by Penelope Sky
“Okay.”
I turned back to my father, shocked by the single word he’d just uttered. I had to stare at him to make sure I’d really heard it, that it wasn’t a dream I fabricated myself. “Really…?”
He nodded. “Really.”
Carmen sat across from me at the restaurant, her high cheekbones amplified by the blush that outlined her feminine facial features. Tall and thin, she had luscious brown hair like her mother’s. She had Barsetti olive skin and startling green eyes. She was model material, but she never seemed interested in the runway despite her connections. “This might tick you off a little bit, but I have to say it. Your man is h-o-t. Yes, I had to spell out each letter to get my point across.” She had an iced tea in front of her along with a slice of bread she hadn’t touched.
I wasn’t mad at all. Carmen was my friend and my cousin. She would never stab me in the back or try to cross the line. “I know he is. He’s a very gorgeous man.”
“Where the hell did you find him? I never meet guys like that. Was he at the military tank store?”
I chuckled. “He found me. And I’ve never met a man like him before either. Makes every other guy look like a boy in comparison…” And not just because he told me that. He proved it, time and time again.
“I’ve met a lot of boys too,” she said with a sigh. “They don’t know what they want…how to handle a woman…how to please a woman.” She rolled her eyes. “Most of them are all talk, and when it gets down to the action, they don’t know what the hell they’re doing.”
“Haven’t had much luck in the dating world, then?”
“Did my bitterness not give you a clue?” she asked sarcastically. “I haven’t come close to finding the right guy. And even if I did, I’m not sure any of them would be brave enough to face my father. My father is like a wild animal that can’t be tamed by anyone but my mother. Impulsive, angry, and ridiculous, he can’t stay calm for anything. If I even mentioned a guy, he wanted to interrogate him and his entire family. I know your father is protective of you…but my father is at a whole new level.”
“Yeah…I picked up on that.”
“Nothing would make my father happier than committing me to a nunnery,” she said with a chuckle.
“I doubt that. He wants grandkids.”
“I think he would prefer it if I were alone rather than for me to have children.” She stirred her drink with her straw before she took a sip. “Bones handled my father pretty well. My father was a dick to him, but he never retaliated.”
“He can control his temper…sometimes.”
“I think if he’s willing to go through all of this for you, then he must really love you. And if he really loves you, I don’t think the past matters. I hope our family sees it that way after a while.”
Carmen was the only Barsetti who didn’t hate Bones. Sapphire didn’t hate him either, but since her fiancé did, she couldn’t be openly supportive. My cousin was all I had. “I talked to my father this morning…and he said he accepted him.”
“Really?” she asked in surprise. “What changed his mind?”
“I don’t know. I pretty much demanded for him to accept Bones…so maybe that was it.”
“It’s been six weeks,” she said. “They should have made up their mind a long time ago. Griffin must be relieved.”
I had no way to contact him, so he didn’t have a clue. “He doesn’t know.”
“Why haven’t you told him?”
“He’s in the field right now. He’s unreachable.” I was happy my father finally said yes, but my happiness was masked by my fear. If Griffin didn’t come home, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. He was my whole life. Every moment that he wasn’t beside me was torture. If anyone ever hurt him, I’d grab every gun I could find and hunt down his killers.
“For how long?”
I shrugged. “Until he decides to call.”
Carmen gave me a sad look. “That’s pretty scary.”
“I hate it. I hate it so much. He told me he would stop if I asked…but he asked me not to ask. But I don’t think I can do this again. When he gets back, I’m going to tell him I can’t handle it anymore. It’s too painful.”
“I think that’s reasonable. My mom would never allow my father to do that.”
“My mom wouldn’t either. It’s a sacrifice he has to make…and I know he’ll make it.”
“When do you think he’ll be back?”
“A few days,” I whispered. “I hope it’s less. I’m staying with my parents in the meantime.”
“Well, he’ll be thrilled when he gets back. Finally having your parents’ permission will be a relief to him.”
Yes, it would be. He battled his frustrations and took my father’s insults in stride, even though he would have killed anyone else who disrespected him like that. Bones was a hard man, and violence was the only solution he could conceive of. But he put aside his rage and focused on winning me—even though he had to swallow so much bullshit in the process. “Yeah, it will. He’ll finally realize it was all worth it.”
“Babe.” She placed her hand on mine. “Even if your parent said no, he would still think it was worth it.”
I smiled at her, knowing she was right.
“I hope one day I find a man who will battle hell for me, the way he does for you.”
“You will, Carmen. And you’ll meet him when you least expect it.”
It was nice to be home again, in the place that harbored so many wonderful childhood memories. The three-story mansion was too big for the four of us, but it somehow felt like the perfect size when we all lived there.
I was back in my old room, my clothes and necessities with me. My queen-size bed seemed too big for me alone. Without Bones beside me, that bed would never be comfortable. I slept in it for so many years, but now it didn’t feel the way it used to.
Now my bed was Bones. His chest, his stomach, his entire physique was my mattress.
I kept looking at my phone, hoping to see a call or text message. It was stupid to expect anything, especially since Bones never contacted me when he was on his missions. This time wouldn’t be any different. I would just have to wait it out.
My phone started to ring, but it was a number I didn’t recognize. I answered it, just in case it was him. “Hello?”
“Hey, Vanessa. How are you?”
The masculine voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t figure out how I recognized it. “Fine…who is this?”
“You’re kidding me, right?” he asked, slightly angry. “I’ve called you before. You didn’t think I was important enough to be added to your contacts?”
After listening to a few more words, I figured it out. “Max?”
“Yes. Took you long enough.”
“Sorry. I’ll add it this time. Did you need something?”
“No. I’m calling to see if you need anything. It’s my job, remember? I know you’re staying with your parents, but I wanted to check in anyway.”
“How did you know that?”
“Bones told me before he left. And I’ve got your tracker location…”
I didn’t mind that Bones had that information, but it felt weird when someone else had it. “Good to know.”
“So, let me know if you need anything. I can get to you in two hours if you ever need it.”
“I’m not going to need anything, Max. But thanks for offering. By chance…have you talked to him?” He’d only been gone a day, but it felt like a lifetime.
“I just got off the phone with him. He landed in Sydney.”
“Oh…how long do you think it’ll be before he comes home?”
“Anxious, huh?” he asked with a chuckle. “You remind me of Cynthia.”
“I take that as a compliment.” I would worry about Bones until he returned, until I could see him in one piece.
“The job is pretty simple. He could be on the flight back in two days. The man needs to sleep.”
“Will you check in with him again?
”
“I will pretty often, actually. Why?”
“Could you tell him I love him?” He already knew how I felt. I said it when he left, tears streaming down my face. I didn’t need to say it now, but I wanted Bones to understand I was thinking about him every moment until he returned.
Max didn’t tease me for it. “Yeah, sure.”
“Also, tell him he better get back to me in one piece…otherwise, I’ll shoot him again.”
Max chuckled. “There’s the woman he fell so hard for. I’ll be sure to tell him.” He hung up.
I went downstairs and joined my family for dinner. Lars made chicken piccata, salad, and fresh bread. I sat on one side of the dining table while they sat on the other. My father was dressed down in a gray t-shirt and black sweatpants that hung low on his hips. In some places, his skin hinted at his age, but his youthful physique made him seem fifteen years younger. Mom was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, what she usually wore around the house.
My father and I hadn’t talked since our conversation that morning in his office. It was quiet when I sat down, and we started eating without saying a word to each other. My mom didn’t even say anything, and she was the one always trying to make small talk.
“Thanks for letting me stay here.” I had to say something to break the silence, to interrupt the awkwardness that settled between us. While this place felt like home, I knew this was their domain now. I’d moved out of the house years ago and started my own life, so my childhood bedroom wasn’t mine anymore.
“You don’t need to thank us, sweetheart,” Mom said. “This will always be your home. Stay as long as you want.”
“Stay forever,” my father said. “We wouldn’t care in the least.”
“Be careful what you say,” I teased. “This place is pretty big. I could raise a whole family on the second floor, and you wouldn’t even know they were there.”
“You know how much I want grandkids, so that’s fine with me,” Mom said. “I would never say this to Conway, but I wish they’d decided to move closer so I could see my grandbaby more often. Milan is just so far away. If we didn’t have our winery, we would have left a long time ago to be closer to you two.”
“Well, Griffin and I will be here. I don’t know about kids right now…but eventually.”
My father kept eating despite what I said, but my mother stilled at my words. “You guys intend to move here permanently?”
“He knows that’s what I want.”
“And did he agree to give it to you?” Mom asked.
I nodded. “He knows how important you are to me. I loved living in Milan, but ever since I’ve been here, I haven’t missed it. Florence is close by, so I could open my gallery there. In the wintertime, we’ll probably go to Lake Garda because that’s where Griffin likes to spend his winters. But the rest of the time, we can be here.”
Whether my mom liked Griffin or not, having me close by would make her dreams come true. She wanted both Conway and me to be right down the road, but just having one of us would be enough. “Your father told me about your conversation this morning…”
“I assumed so. Does that mean you’re on board too?”
My father drank his wine and watched the two of us, being an observer of the conversation rather than a participant. He’d already said everything he needed to say, and now my mom was the last one to accept the circumstances.
“I trust your father’s instincts,” she said. “If he accepts him, then I can accept him too.”
The moment was so bittersweet I wasn’t sure if I could handle it. It took so much work to get to this moment, and it finally happened. I only wish Bones were there to see it. “Thank you…it means a lot to me.”
“But it’ll take a long time for us to trust him,” Mom said. “He’s welcome in our home and at the winery, and we’ll do our best to be kind and respectful. But prejudices like ours don’t just disappear. It takes a very long time for serious change to happen.”
“That’s fine,” I said quickly. “That’s more than enough. Take your time. Get to know him. Take five years if you need it. I know it’ll happen eventually, that you’ll love him like a son someday. You’ll love him the way you love Sapphire.”
“We spoke to your uncle about it,” my father said. “He’ll behave himself…as best he can.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. “I know that must have been hard for him.”
“The Barsettis are very stubborn and unforgiving,” my father said. “But we also love fiercely. We love you more than words can say…and we’re willing to do anything to make you happy.” He grabbed his wine again and took another drink, his eyes on me. “I just hope you understand the gravity of the situation, the enormous sacrifice we’ve made for you.”
“I do…” Tears almost built up in my eyes, but I made sure they stayed back. “What made you change your mind?” I thought my father would be even more stubborn once Bones was on his mission. I assumed it would make him angry, and he would only hate Bones even more.
My father stared at me for a long time, his gaze more intense than any words he could say. “Seeing how heartbroken you are when he’s gone. If he didn’t come back, I know how devastated you would be. If you love this man that much, I’m not going to keep him from you. Your mother doesn’t want to either.”
The air filled my lungs, full of relief and gratitude. My parents may not like the man I’d chosen, but they respected the love I had for him. They loved me enough that they wanted me to be happy, even if my partner was their last choice. “Thank you…for being so understanding. I know this has been hard for you, for all of us. But I promise you that you won’t regret it.”
“I hope not, sweetheart,” Mom said. “He’s been helpful around the winery, put up with your father and uncle, and apologized to me for what his father did. And he’s been honest since the beginning.”
“Which I respect,” my father added. “I respect a man who doesn’t lie, even when the truth makes him despicable. He’s never pretended to be something that he’s not. Because of that reason, I’m willing to give him a chance. He and I aren’t that different, unfortunately.”
“I know you’ll love him…in time,” I said.
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell him what your mother and I have agreed on,” Father said. “I’d like to talk to him first.”
It wouldn’t be hard for me to keep that bottled inside since I couldn’t talk to him anyway. “Okay. I hope that conversation ends with a handshake.” Carmen was the only member of my family who had offered him the courtesy. Everyone else treated him like a criminal the day he set foot in our lives. I knew a handshake from my father would mean a lot to Bones after all the sacrifices he made.
My father didn’t give any indication that it would. “We’ll see.”
Ten
Bones
It was a clean shot.
The bullet pierced the skull and exploded out the other end. The target was dead before he hit the ground. The hit took place in his hotel room, where he was waiting for his escort to show up. With a wife and two kids waiting at home, I thought killing him at this specific time would lessen the blow to his wife.
He was a pig. Now she could take his money and move on.
I finished the job and headed to my hotel. My flight didn’t leave for six hours, and I hadn’t slept since I’d arrived. I’d been too busy staking out the place and finding the perfect position to place the rifle. I also had to meet our guy here to collect the guns and ammunition I needed for the hit.
I was constantly on the go.
When I walked into my room, which had been screened for cameras and microphones, I made the call to Max. “It’s done.”
“Where are you now?”
“In the room. I have six hours to kill before the flight. Thought I would get some sleep.”
“You can fall asleep that quickly after killing someone?”
I never felt remorse for the things I did. My target was known for his fortune
in jewelry, but the public didn’t know they he had starving kids searching for diamonds in the most dangerous situations. Sometimes they made a few pennies for the day. He was a proponent of slave labor, pocketing millions in profit. Disgusting. “Yes.”
Max didn’t make another comment on the matter. “I think you should head to the airport now.”
“Why?”
“I’ve already detected a lot of communications. His men are talking about him, and the police are looking for the killer because of his presence as a public figure. His brother is the one leading the hunt, and judging by their closeness, he’s going to grab every lead he can find. If I were you, I wouldn’t take any chances, not when you have a woman waiting for you.”
“Is the threat that serious?”
“As far as I can tell, they have no idea who’s behind it. But like I said, don’t take the chance.”
I hadn’t slept in so long that I almost didn’t care. But the mention of Vanessa, the woman who cried as she said goodbye, was heavy on my heart. I owed it to her to be overly cautious. If I died, she would die too. “Alright. I’ll leave now.” I grabbed my bag again and prepared to walk out.
“I checked on Vanessa the other day. Nothing to report. But she wanted me to pass on a message to you.”
I halted in front of the door, thinking about the woman who filled my dreams. With that dark hair, beautiful skin, and soft-as-a-rose-petal lips, she was all I ever wanted. “What?”
“She said she loves you.”
I already knew that, but the words touched me anyway. She wanted me to know how much she loved me, even if she couldn’t hear me say it back. She was thinking about me every moment we were apart, desperate for me to come home. I told her not to ask me to quit…but knowing I was hurting her this much made me realize how impractical it was. I couldn’t put my woman through this terror every time I left. I couldn’t leave her unguarded while I was gone. She shouldn’t have to stay with her parents because her man wasn’t there to keep her safe. “Anything else?”
“Yeah. She said if you don’t come back to her, she’ll shoot you like she did last time.”