, showering him with love like he was her son too.

“We just wanted to say goodbye,” I said. “Carter and I are heading back home. We’ve got work to do.” A part of me wanted to leave without saying goodbye to my father. I didn’t want to see him, and I suspected he didn’t want to see me either.

“I understand,” Mom said. “I’ll be right back.”

Carter and I stood together in the entryway, waiting for this all to end so we could get back to our lives.

Uncle Cane came first and walked with Carter outside for privacy. Maybe he was going to scold his son and didn’t want me to overhear it. I was about to have the same conversation with my father, so I didn’t see why it mattered.

My father arrived a few minutes later but without my mother. He slowly walked toward me, wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt. He would normally be at the winery right now, but work seemed to be put on hold in light of everything that had happened.

He didn’t look at me as he approached, his powerful arms hanging by his sides. His gaze was indecipherable, but his mood was loud as a bell. Still disappointed and still ticked, he was exactly the same as he was yesterday…and the day before.

He stopped in front of me and crossed his arms over his chest. He finally looked at me, his dark eyes like bullets.

I held his gaze, refusing to be intimidated—even by my father. “I’m heading back to work. Just wanted to say goodbye.”

Silence.

I was usually on my father’s good side, so I wasn’t used to this kind of shunning. It made me realize that no one wanted to be my father’s enemy. Even without a gun, he was terrifying. How did my mom, so full of warmth and affection, put up with him?

It didn’t seem like he was going to say anything, so I wasn’t going to wait around. “I guess I’ll talk to you later, then.” I turned away, finished with his coldness.

“Con.” Like a blade, his word sliced through the air.

I stopped mid-turn, then slowly came back to him.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, son. And I kept it that way for a reason.”

I stared into his eyes, waiting for him to elaborate.

“I’ve changed my life and have become a good man. I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of. When I was your age, I was reckless and stupid because I had nothing to lose. I didn’t have a wife or children. And I had the ridiculous notion that I was invincible. It’s hard to believe I’m standing here today, a healthy man with a beautiful family.”

“If you’ve done terrible things, how can you stand there and judge me?”

“I’ve never judged you, Con.”

“Seems like it.”

“I just don’t want you to make the mistakes that I’ve made. You are…” His voice trailed off, and he took a deep breath. He stared at the ground before he lifted his gaze to meet mine once again. “There are no words to describe how I feel about you…my only son. I love you more than myself. I even love you more than your mother, as unbelievable as that is. I’m only hard on you because I love you. You may be a grown man, but I’m never going to stop protecting you.”

My anger dimmed slightly, but only a fraction. “I saved that woman. How can you not be proud of me?”

He sighed. “She’s not your responsibility to save, Conway. You have an illustrious career and a woman who loves you. Just live your life and be happy.”

“You never answered the question.”

His eyes narrowed, accompanied by a sigh. “You have no idea how proud I am of you. But I’m proud of you no matter what you do. I’ve always wanted you to take over the winery, but I knew you had your own ambitions. Not only did I respect it, but I supported them. But this…I do not…cannot support. Don’t get involved with these people. It’s not worth it.”

I bowed my head slightly. “What kind of man did you used to be?” When the silence stretched, I wondered if he would answer. I knew bits and pieces about his past, but not a lot. I lifted my gaze to look at him again.

His expression was just as hard. “When I was young, all I cared about was money. My father was an arms dealer, and naturally, Cane and I inherited it. The blood war raged, and we made a lot of money selling weapons to all kinds of people. I’ve murdered men because they made the mistake of getting in my way. I didn’t care if they had a wife or children. I didn’t care about anything. I was cruel. Evil.”

It was hard to imagine my father being anything other than the upstanding man he was today. All he seemed to care about was family, wine, and the beauty of Tuscany. “When did that all change?”

“Your mother.”

“She didn’t want you to be that man anymore?”

“No… I didn’t want to be that man anymore. I wanted to deserve her. I wanted to protect her. You can’t protect a woman if people constantly want your head on a spike. If anything, you’re often the very reason she’s in danger in the first place. I wanted a quiet life where we could raise a family and live in peace. I craved silence when all I ever wanted was war. When your mother told me she was pregnant with you, I knew I had to end all my wars. I had to change everything if I was going to bring you into this world. So, I sent her away to a safe place, and I fought until everything was finally said and done. I won’t get into the specifics because they don’t matter anymore. I can’t start that up again. I can’t kick the dust back into the air. I can’t watch my son become involved in a life I’ve worked so hard to protect him from.”

My father used to be a criminal and a murderer. I was nothing like that. “You’re comparing me to yourself, but I’ve never killed anyone. All I’ve done is pulled women from the Underground.”

“But that’s where it starts, Con. And if they raise a gun to you, you have no other choice but to fight back. And you have to pull that trigger quicker than they do. Before you know it, you’ve started a war that will last a decade. I’m trying to save you time and heartache. You have a beautiful woman living in that house with you. If you don’t care about yourself, at least care about her.”

All I ever did was take care of her. I shielded her from everything that could possibly hurt her. It was practically my purpose.

“You promised you wouldn’t go back there,” my father said. “And Barsettis keep their promises.”

“I know.”

“Let this go. Forget about Bones. Forget about those women. You may save one woman, but that won’t stop another hundred from being captured. When you cut off the head of a snake, two more will grow back.”

“So we do nothing?” I asked quietly. “Just give up?”

His gaze turned cold again. “I’ve paid my dues, Conway. I’ve righted my wrongs. Let someone else deal with it now. The Barsettis have suffered far too long. It’s our time to enjoy peace. If you have any respect for me and your mother, you will let us live the rest of our lives in peace. If you really need to do this, please wait until we’re dead and gone.”

Imagining them buried six feet under sent a wave of depression throughout my body. It made me weak, sick, and broken all at the same time. I was still resentful toward my father for being so harsh, but I couldn’t refuse his request. I wouldn’t take away his peace, not when it meant so much to him. He did an amazing job raising me. The least I could do in return was give him what he wanted. “I’ll drop it, Father.”

He closed his eyes for a brief moment. “Good.”

I could never tell him the truth about my relationship with Muse. If I did, what would he think of me then? I bought her at the Underground and made her my prisoner. I took advantage of her because she was so weak. He would probably be even more disappointed in me.

Our relationship was different now, but it didn’t change how it started. Maybe I cared about her now, maybe I would do anything to protect her now, but it wasn’t always that way. “I should get going…”

“Yeah. You have a long drive ahead of you.”

We faced each other in silence, neither one of us making the first move.

We were both stubborn like that.

But I was less stubborn. I moved in and hugged him.

He hugged me back. His arms remained around my body for a long time, and he held me close. He’d never held me this long, not since I was a boy.

I let the touch linger. I was a grown man with a billion-dollar empire, but at the end of the day, I was still a son who needed his father.

He pulled away and gripped both of my shoulders. “I love you, son.”

“I love you too, Father.”

He grabbed the back of my head and kissed me on the forehead. “Tell Sapphire your mother and I say hello.”

I nodded. “I will.” Turning away, I walked out of the house. I didn’t want to look at my father again before leaving because it was too hard. He was always sad when I left. He did his best to hide it, but I could see it in his eyes.

Uncle Cane was gone, and Carter was leaning against the SUV while he waited for me. He was on his phone, the corner of his mouth raised in a smile.

“I guess your conversation went over well,” I said as I walked to the vehicle.

He looked up from his phone, his eyes playful. “Yeah, we had our usual father-son talk. He’s still a little pissed at me, but he’ll get over it in time.”

“Then why are you grinning like that?”

“Funny that you ask…” He clicked something on his screen then turned the phone around so I could see it.

The video showed Muse outside a restaurant. Vanessa was in the background, and some of the guys on my security team were escorting Muse to the car while the paparazzi pushed a camera into her face. First, they asked if she was living with me, which she never really answered.

I took the phone from him and watched the video with narrowed eyes. When did this video take place? Did she go out last night? Is that why she called me?

“Sapphire, do you love Conway Barsetti?” They pushed the microphone at her and followed her as she headed to the car.

Instead of ignoring them again, a slight smile appeared on her lips. It was the same look she gave me when we sat across from each other during our intimate meals. It was the same look she gave me when she told me she missed me. It was real, not a mask she plastered on for the cameras.

And then she answered. “Yes. Yes, I do.”

Carter kept glancing at me from his side of the car. We were slowly approaching Verona, just thirty minutes outside the city. “Con, we haven’t said more than a few words to each other this whole drive. What’s the deal?”

I wasn’t in the mood to talk. That video kept flashing across my eyes over and over. I heard her voice as she said those simple words.

She loved me.

I knew it wasn’t a publicity stunt. I saw the sincerity in her eyes. The fact that I didn’t question it told me I had already suspected it anyway. It was obvious in her affection, the way she worried about me anytime I was gone. She slept on my chest every single night, and the second I wasn’t there, her senses picked up on it. When I gave her freedom to leave, she chose to stay.

Now I knew why.

Carter whistled. “You alive over there?”

“Shut up, Carter.” I stared out the window, unsure what I would do once I got back to the house. For a brief second, I’d felt warmth flood through my veins when I heard her declare her love for me. But then it turned ice-cold immediately afterward.

I told her I didn’t want romance.

Or love.

I wasn’t naïve enough to pretend she and I didn’t have a deep relationship. We had friendship, trust, and loyalty to one another. If she really meant nothing to me, I’d have been fucking other women this entire time.

But she was all I wanted.

But that didn’t mean I loved her.

Hardly.

Maybe she was arrogant enough to think I would change my mind. Maybe she thought I didn’t know what I wanted. Maybe she mistook my affection for commitment.

I enjoyed what we had, but I didn’t want forever.

I never wanted forever.

All things in life were temporary. Muse and I were no different. She ignited a fiery passion inside me, making me obsessed and protective. But that was an example of intense love, nothing more. This was just a phase, an inspiration for my career. But Muse wouldn’t be my muse forever. Eventually, she would lose her allure, and I’d want someone else to replace her.

Even though that made me a dick, it was the truth.

Carter broke the silence again. “What is the big deal, Con? A beautiful woman loves you… Poor you. She’s got to be the most gorgeous woman in the world right now. Everyone is obsessed with her—but she loves you.”

“I don’t want her to love me, Carter.”

“Bullshit,” he said. “You’re so sprung off her.”

“Yes, I know,” I said quietly. “I’m obsessed with her. I care about her. But that’s where it stops. I told her I didn’t want anything more than that. I told her marriage and love would never be on the table…but she didn’t believe me.”

“And I don’t blame her. No one would. You two act like—”

“Our relationship is intense, but it has a time limit.”

“Why?” he asked. “Why does it have to have an expiration date?”

“Because that’s not how I design lingerie. Lingerie is about passion. Monogamy already leads to stale and boring relationships. I can’t have that.”

“You’ve already proven you’re the best of the best, Conway. I think you can take a step back and cruise.”

“I don’t want to cruise,” I argued.

“And it seems like our parents are still in love,” he pointed out. “So, your theory about staleness is incorrect.”

I finally looked at him. “If it’s incorrect, then why haven’t you ever had a woman for more than a night.”

He held my look in return. “Because I haven’t found my muse.”

I looked away again, seeing Verona come into view.

He turned onto the road and approached my house. The gates were opened, and he drove into the roundabout. He put the vehicle in park but didn’t get out. “Con.”

I’d already opened the door. “What?”

“Women like her don’t come around often. Your family loves her, and she puts up with your bullshit. So, don’t do anything stupid, alright?”

I felt my jaw clench before I shut the door.

The men carried my stuff inside, and I walked into the house. The muscles of my torso immediately clenched once I was in my own home—because I knew I was about to look at her. There was so much anger inside me, resentment toward my parents and fury toward her.

Why did she have to say that?

Why couldn’t she have just left it alone?

We were happy. Our relationship was perfect, in its own twisted way. But now it was destroyed because she took it to a new level.

She could have just walked away from those reporters.

Or better yet, she could have stayed home like I asked her to.

I reached the third floor, my arms shaking because they were so tense. The veins in my arms were thicker than usual, blood circulating at a high velocity. My temper had been ignited, and I tried my best to put it out with an attempt at calmness.

I stepped inside my bedroom and found her sitting on the couch, watching TV in just my t-shirt. She’d already showered after work, but she didn’t put makeup on her face. She jumped slightly when the door swung open, clearly not expecting me. “Con, you scared the shit out of me.”

Con. It was a nickname only my family used. I’d liked it when she used it the first time, but now I recognized it as a sign of her possessiveness over me. She felt like she owned me, had a piece of me.

But I was the one who owned her.

She got off the couch and walked up to me in the doorway. She ignored my look of ferocity and moved into my chest, her arms wrapping around me. She rested her head on my chest and released a deep sigh. “I missed you…”

I was still angry, but when I smelled her hair and felt her affection, it was difficult to keep my feelings of rage. Like a queen, she commanded my emotions and brought me to a simmer. She sucked the anger right out of my skin, absorbing it like a sponge.

My arms moved around her.

“I’m glad you’re home. I couldn’t handle this separation any longer.”

I’d planned on telling her off the second I walked through the door. I wanted to scream at her for leaving the property while I was gone, even if she had my security team with her. I wanted to tell her that saying she loved me to a camera was the dumbest decision she’d ever made.

But I didn’t. I rested my chin on her head and felt her softness.

“I didn’t sleep well. It’s not the same without you here.” Her hands migrated underneath my shirt and glided up my chest, feeling the muscles of my stomach. She moved to my sternum, her fingertips lightly touching me. “And I miss having this…” She glided her hand over my chest and down my stomach. Her fingers felt the top of my pants, and she yanked on the top button to make it come loose. “I miss having you between my legs.”

I closed my eyes and felt my cock come to life. I was livid just moments before, and now I was soft and hard at the same time. The second this beautiful woman touched me and told me how much she missed me, all my rage disappeared. All I could think about was how good her hands felt on my body, how hard my dick got when she told me she missed fucking me for the past few days. She was just in my t-shirt, her panties acting as her bottoms.

She finally tilted her head upward to look at me, her hand wrapped around my length and stroking him. “Make love to me.” She rose on her tiptoes and kissed me.

I tried not to kiss her back, tried to fight the goodness that flooded my body. But the second those soft lips were on mine, I couldn’t fight it. I kissed her deeply, giving her my tongue when I felt hers. My cock twitched in her hand because these past three days had been as difficult for him as it was for her.

My hands moved into her hair, and I kissed her harder, passion overriding the rage. With every shared embrace, our current situation seemed to fade away. I wasn’t thinking about anything anymore. Now all I wanted was her, to fall into the throes of passion that she gave me.

I guided her back to the bed, clothes coming off as we went. I got her on the bed, moved between her legs, and finally slid my cock inside her.

And then I was gone.

I left early the next morning and drove to Milan.

I walked into my studio and sat there with a cup of coffee, staring at my sketchbook blankly, the pencil sitting on the paper. It was overcast that day, the first hint of fall reaching us. The days of brutal heat and humidity would start to dwindle, and as we moved into the fall, snow would arrive.

I drank my coffee and spun the pencil in my fingertips, having no inspiration whatsoever.

I was too pissed.

I fucked Muse last night—twice in a row. Then we lay in silence together before drifting off to sleep. We didn’t speak to each other. I didn’t dig into her for all the mistakes she’d made.

I stayed awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling and feeling her cuddled next to my side. I wanted to push her off me, but I also wanted to pull her closer. Two versions of myself existed, one that wanted to pack her bags and kick her out of my house, and another that wanted to keep burying myself between her legs every night.

Who would win?

Now, I sat there in my studio, silence surrounding me like a constant drum in the background. All the models were on vacation, visiting their families wherever they were from. Orders continued to pile in, and the media worshiped the designs I created. Now that Muse had told the world she loved me, I wondered if it changed the outcome of all my hard work.

Nicole walked inside, her clipboard tucked into the crook of her arm. “What are you doing here, Conway?”

“I own this building.” I didn’t need to give anyone an explanation.

Nicole brushed off my coldness. “I thought you were taking some time off.”

“I did. Now I’m ready to work again.”

Nicole came around the table and looked down at my blank sketch pad. Her eyes shifted back to me, full of accusation. “Doesn’t seem that way.”

No one spoke to me that way, but Nicole could get away with it—because she knew I’d be devastated if she ever left Barsetti Lingerie.

“Something on your mind?”

One thing. “No.”

Even though she knew I was lying, she didn’t push it. “How was Greece?”

Fucking perfect. I spent my afternoons sailing with Muse or exploring the small town. Our nights were spent fucking in the pool. The trip was short, but it was exactly what I wanted. But now I looked back on the memory with resentment. “Good.”

She set the clipboard on the table and looked through the papers. “I’m sure you’re aware that Sapphire made a very public declaration the other night. Not sure if it was staged or not, but the world loved it. Orders increased by an additional twenty-five percent.”

I slowly turned to her, wearing an incredulous look. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

“No.”

I slowly dragged my hands through my hair and down my face.

Nicole stood beside me in silence, giving me a moment to recover. “Isn’t that a good thing, Conway?”

“A good thing that this woman has this much power over me?” I snapped. “No, it’s not a good fucking thing.” I tossed my sketchbook off the table and onto the floor. The pencil rolled away then clanked when it hit the hardwood floor.

Nicole didn’t flinch, used to my violent outbursts. “She’s had this much power over you since the first day she walked in here. And she’s had the same power over the entire world.”