My life was the same few variations on repeat.

It was simple. Predictable. Tame.

But I loved every second of it.

I used to work constantly, pick up women at a bar for dirty threeways, and get off on the corpses I would dump in the lake. My life was never the same, full of adrenaline and the unknown.

I traded all of that for Vanessa.

With no regrets.

I woke up at seven every day because I liked to get my workout finished before Vanessa woke up. She was usually cuddled into my side, her hair all over the place and her arm draped across my chest. It was easy to roll her onto her back, move between her legs, and fuck her quickly before I started my day. She moved with me slightly, her eyes barely open and her nails deep in my hair. Every morning, I woke up with a hard-on, and I liked to take care of that before I continued on my day. Before her, I would jerk off before I hit the weights. But now, I preferred her, whether she was really conscious to enjoy it or not. She climaxed most of the time, so her body was obviously aware of what was happening even if her mind wasn’t. I put my come where it belonged, deep inside that slit I paid for with my blood, and then left her there and went about my day.

There was a gym down the street that I went to. I didn’t like sharing my space with the public, which was why I had a private gym in my homes. But for now, it would do. Vanessa was obsessed with my body, aroused by the way I’d thickened over the last three months, so I increased the weight to keep my size. I didn’t need it for a battle. I just liked making her forget she ever bothered with that boy painter.

I returned home, showered, and then sat at the dining table with my laptop. It was another sunny day in Florence, and the sunlight filtered through the apartment. When I scouted this piece of real estate, I thought it would be the perfect place for her. I bought it under the assumption she would never share her space with anyone, not even me. So it was smaller than I preferred.

I finally finished the mission statement Max sent over to me. I completed all the case studies I needed against my hit. I’d be heading to Egypt in a few days, something I hadn’t mentioned to Vanessa. She knew it was coming. She always knew.

Vanessa woke up thirty minutes later, parading around in my t-shirt. She looked sexy in the lingerie I picked out for her, but never quite as sexy as she did in my clothes. She leaned over me with her arms wrapped around my shoulders and kissed me on the neck, the same way she always greeted me in the morning. “Good morning.”

“Morning, baby.” When she walked away, I smacked her ass—like clockwork.

She helped herself in the kitchen, making a bowl of cereal. Her long, tanned legs poked out from underneath my shirt, two legs that looked like pure sex. She ran her fingers through her hair before she carried her bowl to the table.

My eyes were glued to her, focused on the one woman who captured my complete focus the second I met her. She was such a woman that she made me, a man incapable of love, fall so deeply that I sacrificed everything to keep her. I gave up promiscuity for monogamy. I gave up death for life. I’d been a man a long time, but I’d never met a woman who could match me, a lady so strong and fierce that she reminded me of myself. Once she put that bullet in my shoulder, I was gone. I watched her shoot me with determination, and the second she pulled that trigger, I was harder than I’d ever been my entire life.

Every day I couldn’t stop staring at her like this, like it was the first time I’d laid eyes on her. She was used to my constant looks that bordered hostility, but she had no idea what I was thinking. She had no idea that I was thinking about how much I loved her every single second of those stares. Sometimes, I wanted to fuck her. Sometimes, I wanted to grab her by the neck and pin her into the mattress, just to remind her that she belonged to me—even though I would never let her forget. My love was sometimes so possessive, it was violent. My love was so physical that I wanted to fuck her ass and mouth just as much as her pussy. My love so intense that it made everyone in our vicinity uncomfortable. But she was such an extraordinary woman that she could handle it.

Since the moment I met her, I could honestly say no other woman ever caught my attention the way she did. I didn’t fantasize about other women. I didn’t miss the threesomes, the handcuffs, and the strippers.

Never once did I doubt what we had.

That it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

She ate her cereal while these thoughts passed through my head, the corner of her mouth raised in a smile. She could feel my stare, and even though she should be used to it by now, it still distracted her. She turned her face toward me. “What?”

I didn’t waste my time telling her every thought I had. I didn’t describe the way she made me feel, the way she turned me into a stronger and weaker man at the same time. All those words seemed like too much work, the feelings impossible to translate into a spoken language. So I held her gaze, my eyes conveying everything I didn’t have to say. “You already know.”

Vanessa was downstairs at the gallery for the day, so I stayed in the apartment and watched TV on the couch. It was tempting to go downstairs and watch her work, but I knew my hostile presence made people uncomfortable. She needed more customers, not fewer, so I stayed out of her business.

She came upstairs in the middle of the afternoon and stood in front of me, blocking the TV with her petite frame. Her eyes locked on to mine before she undid her jean shorts and pushed them down her long legs. Her panties came next, landing on top of her jeans on the rug.

My arms rested along the back of the couch, and I didn’t move despite the way she silently paraded into the apartment and demanded sex from me. Instead of staring at the area between her legs, I kept my gaze locked on hers, seeing the way she wanted me.

She pushed down the front of my sweatpants, revealing my cock that had hardened just thirty seconds ago. She lowered herself on top of me, gasping as she felt me stretch her deep and far. When she was sitting on my balls, she gripped my shoulders and breathed into my face. “Oh…yes.” She pressed her feet against the cushions and held herself in a squatting position.

My hands moved underneath her thighs, carrying most of her weight so she could ride my dick with ease. I helped her up and down, making her sheathe my dick over and over again. The white cream built up at the base of my dick. I could practically smell her hormones in the air, feel her horniness between her legs.

My bare feet pushed against the rug as I thrust inside her, hitting her hard like she wanted me to. Her sexy ass cheeks were in my grip, and I pushed her up and down at a faster pace, making her ride my dick fast.

Her green eyes were focused on mine, her sexy lips parted from the sexy moans she made. Her fingers pressed into my shoulder, digging into my old wound. Even if it caused me pain, I still wouldn’t mention it.

I loved kissing her, but I also loved fucking her without kissing her. I liked the connection between our eyes, the way we both smoldered and burned for one another in mutual passion. We made love, but we also fucked like two people in love—and that was my favorite. We didn’t screw each other because we had to. We fucked each other hard like it was the hottest one-night stand of our lives.

I spanked her ass. “Hit me.”

She kept moving up and down, her pussy making the sexiest noises as it rode my cock.

I spanked her ass again. “Hit me.”

She listened this time, slapping me across the face with her palm. She didn’t give me a sissy hit like most women did. She slapped me like she meant it, striking the side of my face with a hard palm. She put her weight into it, using those sexy muscles in her arm.

Her hand stung when it collided with my face, making the surface of my skin burn and the blood underneath boil. I loved the pain she caused me, the way she delivered the hit without hesitation. She knew I was a man who could handle anything, so she hit me with the kind of brutality I craved.

My cock throbbed inside her, my balls tightening because I wanted to come. I loved her fearlessness. I loved the momentum she could unleash with that arm. A strong woman like Vanessa probably intimidated most men, but she turned me on like crazy. “Hit me again when you come. Hard. Hard as fuck, baby.”

She bounced on my dick for another thirty seconds, her pussy slowly tightening around me as she prepared to explode around my throbbing cock. Her breathing deepened, and she bit her bottom lip as she enjoyed the preliminary pleasure, the buildup before the blow. She closed her eyes for a second right before the explosion hit. Then she screamed in my face, her pussy clenching my dick with an iron grip.

As I’d asked, she slammed her hand against my face as hard as she could, hitting me with enough momentum that nearly made my head turn. With precise aim and powerful strength, she struck my cheek with the force to shake a mountain.

I fucking loved it.

I came inside her instantly, pumping her with more come than I usually did. I tugged on her hips and kept her right on my lap, making sure I gave her every drop of come as deep as possible.

We finished together, our bodies twitching and clenching together. Her pussy soaked up every ounce of come I gave her, inhaling it like a vacuum. My eyes watched the sexy performance hers gave me, and she looked so damn beautiful I thought I could come again.

When she finished, she got off my lap without giving me a kiss. She didn’t ask if my cheek was okay, even though it was probably bright red and slightly puffy. She turned around and bent over to grab her panties from the floor.

My eyes immediately went to her pussy, seeing some of my come seep out of her slick slit.

She pulled her panties up her long legs then pulled on her jean shorts. Then, like nothing had happened, she walked out of the apartment without saying goodbye. Not a single word was exchanged between us. She only wanted me for one thing, for a midday fuck because she’d been horny thinking about me downstairs. The door shut behind her, and only the sound of the TV remained behind, my sweatpants still down and my wet dick against my stomach.

Vanessa wanted what she wanted, and when she got it, she disappeared. With no apologies and no explanation, she did whatever the hell she wanted.

“That’s my baby.”

I was just about to head downstairs and check on Vanessa when someone knocked on the door

It obviously wasn’t Vanessa, especially since she marched in there just hours ago and fucked me without preamble, so it was someone else stopping by for a visit. If it was a friend of Vanessa’s, they would have noticed she was downstairs in the gallery.

That meant they were here to see me.

And the culprit could only be one person.

Crow Barsetti.

I opened the door in a pissed-off mood, not wanting to spend any extra time with her father. I’d just told him off a few days ago. He barely gave me a break before he made another move.

When I opened the door, I came face-to-face with him. In dark jeans and a gray V-neck, he stood with his hands in his pockets. He used to regard me with an innately hostile expression anytime he looked at me. Now that coldness was gone, but warmth didn’t replace it. He looked at me with a subdued expression, a look that was full of remorse.

I clenched my jaw as I kept one hand on the door. I was tempted to slam it in his face. Something stopped me from doing it, and I wasn’t sure if that something was Vanessa. “Vanessa is downstairs.”

“I saw her.”

My nostrils flared. “You better not be here for me.”

“You know I am.”

I leaned my arm against the doorframe, shirtless with my tattoos obvious in the light. He knew I was marked with ink before because my arms were covered with it, but now he knew I had tattoos everywhere, from chest to my narrow hips. “It was less than a week ago when I told you I needed space.”

“I remember. But I don’t think space is going to accomplish much.”

Why were the Barsettis such pains in the ass? “You’re an asshole. You know that?”

He shrugged. “So I’ve been told. Are you going to invite me inside?”

“No.” I kept my body in the way, not letting this man step onto my personal property. Technically, Vanessa owned it because I signed the papers in her name, but it was bought with my money—so it was mine.

Crow didn’t seem offended by the cold response. “Then let’s get a drink.”

“No.” I didn’t owe him anything. I went out with him once, and I’d spoken to him outside his house. I’d already given him plenty of my time. “Leave. Don’t make me ask you again.”

Crow held his position, standing on my doorstep with no intention of going anywhere. He was one of the only men who was never intimidated by me. I’d made men shit their pants, but Crow was made of something stronger than everyone else. “This isn’t going to stop, Griffin. You may as well give me a chance.”

“I don’t owe you a damn thing. I earned Vanessa by saving your ass. We’re even.”

“We’re never even,” he said quietly. “I will never be able to repay you for what you did.”

“You want to repay me for what I did?” I demanded. “Then disappear.”

He stayed on the doorstep, his arms crossing over his chest.

Whether Crow Barsetti hated me or liked me, he was just as infuriating.

Footsteps sounded in the background, and then Vanessa appeared up the stairs. In those same denim shorts and t-shirt, she was just as cute as she was earlier. She still wore the same panties as she had on earlier, and my come was probably sitting inside them now.

She stopped beside her father, and her disappointed look told me she saw the animosity on both of our faces. She didn’t say a word as she walked past us and headed into the house. She moved behind me and wrapped her arm around my waist. Her warm lips pressed against my back, right between my shoulder blades. Soft like a rose petal and full of the love she didn’t need to speak out loud, her kiss was a sheath to my anger. Her touch brought my inferno to a simmer. She pulled her arm away and disappeared into the apartment.

And just like that, all the rage I felt was gone.

She never asked me to spend time with her father. When I walked out on dinner, she didn’t beg me to come back. When I asked for space, she said I could have as much of it as I wanted. She loved her father and wanted us to have a close relationship, but she never made me do anything I didn’t want to do. All she had to do was ask me to have a drink with him and I would listen—but she didn’t do that either.

Crow stared at me with the same expression, not reacting to the affectionate way Vanessa greeted me when she came home. His eyes were still on me, like he didn’t care about his daughter at all.

I was the only thing that mattered.

“Just one drink.”

We returned to the bar we’d visited the previous week. We ordered the exact same thing. Scotch—neat. The bar was busier than it was last time since it was closer to the evening, but we got a booth in the corner—away from unfriendly ears.

Like every other time we interacted, it was tense in the beginning. Neither one of us was certain where to start since we started over so many times. It didn’t matter what words were exchanged, it didn’t change the context of our situation.

Crow swirled his drink before he brought it to his lips. “What happened to your face?”

My left cheek was still red and puffy from where Vanessa had slapped me a few hours ago. I considered telling him the truth, to teach him a lesson about asking questions. But I figured that would scar him, so I kept it to myself. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

Crow didn’t press it. “Pearl wanted me to tell you she says hello.”

I stared at him and enjoyed my drink. I was beginning to realize that being with Vanessa meant I would have to be with her parents too. These people would never disappear. Crow would constantly try to connect with me, whether he was doing it for himself or Vanessa. This would be an uphill battle, and the more I fought it, the more it would grow.

“How are you?” Crow Barsetti wasn’t much of a talker, but he forced a conversation with me anyway.

“Never better.” I woke up to Vanessa beside me every morning. I went to bed with her there too. There was nothing else I needed. “What about you?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been better.”

“What’s got you down?” I blurted the question out before I could stop myself. His family was safe, so there was nothing that could be keeping him down.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about, but I hope you understand it’s separate from the relationship I’m trying to establish with you.”

I cocked an eyebrow.

“I don’t want to ask you for anything. You’ve done enough for my family. But you’re the best person to turn to, and since it involves the safety of my family, I can’t keep you out of it.”

I set the glass on the table and leaned forward, the blood pounding in my ears. “I’m listening.”

“I need your help with the Skull Kings.”

The Skull Kings were a group of thugs that made their fortune in lots of ways. They kept their power because of their unpredictability. Even their most loyal followers could be cut down without notice. Equally emotional and logical, they balanced on the edge of a knife. They weren’t the best men to do business with because you had no idea how they would feel the following morning. “What about them?”

“They’re the ones that ordered the hit on Conway.”

“I’m aware.”

“It’s been quiet on the front for the last month,” Crow said. “But I don’t think it’s going to stay that way forever. I need to shut down hostilities before they grow again. My son is finally back on his feet, and I don’t want another war to break out. All my family wants is peace.”

“And what does this have to do with me?” I’d already saved Conway once. Now my only concern was the woman waiting in my apartment.

“I know you have a relationship with the Skull Kings.”

“Every criminal does.”

“Is yours any different?” he asked, his head cocked to the side. “Is there any information you can give me that might help? Should I approach them head on? Should I do nothing? I have no idea what move to make.”

I’d visited the Underground for entertainment. I’d never bought a woman, but I liked the drinks from the bar and the connections with the other men who participated in the bidding. I had a relationship with Tony, one of the main Skull Kings. They’d commissioned me for work in the past. “I know them well enough. They’ve hired me to take out a few of their enemies.”

“Good to know.” He drank from his scotch. “If I have to hit them hard, I will. If I have to round up as many men as I can find and hit them when they aren’t expecting it, I will. But the last thing I want is a war. I don’t want bloodshed. All I want is peace. If there’s a way to establish that, I’d prefer that.”

“You know the Skull Kings aren’t big on peace.”

“Unfortunately.”

“My guess is they figured out what Conway was doing with the slaves.” The Skull Kings cared about money above all things. The fact that Conway was making a bigger profit off their hard work must have infuriated them. “On top of that, it may have pissed off their buyers. These women were taken for revenge, but then the revenge never took place. If you meet with the Skull Kings and offer to make up the difference that Conway profited, that would be a strong way to start the meeting. But for that second part…I’m not sure how you can make amends for that.”

“Neither can I.” Now that we were deep in conversation, Crow turned bitter and sour. The stress etched into his features as he thought of the situation in front of him, the problem looking him right in the face. None of this was his fault, especially since Conway was a grown man, but he loved his son too much not to be involved. He had to protect his family as the patriarch. “Fuck, I don’t know how to handle this.” He rubbed his hand along his jaw, his eyes dark with sorrow.

It was one of those moments that made me like Crow again, the way he sacrificed anything for his family. His worry came from love, the overwhelming devotion he had to his family. His love for Vanessa was the reason he got rid of me. He got his hands dirty when he didn’t want to because his family was more important than his discomfort. It reminded me of myself. I was determined to take down my mother’s killer at any cost—even though she was already dead and gone. That didn’t stop me—and it wouldn’t stop Crow.

“Do you think it’s possible for you to get a meeting with them?”

“I can ask. But I don’t know if I’ll be successful. As far as I know, they have no idea how we’re connected. I’m very private about my personal life, so they may not know I’m seeing Vanessa at all.”

“I hope they don’t.”

“If they ask, we should say we’ve done business together.”

“Agreed,” he said quickly. “Now comes my next question…are you willing to do that?”

The Skull Kings were known for being erratic. I had no idea how they would react once I broached the subject. I was getting tangled up in a potential mess, a mess that wasn’t my problem. But when I pictured Vanessa as my wife, wearing my ring on her hand every single day for the rest of her life, I knew her family would always be my problem. I would have to protect every member of her family for the rest of my life.

But it was a price I was willing to pay—for her.

“You know my answer, Crow.” I stared at him head on, my hand gripping my glass. “My love for your daughter has made me loyal to your family. I will spill my own blood for a Barsetti—every time.”

He tilted his head down, severing eye contact. He swallowed the lump in his throat before he drank from his glass. “I was so fucking wrong about you.” He lifted his gaze again to look at me. He rubbed his hand along the back of his head, his eyes hardening in frustration. “So damn wrong.”

Crow left without saying goodbye to Vanessa, and I walked into the house to smell burned dinner.

There was smoke in the kitchen, and she had the windows open to air it out.

I kicked off my shoes and pulled my shirt over my head. “Need help?”

“No.” She placed the pans in the sink then soaked them. There was no food inside, so I assumed she’d already dumped it into the garbage can. “Unless you want to pick the place we’re going to order from.”

I didn’t tease her for her inability to prepare a meal. It was the one thing she wasn’t good at. But if you put a gun in her hand, she could hit her target with perfect aim. I walked into the kitchen, came up behind her, and pressed a kiss to her neck. “How about I take you out?”

She turned off the water and looked at me over her shoulder. “As nice as that sounds, I prefer to stay in.”

“Why?”

“Because we can have sex on the dining table in the middle of dinner.”

I pressed another kiss to her ear. “Very true, baby. You’ve convinced me.”

She turned around and arched her back against the sink while the swell of her tits rubbed against my bare chest. Her wet fingers moved up my shoulders, and she tilted her chin up to look at me loom over her. “How’d it go?” Despite how much pain this situation caused her, she continued to seem indifferent about it, doing her best not to put any pressure on me. But the desperation was deep in her eyes, the undying hope.

“Fine.” My hands gripped her slender waistline, and my thumbs dug into her stomach. Whenever I looked at this beautiful woman, all I wanted was to make her happy. She was my woman, and that never felt more real than when she was in my arms, my hands right over her ribs.

“Just fine?” she whispered.

“I didn’t shoot him.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she gave me a playful slap on the arm. “Don’t say things like that.”

I rubbed my nose against hers, apologetic for the crass thing I’d just said. “We just talked. Even when we spend hours together, when I walk away, I feel like nothing was accomplished. The man and I are just too different.”

“You’re exactly the same,” she whispered. “Identical.”

I tilted my head as I looked at her, seeing the sadness in her eyes.

“Why do you think I love you so much?” She moved her arms around my neck and pressed her face closer to mine. “My father is very stubborn, just like you. He wouldn’t be making this effort if I asked him to. Even if my mother asked him, he still wouldn’t do it. He’s doing this because it’s what he wants. So the next time he tries to talk with you, keep that in mind. The man is on your side. He’s loyal to you forever. You have someone who’s willing to be rejected and insulted over and over again just to have a drink with you.” She gave me a simple kiss, her eyes still wide and on mine. “I get that you’re angry…but just remember you have someone who cares about you.”

“Cares—”

“Yes.” She gave me a fiery look, refusing to let me override her. “He cares about you very much.”

I didn’t tell Vanessa what Crow and I discussed. It seemed like something that would only upset her. She was calm in the most stressful situations, but I wanted to let her believe peace continued to reign in our lives.

So when she was at work, I drove to Florence and approached the Barsetti manor, the three-story mansion that overlooked the acres of land that had been in their family for generations. Ivy grew up on the walls, and the olive trees surrounded the property, bearing fruit.

I knocked on the front door, feeling strange standing on the doorstep without Vanessa. When I was here a few days ago, I marched out and drove home without eating the meal they prepared for me. This house pricked at my anger, made me feel resentment and rage. While Vanessa and Conway grew up in a mansion with a butler, my mother and I were just trying to survive.

I knew I shouldn’t blame the Barsettis for that. My father wasn’t a good man, and he got what was coming to him. If he thought he could rape Crow’s wife and get away with it, he was mistaken. I admired Pearl for killing him herself. After what she’d been through, she deserved the honor.

But my mother and I were innocent bystanders. We didn’t deserve to be homeless because of his sins. She and I were good people. Good people didn’t deserve what we’d been through.

Sapphire answered, her stomach even bigger than it was the last time I saw her. “Hey, Griffin.” She turned her stomach to the side so she could move into my chest and hug me.

It was strange to hug a woman besides Vanessa, so I patted her on the back and waited for her to move out of the way. She was the same height as Vanessa, petite despite the weight she carried from her pregnancy.

She stepped away, still smiling. “Please come in.”

I stepped inside, feeling anxious the second I walked into the home of the Barsettis.

She turned to me, her hand resting on her stomach. “They’re in the dining room.”

“You doing okay?” I asked, looking at her stomach.

“I’m a little uncomfortable,” she said with a laugh. “My fingers are so swollen I can’t wear my wedding ring anymore. But any day now, our little one will be here.”

“You don’t know if it’s a boy or girl?”

“Conway and I decided to be surprised.”

That was the extent of the conversation I could offer. The only other Barsetti I was genuinely comfortable around was Carmen, but it was unlikely she would be there. She reminded me of Vanessa in a lot of ways. She was fiery, sassy, and candid. There was no bullshit when it came to her.

After an awkward pause, Sapphire guided me to the dining room.

Not that I didn’t know exactly where it was. “Thanks.”

I stepped inside, seeing Crow sitting beside his wife next to the windows. Cane was across from him, along with Conway. The last time I was here, I stormed off and made a scene. The time before that, I had a loaded shotgun pointed at my chest from five feet away. This place was like a prison cell to me.

Crow’s eyes darted to mine the second I entered the room. “Griffin, thanks for coming.” He rose to his feet instantly and came around the table to shake my hand. He moved quickly, not wanting me to wait a second longer than necessary. His grip was firm, and he gave me the respect of eye contact. “Can I get you anything?”

“Just a glass of scotch.”

“Already waiting for you.” He nodded and stepped aside so Pearl could move in next.

She hugged me, her cheek pressing against my chest as she wrapped her arms around my torso.

I felt uncomfortable touching her, especially after what my father did to her. It seemed innately wrong that we were this close together, but I didn’t detect a hint of unease from her. Her touch was maternal and loving, the same kind of affection she gave to her children. “Thank you for coming, Griffin. We’re all very grateful you’re here.” When she pulled away, she gave me an affectionate look with her eyes. I was the subject of her endearing expression, and she gave me that same look she gave to Conway sometimes, like she was proud of me.

Pearl reminded me of Vanessa, but she also reminded me of my mother in some ways. The soft sound of her voice was similar to my mother’s. Sometimes the memory of my mother’s features faded, but I never forgot the sound of her voice. They were also both strong women, both victims of my father’s cruelty. But neither woman had ever succumbed to his brutality. They never stopped fighting. They never gave up. I respected her in a way I didn’t respect Crow and Cane. There was definitely a soft spot for her in my heart. “Thank you, Mrs. Barsetti.” I never addressed Crow by anything other than his first name—because he didn’t deserve my respect. Pearl was different.

Like she understood the significance of my words, she smiled. “How’s my daughter?”

“Good,” I answered. “She’s at the gallery today.”

She patted my arm before she stepped away.

Conway came next, looking nearly as good as new. The bruising was gone from his face, revealing handsome features that were clearly visible. With a hard jaw like his father’s and masculine cheekbones, he possessed the distinct appearance of a Barsetti. He regarded me with kindness and shook my hand. “Hey, man. How are you?”

“Good. You?”

“Never better. Ribs are pretty much back to normal, and my wife is about to start our family. With the exception of the context of our conversation, life has treated me well.” He stood close to me, speaking to me like I was a friend rather than some unfortunate acquaintance. “I’ve been to your apartment in Florence. It’s nice. The second I saw it, I thought it was perfect for my sister.”

“That’s why I bought it.” The Barsettis were going out of their way to make me feel comfortable. It was an interesting experience after they’d been so cold to me. But I appreciated the gesture because everything seemed genuine. “We’ll be moving in to the countryside soon. It’s too cramped for someone like me.”

“Yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “I can imagine.” When he moved out of the way, Cane came next.

Cane and I had never had a positive experience. He didn’t visit me in the hospital room. He’d been even more vicious to me than his brother. I saw the stark differences between the two brothers. While Crow was pragmatic most of the time, Cane was passionate and emotional. He could be impulsive, making rash decisions in the blink of an eye. He sighed before he extended his hand to shake mine. “I know this is long overdue…but I’m a bit of an asshole.”

I didn’t take his hand. “I’ve noticed.”

His nostrils flared in annoyance when I didn’t reciprocate. “I know I was a jackass to you before. It’s just hard for me to trust people.”

“Same here.” These people expected me to forgive them for what they did, to trust them when they never trusted me. I didn’t want them to forget that.

It was a testament to Cane’s sincerity when he didn’t blow up. “I can’t think straight when it comes to my daughter. My son is a powerful man who can hold his own, but my daughter…she’s my little girl. I know I shouldn’t have made a big scene when you spoke to her, but I couldn’t help it. If I could lock her up in a nunnery, I would. When you’re a father, you’ll understand.”

I’d spent some time with Carmen, and she certainly wasn’t a damsel in distress. “Carmen is a strong woman like Vanessa. She’s not naïve. She’s highly intuitive and instinctive. You don’t need to worry about her all the time. She can handle herself.”

Cane lowered his hand, his eyes concentrating on my face. “That’s quite a compliment.”

“I like your daughter. I’ve spent time with her and Vanessa in Florence. It’s hard to believe she’s your daughter because she’s pragmatic and easygoing.”

Crow chuckled. “Ouch.”

“Whenever we’re together, I look after her.” I didn’t tell him I scared off the boys that weren’t good enough for her. No father wanted to picture his daughter being hit on in a bar. “I always walk her to her door and make sure she gets inside. I’d give my life to protect her—because I respect her.” Cane had threatened to kill me if I came near his daughter again, but I was the best person to keep an eye on her. I could get to her in two minutes if she ever needed anything. That was a lot more than Cane could say.

For the first time, Cane was speechless. He stared at me in silence, having no idea what to say.

I held his gaze, wanting him to feel like shit for the way he treated me. Everything he ever said to me was hypocritical. Crow told me Pearl was a prisoner when he fell in love with her. I imagined Cane’s story with Adelina wasn’t much different. These men were hypocrites, out of touch with reality. They only trusted each other—and no one else. But they’d been wrong about me.

Cane cleared his throat and extended his hand again. “I don’t expect you to like me. Not very many people do…”

“Including me,” Crow said.

“And me,” Pearl added.

Cane rolled his eyes as he kept his hand extended. “But I’ve got your back, Griffin. You have my loyalty and my trust. If you’re ever in a jam, I’ll fight by your side until your enemies are dead. You have my word.”

I didn’t need his pledge of loyalty. I didn’t need anything from him or the rest of the Barsetti clan. But I shook his hand anyway, knowing I needed to move forward instead of live in the past. “I don’t want anything from you. The only thing I want is now mine.” Once the handshake was completed, I dropped my palm.

Cane gave a slight nod. “I respect that. I admire a man who wears his heart on his sleeve.” He turned back to the table.

Now that the greetings were over, we sat down at the large wooden table. The men were drinking scotch, while Pearl enjoyed a glass of wine. I sat on the other side of Conway, leaning back against the wooden backboard of the chair. I remembered how the cool material felt against my skin when I was handcuffed there.

Crow started the conversation. “Griffin told me he’s done work for the Skull Kings before. He has a closer relationship with them than any of us. I think we should have him attempt to establish a meeting with them. None of us is looking for increased hostilities. Even if we have to apologize and pay back everything Conway made, I’m fine with that.”

“If this were thirty years ago, I’d say we take them out,” Cane said. “But you’re right. If these hostilities continue, our kids will be fighting this war long after we’re gone.”

Conway sat in silence, his arms crossed over his chest.

“So how should we do this?” Pearl asked. “Maybe we should try calling instead. Less invasive.”

I shook my head. “No. That’s pussy shit.”

The men turned their gazes on me.

“They don’t respect cowardice,” I continued. “It’ll only agitate them even more.”

“A phone call isn’t cowardly,” Pearl said.

“It is,” I said. “If you really want them to take you seriously, it needs to be face-to-face. If a man is truly powerful, he has no problem walking onto their turf. If you’re too scared to do that, they think they can run you over.”

“We defeated their entire team,” Cane said. “I think we have more credentials than that.”

“You asked for my help,” I snapped. “I’m giving it to you. Don’t be stupid and not take it.”

Cane didn’t take offense to the comment. “Then what do you suggest?”

“I walk into the Underground first and talk to Tony. Tell him you want me to broker a peace treaty. I’ll listen to what he says. If they agree, I’ll call you and you’ll walk in. If they don’t, we’ll need a backup plan. We’ll have to threaten them.”

“No.” Crow set down his glass. “I don’t want to escalate the situation.”

“If they don’t cooperate, you have no other choice.” Showing fear wasn’t an option. “You need to prove that your peace offering is one of convenience. You’re doing it because it’s in your best interest, like you may want to do business with them in the future. If you say you’re just looking for a quiet life in the countryside, they won’t respect that. And if they choose to be hostile, you need to give them a threat that gives them pause. Then they’ll see that peace is more convenient, and they’ll go for it.”

“I’ve been involved with the Skull Kings in the past,” Cane said. “Trust me, you don’t want to threaten them.”

“And if you really know them, then you’ll know that threatening them is the only option,” I countered. “Holding your respect in the conversation is vital. Backing down is just as bad as pulling the trigger.”

After a pause, Cane nodded. “He’s right.”

“What kind of threat?” Crow asked. “Thirty years ago, we could pull off something spectacular, but now, we don’t have many tricks up our sleeve.”

“They care about the auction more than anything else,” Cane said. “It’s their biggest source of income, and it’s easy to manage. If we disturb that convenience, it could hit them where it hurts.”

“Yes,” I said in agreement. “We could threaten to tell their enemies exactly what they’re doing and where to find the girls. If they take a diplomat’s daughter, all we have to do is tell that diplomat and the government where the girl is being held. If we do that enough times, they’ll have more enemies than they can handle. The Italian government won’t be able to look the other way anymore, not when potential war is standing on their doorstep. They could threaten us in return, saying they’ll kill everyone we’ve ever loved, but that threat won’t be fulfilling, not when we’ve disturbed something they care so much about.”

“Sounds tricky,” Pearl said. “I’m not sure how I feel about it.”

“And I don’t want to drag you into it,” Crow said. “You have nothing to do with this. You shouldn’t risk getting involved.”

I didn’t want to dance with the Skull Kings either, but I wanted to eradicate this threat. This situation affected Vanessa, and in order to keep her safe, I needed to fix the problem Conway caused. “This situation directly affects Vanessa. I have to make sure it’s addressed properly. Since you took out the entire team that was supposed to execute Conway, they already recognize you as a serious threat. If you walk in there with me, they’ll know you have more allies than they realize. They respect me immensely. Having me by your side is only going to help you fix this mess.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Cane asked. “You aren’t obligated.”

“Yes.” I wanted to make sure this was done right. I didn’t want anything to ever take Vanessa away from me again. “So I’ll go in first. Once I get their agreement, I’ll bring in the next person. Not everyone can step inside that meeting. It’ll be considered aggressive if we bring the entire clan.” If all the Barsettis marched in there, it would be too claustrophobic. And there certainly couldn’t be any women.

“I’ll go,” Crow volunteered instantly, stepping up as the patriarch of the family. “I’ll wait outside, and you call me in. I’ll handle the Skull Kings, hand over the money, and hope for the best.”

“I will too,” Cane said. “The three of us.”

“No.” Crow turned his forceful stare on his brother. “You can’t come, and you know exactly why.”

A silent conversation passed between them, and Cane didn’t press his argument.

“Then I will come,” Conway said. “I’m the one—”

“No.” Crow didn’t look at his son, as if the idea of bringing him along disturbed him. “Out of the question. You have a pregnant wife who needs you.”

“Father,” Conway pressed. “This is my mess and—”

“You aren’t coming.” Crow finally looked at him. “That’s final, Conway.” He silenced his son with his authority, his darkened eyes adding to his volatile persona.

Conway clenched his jaw tightly, clearly pissed off that he wasn’t getting his way.

“Your father is right, Con.” Pearl moved her hand to Crow’s thigh under the table. “You need to stay here with Sapphire.”

“That’s bullshit.” Conway couldn’t keep his anger back even though his father had just silenced him. “I’m the one who fucked everything up. I’m the one who should pay the price. It shouldn’t be Father—”

“That’s how it’s going to be.” Crow turned furious again, his rage filling the entire room. “I told you how important it was to live a quiet and peaceful life, to earn an honest living and not to provoke the demons that surround us. But you didn’t listen to me. Now we’re in this mess, and I will not let anything happen to you. You’re my son, and I would rather die than bury you in the cemetery next to my mother and father. You will be a father tomorrow or the next day or the next day…and that’s when you will understand this.” He grabbed his glass and took a long drink, like he needed the booze to calm his shaking hand. “That will be your punishment. To watch your father risk his life for you—again.”

Pearl’s eyes moved to her husband’s face. “Crow…”

I watched this man come apart right before my eyes, saw the love and anger dance across the surface of his eyes. He was selfless, loving his family so much that he put himself through hell to keep them together. His kids were the most important thing to him, so important that he would continually stand in the middle of gunfire and sacrifice himself—over and over.

As much as I hated to admit it, I respected him.

And I understood why he worked so hard to keep me from his daughter.

Conway lowered his gaze, hurt by his father’s words.

I let the silence soak into my flesh, felt the tension seep into my bones. The Barsettis weren’t that complicated to understand. The two brothers constantly worked together to protect the families they’d made. Crow wouldn’t allow Cane to help him with this, knowing he needed one brother to survive to protect the rest of the family.

Now I wanted to do this alone. I wanted to protect the Barsetti family—and not just because I loved Vanessa. “Nothing will happen to you, Crow. I promise you that.”

Crow turned his gaze back to me. “That’s a promise you can’t make, Griffin.”

“Actually, I can.”

I’d just walked out the door and headed to my truck when Pearl called my name. “Griffin.”

I turned around, my shoes digging into the gravel beneath my feet.

She caught up to me, her long dress nearly touching the ground beneath her feet. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun, revealing the sharp angles of her face as well as her pretty eyes. She wore a wedding ring on her left hand, a simple button molded into the metal.

Now that I knew their story, the button made complete sense. “Yes?”

She walked with me to the truck, her perfume potent the second she was close to me. “You said you can guarantee my husband’s safety… Could you elaborate on that?” She was normally confident when she spoke to me, but talking about Crow shook the foundation beneath her feet.

I stopped at the truck, the waning afternoon sunshine starting to become less bright. “I know a lot of people, Mrs. Barsetti. I’ve been hired by the most powerful men in the world. I’ve done favors in exchange for loyalty instead of money. I know everyone in the underworld. My boys and I have made men indebted to us forever. If I ever need help, they’ll be there. At the Underground, I’ll be surrounded by men who will intervene if it comes to that. And I’ve done favors for the Skull Kings myself, harbored secrets I’ve vowed to take to the grave. I’m the last person they want to cross—and I’m willing to cash all that in if necessary.”

Relief flashed across her eyes as she took in a deep breath. She placed her hands over her face, covering her expression for a second so I couldn’t see her reaction. In front of her husband and children, she was always poised and strong, but the second they were gone, she showed her true anguish. Vanessa was the same way, only dropping her mask when we were alone together.

“I’m the silent king. I rule with both loyalty and fear. The Skull Kings respect me, and if I ask them to drop this, they will. But it’ll make it a lot easier if Crow presents some peace offering, like the money that should have been theirs. Then their egos are left intact, and they won’t feel like they lost anything. I don’t cash in my favors very often, but I will do it this time. It’s in my best interest to make sure your husband gets back here in one piece.”

She dropped her hands, showing her wet eyes and trembling lips. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you, Griffin…”

I wasn’t expecting an apology. I was expecting gratitude, especially since she’d already said these words to me.

“I’m so sorry that I took my daughter away. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I’m sorry I hurt you so much…” She wiped her fingers underneath her eyes to remove the tears and fix her smeared makeup. “You’re so wonderful, and I should have loved you from the beginning, not banished you. I judged you for the sins of your father instead of getting to know the man you truly are. I was unfair and cruel. You’ve done so much for my family when you didn’t have to. You love my daughter as much as I do…as much as Crow does…and that makes me so happy.” She moved into my chest and hugged me, her tears smearing against my t-shirt.

I let her hold on to me for a moment before I rested my hand against her back. I felt strange touching her, felt strange touching someone other than Vanessa. Once Vanessa was mine, I didn’t even shake hands with another woman. My body was hers and hers alone.

When she pulled away, her eyes were no longer swelling with tears. “I don’t expect you to forgive me—”

“I do.”

Her eyes moved to mine, heavy with surprise.

I didn’t know why I blurted out those words, not when I’d been harboring anger for so long. But something about Pearl softened me. Maybe it was the similarities she shared with Vanessa. Maybe it was because she was a woman. Or maybe it was because she reminded me of my mother. I’d always had a soft spot for strong women, for women who only broke down into tears out of love for someone else, not because of self-pity.

“Will you have dinner with me? There’s a cute little place just down the road.” She looked at me with hesitation, like she wasn’t sure if I would agree to something so unorthodox.

“Just you and me?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to make Crow angry.” There had never been a time when he’d allowed me to be alone with his wife. When I first came to the winery, he made sure I never had direct access to her. He was always around, watching over her like a guard watching a prisoner.

“You won’t,” she said. “He trusts you, Griffin.”

I drove us to a little restaurant ten minutes away. It was in a small village, a village so small I wasn’t sure what the name was. We sat inside the small building constructed of cobblestone and had a small table in the corner. The chair was a little small for my size, and I hoped the legs wouldn’t give out on me.

Pearl ordered a bottle of wine for the table and looked at the menu. “Crow brought me here when we were first getting to know each other. The waitress was making subtle moves on him, and I got extremely jealous.” She smiled at the memory, still scanning her menu.

Had she still been a prisoner at the time? I looked at the menu and picked out the first thing that looked good. I’d never sat across from Vanessa’s mom like this, just the two of us without another Barsetti around.

It was strange.

The waitress returned, and we both ordered.

I was glad the waitress was being quick with our service. I didn’t hate Pearl, but this situation was too intimate for me. I never dined with anyone but Vanessa. Even if I had a woman in my life, we didn’t go out to dinner. It was all straight to business—fucking. Pearl was the only woman I’d been out with besides Vanessa.

She stared at me, a slight smile on her lips and affection in her eyes. “Let me pay for dinner tonight. It’s the least I can do…”

That was even stranger, but I didn’t make an argument against it.

My phone started to vibrate in my pocket. I fished it out and saw Vanessa’s name on the screen. I’d slipped out while she was at work, so she had no idea where I was. If it had been someone else, I would have ignored the call. I answered. “Hey, baby.”

“Where are you? Are you picking up dinner?” I liked the slight anger in her voice, the disappointment she felt when she didn’t see me on the couch when she walked through the door. Possessive like I was, she wanted me all the time. When that didn’t happen, she got angry.

“Sorta.”

“Meaning?” she asked, growing angrier.

I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my lips. “I like it when you get mad.” When I spoke to Vanessa, I forgot about her mother altogether, who was listening to the conversation.

“I’m not mad,” she said defensively. “I just want to know where you are. You didn’t tell me you were going anywhere.”

“You don’t tell me where you’re going, and I never ask,” I reminded her. Vanessa did whatever she wanted without asking for my approval or permission. If she wanted to see Carmen at the flower shop, she didn’t mention it to me. If she wanted to go out, she did that too.

Vanessa was quiet, knowing I had her cornered.

“Just admit that you hate when I’m not home.” I leaned back in my chair, enjoying the anger simmering in her silence.

“I just wanted to know where you were…that’s all.”

“Sure, baby.”

She sighed into the phone. “So are you going to tell me where you are?”

“Are you going to admit I’m right?” I countered.

More silence.

Pearl smiled as she listened to the conversation.

Vanessa caved. “Fine. I don’t like it when you aren’t home…”

“There’s my woman. Possessive. Obsessive.”

She didn’t disagree with the statement.

Now that she’d fulfilled her end of the deal, I fulfilled mine. “I’m at dinner with your mother.”

“What?” she blurted. “You are? How did that happen?”

“I’ll tell you when I get home.”

“Alright,” she said. “When do you think that will be…?”

I couldn’t stop smiling, loving how clingy she was. She used to be the opposite, trying to prove to herself and to me that she didn’t need me. But now she laid all her cards on the table, needing me like she needed air. “Two hours.”

“Okay. Love you.”

I usually said it first when we got off the phone, but she was quick to jump in before me, missing me because she was in that apartment by herself. She took me for granted, and the second I wasn’t there, she was caught off-balance. “Love you too.”

She hung up.

I put my phone back in my pocket.

Pearl was still smiling. “Vanessa is a different person with you.”

“Yes, she’s a bit clingy.”

“But you like that, clearly.”

I shrugged. “She wasn’t like that in the beginning. But now she’s a little bossy and gets angry when she doesn’t get her way. When her man isn’t around…she gets mean. For the longest time, she refused to allow herself to need me, to rely on me for her happiness. But she stopped that production and now wears her heart on her sleeve the way I do. It’s fun to watch.”

“I bet. You conquered an unconquerable woman.”

“Conquered her?” I asked. “No. I claimed her.” I grabbed my scotch and took a drink, refusing to feel guilty about my candor. Vanessa was irrevocably mine now, so I could say whatever I wanted.

“Crow is the same way. I think being married for nearly thirty years has made him worse, actually. I thought he would be less intense after our children changed my body, but that also made him worse too. He admired my scars and the pain my body had to endure to give birth to his son and daughter.”

“Because that’s how a man should be. He should love his woman more every day, not less. He should admire the sacrifice she made to continue his line. He should be turned on by her scars just the way a woman is turned on by a man’s battle scars. It’s the exact same thing.”

She smiled. “You have a point. Does that mean kids are in your future?”

Vanessa hadn’t given me much of a choice. If I had it my way, the answer would be no. But she put her foot down and gave me an ultimatum. It was the only thing she wanted more than me, so I would do it. “Yes. Vanessa made it clear we couldn’t be together unless I had a family with her.”

“You didn’t want one before?”

“No.” I didn’t grow up with a family, so I had no idea how to have one of my own.

“Crow was the same way. Had no interest in kids. But when he got me pregnant by accident, everything changed. He became a father the very minute I told him about Conway. I see how much he loves his kids every day, and it’s hard to believe he didn’t want a family in the beginning.”

“You’re suggesting that will be me?”

“Yes.”

I never thought I could love a woman the way I loved Vanessa, so anything was possible. “We’ll see.”

The waitress brought our entrees, and we started to eat. Pearl ate with perfect manners the way Vanessa did. Crow shared the same kind of grace. Cane, on the other hand, ate like a pig.

With the food in front of us, there was less pressure to fill the silence with mindless conversation. When I spent time with Crow, he always filled the silence with something. Pearl didn’t do that as much.

“When are you guys going to head to Milan?” she asked, switching the conversation back to the matter at hand.

“After I get back from my next mission. I leave tomorrow.”

She finished chewing her pasta before she raised her eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were leaving so soon. Vanessa didn’t mention that to me.”

“Because I haven’t told her.” The second I told her I was leaving, she would be in a state of constant worry until I was back home. It made sense to tell her at the last minute, to spare her the pain as long as possible.

Her eyes filled with disappointment. “I see…”

“I only have two more, and then it’ll be over. But I can’t pull out now. It would be a betrayal to my guys.”

“I understand,” she said. “But she’s not going to take it well.”

“No, she won’t.” There would be tears.

I hated the tears. It was the worst feeling in the world, to watch my woman cry because of me. I hated putting her through the pain, hated being the reason she was in pain at all. I should be the one fixing her, not hurting her.

“Will she stay at the apartment?”

“I don’t know. That’s up to her.”

“Well, she’s always welcome with us.”

I didn’t want to send my woman off with her parents. That made me feel like less of a man. But I couldn’t tell her what to do. I’d never been that kind of guy, and I wasn’t going to start now.

“I’m really happy you’re leaving that line of work. Not just for Vanessa, but for me.”

I could see the sincerity in her eyes, see the way she cared about me. She was alone with me ten minutes from the house, and she wasn’t scared at all. My father had raped her and beaten her, but she didn’t view me in the same light. To her, I was a completely different man.

“Crow is happy too. All he wants is for all of us to live a quiet life.”

“My life has never been quiet. I wonder how I’ll adjust.”

“As long as you have Vanessa, you’ll be fine.”

I would never forget what it was like not to be with her. Those three months changed me, broke me in ways that hadn’t fully healed yet.

“I understand that it’s difficult for you to bury the hatchet with Crow, but he’s trying very hard to make things right with you. He’s grown to respect you immensely, and he would love to have his own relationship with you.”

I should have known this would come up.

Pearl waited for me to say something, and when I didn’t, she continued on. “It takes a lot to change my husband’s mind about anything. He’s stubborn and intense. Doesn’t know how to take a joke. But he views you in a completely different light now. He’s come to admire you…something neither one of us thought was possible.”

“Yes, he’s said this to me.”

Her eyes fell in sadness. “I’m not trying to pressure you. I’m just trying to…I don’t know. My husband is in pain every day over this. Whenever he comes home from visiting you, he looks worse and worse.”

“He should have seen me during those three months,” I jabbed.

She picked at her food and took a few more bites.

I did the same, trying to dismiss the tense conversation.

“Griffin, my husband is the best man I know. I know you’re angry, but I hope you can see that eventually.”

Sometimes Crow said things that changed my opinion about him, like stepping up in his son’s place—twice. He loved his kids more than himself. He showed a level of selflessness I couldn’t match. “He has a lot of great qualities. I see the way he talks to Vanessa, the way his eyes soften uniquely for her. He doesn’t show that look with you. I listen to his tone change, addressing her in a way he doesn’t with anyone else. I saw the way he stepped into combat, knowing he would be shot down just for the slim possibility of saving his son. I see the special way he looks at you, the way he constantly places himself in front of you whenever he feels threatened. You’re right. He’s a selfless man who always puts his family before himself. And anytime his family is threatened…he turns into a different person. He viewed me as a threat to his daughter, and the second that happened, his entire life became dedicated to her protection. I understand.”

“Then could you let this go?” she asked quietly. “Leave it in the past?”

It wasn’t that long ago I was in mortal agony. It was just a couple months ago when I was drinking myself into a stupor. I’d never known that kind of depression, not even when I was living on the streets as a young boy. “She almost ended up with someone else. If he was just some guy she was fucking to stop thinking about me, I wouldn’t have cared.” I didn’t care about censoring myself. When I first introduced myself to the Barsettis, I was transparent about who I was. I was myself—completely. “But she had a connection with that guy. They shared artwork. They bought each other’s paintings. That guy was the biggest threat I’d ever come across. That wouldn’t have happened if Crow hadn’t taken Vanessa away from me.” I stared at my food and kept eating.

She set her fork down. “I understand that, Griffin. But even if she got together with him, it wouldn’t have changed her feelings for you. You could have walked back into her life at any moment, and she would have left him for you.”

“Or even worse, I never could have walked back into her life. If Conway hadn’t pissed off the Skull Kings, none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t have taken that bullet in my shoulder, and we wouldn’t be sitting here right now. If the opportunity to prove myself hadn’t arisen, none of this would be possible.”

Pearl said nothing, knowing there was nothing she could add.

“I came to the winery every day, I gave your husband a loaded shotgun with my hands cuffed to a chair, and I put up with his bullshit for months trying to prove myself to him. But we both know he never really gave me a chance. It didn’t matter what I did, Crow was going to have the same answer. Only when I was willing to die for the Barsettis did he think that was good enough. It forced his hand. And trust me, I don’t believe in soul mates or any of that bullshit. But I know Vanessa is the only woman I could ever love. She’s it.” I placed my hand over my heart. “How easy could it have been for me to lose her for good? That’s why I don’t forgive him. That’s why I don’t like him.”

Pearl watched me, her blue eyes showing her sadness. She didn’t challenge me or try to change my mind. After the speech I’d just made, there was little she could do to turn it around. “If that’s the case, why have you forgiven me? I was blinded by my hatred as much as he was.”

Crow was the operator of the family, the man who made all the final decisions. He had a lot more power, control over everything. But if she really wanted to, she could have changed his mind before things got so bad. She didn’t insult me the way Crow did, but she didn’t defend me either. I was gentler on her for a reason. “Because you remind me of my mother.”

The second I stepped through the door, Vanessa was all over me.

She jumped into my arms without giving me any notice, completely naked and ready for me. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and her ankles locked together around my waist as she sealed her mouth over mine.

Fuck, this was nice.

My arms scooped under her thighs and ass, and I held her in the doorway, taking her sexy tongue and giving her my own. “Jesus Christ, you missed me.”

“Yes.” She breathed against my mouth, her eyes wild. “And I’m pissed.”

“Good. I love it when you’re pissed.” I carried her down the hallway and into our bedroom.

She slapped me across the face then kissed me again.

Shit, she was driving me crazy.

I dropped her on the bed and pushed off my jeans and boxers. My cock sprang free, hard the second she jumped into my arms.

She turned on her hands and knees and looked at me over her shoulder, her slick pussy staring at me too.

I didn’t bother taking off my shirt before my knees dropped and hit the mattress. My head aimed right for her opening on its own, and I slid inside her, pushing through the arousal she’d released before I walked in the door. I moved all the way inside until my balls were pressed right against her body.

I grabbed both of her wrists and pulled them from under her body, making her face shift forward and hit the sheets. Her ass moved higher in the air, and I gripped the back of her neck so I could keep her in place. My other hand pinned her wrists together against her lower back, treating her like a prisoner rather than the woman I loved. “Still pissed at me, baby?” I thrust into her hard, hitting her with deep thrusts that smacked right against her body.

She groaned as she shifted forward. “God…”

“I asked you a question.” I fucked her harder, pounding into her pussy.

She breathed against the sheets, her hair stretched out around her. “No…”

“That’s what I thought.”