I pulled up to the winery and headed into Crow’s office. I had a pile of paperwork for him to sign, and faxing or sending delicate information over the internet was a stupid idea. I ignored his assistant and walked inside.

Crow didn’t seem like he was doing anything anyway. The back of his chair was to the door as he looked out the large window directly behind his desk. His phone was in his hand, but he wasn’t using it. He propped his chin on his fingertips and stared outside blankly.

“When are you not moody?” I dropped into the chair facing his desk and slid the folder across the mahogany wood. “Every time I see you, you’re staring out the window like a lost puppy waiting for his master to come home.”

Crow didn’t turn around. “My wife is outside picking grapes. I enjoy watching her.”

“She is?” I walked around his desk and followed his gaze. Adelina was out there with her. They both had baskets as they moved through the rows and picked the thick purple grapes from the leaves. Sweat coated their foreheads, but they smiled as they carried on a conversation.

Now I understood Crow’s fascination. It really was entertaining. I liked the way Adelina’s top hugged her body. It was tight against her tits, the ones I’d just fucked the other day. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore black jeans that were covered with dust from the earth. Adelina had a great form, and I enjoyed watching her move. “I see what you mean.”

“Adelina enjoys spending her days here. I can tell.” Crow’s fingertips rested over his mouth. “And I can tell Pearl enjoys having her around. She wants someone to talk to besides me.”

“No surprise there.”

He shot me a quick look of menace. “What do you want, Cane?”

“Work bullshit.” I walked back to the chair facing his desk. “Just need you to sign a few things.”

He opened the folder and looked through the papers, always checking everything before he signed anything, and then pushed the folder back toward me. “We’re finished here.”

“Was that your asshole way of excusing me?”

“No. If I were excusing you, I would just tell you to get out. That brings me to my next point…get out.”

I purposely stayed in the chair just to be a smartass.

Crow didn’t seem surprised, as if he was expecting the reaction. “What’s going on at the base?”

“Same old shit. You know the drill.”

“Any new clients since we released our new line?”

“Not yet. But it’s not like our prices are reasonable.”

“If they want the best, they have to pay for it. Heard anything about Rome?”

“No, still seems fairly quiet. But it’s only a matter of time before our next competitor takes Bones’s place.”

“I wonder who it’s going to be.”

“It could be us,” I suggested.

“We’ve had competition before, and it’s never affected us.”

I’d always be ambitious, wanting to move to the next level. Crow had his own business, so that probably explained why he didn’t necessarily crave more. His vineyards produced some of the best wines in all of Italy. A single bottle was worth several hundred dollars. But I didn’t know shit about anything besides weapons, so my business opportunities were limited. “But now that Bones is gone, why don’t we take his place? Why don’t we become the number one business in the world?”

When Crow realized I was being serious, he looked at me with his typically dark gaze. “Do you understand how much work that would be?”

“Yeah. So what?” I’d need a distraction once Adelina was gone.

“And how much work it would take to maintain the position? Other men are going to want what we have. We’d constantly have to fight their opposition to maintain order. Right now, we’re an independent business with a respectable reputation. Bones didn’t even try to overrun us because there was enough work for everyone. But if we do this…we’re asking for trouble.”

“And you aren’t cut out for trouble?” My brother had never been scared of anything. I’d seen him play Russian roulette and pull the trigger every time. He hardly blinked, barely took a breath during the entire round. When one of the men blew his brains out, Crow poured himself a drink like it never happened at all.

“Not anymore. You know that.”

“Because of her?” I nodded out the window.

“Yes,” he said coldly. “Her. She’s going to want to have children soon.”

“She said that?”

“Not exactly. But I know it’s on her mind.”

“And you want to have kids?” I couldn’t picture Crow as a father.

He shrugged. “I haven’t given it much thought, honestly. Having a family was never something I wanted. But then again, I never wanted to be married…and look where I ended up.” A slight smile tugged at his lips. “Whether we have kids or not, I’m not interested in getting deeper into the criminal lifestyle. I’m not always going to be around, Cane.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He was as strong as an ox. Nothing could take him down.

“One day, I’m going to retire from the business. It might be sooner than you think.”

“Bullshit.”

Crow gave a nod.

“Why the hell would you do that?”

“I already told you why.” He nodded out the window again.

“Then what are you going to do all day?” I asked incredulously.

“Run my winery. Become an honest man.”

“Our blood money paid for this place,” I reminded him.

“And this place cleaned all that money,” he countered. “If you ever settle down someday, you’ll understand.”

Adelina popped into my mind, and not an image of her tits and her ass. I pictured her lying on my lap as we watched TV on the couch. The blanket was pulled to her shoulders, and her hair stretched across the cushion. Her eyes were growing heavy from fatigue, and I’d have to carry her to bed. I shook the thought away and continued to stare at my brother. “If you’re going to leave anyway, then perhaps I should move forward.”

“It’s way too dangerous, Cane. Don’t you have enough money?”

“I could always use more.”

“Money isn’t everything, and you know that.”

“But it means a lot—and you know that.”

He eyed me across the desk, his gaze calculating. “For the amount of risk you’ll be taking, it’s not worth the reward. Keep what you have. Save lives and time.”

As much as I wanted to move forward, doing it without Crow would make it very difficult. He was the brains and the muscle behind our business, as I was. People feared us since there were two of us—not just one. We were the Barsetti brothers, and people didn’t fuck with us.

“Think about—seriously.” He opened his laptop and touched the trackpad with his fingertips. “If we’re done with the girl talk, I have stuff to do.”

“Fine.” I rose from the chair and excused myself. “I’m gonna kiss my lady and be on my way.”

Crow narrowed his eyes on my face, his expression full of accusation.

I realized what I’d said when it was too late. I shrugged it off like it was intentional and didn’t mean anything. “See you around.” I shut the door behind me and instantly dropped my easygoing expression.

It was a stupid thing to say—and I knew it.

---

I was in my office examining a new weapon when Bran walked inside. I felt the sleek material of the metal, checked the empty barrel, and then tested the center of gravity as I held it in my fingertips. Having a weapon that was powerful was just as important as handling. A gun needed to be light and easy to adjust during difficult times.

It could save your life.

“What’s up?” I asked Bran without looking at him.

“I’ve heard rumors from Rome.”

Now the gun no longer had my attention. I laid the pistol on my desk as I gave him my full attention. “What have you heard?”

“My friend in the city said there’s been stuff going on at Bones’s old compound. One of his henchmen tried to take over, but…they were cleaned out.”

“Cleaned out?”

“Yeah…slaughtered. They didn’t even use guns, only knives.”

That specific detail painted a vivid picture in my head. Only one group of mercenaries preferred blades over guns. They liked to kill silently, in the dark where they couldn’t be seen. No one would even realize the carnage until everyone was dead. “What else did you hear?”

“Nothing else. That’s it.”

Just that afternoon, I’d spoken to my brother about escalating the business, but if these enemies were who I thought they were, the idea wouldn’t pan out. They were a formidable enemy. The only reason I knew that was because I used to be one of them.

The Skull Kings.

---

I wasn’t thrilled about seeing my brother twice in a single day—but I was having shitty luck. I arrived at his house and let myself inside. Lars flashed me a look of annoyance, not appreciating the way I barged inside like I lived there.

“Is the doorbell out of service, Mr. Barsetti?” Lars approached me in his tux, standing upright so rigidly his back was straighter than a board. A black bow tie was perfectly tied around his neck, contrasting against the pearl color of his collared shirt. I’d never seen Lars in regular clothes before. Did he sleep like that?

“No.”

“Then why didn’t you ring it?”

“Because I need to talk to my brother. It’s important.”

“Either way, we’d have to have this conversation, so it didn’t save you any time.” He approached the stairs. “I’ll let His Grace know you’re here. Would you like to wait in the dining room?”

Crow and I usually spoke in private in his office, so there was no point in getting comfortable. “I’ll wait here.”

“Very well.” Lars walked up to the third floor and was gone for nearly ten minutes before he returned.

I should have just called Crow. He probably wouldn’t have answered anyway. When he was home after five, I usually couldn’t get a hold of him. Now that I had a woman at home with me, I understood.

Lars returned. “He’ll meet you in his study. Can I prepare anything for you?”

“I’ll just have some scotch.” I headed up the stairs.

“Of course, Mr. Barsetti.”

I moved to the third floor and got comfortable in his office. Vanessa’s paintings were on the wall because Crow never moved them. He was proud of her artwork even when she was still alive. I stared at the buttons on the canvas for a long time, and I wondered if her artwork had anything to do with his wife’s affectionate nickname.

Crow joined me ten minutes later, when I was on my second drink. “What?”’

“Hi.”

He sat on the couch across from me, clearly pissed that I was bothering him in the evening when he was obviously in bed with his wife. His hair was messy, and not because he just got out of the shower. Pearl had been running her fingers through it no doubt. “What?” he repeated.

“Would I bother you at home unless it was important, asshole?”

Crow grabbed the decanter and poured himself a drink. “Then what’s so important, Cane? If it really were a potential disaster, you would just call me and spit everything out.”

“Not really something I want to say over the phone. Bran told me there’s been stuff going down in Rome.”

When Crow heard that, he straightened noticeably. “What stuff?”

“One of the men working for Bones took over the warehouses. He had all the weapons, so he was in the process of filling Bones’s shoes. But then some group cleaned them out in the middle of the night—slit all their throats.”

Crow was about to grab his drink but chose to steady his hand.

I could read his mind just by looking at him.

“The Skull Kings.”

I gave a slight nod. “I thought they stuck to Greece, but they’ve obviously expanded their borders.”

“Maybe the assassin business is taking a hit.”

“Probably because everyone buys all the protection they need from us—and Bones.”

“So they’re cutting out the middleman…”

“And taking on both roles—the supplier and the militia.”

Crow sat back against the cushions of the couch and widened his knees apart. His eyes moved to the fire as his mind was overrun with endless thoughts. “That’s not good, Cane.”

“No, it’s not.”

“This is exactly what I warned you about.”

“How was I supposed to know they would turn into our competitors?” I asked incredulously. “I haven’t heard from them in seven years.”

“Have you spoken to Constantine in that time?”

“Not once.” Constantine was the leader of the Skull Kings. A ruthless leader with a strong appetite, he killed men without mercy. He took his commission and did exactly as his client ordered. If he were told to torture a woman to death for cheating on her husband, he would do it in a heartbeat. Murder had no meaning when the right amount of money was thrown on the table.

“What do you think his attitude about us will be?”

“No idea. He may not see us as a threat.”

“But he might be ambitious—just like you.”

Constantine was a very ambitious man. He obviously moved into this sector because he saw an opportunity and decided to take it.

“If he turns on us, I’m walking away.”

“Like hell, you are,” I snapped. “We aren’t pussies.”

“It’s not about my pride. I have a wife, in case you’ve forgotten. They know the best way to get me to cooperate is by taking her—unless you forgot what happened to our sister.”

“This business is ours. Our family left it to us.”

“Regimes rise and fall every single day,” Crow countered. “We have more than enough money for the rest of our lives.”

“But nothing to do with our time. You have a winery. This is all I have.”

“Then find a hobby,” Crow snapped. “Find a woman.”

I already had a woman.

“I’m not going to war with Constantine. If Pearl weren’t around, it would be different.”

“She can handle herself.”

He squeezed his glass like he was about to throw it at my face. “Don’t tell me what’s best for her. I’m her husband. I’ll make that decision.”

I couldn’t reason with Crow when he was like this. “You know me. I don’t bow to anyone. I’ll die fighting—always.”

“I’m the same way—if it’s worth dying for. You and Pearl are the only two things I would ever make that sacrifice for.”

I knew he would do anything for me, but I was touched to hear the confession anyway. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves here. For all we know, Constantine just wants Bones’s old business—and nothing more. We ended on good terms. He shouldn’t have any anger toward me.”

“That’s what you think. But you piss off a lot of people, Cane.”

“That’s just you, asshole.”

“No,” he said coldly. “It’s everyone.”

The door cracked open, and Pearl stepped inside. She was dressed in Crow’s clothes, an oversized black t-shirt that reached her knees and gray sweatpants that also belonged to him. They were at least five sizes too big. “I could hear your voices across the hall.” Her hair was tangled from the way Crow must have gripped it earlier. She moved to the couch beside Crow and sat next to him. “What are you talking about?”

Crow shook his head, signaling to me more than to his wife. “Business.”

“Anything I can help with?”

“Not unless you know how to construct weapons,” I said. “We got a shipment in, but everything is defective.”

Crow’s eyes shone in surprise at how easily I lied. But he shouldn’t be surprised. I was a criminal, after all. I lied for a living. I’d even killed people for a living at one point.

“Then why are you here?” she asked. “That sounds like something that could be handled over the phone.”

Despite Crow’s annoyance, he slightly smiled at her intuition.

“Don’t be a brat,” I snapped. “Crow and I have private things to discuss. You don’t need to know everything.” I drank from my glass then set it down.

“I’m a Barsetti. So your discussion includes me.” She poured her own glass and took a long drink, proving she could down liquor like the two of us. “So spit it out.”

“I just did,” I said.

She narrowed her eyes in an infuriating way, but it was a pathetic attempt to intimidate me. “How stupid do you think I am?”

“Pretty stupid.”

She didn’t hesitate before she grabbed the glass and prepared to chuck it at my head.

“Whoa, Button.” Crow snatched the glass away and put it at the other end of the table. “What Cane and I were discussing doesn’t concern you, so drop it.”

Now she flashed her look of hatred on him. “You want me to throw that glass at your head instead?”

“I’d like to see you try.” He said it with a straight face, daring her to defy him.

Pearl was smart and didn’t make a move. She dropped the subject, probably deciding to interrogate him when they were alone. “You seem to like Adelina a lot.”

“She gives me sex,” I said dryly. “Of course I like her.”

Pearl leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees, giving me a straight look that I couldn’t shy away from. “She said you made her breakfast in bed this morning.”

Crow’s accusatory look was back on me.

“Yeah, so?” I demanded. “I made food and brought her the leftovers.”

“You made her pancakes, potatoes, bacon, eggs, coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice,” Pearl snapped. “You made all of that for yourself? Bullshit. You don’t even eat breakfast usually.”

I wanted to snap that slender neck of hers. “I fucked her in the ass last night. I was just trying to make it up to her.”

Pearl didn’t buy that either. “She said you made love in front of the fireplace all night.”

Crow’s eyes narrowed even further.

Fuck. This didn’t make me look good.

“There was no ass-fucking mentioned,” Pearl said. “And that’s because there wasn’t any.”

I’d love to fuck Adelina in the ass, but knowing all the horrible things Tristan did to her made me second-guess all my darker fantasies. She was a virgin before she was raped, and I wanted to show her sex could be good. It could be the most amazing feeling in the world. To use her for my own sick pleasures…was wrong. But if I admitted any of that, I would sound like a fucking pussy. Crow was already suspicious I wouldn’t return her to Tristan. I didn’t want to give him any reason to pressure me.

“Why are you lying, Cane?” Pearl pressed.

“I’m not lying,” I countered. “Why don’t you just mind your own goddamn business?”

“Adelina is my friend. She is my business.”

“No. She’s my slave—not yours.”

If Pearl had a gun, she would have shot me. “She’s not a slave. She’s a person. I would be angrier about this if I didn’t know you were bending over backward to make her happy.”

“I’m not doing anything to make her happy. I don’t give a damn if she’s happy.”

“Then why are you taking her sight-seeing all over Italy?” Pearl asked. “Huh? Why did you take her to Siena the other day? Why did you show her Rome?”

Why the hell was Adelina blurting out every little detail? “I had to run errands there anyway.”

Pearl rolled her eyes. “I’m not buying it.”

Crow rested his fingertips against his temple. “I don’t think I’m buying it either.”

Standing right in the spotlight, I was on display. Crow and Pearl were both looking at me with incriminating gazes. It was getting difficult to hide my affection for Adelina, and not just from them, but from myself as well. “Give me more credit than that. You know I’m not evil. So what if I want to show Adelina a good time? So what if I want to make her happy before she kicks the bucket?”

“I’ve never seen you care about giving someone a good time,” Pearl said.

“You aren’t even nice to Lars when you come over,” Crow said. “And he serves you food.”

“That’s because he doesn’t like me,” I said bitterly.

“Because you tied him up and nearly killed me,” Pearl said. “I was cold and blue on the floor, and you were going to let me die that way. So don’t sit there and say you’re a nice guy who just wants to show her a good time. It’s not in your nature—we both know it.”

Once the shame washed over me, I looked away. I couldn’t look my sister-in-law in the eye when she reminded me of what I did. I’d kicked her around like a dog, stomped on her head, and punched her in the face. She’d forgiven me for it, but I would never forgive myself for the mistake I made.

“The only reason why you’re acting this way is because you actually like this girl,” Pearl said. “Only explanation.”

“She’s been living with me for three weeks,” I said. “It’s kinda hard not to like someone when you’re around them all the time. I think she’s a pretty incredible woman with an amazing spirit. She deserves more than the shitty hand she was dealt. But that’s all…”

Judging from the cold expression Pearl gave me, she didn’t buy it.

My brother didn’t either.

But I shouldn’t care about their opinion. “In a week, I’m returning her to Tristan. And that will be the end of it.”

“You’re really going to hand her over?” Pearl asked incredulously. “You just said she’s an incredible woman.”

“Lots of incredible women die every day.”

“So you’re gonna drop her off, go home, and just go to bed? Sleep all night?” Pearl asked. “You’re gonna be able to live with the guilt of walking away?”

I stared at my palms as I rubbed them together, refusing to meet her look. “We’ve talked about this dozens of times… There’s nothing we can do.”

“But—”

“Crow.” I was already dealing with a million emotions at the moment, and I didn’t need Pearl to remind me of the difficult task I had to face. To not return Adelina would result in a war that we couldn’t win. Now that the Skull Kings could be a potential problem, there was even less I could do for Adelina—other than slip her the cyanide pills.

My brother knew exactly what I was asking for. “Button, drop it.”

Pearl would normally defy him, but she must have decided not to question his tone.

I gave him a slight nod in gratitude. “I should get going. Sorry for disturbing your night.” I finished my drink before I walked to the office door.

Crow followed me out, walking me all the way down the stairs and to the front door. Pearl didn’t come with us, probably because she knew she wasn’t welcome. We stepped outside the front door and to the gravel driveway. My car was still parked exactly where I left it, the valet knowing he wasn’t supposed to touch my things.

“Pearl hit a sore spot, huh?” my brother said. “She tends to do that.”

“I don’t have sore spots.” I unlocked the car with the press of a button.

He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me like he had more to say, but he refused to speak.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I massaged the keys in my hand, needing something to do with my fingers.

“Now that we have the Skull Kings to potentially deal with, you know we have too much on our plate.”

“I said I would return her, Crow.”

“And you better do it, Cane. We can’t fight a war on two fronts.”

“Are you even listening to me?” I snapped. “I said I would take her back like a dozen times.”

“I heard what you said, but it contradicts everything you’re doing. Pearl is right on the money, Cane. You know it.”

“I’m not in love with the woman.”

“Sure seems that way.”

I turned my back on him, sick of the conversation. “I’ll talk to you later, Crow.”

“How about I return her?”

After I opened the car door, I turned around to look at him. “What?”

“If I drop her off, we both know the job will get done. And you don’t need to feel like the bad guy.”

The option was almost tempting. I wouldn’t have to get my hands dirty or see the way Tristian punched her the second she was back in his captivity. But that would do a disservice to Adelina. I could comfort her during the travel. I could embrace her before she had to walk back into the devil’s arms. She felt comfortable with me—trusted me. It was the least I could do. “It has to be me. It’ll be a lot harder for her to go back if I’m not there. Plus, I’m not a coward.”

Crow finally abandoned the argument and walked back into the house. He didn’t say goodbye, dismissing the conversation with his silence. When the door was shut, the bolt clicked into the lock.

I got into my car and drove home.

---

Adelina had already eaten dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. Now she was in the living room on the couch, watching one of the English channels I got off my satellite. It was a rerun of a comedy that was popular in America. She was reading at the same time, the sound of the show just background noise. She looked up when she heard my shoes against the hardwood floor. “How was work?”

After the conversation I’d had with my brother, it really did seem like we were a couple. I didn’t want his words to get to my head, but they already had. “Good. How was your day?”

“Good. I had dinner a few hours ago. But I wrapped up a plate for you and put it in the fridge.”

“Thanks.” I was used to coming home to an empty house without anyone to care about my meals. Having a beautiful woman take the time to consider me felt nice. The last time I had that experience, it was with my mom and Vanessa. When Mom passed away, Vanessa quickly became the matriarch of the family. She made sure Crow and I ate well and took care of ourselves.

We never paid her back for her kindness.

I set my bag on the counter then loosened my gun from the holster. I set it on the table like it was a watch.

Adelina eyed it before she quickly looked away.

“Does it make you uncomfortable?” I opened one of the drawers and placed the gun inside so she wouldn’t have to look at it.

“No…” She turned back to her book. She was in one of my long t-shirts and her panties, lying around the house because she knew I was the only company she would ever have. Her hair was done and so was her makeup, stuff she’d picked up when we went shopping.

“Have you ever handled a gun?”

When she didn’t look up from her magazine, I knew she didn’t want to discuss it. “No.”

I dropped the subject and moved to the couch beside her. She had a glass of wine on the table, so I took a quick drink before I set it down again. I moved into her next, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

She was unresponsive at first, but after the initial contact, she kissed me back. Her soft, plump lips moved with mine, and within no time, her embraces were passionate. She gave me her tongue before I had a chance to give her mine.

It was something I loved coming home to.

My hand moved into the back of her hair, feeling the soft strands that were so nice to touch. I loved pulling on the curtain, but for now, I enjoyed caressing it. I pulled away first then rubbed my nose against hers. The affection was lame, but it came naturally with her.

She looked at me with affection in her gaze, all thoughts of that gun gone. “Why are you home so late?”

“Had a long day. Then I had to stop by Crow’s and talk to him.”

“Hope everything is alright.”

“It’s always alright.” I grabbed her glass again and took another drink. “What did my little chef make me?”

“Nothing fancy. Chicken and vegetables.”

“Sounds fancy to me.” I kissed her on the cheek before I left the couch.

Her eyes followed me as I walked into the kitchen. Even when the door was shut, I could feel her penetrating gaze. I reheated the food in the microwave before I stood at the counter and took a few bites. Home-cooked meals tasted so much better when that beautiful woman made them for me.

I was just about to carry the food into the living room when Adelina walked inside. The light in her eyes had been extinguished, and her soft mouth had dropped into a heavy frown. Even her eyes were slightly glossy.

I knew her better than anyone now, and I knew something was wrong. “Bellissima, what is it?”

She stood at the counter across from me and bowed her head, lowering her gaze to the granite countertop.

I set my fork down as I waited. “Tell me.”

“It’s hard to explain…”

“I’m a pretty smart guy, despite what Crow says. I’ll understand.”

She lifted her gaze again, her eyes shiny. “It’s really nice here. I just realized how much I’ll miss it…”

My heart began to sink.

“Something about you coming home while I’m on the couch…and then I left dinner for you in the fridge. It’s so mundane and meaningless, but it’s so nice at the same time. So comfortable.”

Now I was the one to bow my head.

“I don’t know how to explain it…”

“I know exactly what you mean. I like it too.”

“And not just because I’m used to being a prisoner. This place feels like home…away from home.”

I lost my appetite as I listened to the sound of her pain. I walked around the counter until I was at her side, seeing the tears up close. My arms circled her waist, and I stood behind her, my face resting against the back of her neck. “I’m so sorry, Bellissima. I wish you could stay…”

“Me too.”

I kissed her neck and squeezed her gently.

Her arms covered mine, and she rested her face against my chest, her scent sweeping over me. She was petite in my arms despite the weight she’d gained. She was heavier in the stomach and the thighs, but I loved her curves. I wanted her to be thick, to be prepared before she went back into that hellhole.

I wished I could fatten her up forever.

---

I was pressed between her legs, my arms pinned behind her knees. My hips thrust slowly into her, sliding through her wetness. My eyes were fixated on her, and I slowly made love to her like I wasn’t in a hurry to finish. I didn’t take her roughly from behind. I didn’t tie her up and pin her down. I didn’t fulfill all the dark desires I had deep inside my chest. When it came to this woman, I only wanted to be slow and gentle.

I only wanted to be good to her.

Every time she took a deep breath, her tits swelled upward toward me. Dark and pink, her hard nipples were erect like tiny bullets. She had the plumpest tits, round and firm. I loved kissing them when she was on top of me, giving it to me slow just the way I did with her. Her small hands gripped my biceps, squeezing the powerful muscles as they flexed. I held my heavy body on top of hers easily, my core strong and my frame straight. Every time I moved inside her, I relished how wet and tight she was. It was a slice of heaven, a beautiful place that I got to enjoy exclusively.

Making love was for fools. But I guess I was a fool now.

“Cane…I’m gonna come.” She bit her bottom lip as I pushed myself entirely inside her.

“I know, Bellissima. You always come.”

She panted loudly, her moans escalating into full screams. Her fingers dug into my skin and her thighs tried to come together, but my body wouldn’t allow her to move. She arched her back, her beautiful rack reaching for the sky. More incoherent moans followed, and she screamed my name several times.

Now it was my favorite part. I loved the entire process, from the very beginning to the end, but nothing made me feel more masculine than dumping my desire inside her, stuffing her full of my seed. I gave a few more pumps before I sheathed myself to the hilt and released, giving her all of my come. My forehead pressed to hers, and I moaned. “Bellissima…” This connection was something I craved, something I loved. It felt so good, better than any other lover I’d ever enjoyed.

She grabbed my hips and tugged on me even though there was no more of me to fit. Her eagerness made me enjoy it more. She wanted my come as much as I loved giving it to her.

I pressed a kiss to her forehead before I slowly pulled out, my come shifting to her entrance. My cock slowly softened as it hit the air, still covered in her exquisite juices. I kissed her inner thighs before I walked into the bathroom and hit the shower. I was in a slight daze, not really thinking about anything. Now I was utterly relaxed, satisfied in a carnal way. I stood under the water and closed my eyes.

Adelina joined me a moment later, her beautiful body looking even more amazing when it was wet. Her dark hair stuck to her wet skin, and her makeup immediately smeared as it was washed away. She stood under the water and tilted her head back, letting her hair move down the center of her shoulder blades.

I stared at her, mesmerized even though I’d been staring at her all night. My affection for her had quickly escalated since the first time I set eyes on her. I could have raped her then, but I didn’t. I could have forced her to do what I wanted, but I didn’t. I wasn’t sure if I was truly a good man, or she just made me into one.

In either scenario, I respected her. And I knew she didn’t deserve this. A woman as beautiful and warm as she was didn’t deserve to suffer like this, to appreciate my niceness when I wasn’t even a nice person.

It frustrated me.

I wished there was a solution. I wished there was a way I could save her without risking myself and my family. Now that I had a serious opponent on a different frontier, there was even less I could do for her.

Besides helping her commit suicide.

“What?” She must have noticed that I’d been staring at her for nearly five minutes straight without speaking.

“Just thinking.”

“What are you thinking about?”

Things I’d rather not say. “Nothing that matters.”

“Why don’t I believe that?” She wore a slight smile, teasing me.

I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a solution to this problem, that the Barsetti brothers couldn’t figure out a way to save this innocent woman. I succeeded at whatever I put my mind to. “Have you ever used a gun?”

She flinched at the sudden question, her smile disappearing. “What?”

“Have you ever handled a gun? Like a pistol?”

“Uh…no.” She squirted shampoo into her palm then slowly massaged it into her scalp. “The first time I’d ever seen one was when I was captured…but I’ve never touched one.”

I had an idea—even though it wasn’t great. “What if I taught you?”

“What good would that do?”

“What if I trained you to use one, and when I return you to Tristan, you take one with you? Hidden under your clothes somewhere. Then when you’re inside, when you have the opportunity, shoot him between the eyes.”

“What good would that do? He has twenty men in that complex at all times.”

“Kill as many of them as you can. If you kill them all, you can escape.”

“And Lizzie?”

“Make Tristan tell you exactly where she is. If you have a gun pointed to his skull, he’ll talk.”

She rinsed the shampoo out of her hair with a defeated look in her expression. “Cane, I’m not you. I could never pull that off. You’re sending me back in a week. To pull off secret-agent stuff like that, I’d have to train for months.”

Time definitely wasn’t on our side.

“Even if I kill Tristan, they’re going to kill me anyway. Then I won’t know if Lizzie was ever spared or not. At least if I die of natural causes, they’ll forget about me.”

“Lizzie will suffer anyway, even if she hasn’t been killed.”

Adelina’s eyes filled with sadness.

“I respect your loyalty to her, but I bet she would want you to save yourself.”

“We’re in this together,” she whispered.

“But you shouldn’t be in this together,” I said. “She would want you to run. If Crow and I were in this situation, I would want him to run too. That’s the only victory we would have. I could arrange your escape and make it look legitimate. I could even have Crow shoot me in the arm to make it look credible to Tristan. We could leave traces of your escape so they’ll have a scent to follow—”

“No. I already said no.”

I sighed in frustration. “I just want to help you, Bellissima.”

“I know you do. But you can’t. You’ve done enough.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way.”

“Yes, it does…” She turned around and faced the faucet, hiding her face from me. The water glided down the slender muscles of her back, a few strands of hair clinging to the center of her shoulder blades. “I’ve made my peace with it, Cane. We need to let it go.”

“You told me you don’t want to leave.” My hands moved to her petite shoulders, and I gave them a gentle squeeze. “And honestly…I don’t want you to leave either.”

“But we can’t have what we want. Life isn’t fair. I’m just grateful my life was so wonderful before I was taken. And you’ve been so good to me too.”

My arms circled her waist, and I kissed her shoulder. My kindness was only in her perception. I took her as a bargaining chip, treated her like livestock rather than a human. I pumped her with my come before I sent her back to where she came from. The only true kindness I showed her was hot meals and a place to sleep.

“I have a lot to be grateful for. That’s what makes it so much harder.”

How she could see the good when there was only bad was beyond me. It took a special person to see the light when there was only darkness. “I wish there were something I could do. I’m not just saying that.”

“I know that, Cane.” She slowly turned around and faced me again, still wearing a sad expression but looking a little more optimistic. “Did you get those pills?”

I’d had them for a while, but I didn’t want to mention it. Even now, I didn’t want to say the words out loud. I only gave a slight nod.

“How many do I need?”

“Just one. But I’ll give you a few. Just in case.”

“What will happen?”

The last minutes of her life would be painful. Letting her know the details would only make the wait worse. “Doesn’t matter. When you’re ready, just pop one in and swallow. It’ll be over in less than five minutes.” When I pictured her going through with it, it brought me a profound sense of heartbreak.

She nodded. “Okay…less than five minutes. I can do that.”

A bullet to the brain would be kinder, but she didn’t have that luxury. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Cane. It’s not my fault either.”

“No, it’s not…”

“If anything, I should be thanking you. You’ve been kind to me since the first time we looked at each other. You’ve been a blessing in disguise. A light in all this darkness. Crow and Pearl too. I’m very lucky to have met all of you.”

“No.” I rested my lips against her forehead. “I’m the lucky one.”

---

I sat at my desk at the base when my phone rang.

It didn’t have a name.

It didn’t have a number.

In fact, it didn’t say anything at all. All identification was completely hidden. It wasn’t a person calling at all. It was the kind of screening only someone with something to hide employed.

I didn’t have a clue who I was dealing with.

That didn’t stop me from answering with the same confidence. “Cane Barsetti. What can I do for you?”

A long pause ensued for nearly thirty seconds.

But I wasn’t gonna say another word. I addressed the person casually. I wasn’t going to fall for any more bait.

Finally, something was said. “It’s been a long time, Cane.” Masculine, deep, profound, his voice sounded exactly the same as it used to. I’d been given orders from him enough times not to forget that tone. Constantine still exuded his calm patience, his silent authority. I hadn’t spoken to him in seven years, since the day I left his cult. “How are things in the arms dealership?”

The rumors Bran had heard were true. Constantine wasn’t making his intentions subtle. But that was how he played the game—he didn’t play the game. “No complaints.” I wasn’t going to give away more than I had to. After all, this conversation wasn’t meant to be deep. He would make his point soon enough. “How are things in the skull business?”

“Never better. Wiped out an entire family last night—every single generation. Now they’re just names in a historical book—if anyone cares enough to look them up.”

I hadn’t suspected his ruthlessness changed. If someone paid a high enough price, Constantine would do whatever they asked. He didn’t understand compassion, remorse, anything at all. People said the Barsettis were heartless. We were saints compared to this guy and his crew. “Then you must be tired.”

“Not really. Haven’t gone to sleep yet. You know how the adrenaline is, Cane.”

I joined the Skull Kings a long time ago. I needed the money when I was in debt. I followed orders without asking questions. Once I did my time, I left the organization and never spoke of it to anyone—except Crow. “I remember.”

“Gives you the jitters…but in a good way.”

I sat in silence, waiting for him to make the next move. I knew exactly why he was calling, but I wasn’t going to make any exceptions.

“I’m calling to share my gratitude. Once you and your brother removed Bones, taking over his affairs has been fairly easy. We have a warehouse full of product, schematics of new designs, and a crew of men who are eager for jobs. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t move in when you had the chance.”

I handled my response carefully, but I didn’t take too long to figure out what to say. Pauses were good, but pauses that were too long hinted at incompetence. “My brother and I have all the business we need. No interest in monopolizing the market.”

“You know who says that?”

I waited for the insult.

“Idiots. When there’s money on the table, and you still walk away…that’s idiocy.”

“Money isn’t everything, Constantine.”

“I guess I can see why Crow would say that…since he just took a wife. But what’s your excuse?”

An image of Adelina came into my mind. “I have hobbies, Con. Maybe you should look into getting a few.”

He chuckled into the phone, sounding like a robot. It wasn’t genuine at all. A little terrifying, actually. “All my hobbies are about money—and power.”

“I have all the money and power I need.”

“Is that so?” he asked. “Then you wouldn’t have a problem stepping down and leaving all the business to us, right?”

It was exactly what I feared. I didn’t let the silence stretch on for long. “I think there’s too much business for one person. Your eyes are too big for your stomach, Con. If you eat too much, you’re gonna get sick.”

He chuckled at my analogy. “You were always good with words, Cane. But I was always good with actions.”

Before he could issue some kind of threat, I took control of the conversation. “It would be easy for both of us to overrun the market. Bones did a great job running his business, but even his influence only reached so far. You always need another set of eyes watching your back. You can watch mine, and I can watch yours.”

Constantine chuckled. “You want to do business together.”

“Not together,” I said. “But if I can’t take on a client, I’ll refer him to you. If I know of anyone else who’s dealing, we can take them down together. I understand your confidence, but you’re coming into a brand-new business. I’m the veteran here. You’re just a rookie.”

Silence.

Maybe I’d said too much. “We coexist peacefully. I just killed Bones. I would hate to kill anyone else…” Issuing threats needed to be avoided at all costs, but if I didn’t show strength, he might doubt my power. It was best to remind him that I was a formidable enemy even if he thought he had a greater advantage. Crow was ready to fold the second things got difficult, but I didn’t want to take that route. This business was all I had. I could retire and spend the rest of my life drinking wine. But I needed something to get me out of bed every morning. I wouldn’t have a wife, so I needed something else.

“I would hate to kill someone too, Cane,” Constantine finally said. “Especially someone I actually like…”