I went into the office and sat behind the desk while I spoke to Nicole. Muse was in the shower, and as much as she entertained me, I had to focus on my job. She distracted me so easily, but I had to be strong and stop that from happening so much.

“Enormous spike in sales, Conway. Just like last time, everything has sold out. Preorders are backing up, which brings me to the first issue at hand.”

“I hate that word.”

“Well, I’m not going to stop using it.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Your one distributor can’t reach demand anymore. We need to take on a second.”

Androssi. Dammit. I told him off, but now I might need him.

“I can take care of this for you, but I thought I would check with you first.”

I’d let my pride cloud my judgment when I met with Androssi. I didn’t appreciate anyone doubting my talents, not when I’d proven myself a million times over. But I shouldn’t be so stubborn and let my temper cloud my thinking. “Get in touch with Androssi Beaucount. I’m sure he’d like the business.”

Nicole picked up on my tone because she listened to it all the time. “Your meeting didn’t go well?”

“A bit rocky. But I’m sure he’ll be happy to do business now.”

“He’d be stupid not to, regardless of his personal feelings for you.”

I opened my laptop so I could access the documents she sent me.

“People were very thrilled to see Sapphire, even if she wasn’t on stage. I think having her as your girlfriend was even better.”

Girlfriend. I kept hearing that word over and over. “Yes, she was gorgeous.” Once the screen turned on, I spotted my name typed into the Google search engine in the top right corner. I never looked myself up on the Internet, so I knew I hadn’t typed it in there.

And only one person had access to my laptop.

Muse.

Why was she Googling me on my computer? I noticed she’d been jumpy when I walked into the room. And my laptop was placed in a way I hadn’t left it. I just assumed I was being paranoid.

No, I wasn’t paranoid at all.

“I just sent everything over,” Nicole said. “Let me know when you’re ready to go over them.”

I opened a new tab and entered my name into the search engine. “Hold on, Nicole.” A new page opened up with a list of headlines that all pertained to me, mainly my evening last night. The headlines were flattering, but there was one that was highlighted in a different color than all the rest.

The one that Muse clicked on.

I opened it and scanned the page. Someone had captured pictures of us together, of me kissing her and pressing my forehead to hers. They caught me staring at her. And there was an entire article written about me falling in love with my favorite model.

I wasn’t sure how it made me feel.

A part of me wanted to scoff because it was ridiculous.

Another part of me felt a little terrified. The article was an opinion based on these pictures, but the photos themselves couldn’t lie. I stared at her in a way I never stared at anyone else.

I was obviously obsessed with her.

How could I not be? She was beautiful in every picture, and she looked even more beautiful on my arm.

But I didn’t love her. She didn’t love me.

What these photographers captured was the intimacy between us, the friendship as well as the lust. Just because I didn’t love her didn’t mean I didn’t care about her—and I cared about her so damn much. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for her, nothing I wouldn’t sacrifice for her. The world misinterpreted what they saw, what they thought they understood.

They knew nothing about us.

I closed the tab and went to my email. “I’m ready, Nicole.”

We returned to Milan in the middle of the afternoon, and my men drove us back to Verona where my villa was waiting for me. Dante would have a full meal prepared, even though neither of us was hungry.

Muse looked out the window as she watched the countryside pass. She hadn’t worn makeup during the flight, and now the sun blanketed her exquisite complexion with the perfect lighting. She was in jeans and a t-shirt, laid-back after the long journey.

I never told her I knew she used my computer. And I never told her I knew what she was looking up.

I wondered what she thought about it.

Did she think I loved her?

I hoped not.

I never would.

We arrived at the house, and the men took our bags inside. The house was exactly the way we left it, clean, open, and bright. It was nice to be home. No amount of luxury at a five-star hotel could replace the comfort of my own place.

Our bags were set in the bedroom, and Muse immediately changed into a comfortable sundress.

It was still warm, but in the next few weeks, the weather would change drastically. It would get cold, start to rain, and soon after that, the snow would begin falling. The horses would be put in the stables, and I would be working from home almost exclusively to avoid the dangerous country roads.

“It’s nice to be home.” She hopped on the bed, bouncing up and down slightly as the mattress moved.

“It is.”

“Your mother said she would love to get together for dinner and talk about our trip.”

Now that the show was over, I had a little more time on my hands. Perhaps Muse and I would take a trip somewhere.

My phone rang, and Carter’s name appeared on the screen. “Excuse me.” I walked into the sitting room and sat on the couch before I took the call. I wasn’t that far away, and she could probably still hear me, but anytime Muse was on my bed, I couldn’t exactly think straight. “What’s up, Carter?”

“Don’t talk all casual like shit didn’t just go down.”

I stared out the window across my property. Horses were in the distance, and the flat countryside was breathtaking as it stretched on and on. “What shit went down, Carter? Are you referring to my show? Yes, it went well. Nicole told me sales are double what they were last time…”

“No, not that, asshole.”

“Then what?” I asked with a sigh.

“All I see all over the news is that you’re in love with this prisoner of yours. It’s written all over your face, man.”

Now he and the rest of the world had the same opinion. “I’m just being affectionate.” I didn’t say anything more because I didn’t want Muse to overhear me. “Is there something else you wanted to talk about?”

“I just don’t understand why you don’t admit it. You’ve never been the kind of guy to pretend to be something you aren’t.”

“And I’m not pretending now,” I said calmly. “If you have nothing else to say, I’m hanging up.”

“She’s there, isn’t she?” he asked. “Gotcha.”

“Yes,” I said in confirmation.

“Alright,” he said. “I guess we’ll talk about it later.”

“No, we won’t be talking about this later. We won’t be talking about this ever.”

“Whatever,” Carter scoffed. “I’ve got another call. It’s for Yasmine something… She’s from Israel.”

These calls were good because they made me rich. But they were also bad because it reminded me of how this world really was. Evil men lurked around every corner. There was no amount of opposition that could fight it. “When?”

“Tonight. You can make it, right?”

Did I have much of a choice? “Yes.”

“Alright. I’ll send you a picture. Her parents are pretty shaken up.”

“As they should be.” If any woman I cared about were in that position, I wouldn’t be able to sleep. “How much?”

“Fifteen million.”

That was seven and a half for each of us. I only had to do this ten times to make back the money I shelled out for Muse. I was digging myself out of a very expensive hole. “Alright.”

“Let me know how it goes.”

“Hold on. I’m dropping Yasmine off at your place.”

“My place?” he asked incredulously. “That’s not how this works. I took one of the girls just because of the situation—”

“Muse lives with me now. And I don’t want another woman in the house. One is enough.”

“But Muse isn’t just some woman. She’s your—”

“I’m risking my neck by showing up there with no guns and no backup. This is the least you can do, Carter.”

He sighed into the phone. “Fine.”

“Bye.” I hung up and tossed the phone onto the coffee table. I stared out the window, suddenly craving a cigar. I’d love to pull the smoke into my lungs and let my body absorb the nicotine. I wasn’t some pussy who did whatever Muse asked, but I knew she would pluck it out of my mouth the second she saw me with it.

I couldn’t even enjoy it.

Muse came up behind me and glided her hands down my chest. She leaned over me and sprinkled my neck with kisses.

I closed my eyes and treasured the feeling of her soft lips, of the way they felt against my warm skin. Her breath washed over me, erotic and wonderful. My hand moved on top of hers, and I craned my neck harder, wanting Muse to take as much as she wanted.

This was much better than the cigar anyway.

She straightened behind me and pulled her hands away. “Are you going somewhere tonight?”

So, she could hear. “Yes.”

Her hands moved to my shoulders and massaged my muscles. “Am I coming along?”

She obviously had no idea where I was going if she asked that question. “No. I’m going to the Underground.”

Her hands stopped. “Are you buying someone?”

“Yes.”

“I see…” She started to massage me again. “Who is it this time?”

“A woman from Israel. I don’t know much about her right now.”

“Is she staying here?”

“No. She’ll stay with Carter.”

“Poor thing. She must be terrified.”

They were all terrified.

“Does your father know you do this?”

He didn’t have a clue. No one in the family did. My father would scold me for getting mixed up with the Skull Kings, and my mother would hate me if she knew I was saving women for cash. Uncle Cane wouldn’t like it either. “No.”

“How long as this been going on?”

“For about five years. Ever since my father told me about my aunt Vanessa.”

“I admire what you’re doing, but I think it’s too dangerous…” She walked around the couch and took a seat beside me on the cushion. “The men there are evil, Conway.”

Everyone was evil. “It’ll be fine.”

She still wore the same look of terror. “Can I wait in the car?”

“Absolutely not.” I didn’t want her anywhere nearby.

“Can I wait at your apartment?”

“No.”

“Conway—”

“You’re staying here. End of story.”

She shut her mouth, but her eyes showed her disappointment.

“If you think I’d ever let you anywhere near a place like that again, you’re out of your mind.” Now the comfort of her kisses had evaporated, and I couldn’t feel her lips on my skin anymore. I grabbed the pack of cigars on the table.

She snatched them out of my hand. “Conway.”

I stared at her incredulously, unable to believe the stunt she just pulled. “Muse, don’t test me.”

“Don’t test me,” she replied. “You don’t want me to go with you to the Underground, fine. But enough with these.” She held them up in my face. “As long as I’m living in this house, they’re forbidden.”

“This is my house, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“And I’m the woman of this house.” She pulled the cigars out of the box and shoved them into a glass full of water, ruining them instantly. “No cigars.” She strutted off, shaking her hips with attitude as she went.

I stared at her ass as she stormed off to the bedroom, loving the way it shook with all that sass. When she was gone, I faced forward again and stared at the ruined cigars that I smoked with Carter every time I was with him. If she really wanted something, she fought for it. Like the cigars, for instance. But the things she was most passionate about concerned my well-being. She cared more about keeping me healthy than anything else, even if that meant pissing me off.

For reasons I couldn’t understand, that got me hard.

I took the secret entrance to the basement of the opera house and was checked at the entryway. They patted me down, searching for guns and knives. When they didn’t find anything, they allowed me passage inside.

Moving across the red carpet, I entered the dark room where the gentlemen sat. A topless woman was walking around taking drink orders, her massive tits earning her a fortune in tips.

I took a seat in my usual spot and didn’t stare at the men around me.

Because it was a rule.

No eye contact. No gawking. No identifying.

What happened at the Underground stayed at the Underground. If I saw a famous politician or a celebrity, it was forbidden to report it. If I did, it would result in permanent expulsion from the Underground as well as a hefty fine.

Big Tits came over with my drink on a tray. “Scotch on the rocks, right?”

I didn’t look at her. “Yes.”

“And two cigars.” She set them on the table.

I didn’t gawk at her tits anyway, but now I felt uncomfortable even looking at them. Staring wasn’t cheating, but it somehow felt disrespectful to Muse. Why would I look at this woman’s tits when I had a perfect woman waiting for me at home? She cared about me, respected me. She would never step foot inside this place again, so she would never know what I was looking at it.

But she made me want to be honorable…for whatever reason.

“I don’t need the cigars.” I drank the scotch.

“Alright.” She placed them in her apron then serviced the other men.

Smoke filled the room and got into my lungs, but as tempting as it was, I shook it off.

Another man walked inside and sat at the table beside me. He was in my line of sight, so I noticed the black leather jacket he wore along with the rest of his black clothing. The sleeves of his jacket were pushed up, showing the black ink on his skin. His jaw hadn’t been shaved in days, so he had a heavy shadow across his features. With dark eyes and dark hair, he looked like a classic Italian.

I had no idea who he was.

The women were brought on stage, tied up and buck naked. And then the bidding started.

I stared at them because that’s what I was expected to do. Shaking and afraid, they didn’t look desirable at all. They reminded me of innocent sheep about to be slaughtered. People assumed they were too stupid to know what was going on, but they could sense it. They would be treated with malice and cruelty before they were finally drowned or shot between the eyes. Unfortunately, death was the best part.

Yasmine was in the middle. She was a slender girl with beautiful eyes. She looked way too young to be up there. She definitely wasn’t eighteen yet, and that made this situation even more disgusting. The men would pay a lot of money for her.

The bidding started.

One of the women in the beginning was particularly beautiful, so that bidding lasted longer than usual. But eventually, some asshole won her and wore a cruel sneer in victory. They moved farther down the row, selling each woman because the captors were no longer human.

The only man besides me who didn’t bid on anyone was the young guy close by. He sat with his ankles crossed and his hand wrapped around his beer. He didn’t even grab his paddle in preparation to buy someone.

I hoped he wasn’t after Yasmine.

Most of the men in the Underground were much older, in their forties, fifties, and even sixties. They were grotesque, which was why they had to buy a woman rather than pick one up on their own.

But this guy in the leather jacket was different.

He was young, good-looking, and obviously wealthy.

Who the hell was he?

We finally arrived at Yasmine.

I raised my paddle. “Five hundred thousand.” I started off low so I wouldn’t be suspicious.

She reached two million immediately. Then it jumped to four, seven, and then ten.

“Fifteen million.” I lowered my paddle. I just spent a hundred million on Muse a few months ago, so no one would raise an eyebrow to my bid.

No one challenged it.

“Sold to Mr. Barsetti.” There was one more girl on the stage, so the bidding started over.

Leather Jacket didn’t bid on her either.

If he wasn’t there to pick up a woman, what was he doing?

Was he spying? Was he with the feds? I found that unlikely. No way he would have made it past the background check if he was dirty.

The last girl was sold off, and then the Skull King at the front stared at Leather Jacket. “None of the women up here good enough for you, Bones?”

My blood had never turned so ice-cold in my life.

My heart even stopped beating in my chest, and that never happened, not even for Muse.

I was sick to my stomach and pissed off all at the same time.

Bones? Did I hear that right?

My father told me the Barsettis had a blood war with Bones, an arms dealer who sold illegal weaponry. My father never explained the details and never explained how my grandparents died. But he did mention the name of the man who killed my aunt, the man my father had killed before I was born.

His name was Bones.

But this guy was my age, maybe a little older.

Was it just a coincidence?

Could a name like that be a coincidence in circles like these?

The man drank his beer before wiping his mouth with the back of his forearm. The corner of his mouth rose in a lazy grin, and he filled the room with such confidence that it was borderline cocky.

Cockier than me.

He finally answered. “Nah. I’m not good enough for them.”

Yasmine sobbed as I dragged her out of the Underground to my SUV, which was parked at the curb. She was dressed in the sweatpants and t-shirt I brought along. It was difficult to escort a naked woman to my car in public, even under the cover of darkness. The police looked the other way, but we didn’t parade it around so visibly.

I got into the car and drove away.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she cried so hard she could barely breathe.

Most annoying fucking sound in the world.

Muse didn’t cry. She held her ground and didn’t back down. She didn’t accept defeat, even when she had no other option. I respected her for it.

I didn’t respect this. “Calm down, Yasmine. It’ll be alright.”

She cried harder.

God, the noise was hurting my ears.

I pulled a knife from my pocket and then slit the rope between her wrists. “Look, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not going to touch you. You’re okay.”

She rubbed the chafed skin of her wrists and stared at me hesitantly, finally no longer crying.

She should jump out of the car or attack me.

I was disappointed when she didn’t. Women should be taught to fight, fight to the death. That’s what my father had taught Vanessa since she was a teenager. “Your parents paid me to get you out of there. I’m dropping you off at my cousin’s house, and you’re staying there for a while. When it’s no longer suspicious, we’ll send you back to Israel.” I was grateful my tech team had been able to install new security measures on my car, so I could once again talk freely while driving.

“But you just spent so much money on me…”

“Not me. Your parents.”

“Oh, thank god.” She covered her face with her hands and took a deep breath. “Thank you… Thank you. I’ve never been so scared—”

“Don’t thank me. Your parents paid handsomely for your return.” I didn’t care about consoling her, not when I had other things on my mind. Right now, all I could think about was the man who called himself Bones. He was an arrogant son of a bitch. I didn’t like him. Something in my gut told me he was foul.

I parked in the roundabout at Carter’s place and walked her inside.

“You don’t knock anymore?” Carter walked into the entryway in just his sweatpants. Fit like me, he had the same Barsetti build that made women want to fuck us all the time.

Yasmine immediately looked away, like the sight of his bare chest was forbidden.

“Pull on a shirt, asshole.” I walked with Yasmine into the living room. “She’s sixteen.”

“Knock, asshole.” Carter pulled on the t-shirt sitting across the back of the couch. “Then I would have been dressed.”

“You knew I was coming.”

“Whatever.” He ran his fingers through his partially damp hair, evidently having just gotten out of the shower. “How’d it go?”

“The process wasn’t out of the ordinary.” I turned to Yasmine. “You’re probably starving, right?”

She nodded.

“Carter, you got food for her?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Carter nodded to the kitchen. “There’s a sandwich in the fridge, but you can have whatever you want.”

Yasmine slowly walked away, heading into the kitchen. Once she was out of earshot, I faced him again.

“Something did happen,” I said. “And you aren’t going to believe it.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Try me.”

“There was this young guy there tonight. Never seen him before in my life. Good-looking, arrogant—”

“Stop scoping out the dudes and get to the point.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I noticed he didn’t fit. And he didn’t bid on a single woman.”

Carter finally tensed, his suspicion rising. “Not once?”

“No. And there was plenty of talent tonight. But then the Skull King doing the auction spoke to him. His name was Bones.”

Just as I did when I first heard the name, Carter turned pale. His skin became creamy white like milk. Even his lips changed color. His eyes dilated like a light had been shined right in his eyes. His arms lowered to his sides and he released a deep breath. “Are you sure?”’

“Un-fucking-mistakable.”

“Did he know who you were?”

“The Skull King said my name, but he didn’t react to it.”

“Bones…that’s just not right. How can that be his name?”

“I don’t get it either.”

“Any relation?” Carter asked.

I shook my head. “My father told me he didn’t have any children.”

“Unless he didn’t know about them. Maybe he had a mistress who was pregnant. Bones Sr. died, so she named him after his father.”

“I guess it’s possible…”

“Or he could just be a lunatic wanting to be like Bones.”

“That’s possible too,” I said quietly.

“Or maybe it’s a coincidence. He just likes the name.”

I shook my head. “Unlikely. When you run in those circles, there are no coincidences.”

Carter stepped back and rubbed his hand across his jaw. “Fuck…”

“Should we talk to our fathers about it?”

“Are you kidding me?” he asked. “How would we explain how we know about it in the first place?”

“The truth.”

He shook his head. “They’d break our faces.”

“Probably.” It’s not like we didn’t deserve it. My father would be disappointed in me if he knew about any of this.

“So, the guy didn’t even look at you?” he asked incredulously. “Barsetti meant nothing to him?”

“It seemed that way.”

“But if he didn’t buy a woman, maybe he was just there to spy on you.”

“How would he have known I was coming? I didn’t even know I was going until this afternoon.”

“Unless he goes to every meeting in the hope of running into you.”

My blood turned ice-cold again.

“I don’t trust that name, Conway. Anyone with a name like that…is an enemy to all Barsettis.”

“I know.” The guy didn’t give his name willingly. The Skull King was the one who put him on the spot. He didn’t seem threatening, but every man in that room was wealthy and violent. If we were locked in a room together during a war, none of us would get out alive. “The next step is telling our fathers.”

“I don’t know…let’s think about it.”

“I think they have a right to know. They think Bones had no one to avenge him.”

“And he’s had nearly thirty years to avenge his father, but he hasn’t.”

“Well, he probably wasn’t old enough until now.”

“And we’re assuming they’re related when we have no idea,” Carter replied. “I don’t want to bother them until there’s a legitimate reason to bother them. And I’m not giving us up without a good reason. Otherwise, we’re just going to piss our fathers off for no reason.”

“Then what do we do?” I asked. “Are you going to look into this?”

“Yeah, I’ll ask around,” Carter said. “But I’ll be hush-hush about it. Don’t want to draw attention to myself and provoke him needlessly.”

“True.” I shoved my hands into my pockets, and despite the crazy night I’d had, I was anxious to get home to Muse. I wanted to tell her about my night, make love with her tits in my face, then go to sleep. “Let me know what you find out.”

“I will.”

I was about to walk out when my phone vibrated with a text message. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw Muse’s name on the screen. I’m sorry to bother you, but it’s four and you still aren’t back…tell me you’re alright.

She wasn’t checking up on me because she was worried I was messing around behind her back. She just wanted to know I was alright, that I hadn’t been caught by the Skull Kings. If this were months ago, I would have been ticked by the question. But I knew Muse truly cared about me.

Carter glanced at my phone and grinned. “Get home to your wife.”

I didn’t bother with a rebuttal. I just walked out and got into the car. The house was right down the road so I would be home in less than five minutes, but I texted her back anyway. I’ll be home in five minutes.

Thank you.

I walked into the bedroom and found her sitting up in bed. She was ready for sleep, dressed in one of my t-shirts with her makeup removed from her face. Her long brown hair was pulled over one shoulder. Despite her obvious exhaustion, she was alert the second I walked in the door. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

I pulled my tie through my collar and dropped my suit jacket on the ground. I walked to the bed and leaned down to kiss her on the mouth. I gave her a quick kiss, the kind a husband gave his wife when he came home from work. “I’m surprised you’re still awake.” Clothes dropped on the floor, and I stripped until I was in my boxers.

“Couldn’t sleep…”

I pulled back the covers and got into bed beside her. “Jet lag?”

“No.” She immediately cuddled into my side like she hadn’t seen me in days rather than hours. “I just can’t sleep unless you’re next to me.” She spoke into my chest, her soft hair grazing over my arm.

I stared down at her face, catching the sincerity in her eyes. I’d been anxious to get home, but knowing she was waiting for me only made me more eager. I was a man of solitude and didn’t like answering to anyone, but I enjoyed having someone to come home to. “I’m here now.”

“I know.” She breathed a happy sigh. “And now I’m so happy…”

I turned off the bedside lamp, plunging the bedroom into darkness. I let it surround us and listened to her gentle breathing. I had so much to tell her, but now I enjoyed our quiet companionship.

Her arm trailed down my chest, her fingertips lightly touching me. “Did it go well?”

“Yes. I dropped Yasmine off at Carter’s. She’s very young. I’m glad she’ll be going home.”

“Me too,” she said.

I debated telling her about Bones, but she was so peaceful that I didn’t want to upset her. I’d never cared about protecting someone, but now I wanted to surround her in a bubble of fantasy. I didn’t want her to know about the horrific shit waiting just outside my gates because I wanted her to be happy. I wanted her to feel safe by my side, to know that nothing outside these walls could hurt her—not with me around.

So, I kept it to myself.

My fingers moved under her chin, and I directed her gaze up to me. “Make love to me, Muse.”

Her lips parted slightly, showing her small teeth behind her plump lips. A quiet breath escaped her mouth, moving over my skin and warming my lips. She turned her face to my chest and pressed kisses everywhere, kissing my hard muscles and searing skin. Then she climbed on top of me and straddled my hips.

“Show me how much you missed me.”

She yanked down my boxers until my cock was free, and she pulled her thong to the side so I could slide inside. She pressed my crown to her entrance then slowly slid all the way down. Biting her bottom lip as she moved, she took in my big dick slowly. Once she had all of it, she sat on my lap for a few seconds to get used to it.

My hands moved to her hips. “No shirt.”

She pulled it over her head, revealing her perfect tits.

“Yes…” My palms gripped her perky bosom, feeling her hard nipples and soft skin. I played with them, massaging them greedily. Everything about her was perfect, from her rack to the curve of her bottom lip.

She started to move, slowly sheathing my dick and pulling out again. She moved precisely, breathing heavily every time she took my length deep inside her. Her breath was husky, full of desire.

My hands guided her hips, showing her how to rub her clit just right.

She breathed louder and deeper, her hands gripping my shoulders for balance. “I missed you…”

“Yeah?” My hand dug into her hair and pulled it back from her face. “How much?”

“So much.” She pressed her forehead against mine.

“Can’t sleep without me?”

“No…” She bit her bottom lip and kept moving. She took my dick so well, her tight cunt perfect for my big cock.

“Why?”

“I…I don’t know.”

I started to rock back into her, beginning to push my cock back inside her. “Yes, you do. Tell me.”

“I just… You make me feel safe.”

My cock twitched inside her, loving that answer. “Because you’re always safe with me.”

Her nails started to claw into my skin. She ground her clit against my pelvic bone, her body slowly writhing because of the way it made her feel. She succumbed to her desire, fell prey to the way I made her pussy tighten.

“And you need my come, don’t you?” My lips devoured her neck, lavishing her with full kisses and the gentle bites from my teeth. I rolled her hips as we moved together, both of our bodies writhing as one.

“Yes…” She held on to me and pressed her forehead to mine as she came, squeezing my dick so hard it would leave a bruise. Sweat trickled down her neck to her gorgeous tits, and her eyes turned lidded and heavy as euphoria washed over her. She came with endless moans, filling my bedroom with her hypnotic voice and making infinite echoes.

I watched her little performance, watched the way her eyes locked on to mine as she enjoyed every second of her high. My fat dick was doing its job by pleasing her. I never got so much satisfaction as watching a woman come. Watching her feel good made me feel good. I’d please her all night without getting any satisfaction of my own because just being inside her was enough for me.

She dug her nails into my shoulders and kept rocking. “Give it to me, Conway.”

I squeezed her waist so hard I thought I might crush her. My thumbs pressed into her rib cage, and I felt my dick twitch inside her.

“You want my come, Muse?”

“Please…” She ground into me harder, her gorgeous tits shaking in my face.

My jaw tightened, and my balls pulled closer to my body. I felt the climax approach over the horizon, felt it rush through all my veins and nerves. My cock seared with heat, and I felt my crown explode. “Fuck…” I pulled her tight on my lap, letting my come fill her tight little cunt. I gave her every single drop, gave her all my arousal. My face pressed into her tits as I finished, my come mixing with hers.

So damn good.

I kissed the area between her tits and sucked her nipples, aroused by my satisfaction. I’d had a long night dealing with the underworld, but the second I came home, all of that shit was left at the door. All I cared about was making love, not thinking about my hatred.

She stayed on my lap, my cock softening inside her. Her hands ran up and down my chest, her fingertips now gentle to make up for the way she gripped me before. Now I was home, and she was satisfied, so she could roll over and go to sleep. But she stayed parked on my lap. “I want more.”

My hands gripped her cheeks, and I squeezed them in my fingertips. “More what?”

She pressed her forehead to mine, her tits pressing against my chest. “You.”

I worked in my office and went over reports with Nicole. Androssi was now on board for production, but he hadn’t acquired all of my business. Now the work had been split between two different companies since I had so many orders to fill.

Fuck you, Androssi.

Preorders had spiked all over the globe, from Russia to Budapest.

I’d topped my best week by double.

I had lunch in my office and kept working, and once two o’ clock came around, I lost interest. I walked to the window and stared at the stables in the distance. I could see the horses, and when I looked at the stables, I could see Muse walking back and forth, carrying feed or hay.

When I looked at her, my recent accomplishments seemed insignificant.

Topping my previous sales week was only important because it reflected my quality. Money didn’t matter as much as it used to—because I had so much of it. Now that Muse was an integral part of my life, I cared far more about my reputation than the size of my wallet.

Because Muse didn’t seem to care about my money.

She was always impressed by the way people treated me, by the way my family loved me.

I stared at her through the window for a few minutes longer, watching her work in the humid weather as she busted her ass around the property. She had a difficult job, but not once did she complain.

She loved it.

My father respected her for working so hard.

I did too.

It would be easy for her to lie by the pool every day and go shopping for things she didn’t need.

But she never cared about that.

She cared about me.

I walked down to the stables where she was working, and I saw the jean shorts she wore up close. Short and dirty, they showed off her long, tanned legs and her boots. Her plaid shirt was tied around her waist, and she wore a white Stetson hat.

Damn, she looked fuckable.

I came up behind her, my eyes on her tight and perky ass. “Muse.”

She turned around quickly, a bright smile on her face that wasn’t there a moment ago. “What brings you down here?” She tilted her hat back slightly to reveal more of her face. Free of makeup with a little dirt on her cheek, she looked naturally perfect.

“You.” She was the only reason I did anything anymore.

“Me?” She rose on her tiptoes and kissed me on the mouth. “That’s a nice surprise. But I’m working right now. I’ve got to feed and groom the horses.”

“You can’t take a break for me?” I asked.

“Well, maybe a short one.” Her hands moved over my forearms, feeling the veins underneath my skin. “What did you have in mind?”

“I actually wanted to see if you wanted to take a ride with me. There’s a nice path down the street from my property. It goes through the hills, the oak trees, and to a nice spot where we can have dinner at sunset.”

Now her work at the stables seemed insignificant because she was so thrilled. “Really?”

“Yeah.” I couldn’t stop the smile from forming across my face. When she was happy, it was infectious. Like the common cold, I caught it.

“I’d love to.”

“Alright. I’ll have Dante pack us something to eat, and we’ll leave in an hour.”

“Can I take my own horse?”

“If you want,” I said. “Or we could both take Carbine.”

“Hmm…I could have my own horse, or I could have my arms wrapped around a gorgeous man the whole way. Let me think about that.”

My smile deepened. “Gorgeous man, huh?”

“Hell yeah.”

I chuckled. “Let me know what you decide.”

I strapped the food onto the side of Carbine’s saddle then pulled myself up. I sat close to the horn then extended my hand to Muse.

“You think he can carry both of us?”

I rolled my eyes. “You weigh nothing, Muse.”

“But you weigh two hundred pounds.”

“Carbine could carry ten of us. He’ll be alright.”

She finally took my hand and landed in the saddle behind me. Her arms wrapped around my waist, and she rested her chin on my shoulder. “I’m excited.”

I clicked my tongue and guided Carbine out the gate and onto the street. We walked along the road until we found the dirt path and began our journey. The fields were golden, and the breeze was a little cooler now that fall was approaching. She and I enjoyed our mutual silence as we took in the beautiful views. Once we reached the top of the hill, we could see all of Verona at the bottom.

“Wow,” she said. “That’s so beautiful.”

Visiting New York City taught me to appreciate what I had. I had the clean air, wide open spaces, and silence. I was surrounded by natural beauty, by fields that had been claimed for thousands of years. The city of Verona was one of the oldest cities in Italy—and it was right outside my door.

We rode for another thirty minutes until we found the spot I was looking for. An oak tree stood tall on the crest of the hill, the large branches casting a perfect shadow to shield us from the heat. I stopped Carbine in place and helped Muse down before I made my way to the ground.

Muse walked around him in her jean shorts and t-shirt, her curled hair trailing behind her back. She stood under the tree and stared up at the filtering sunlight, looking like a flower on the hillside. Even when she did the most casual things, she looked absolutely stunning.

I watched her for a moment before I unpacked the blanket and set it across the ground. I grabbed the bag of food next, stuffed with a cold dinner and ice packs to keep the food preserved. I sat the bag on the blanket before taking a seat.

“Does Carbine need to be tied up?” she asked. “He’s pretty ornery at the stables.”

“He’s fine.” He was a moody horse, but he always obeyed me. He never trailed too far away, our minds connected in a special way between a man and his horse.

Muse sat beside me and pulled out the dinner Dante packed for her. Everything was placed in plastic cases, every part of the dinner organized into separate compartments. Fine silver forks were included, along with bottles of water. I didn’t bring wine because that would be too complicated.

Muse stared at Verona, watching the sunlight shine across the beautiful architecture of the city. “When your mom and I were there, she took me to see Juliet’s balcony.”

I’d passed by it a few times but never cared enough to stop and look. “What did you think?”

“It was beautiful. It’s hard to grasp the idea that something is that old… Everything in America is relatively new.”

“I understand what you mean.”

“And there were all these people leaving letters, even men. Have you seen Letters to Juliet?”

I stopped eating and stared at her blankly. “I’m not sure what that is.”

“It’s a movie, a romantic movie.”

I turned back to my dinner. “Do I strike you as a man who watches romance movies?”

She elbowed me in the side playfully. “Don’t be rude.”

I nudged her back, but gently. “I’m not. I can’t even remember the last movie I watched. I hardly watch TV, unless it’s the news.”

“Well, it’s this movie that takes place in Verona. A woman discovers a letter that hasn’t been answered by Juliet, so she answers it herself. There’s more to it than that, but it’s sweet. To see the place in person…was pretty incredible.”

“I didn’t realize you wanted to see it so much.” A twinge of guilt burned in my chest, feeling stupid for not taking her there myself. The parts of Italy she’d seen involved her being homeless, so the experience couldn’t have been that great. I could give her a whole different experience of Italy, if I weren’t so focused on my next line that I needed to debut to the world.

“I didn’t either until your mom mentioned it. I totally forgot it was in Verona. Such a romantic place.”

“We’re technically in Verona right now.” I set my plastic entrée container off to the side, finished with the meal Dante threw together. My arms rested on my knees as I stared at the city in front of us, watching the light change as it reflected off the rooftops of the ancient buildings.

She turned to me, a slight smile on her lips. “I know…” She turned back to her food and took a few more bites. “It surprises me that Dante can whip up something so good. It sat in the saddlebags for forty-five minutes and it’s cold, but it’s still great.”

“He did train at the culinary institute in Milan.”

“No surprise there…” She kept eating until the container was empty. Then she returned the lid to the top and set it aside.

Carbine grazed nearby, eating stalks of grass and staying within fifty feet of us. He was a well-trained horse, and he wouldn’t ride off anywhere. He had an attitude and didn’t respond to people he didn’t know well, but once that bond was formed, he was extremely loyal.

She pulled her knees to her chest as she sat beside me, her curled hair catching the wind from time to time.

The sight in front of us was perfect, but I kept wanting to stare at her instead.

“So, what’s next for Conway Barsetti?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” My elbow touched hers as we sat on the wool blanket. I was in jeans and a t-shirt, and it was one of the rare times I wore boots. Since I was inside all the time, I usually wore casual shoes.

“You just reached a new height for your career. Does that mean you’ll get back to the studio right away?”

The sun started to set behind us, bringing the rooftops into brighter and more brilliant color. But as the sun continued on its trajectory, that brilliance started to fade. Light began to dissipate. “I don’t think so. It’s time for a break.”

“Really?” she asked. “You don’t strike me as the kind of man who takes breaks.”

“I’ve had more success than most people in the world, and I’m not even thirty yet. My father told me to slow things down and take time to appreciate these great moments. Before we know it, time will pass and our youth will be gone.”

“Very wise,” she whispered. “Your father seems to know everything.”

“Yes, he’s always right…” Even when I didn’t want him to be.

“So, what are you going to do? Sit around and watch TV? Take up a new hobby?”

“No,” I answered. “I have only one hobby.”

“Which is?”

“Travel. I’m thinking of taking a trip to Greece. I have a yacht and a villa in Santorini.”

Her eyes lit up like fireworks, and her grin was adorable. “Uh…are you planning on taking anyone with you?” She pivoted her body and pressed her tits into my shoulder as her hand snaked down my arm. “Because, I don’t have any plans…”

“Don’t you have work in the stables?”

Her grin dropped. “Marco can handle it while I’m gone.”

“I don’t know…” I was going to milk this as much as I could. I loved her enthusiasm, the way she got so excited the second I mentioned the trip. Spending the afternoon on my yacht in the Mediterranean with this beautiful woman laying out in her bikini sounded like the perfect vacation to me. We’d make the boat rock together. “And what are you going to do for me while we’re there?”

She pressed her face close to mine, her hands moving over the veins in my forearms. “Whatever you want…”

Good fucking answer.

She moved in closer and kissed the corner of my mouth, her lips dragging over the stubble on my chin. My coarse hair was rough, and I liked feeling her soft lips drag against it. “I know you don’t need inspiration right now…but I can do other things.”

“You have my attention.”

She continued to massage my arm, her lips still treasuring my jawline. “I can please you every night. I can suck you off on your yacht, let you fuck me in the ass in the hull of your boat…whatever you want.”

She was making a strong argument. “Alright. I’ll take you.”

She smiled against my mouth and squeezed my forearm. “Thank you. I’ve always wanted to go.”

I lay back against the blanket and patted my chest, directing her to lie next to me.

She moved beside me, taking the same position she did when we were in bed together. My arm circled her waist while the other rested on her knee. My thumb brushed the soft skin of her knee, and the scent of her hair flooded me the second she was against me.

We couldn’t see the city anymore, but the sky was a beautiful sight. Mixed with bright colors from the sunset, it was a wonder to behold. The stars slowly started to emerge, bright lights in the dark background of infinite space.

She trailed her fingers down my chest. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

“I didn’t bring you here. Carbine did.”

“You know what I mean,” she said with a chuckle. “It’s beautiful… I love lying in the grass with the breeze in my hair. I didn’t realize how much I loved being outdoors until I came here. Now, I couldn’t imagine spending my life anywhere else.”

Anywhere else in the world? Or anywhere else without me?

Why did I even care?

“You didn’t miss New York when you were there?”

“Not really,” she said. “I enjoyed my time living there, getting tacos in the middle of the night when I was studying, and riding the subway when I needed to get uptown. It’s beautiful in its own way. But now that I’ve experienced something like this, I’m not sure if I could go back. I’ve had some bad experiences here, obviously. But the good far outweigh the bad.”

“Do those experiences have anything to do with me?” I stared at the sky and watched the colors change slightly, shifting from splashes of orange and pink to blue and purple. The question came out of my mouth on its own. If my logic had been quicker, I never would have asked the question.

She sat up and raised her head over mine. She looked down into my face, her hair pulled over one shoulder. My fingers immediately migrated to the back of her head, feeling those soft strands with my fingertips. I supported her slightly, my eyes glued to tilt at the corner of her mouth. Her hand slid up my chest until she cupped my face. Then she leaned in and pressed her mouth to mine, giving me a soft kiss that was as gentle as a rose petal. But the softness didn’t cushion the passion behind it. Her deep intake of breath showed her emotion, and her fingers cupped my face harder as the embrace continued. “Yes…they have everything to do with you.”

My bags were packed and ready to be hauled to the car. Muse didn’t need as much time to get her stuff together because I had Dante buy her everything she needed. She had a lot of clothes in my closet, but none that were appropriate for a Greek getaway to the Mediterranean.

Carter’s name popped up on the screen when he called.

I stepped out of the bedroom so that the men could collect our things and put them in the trunk. I walked into Muse’s old bedroom, the place where she used to sleep alone every night. That seemed like a lifetime ago now. It was hard to imagine her anywhere else but right on my chest.

I took the call. “What did you find?”

Carter didn’t make small talk and jumped right into the conversation. “Nothing. I’ve discreetly asked about him through my various channels, but no one is talking. And the fact that no one is talking is what concerns me.”

“Because they don’t have an allegiance to you?”

“It’s not about loyalty. This is about fear. They obviously fear this guy.”

That was disconcerting. “There’s gotta be a way to dig up information on him. Someone knows something.”

“Yeah…but I don’t want to arouse suspicion by asking too many questions. Sometimes when a man tries to avoid his destiny, he only brings himself to it quicker.”

“Been eating Chinese food?” I asked.

“What?” he asked blankly.

“You sound like a damn fortune cookie.”

“Shut up, Con,” he snapped. “This is serious shit.”

“And when shit is serious, that’s the time to make a joke.”

He released a sigh into the phone. “I’m not sure what to do. You got any ideas?”

I knew a few people in the Underground ring. But I wasn’t sure if any of them knew anything. “There’s one person who definitely knows.”

“Who?”

“Iron, the Skull King that ran the bid the other night. Pointed him out by name.”

“True.”

“Maybe I could ask him.”

“But that’s also dangerous,” Carter said. “If you ask him, he’ll probably tell Bones you’re asking questions.”

Fuck. “You’re right.”

“You need to have someone else ask. Make it less suspicious.”

“Like who?” I sat on the bed and listened to the men carry everything down the hallway. Muse’s light footsteps followed behind them as she headed down the stairway and to entryway on the first floor.

Carter considered it in silence. Minutes passed, and he didn’t say anything. “I have an idea, but you aren’t going to like it.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t bother listening to it.”

He ignored me. “Sapphire. If a beautiful woman asks questions, they might not think anything of it.”

My hand immediately tightened into a fist at the question. “You’re right. This idea is idiotic, and I don’t want to bother talking about it anymore.”

“Then we can find someone else. But if we have a woman ask, it might make it less suspicious.”

“Like who?”

“I don’t know…is there a waitress there?”

Yes, there was. Cynthia. At least that’s what she said her name was. “Yeah.”

“Pay her off.”

“Still risky. She might tell the Skull Kings what I’m doing.”

“Not if you pay her enough. Ten grand oughta do it.”

“Maybe. But her fear of death could be stronger than cash.” The Skull Kings operated in broad daylight because no one was stupid enough to fuck with them. They were untouchable. “I say we get a different woman.”

“Like a whore?”

“Skull Kings don’t fuck whores.”

“Then Cynthia is our only choice.”

She was the only person who could get away with the questions. She served the men in the Underground, so she could just ask Bones these questions herself. “When I get back, I’ll talk to her.”

“Get back from where?” he asked.

“Sapphire and I are taking a trip to Greece.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? At a time like this?”

“I finished my show, and now I want a vacation.”

“But, right now?” he spat. “We need to get this going.”

I looked at my watch, noticing the time. It was almost eight in the evening. I was taking my private plane to Santorini, so I could put it off as long as I wanted. “I’ll handle Cynthia tonight before I leave. Then I’ll have her call me when she knows more.”

“Alright, that works. There’s an auction tonight, ironically.”

“Then I’ll go.”

“Just bid on a woman and don’t buy one. That shouldn’t be suspicious.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, let me know how it goes.” He hung up.

I put my phone back into my pocket and walked to the entryway. Muse was waiting, wearing a long blue dress with a pink cardigan. She was already dressed for Greece, even though we wouldn’t be there for a while.

“Everything alright?” she asked.

With the men hanging around, I couldn’t answer her. “Yeah. We just need to make a stop on the way.”

I parked in the underground garage, and we took the elevator to my place on the top floor of the building.

Muse stood beside me, her purse over her arm. “What are we doing here?”

“I just need to take care of something really quick.” The doors opened directly into my living room.

Muse stepped inside and sat on one of the plush couches. She didn’t turn on the TV or grab one of the magazines on the table. Judging by the way she didn’t get comfortable, she assumed I just needed to grab something.

“I need you to stay here for a little bit. I’ll be back in about an hour.”

Both of her eyebrows nearly jumped off her face. “Uh, where are you going?”

“I have to stop by the Underground.” I held her gaze, knowing she was going to rip me into pieces.

She tossed her purse aside and stood upright, showing her furious gaze. “Why are you going there?” She crossed her arms over her chest, her attitude completely inhospitable. “I thought we were leaving?”

“I just need to take care of something. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“But what?” she demanded. “Are you buying someone?”

Times like this made me miss my old life, a life where I didn’t have to answer to anyone. But her concern also turned me on at the same time. Anytime I was in a dangerous situation, she was worried sick to her stomach. “No. I just need to get some information on someone. Once it’s taken care of, we’ll leave.”

“Who?” she asked. “Why?”

“We’ll talk about it later.”

“Can I come along?”

That was the dumbest question I’d ever heard. “No.”

“Then that means it’s dangerous. I thought we were leaving for a nice trip. And now you’re telling me you have to go back there…” Her voice broke, and she covered her face with her hands. She slowly dragged them down until she revealed her face again, which was under control once more. But her eyes gave away her anguish.

I was hard just from looking at her. She used to hate me, and now this was killing her. I was walking into the monster’s den, and she could barely stay calm. “I’ll be fine, Muse. Like I said, I’ll be back before you know it.”

She released a deeper sigh, a sigh full of her pain. “Then why won’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“Because I don’t have time. We’ll talk later.” I turned back to the elevator, knowing this conversation wouldn’t stop unless I walked away. It would just spin in circles indefinitely. I hit the button and watched the doors open again.

“An hour?”

I kept the doors open with one arm, then turned around to face her. I stared at the fear in her eyes, the way her arms tightened over her chest like pieces of armor. “An hour.”

“You better keep your word, Conway.”

“I always do.”

The Underground was packed with men that night, a bunch of assholes looking for a new victim to rape and torture. It was getting harder for me to walk into this place now because I kept picturing what would have happened to Muse if I hadn’t been there that night.

If I hadn’t saved her.

I could barely swallow because my throat turned so dry.

Bones wasn’t there.

That made this easier.

Before Cynthia made it to the table, I walked up to the bar. Men were gathered at the tables, smoking their cigars and drinking brandy. Iron was talking to them, laughing uproariously when one of the psychopaths said something funny.

“You look tired.” Cynthia stopped in front of me at the counter, her tits out like usual. She only wore a thong when she worked the tables, and she walked out of there every night with more tips than any waitress could ever dream of.

“Because I am.” I should be on a plane right now. I should be with the woman who was waiting for me. But I was there, standing in the shadows where I didn’t belong. “Scotch on the rocks.”

She started to make the drink. “You know, I always come to your table.”

“I guess I’m in a hurry tonight.”

She pulled out two cigars and set them on the counter.

I held up my hand. “I don’t smoke anymore.”

She smiled. “Sounds like you have a woman in your life, then.”

I didn’t smile or give any indication that she was right. “I need you to do something for me.”

She finished the drink and slid it toward me. “I’m not for sale. I just make the drinks.”

“Not what I’m interested in.” There was only one pussy I wanted to fuck these days.

“I’m listening…”

“I’ve got ten thousand euros for you…if you get some info for me.”

She glanced at the men, who were busy talking amongst themselves. Iron wasn’t paying attention. Her gaze shifted back to me. “What kinda of info?”

“There’s a man that comes in here sometimes…his name is Bones. You know him?”

She grabbed the rag and pretended to wipe down the counter, making herself look busy. “Yeah, I know him.”

“What can you tell me about him?”

“He’s not a guy I cross. It’s gonna cost more than ten to get me to talk.”

“Fifteen?” I countered.

“Twenty.”

That was still change to me, so I just accepted it. “Fine.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Is he descended from Bones? The arms dealer in Rome from about thirty years ago.”

Her eyes narrowed as she absorbed the information. “Strange question.”

“Just want to know where he comes from. Why is his name Bones?”

“I always thought it was because he likes to break the bones of his victims before he kills them.”

“Well, I need a more concrete answer than that. Can you get that for me?”

She eyed the men as she considered it. “I’ll have to ask him next time he’s in here.”

“I know.”

“And this is riskier. It’s gonna take forty now.”

Man, this woman could negotiate. “Done.” I grabbed the napkin and scribbled my number down. “Call me when you have the answer.”

She grabbed it and tucked it underneath the counter. “You got it.”

I left the cash on the table and made my way to a seat.

A few minutes later, the auction started. There were five women on the stage that night, and one woman caught my attention.

Because she wasn’t a woman.

She was just a girl.

Young, like Yasmine. She was way too young and innocent to be here. Tears streamed down her face, and her naked body showed the signs of early adulthood. She’d probably had her first period just a few years ago.

I bid on the other women but made sure I didn’t win. I was just there to blend in and then disappear. Muse was waiting for me, and I didn’t want to make her wait longer than I had to.

But then the young girl was auctioned off.

And the monsters descended.

“Ten million,” Iron said at the podium. “Do I have twelve?”

A man in a suit raised his paddle.

“Twenty,” a man from the corner said.

“I’ve got twenty,” Iron said. “Any—”

“Twenty-five,” another man said.

Shit. Every man in that room wanted to fuck this girl, to break her until her spirit was long gone. They wanted to ruin her innocence, to destroy her completely.

It was disgusting.

“Twenty-five million,” Iron said. “Going once… Going twice…”

Dammit. I raised my paddle. “Thirty.”

“Thirty million,” Iron said.

No one else raised their paddles.

“Sold to Mr. Barsetti.” Iron smacked his mallet against the podium. “Congratulations.”

I got the girl into the car, all of our luggage sitting in the backseat. I had to give her some of Muse’s clothes because she had nothing to wear. I drove out of Milan and headed to Carter’s because I didn’t know where else to go. I couldn’t keep her, obviously. “What’s your name?”

She didn’t answer. She pressed her entire body against the window and started to shiver.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to get you back home, alright?”

She just stared at me.

I called Carter over the sound system.

“What?” Carter said when he picked up. “How’d it go?”

“Cynthia is gonna question Bones next time he comes in. But that’s not why I’m calling.”

“I was hoping I’d get an invite on your yacht,” he teased.

I chuckled. “No way in hell, man.”

“Hey, we’ve taken trips together before.”

When we were picking up women left and right and fucking them all over the place. “There was a young girl in the lineup tonight. Even younger than Yasmine.”

“Sick fucks.”

“They were fighting over her like a piece of meat…so I bought her.”

“Seriously?” he snapped. “You’re joking, right?”

“No…she’s in the car with me.”

“I’m not splitting that shit with you. She’s not on the list.”

“I know…but I couldn’t let them have her.” She was way too young to die that way. She wasn’t a cheap purchase, and I would never get that money back, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep that night knowing I did nothing to help her. “So, I’m dropping her off at your place. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“Uh, excuse me?” he snapped. “I’ve got company.”

“Pull your pants up and send her home. You’ve got work to do.”

He growled into the phone. “I just got rid of Yasmine.”

“Then you have room for one more.”

“Hey, you’re the one who bought her. This is your problem.”

“Shut up, Carter. I’m dropping her off.”

He sighed. “Fine. But you owe me for this.”

“Asshole, you owe me for a lot of shit too.” I hung up.

After I dropped her off, I headed back to Milan where Muse was waiting for me. It would take me an extra forty-five minutes just to get back.

I broke my promise. I’d been gone two hours.

I knew she didn’t contact me because she was too afraid to. Maybe she thought sending me a text would set my phone off and incriminate me somehow. So, I called her through the speakers in the car.

She picked up before the first ring ended. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Muse. I just left Verona, so it’ll be about forty-five minutes before I’m back.”

“You said it would be one hour.”

“I know… I’m sorry.” In my former life, I would tell her to get over it. But now, I actually felt like I owed her an explanation. I told her I would come back to her, and when I didn’t, I felt like I let her down.

“But you’re okay?” she whispered.

“Yes. Completely.”

“What happened?”

I drove through the countryside, wrapped up in darkness. Only the light from dashboard gave any illumination. “I’ll tell you when I get back.”

“No, you’re going to tell me now. You’ve got forty-five minutes.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the authority in her voice. She knew she had power over me. She just didn’t abuse it often. “I told you how my aunt died a while back.”

“Yes…”

“I told you some man named Bones killed her.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Last time I went to the Underground, there was a man named Bones there. Young, good-looking, arrogant… I knew he wasn’t the original Bones. He’s been dead for thirty years, and even if he weren’t, he’d been in his sixties by now. But there’s no way this guy’s name is a coincidence. It means something… I’m just not sure what it is.”

She breathed into the phone.

“So, I went to the Underground tonight and asked the waitress to do some digging for me. I paid her for the information, and she’ll call me once she has it. That’s all I wanted tonight, so once the auction was over, I was going to head back to the apartment. But there was this girl…” My hand tightened into a fist on the steering wheel. It was dark, so I couldn’t see my skin, but I knew my knuckles were turning white. “She was so young, Muse. I’m talking…maybe fourteen.”

“God…” She sighed into the phone.

“I was going to leave the second the auction was over, but then all the men started fighting over her… It was disgusting. So I bought her instead.”

“Conway…”

“I just dropped her off at Carter’s. Now I’m back on the road coming to you.”

“That was…” She never finished her sentence.

“She cost a lot, but I wouldn’t have been able to sleep tonight if I hadn’t done anything. None of those women deserve that fate, but this girl is still a kid. She had no idea what was going in. She wouldn’t even talk to me in the car. She was so scared.”

A quiet sniff escaped across the phone. “You did the right thing…”

In my life, there was no right or wrong. There was just instinct. And my instinct told me to get that girl out of there.

“You’re such a good man, Conway.”

Normally, I would disagree with her. I would tell her to never say that again. But this time, I didn’t. This time, I relished the way it felt on my ears. I didn’t drop thirty million dollars for Muse’s sake. I wasn’t looking for approval or glory. I just did it because I wanted to, not because of the way Muse would feel about me.

We didn’t say anything else. The silence stretched across the line as I kept driving. Just as if we were sitting across from each other at breakfast, we didn’t make small talk. I could have just hung up, but I didn’t want to. I loved the heavy silence between us, the connection that still bound us even miles apart.

I could feel her.

She could feel me.