I left the restaurant and stepped out into the cool night air. My collared shirt was uncomfortable because it was stiff like cardboard. My slacks weren’t my favorite either; nothing compared to my jeans. I only put on this ridiculous outfit to make a decent impression on her parents.

Which didn’t happen.

Crow had crossed the parking lot, and now he was headed to a bar across the street. Of course, he wouldn’t leave his wife far behind, wanting to be easily accessible at all times. But he didn’t want to sit in there with me a moment longer.

Too bad I wasn’t better company.

I followed him and walked into the bar. It was quiet because not too many people were drinking on a Wednesday. He sat at the bar, an empty glass in front of him. Only a few amber drops were left behind, evidence of the scotch he just downed. He got the attention of the bartender and asked for another.

I took the seat beside him.

He must have detected me before I joined him because he didn’t react to my company.

“I’ll have the same.”

The bartender slid the drink toward me.

I didn’t pick it up, choosing to watch him in my periphery. The time I spent with Crow taught me a lot about him, about the way he thought, about the man he was behind the information I’d gathered about him. I’d dug up every piece of information I could, but I never uncovered the depth of his feelings for his family.

For his daughter.

Conflicted, he couldn’t stop hating me, but he also couldn’t order Vanessa to stop seeing me. Every time he took a step forward, he took another step back. His love and hate balanced him out, bringing him to a painful stalemate.

I respected him for the way he loved Vanessa, for the way he wore his heart on his sleeve whenever he was around her. He wasn’t afraid to show weakness, absolutely unashamed to love with all his heart. That was a sign of a truly powerful man, of someone so invincible that perceived weaknesses didn’t make him weak at all. “Tell me what to do.”

He stared straight ahead.

“Tell me what you want from me. I’ll do it.”

He rested his fingertips against his lips. “Disappear.”

I didn’t feel the pain from his insult, even though he meant the word with every fiber of his being. “If I disappear, Vanessa will suffer.”

“Yes. But she won’t suffer forever.”

“But she’ll never find a man who will make her forget about me. You don’t see it, but what we have is real. I can hear her when she doesn’t speak. I can feel her pain as if it’s my own. Loving her is like having my heart exist outside my body. She’s taken everything from me, and I’ve willingly given her everything she’s asked for. Give me a chance to love, protect, and honor your daughter. I’m not the kind of man to ask for acceptance or approval. If someone doesn’t like me, I don’t give a damn. You’re the last man I thought I would ever work so hard to prove myself to. But here I am, practically on my knees, doing whatever it takes to make this work. Because I will take whatever insult you throw my way so I can have Vanessa. If you want to beat me to within an inch of my life, fine. If you want to shoot me, go ahead. Whatever you want, I’ll do it.”

“My hatred for you goes behind the flesh, Bones.”

“Then hurt me in some other way. I don’t care.”

“The best way to accomplish that is to take my daughter away from you…and I’m very tempted.”

“That wouldn’t hurt me,” I whispered. “That would kill me.”

He finally turned my way, his green eyes boring into mine.

“Don’t question my love for her. You have every right to hate me. I would judge you if you didn’t. But my love for her is genuine. I don’t want her for any other reason. Women are plentiful to me, whether I pay for them or find them in a bar. Vanessa gives me something no other woman ever has. She gives me something I can’t live without. I would do right by her, always be faithful to her, and make her a very rich woman.”

He stared into his full glass again. “I’m not blind to the fact that my daughter is beautiful, smart, and full of so much life that she’s a beacon that can be seen miles away. You aren’t the only man who would fall madly in love with her. She could have anyone she wanted. It just baffles me that she wants you.”

“I’m not that bad, Crow.”

“Not that bad?” he asked with a scoff. “You’re my worst fucking nightmare.”

“I’m not my father.”

“But you want to be,” he spat.

“Not anymore. I’m Griffin—just Griffin.”

“You told me the terrible things you did to my daughter.”

“And I left out all the good things I’ve done for her.”

He turned on his stool, facing me with his elbow on the bar. With a challenging gaze, he asked, “Then tell me, what have you done for her?”

After every terrible thing I did to her, I made up for it by being the man she could always rely on. I was always there for her, even if she couldn’t see me. “She acts like she doesn’t need someone to take care of her, and for the most part, that’s true. But I know she wants a man who can handle her. That’s me. I always watch her, even when she thinks I’m not looking. She tried to push me away and get rid of me because she despised me, so she went out, drank too much, and walked home alone in the dark.”

Crow’s nostrils flared slightly, and his eyes filled with disappointment.

“Some guys pulled over to the side of the road, did some catcalling, and when she told them to fuck off, they got out of the car to grab her. But I was there, watching her. I stepped out of the shadows and scared the boys away with a simple look. Then I picked her up and carried her the rest of the way home. She’s a smart woman who doesn’t usually put herself in stupid situations like that, but she was so upset with me she wasn’t thinking clearly. But I was there for her. I’m always there for her.”

Crow kept his fingers around his glass but didn’t take a drink.

“She said she didn’t want to see me anymore, and I respected her decision. But I knew she didn’t feel safe in that apartment anymore, not when I wasn’t there. So I parked my truck at the curb during the night so I could keep an eye on her place. She eventually called me because she was scared, kept hearing noises in the apartment. When I told her I was outside, she was finally able to get some sleep.”

Crow still didn’t say anything.

“She’s not the kind of woman who ever needs anything, but she’s not afraid to need things from me. That’s because she trusts me, wants me to take care of her. I need you to let me do that.”

Crow drank from his glass.

It didn’t seem to matter what I said, he would continue to hate me. “I’m not going to downplay my hatred for you. I’ve wanted revenge for a long time, my bitterness only growing during my tenure on the streets. You took everything away from me, and it didn’t seem fair. I was subjected to a cruel existence, while you got to have the perfect family in a damn mansion. I wanted to kill all of you for taking away my inheritance. Letting that grudge go was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But when Vanessa asked me, I couldn’t say no. I couldn’t deny what she wanted more than anything in the world. It was a hard sacrifice to make, to drop the blood feud. I know that’s not impressive to you because that’s the very reason you hate me, but I let the past go—for her. You can’t question my love for her or my honesty. I will say the truth to your face, no matter how painful it is.”

“Is that supposed to impress me? You’re a terrible man, but since you’re honest, that makes you a good one?” He swirled the liquid in his glass before he took another drink. “Still trash, if you ask me.”

I hated my new nickname. “I offered to buy her a gallery where she could display her pieces. I was the one who encouraged her to drop out of school because she’s too talented to listen to some bullshit instructor act like he knows better than she does. I’ve urged her to pursue her dreams because she’s meant for greatness. I don’t hold her back. I push her to her full potential.”

He drank from his glass again.

“There’s nothing more I can say or do to prove myself to you, Crow. You just need to acknowledge everything I’ve said.”

He slammed his glass down. “You expect me to look the other way when you say you wanted to kill my wife?” He turned his gaze back to me, cold and fiery. His arms were flexed with blood, muscle, and adrenaline. “My son? My brother? I should just let that go since you don’t want to kill my family anymore? Water under the bridge?”

“It’s better than holding on to a past that has no relevance now. Yes, I was your enemy. I’m not anymore.”

“And if Vanessa leaves you for another man, I’m just supposed to assume that my family is still safe? All you have to do is change your mind, and all our necks are on the line.”

“She wouldn’t leave me for someone else.” I was the only man she wanted, and I would love her so fiercely she would never want anyone else. I knew how to please a woman, and now I knew how to love one. “Trust me on that.”

“You have no idea what the future holds. Vanessa might wake up one morning and realize you aren’t what she wants anymore. She might not be able to overcome what you do for a living. You don’t know. And then, my family would be vulnerable. You would know everything about us, our every weakness. I can’t let that happen.”

“I promised Vanessa I would never hurt her family, regardless of what happens between us. I’m a man of my word—and I keep my promises.”

“Honorable men keep their promises. But you aren’t an honorable man. You know exactly what you are…”

Trash. “I already know how this is going to end. You aren’t going to be able to accept me—even though it’ll break her heart.”

He stared straight ahead. “You’re probably right. So why don’t you just give up?”

“Because I’m not going to give up until I absolutely have to. She means too much to me, and I know how much it’ll kill her if she loses me. My entire life rests in your hands—and I hate knowing you have this much power over me.”

He drank his scotch, his elbows resting on the table.

“Just keep in mind your relationship with your wife. If her family had told her not to be with you, because you were a criminal and a murderer, what would you have done? Where would you be right now? And where would she be? Would she be better off without you? Or did you give her everything that she deserved?”

He didn’t acknowledge my words, continuing to stare straight ahead.

“I know you don’t like me, but I’m the best thing for her, Crow.”

He gripped his glass, his knuckles flexing like he was considering smashing it. “I’ve sacrificed everything for my family. My brother and I live peaceful lives in the countryside, where we make wine and mind our own business. I don’t want my daughter getting involved in that lifestyle, the kind of world I’ve tried to protect her from.”

“I keep my business separate from my personal life.”

He shook his head. “Not possible. You cross the wrong person, and they never stop coming after you. And you might not realize it until it’s too late. As long as you do that for a living, the risk will always be there. And Vanessa is the first person they’ll use against you—just how you tried to use her against me.”

“I would never let that happen.”

“It’s out of your control. There are so many things I don’t like about you…but I despise your ignorance and arrogance the most.” He finished his glass then left cash on the bar. “I’m done talking to you.” He left me at the bar and walked out.

I stayed on the stool and didn’t go after him, unsure if this conversation had helped or just made it worse.

Vanessa and I were quiet on the drive home. She didn’t tell me what happened with her mother, and I didn’t mention the conversation I had with her father. Judging by our silence, we both know nothing good happened on either front.

We took the elevator to the top floor and went straight to bed. I considered what Crow said, that my criminal lifestyle could catch up with me and hurt Vanessa in the end. She asked me to stop working, but without my job, I wouldn’t have any other purpose. It was a business I’d been running a long time. I couldn’t just walk away from it.

Crow never asked me to.

It made me realize he was never going to give me a real chance. If he were, he would have asked if I would quit the business and retire. The sacrifice would speak volumes, and then he wouldn’t be able to hold it against me.

So he didn’t ask at all since it wouldn’t make a difference anyway.

I didn’t tell Vanessa because it would only make her upset.

We went to bed, and I lay on my back in the center of the mattress. After a night like that, I wasn’t exactly in the mood for sex. I always wanted Vanessa, but the overwhelming sense of frustration burned out my drive. The time I had with her seemed shorter and shorter every time I spoke to her father.

The situation was like a bomb ready to go off.

When it did, Vanessa would be gone.

Vanessa moved on top of my body and lay directly on my chest. She was in my t-shirt with her hair spread everywhere. She was too upset to remember to take off her makeup, so she kept it on as she lay on top of me. She immediately closed her eyes with her hands resting on my warm skin, clinging to me like it was our last night together.

She still didn’t mention dinner, and neither did I.

We were both too depressed to say anything.

The next few days were spent in silence.

We hardly spoke to each other, neither one of us wanting to address the dead space between us. We coexisted without speaking, making love regularly and having our meals together. But the conversation had dried up, like muttering a single word would destroy us both.

I felt like I’d failed her.

I wondered if there was something else I could have done or said to persuade her father, but I knew there was nothing. He was a stubborn man, set in his ways. The good things I did for his daughter didn’t outweigh the bad. I might protect her, but it didn’t diminish the risk our relationship brought to the table.

She lay beside me one night, her leg hitched over my hip as her arm curled around my torso. Her head rested beside me on the pillow, her beautiful face not as pretty because she was so sad. I could see it in her green eyes, the way her eyes didn’t emit as much light.

My fingers trailed up her arm and then stopped at her neck, feeling her steady pulse. I’d made love to her the way she liked, but the connection between us wasn’t as strong as it used to be. The sadness we both shared had dampened our chemistry, had masked the pleasure because we were scared we would lose each other.

“I don’t know what to do…” She stared at my chest, her eyes downcast on purpose. “Every time we’re with them, it’s like it’s the first time. They’re just as angry as the day I brought you home. My mom said she would talk to my father and they would work on it…but I don’t know.”

I knew she didn’t want to talk about this, but the silence over the last few days had been too much for her. It was eating away at her, piece by piece. “We need to be patient.”

“I don’t mind being patient. But it seems like they aren’t even trying.”

“They don’t know where to begin.”

“I understand that…but all my father does is insult you.”

“I can handle it, baby. Don’t worry about that.”

“That’s not the point. I can’t stand to listen to him talk to you that way…it hurts me.”

I tugged her closer to me and kissed her on the mouth, making her feel better with my kiss.

“I told my mom how much you mean to me…that we have to make this work. I need you to be happy. She seemed to listen. Her eyes light up so brightly every time she sees me because she misses me so much. I see it every single time. I know how much she loves me. I know how much she wants me to be happy. I’m just not sure if that will be enough.”

I recognized the look Vanessa had mentioned, but I saw it on both of her parents’ faces. Vanessa was the center of their universe, and anytime they got to be with her, it brought them such joy. I knew they hated being five hours away from her. I knew they wanted to spend more time with her.

That gave me an idea—even though I didn’t like it. “Baby?”

“What?”

“What if we got a place in Tuscany? Somewhere close by?”

Her eyes didn’t soften in hope. “You know I would love that. But I don’t want to plan for the future right now…it’ll just make it harder.”

“I meant now. Your parents love seeing you. So what if we got a place down there, and they got to see you all the time? We could show them what it would be like if they accepted this relationship. It would make them happy, even if that sense of joy has nothing to do with me. I could go to the winery and help out, spend time with them every day even if we don’t talk much. It might work.”

“You would do that…?”

She shouldn’t be surprised. “I’ve already put up with a lot. You know my love has no limit.”

“But what about work?”

“I don’t have to be in Milan. If I get called out for a mission, I’ll fly out of Florence.”

“Where would we live?”

“I’m sure we could rent a house nearby.”

She moved her hand to my chest, a touched expression in her eyes. “Well, I would love to do that, but I don’t want to ask you to do something you don’t want to do.”

“You didn’t ask me. I offered.”

“I know, but…”

“This is the only thing I can think of. Unless you have a better idea.”

“I don’t.”

“Then let’s do it.” I didn’t want to be five hours away from home. I didn’t want to see her parents every day while I helped out at their winery. I didn’t want to be insulted and called trash on a daily basis.

But I wanted this woman so damn bad.

Finally, a smile formed on her lips as she moved closer into me. “Thank you.” She wrapped her arm around my neck and kissed me, her soft lips aggressive against mine. “Thank you.”

Vanessa didn’t hear from her parents for the rest of the week, and by the time the following Monday arrived, I’d found a villa for us to rent just a few miles away from the Barsetti mansion. It was a short-term rental and already furnished, and that was perfect for us since this experiment wouldn’t last long.

Even if her parents finally got on board, we wouldn’t live in that rental. We’d return to Milan and my penthouse on the top floor. I liked that building because it gave me all the space I needed, along with privacy and powerful fortifications. In the center of the city, people were always around, so it made it difficult for anyone to touch it. For a man like me, it was the perfect place to live.

But out in the middle of Tuscany, there was nothing. Just soil, fields, and vineyards. The only reason I found it beautiful was because Vanessa incorporated the landscape into most of her paintings. The place was special inside her heart—because it was where she grew up.

We pulled up to the house then explored the inside.

“It’s nice.” Vanessa examined the living room and kitchen, seeing the Tuscan-style furniture that was in the photos online. Her eyes kept moving to the open windows, to the green fields that stretched beyond.

I couldn’t help but hate this place. Wide open with nothing surrounding it, it was like being in a gunfight completely naked. There was no protection or cover. Anyone could approach the property from the front or behind.

Thankfully, this was only for a few months.

Vanessa turned back to me when she picked up on my mood. “You don’t like it.”

I glanced around, not caring about the nice furniture or the big TV on the wall. “Not my style.”

“You might change your mind.”

I was even less likely to do that than her father. The soldier inside me was constantly on the lookout for an attack. I hadn’t told anyone I was coming here, so it would be virtually impossible to find me. Even Max didn’t know what I was up to. “Have you told them?”

“No.”

“Then this is going to be a big surprise.” Her parents would be thrilled Vanessa was close by, but then their happiness would be thwarted by the inked murderer she came with. Despite my handsome features, my overall appearance didn’t aid in my efforts to get them to accept me. I was a terrifying man covered in formidable tattoos. I looked the same on the outside as I did on the inside—like a murderer.

“Yeah…” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But I think they’ll be happy about it…for the most part.”

They would only be happy when I wasn’t in the room. “I’ll unload the truck.”

“I’ll help you.”

“I got it,” I said quickly. “I’ll bring everything in, and you’ll unpack it.”

“Sounds like a good setup.”

After being there for a few days, we finally made our move.

We drove to the winery with her paintings in the bed of the truck. The winery was ten minutes away, and the entire drive was spent with a scenic view. Spring had infiltrated the land, and the bright sun cast the fields in a golden hue.

Vanessa could hardly sit still because she was both nervous and excited.

We pulled down the windy road toward the entryway of the winery, cobblestone making up the Tuscan-style buildings. The land full of flowers and trees, it had the iconic look of an Italian winery. Past the buildings was the rest of the property, vineyards that stretched out endlessly in the distance.

I parked the truck and killed the engine.

A black sports car was parked beside us. A flashy car wasn’t Crow’s style, so I assumed it belonged to his brother. I hadn’t interacted with Cane much since I first came to the house, but I suspected he hated me as much as his brother did.

Vanessa stared at the view outside the window, infatuated by the place she’d spent her childhood. Ever since we came to Tuscany, her eyes lit up a little more than usual. Being home made her undeniably happy. I was surprised she ever left in the first place.

“Ready?”

She nodded before she got out of the truck. She came around to my side then grabbed my hand as she headed to the entrance.

I dropped her hand, giving her a slight shake of my head. Her father didn’t like it when I called her baby, so he definitely wasn’t going to like watching me hold her hand. It would irritate him, so it was best not to do it.

We walked down the hallway and met Crow’s assistant, an older woman who looked like she was approaching retirement. She let us approach Crow’s office without warning him, knowing Crow would want to see his daughter no matter what he was doing.

Vanessa tapped her knuckles on the door before she opened it. “Hey, are you busy right now?”

Crow sat behind his desk, his hands pressed together with his fingers resting against his lips. A glass of scotch was in front of him. Cane was there too, drinking with him, probably discussing their mutual hatred for me. But the second Crow laid eyes on his daughter, he lowered his hands, and like I wasn’t standing right behind her, the affectionate glow entered his face. As if time had stopped, she was the only thing in the world that mattered to him. “No. Tesoro, I’m never busy when it comes to you.” He rose to his feet and came around the desk to hug her. He wrapped his thick arms around her and squeezed, his chin resting on her head. The fatherly love was in his eyes, and even though she was a grown woman, he still held her like she was a child. “I’m always happy to see you.”

Cane stood up next and smiled at her. “Hey, sweetheart.” He hugged her next, his affection matching his brother’s. “What a nice surprise. I’m tired of doing all the work around here.”

Crow looked at me next, and all the joy drained from his face instantly. I was the storm in summer, the hurricane that would destroy his whole life. I was nothing but a nuisance to him, the evil that couldn’t be defeated. I’d seen that look of hatred in every man I killed, but none of them hated me as much as he did—even though I’d claimed their lives.

Cane stared at me just as coldly, like he couldn’t stand the sight of me.

I wasn’t intimidated by either one of them, but my faith in this plan started to disappear. “It’s nice to see you both.” I could say nothing else, but something needed to be said to break the tension.

“It’d be a lot nicer if you were dead.” Cane was a lot more aggressive than his brother, thinking emotionally rather than logically. He was both loyal to his brother and protective of his niece, so he wanted nothing more than to cause me pain.

“Uncle Cane.” Vanessa stared at him with sheer disappointment. “Don’t say that to him.”

“Why?” Cane kept his eyes on me. “I mean it.”

Crow didn’t intervene, letting his brother say whatever he wanted.

His insult didn’t mean anything to me. I was bulletproof, so words bounced off even better than actual bullets.

“I mean it,” Vanessa hissed. “He’s done nothing but work his ass off—”

“And before he was doing that, he was working his ass off to kill us,” Cane snapped. “So yes, I wish he were dead. I wish he were dead because a piece of trash like this asshole doesn’t deserve you.” He turned to her, his eyes full of anger.

Vanessa was turning red in the face, about to explode. “I’m sick of this. I’m tired of you talking to him that way. In the beginning, I understood. But it’s been almost a month, and you’re still treating him like dirt.”

“He is dirt,” Cane snapped. “I’d spit on him right now if you wouldn’t throw a tantrum about it.”

Crow watched me without blinking, as if I might lose my temper and strike his brother.

If I laid a hand on either one of them, I would never be able to take it back. I had to absorb their rage and keep a stoic face at the same time.

“I mean it.” Vanessa moved in front of me, placing her petite frame between them and me like that would do anything. “Father, you told me you would try. Keep talking to him like that, and I’ll walk out. If you won’t hold up your end of the deal, I won’t hold up mine.”

Crow finally looked at his daughter again, a slight hint of panic in his eyes.

“I didn’t make any deal,” Cane said. “So if I want to do this—” He pulled his hand back and slugged me hard in the face, throwing as much force behind it as he could. “I will.”

I knew it was coming, but I didn’t stop it, letting his fist hit me in the nose and eye. I hardly turned with the punch and didn’t react at all, proving that I was stronger than both of them combined.

Vanessa covered her mouth and shrieked. “Oh my god!”

I turned back to Cane, my jaw clenched with anger, not pain. “That the best you got?”

Cane’s eyes narrowed, and he pulled his arm back again.

“Hit me as many times as you want.” I was letting my temper get the best of me, but I couldn’t control it anymore. “You’re going to do more damage to your fist than you are to my face. I’m harder than stone, harder than anything you can throw at me. So if you want to break your hand against my face, be my fucking guest.”

Cane punched me again, hitting me in the jaw.

I didn’t react again, proving he didn’t have any power over me.

“Stop it!” Tears flooded her eyes, and she pressed herself against me, her hands cupping my face to check my injuries. “I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

I grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her hands from my face, my eyes on Cane and not her. “You’re hurting her, not me.”

That seemed to mean something to Cane, because he lowered his hand.

Vanessa turned back to her uncle. “Don’t do that ever again. I mean it. I’ll cover him with my body if I have to.”

Cane kept his eyes on me. “I’ll kill this fucking asshole—”

“Cane.” Crow silenced him with just his name. “I hate him too, but no more.”

I knew he didn’t intervene for Cane or me. He did it for Vanessa, who was still on the verge of tears.

Vanessa turned back to me and buried her face in my chest, her arms hugging my torso. She breathed against me, doing her best to control the emotions that were chaotic inside her heart. She knew I was fine, that I could take pain far worse than this, but letting me be treated this way was killing her. It broke her heart to see her family hate me so viciously, attack me so ruthlessly.

I hated listening to her cry. It killed me. I used to be indifferent to it, but when she was in pain, I was in pain. My hand moved under the fall of her hair, and I cradled her against me. “Baby, it’s alright.”

“No, it’s not…” She sniffed against me then walked out of the room, unable to look at any of us anymore.

I stayed behind, watching both men immediately look guilty for what had just happened. They didn’t give a damn about me, but they felt like shit for hurting Vanessa. Cane clenched his jaw and sighed. Crow crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the desk.

I didn’t wait for an apology or some form of reconciliation. “Vanessa and I rented a villa a few miles away from you. She wants to be closer to you, and I’d like to help out around here. I don’t know shit about wine, but I can move heavy stuff.”

Crow couldn’t stop himself from raising his right eyebrow. “You moved here?”

“Not permanently,” I said. “She just wants to be close to you for a while. Spend more time with you. And I’d like to get to know you better. Or better yet, let you get to know me. Give me something to do around here, or I’ll find something.”

“Didn’t realize you were an ass-kisser,” Cane spat.

If he were anyone else, he’d be on the floor choking on his own blood. “You took your wife from Tristan and made her sleep with you so she wouldn’t have to go back to the man who beat and hurt her.”

The second I mentioned his wife, Cane’s eyes narrowed.

“Now she’s your wife, and your in-laws live right down the road. Both of you are acting like you’re better than me, but we’re exactly the same. We’re equals. So get off your fucking high horse and take a look in the mirror. We’re all murderers and criminals here.”

“But Vanessa is not your equal,” Crow said. “She’s not our equal either. She’s above all of us.”

I didn’t have an argument against that. “If putting up with your bullshit makes me an ass-kisser, that’s fine with me. I’m only here for Vanessa. I’ve come to terms with the fact that you’ll never like me, but don’t expect that to hurt my feelings. I’ll do anything to make this work for her, even withstand your punches and ridicule. For the last month, all you’ve done is disrespect me, insult me, and now hit me. It’s not gonna scare me off. Nothing is going to scare me off. I’m unbreakable and untouchable. I’m stronger than both of you combined. I’ve killed members of the mafia and even the leaders of small countries. This is child’s play for me. I can handle anything you throw at me. So maybe you should stop with the strong-arm tactics and just try to see the way I love her. Because that’s all that matters—that I’m in love with Vanessa and I would lay down my life for her. You would do the same for your wives. We’re the same. Like it or not—we’re the same.”