by Penelope Sky
“But what about work?”
“I don’t have to be in Milan. If I get called out for a mission, I’ll fly out of Florence.”
“Where would we live?”
“I’m sure we could rent a house nearby.”
She moved her hand to my chest, a touched expression in her eyes. “Well, I would love to do that, but I don’t want to ask you to do something you don’t want to do.”
“You didn’t ask me. I offered.”
“I know, but…”
“This is the only thing I can think of. Unless you have a better idea.”
“I don’t.”
“Then let’s do it.” I didn’t want to be five hours away from home. I didn’t want to see her parents every day while I helped out at their winery. I didn’t want to be insulted and called trash on a daily basis.
But I wanted this woman so damn bad.
Finally, a smile formed on her lips as she moved closer into me. “Thank you.” She wrapped her arm around my neck and kissed me, her soft lips aggressive against mine. “Thank you.”
Vanessa didn’t hear from her parents for the rest of the week, and by the time the following Monday arrived, I’d found a villa for us to rent just a few miles away from the Barsetti mansion. It was a short-term rental and already furnished, and that was perfect for us since this experiment wouldn’t last long.
Even if her parents finally got on board, we wouldn’t live in that rental. We’d return to Milan and my penthouse on the top floor. I liked that building because it gave me all the space I needed, along with privacy and powerful fortifications. In the center of the city, people were always around, so it made it difficult for anyone to touch it. For a man like me, it was the perfect place to live.
But out in the middle of Tuscany, there was nothing. Just soil, fields, and vineyards. The only reason I found it beautiful was because Vanessa incorporated the landscape into most of her paintings. The place was special inside her heart—because it was where she grew up.
We pulled up to the house then explored the inside.
“It’s nice.” Vanessa examined the living room and kitchen, seeing the Tuscan-style furniture that was in the photos online. Her eyes kept moving to the open windows and to the green fields that stretched beyond.
I couldn’t help but hate this place. Wide open with nothing surrounding it, it was like being in a gunfight completely naked. There was no protection or cover. Anyone could approach the property from the front or behind.
Thankfully, this was only for a few months.
Vanessa turned back to me when she picked up on my mood. “You don’t like it.”
I glanced around, not caring about the nice furniture or the big TV on the wall. “Not my style.”
“You might change your mind.”
I was even less likely to do that than her father. The soldier inside me was constantly on the lookout for an attack. I hadn’t told anyone I was coming here, so it would be virtually impossible to find me. Even Max didn’t know what I was up to. “Have you told them?”
“No.”
“Then this is going to be a big surprise.” Her parents would be thrilled Vanessa was close by, but then their happiness would be thwarted by the inked murderer she came with. Despite my handsome features, my overall appearance didn’t aid in my efforts to get them to accept me. I was a terrifying man covered in formidable tattoos. I looked the same on the outside as I did on the inside—like a murderer.
“Yeah…” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But I think they’ll be happy about it…for the most part.”
They would only be happy when I wasn’t in the room. “I’ll unload the truck.”
“I’ll help you.”
“I got it,” I said quickly. “I’ll bring everything in, and you’ll unpack it.”
“Sounds like a good setup.”
After being there for a few days, we finally made our move.
We drove to the winery with her paintings in the bed of the truck. The winery was ten minutes away, and the entire drive was spent with a scenic view. Spring had infiltrated the land, and the bright sun cast the fields in a golden hue.
Vanessa could hardly sit still because she was both nervous and excited.
We pulled down the windy road toward the entryway of the winery, cobblestone making up the Tuscan-style buildings. The land was full of flowers and trees with the iconic look of an Italian winery. Past the buildings was the rest of the property, vineyards that stretched out endlessly in the distance.
I parked the truck and killed the engine.
A black sports car was parked beside us. A flashy car wasn’t Crow’s style, so I assumed it belonged to his brother. I hadn’t interacted with Cane much since I first came to the house, but I suspected he hated me as much as his brother did.
Vanessa stared at the view outside the window, infatuated by the place she’d spent her childhood. Ever since we came to Tuscany, her eyes lit up a little more than usual. Being home made her undeniably happy. I was surprised she ever left in the first place.
“Ready?”
She nodded before she got out of the truck. She came around to my side then grabbed my hand as she headed to the entrance.
I dropped her hand, giving her a slight shake of my head. Her father didn’t like it when I called her baby, so he definitely wasn’t going to like watching me hold her hand. It would irritate him, so it was best not to do it.
We walked down the hallway and met Crow’s assistant, an older woman who looked like she was approaching retirement. She let us go to Crow’s office without warning him, knowing Crow would want to see his daughter no matter what he was doing.
Vanessa tapped her knuckles on the door before she opened it. “Hey, are you busy right now?”
Crow sat behind his desk, his hands pressed together with his fingers resting against his lips. A glass of scotch was in front of him. Cane was there too, drinking with him, probably discussing their mutual hatred for me. But the second Crow laid eyes on his daughter, he lowered his hands, and like I wasn’t standing right behind her, the affectionate glow entered his face. As if time had stopped, she was the only thing in the world that mattered to him. “No. Tesoro, I’m never busy when it comes to you.” He rose to his feet and came around the desk to hug her. He wrapped his thick arms around her and squeezed, his chin resting on her head. Fatherly love was in his eyes, and even though she was a grown woman, he still held her like she was a child. “I’m always happy to see you.”
Cane stood up next and smiled at her. “Hey, sweetheart.” He hugged her next, his affection matching his brother’s. “What a nice surprise. I’m tired of doing all the work around here.”
Crow looked at me next, and all the joy drained from his face instantly. I was the storm in summer, the hurricane that would destroy his whole life. I was nothing but a nuisance to him, the evil that couldn’t be defeated. I’d seen that look of hatred in every man I killed, but none of them hated me as much as he did—even though I’d claimed their lives.
Cane stared at me just as coldly, like he couldn’t stand the sight of me.
I wasn’t intimidated by either one of them, but my faith in this plan started to disappear. “It’s nice to see you both.” I could say nothing else, but something needed to be said to break the tension.
“It’d be a lot nicer if you were dead.” Cane was a lot more aggressive than his brother, thinking emotionally rather than logically. He was both loyal to his brother and protective of his niece, so he wanted nothing more than to cause me pain.
“Uncle Cane.” Vanessa stared at him with sheer disappointment. “Don’t say that to him.”
“Why?” Cane kept his eyes on me. “I mean it.”
Crow didn’t intervene, letting his brother say whatever he wanted.
His insult didn’t mean anything to me. I was bulletproof, so words bounced off even better than actual bullets.
“I mean it too,” Vanessa hissed. “He’s done nothing but w
ork his ass off—”
“And before he was doing that, he was working his ass off to kill us,” Cane snapped. “So yes, I wish he were dead. I wish he were dead because a piece of trash like this asshole doesn’t deserve you.” He turned to her, his eyes full of anger.
Vanessa was turning red in the face, about to explode. “I’m sick of this. I’m tired of you talking to him that way. In the beginning, I understood. But it’s been almost a month, and you’re still treating him like dirt.”
“He is dirt,” Cane snapped. “I’d spit on him right now if you wouldn’t throw a tantrum about it.”
Crow watched me without blinking, as if I might lose my temper and strike his brother.
If I laid a hand on either one of them, I would never be able to take it back. I had to absorb their rage and keep a stoic face at the same time.
“I mean it.” Vanessa moved in front of me, placing her petite frame between them and me like that would do anything. “Father, you told me you would try. Keep talking to him like that, and I’ll walk out. If you won’t hold up your end of the deal, I won’t hold up mine.”
Crow finally looked at his daughter again, a slight hint of panic in his eyes.
“I didn’t make any deal,” Cane said. “So if I want to do this—” He pulled his hand back and slugged me hard in the face, throwing as much force behind it as he could. “I will.”
I knew it was coming, but I didn’t stop it, letting his fist hit me in the nose and eye. I hardly turned with the punch and didn’t react at all, proving that I was stronger than both of them combined.
Vanessa covered her mouth and shrieked. “Oh my god!”
I turned back to Cane, my jaw clenched with anger, not pain. “That the best you got?”
Cane’s eyes narrowed, and he pulled his arm back again.
“Hit me as many times as you want.” I was letting my temper get the best of me, but I couldn’t control it anymore. “You’re going to do more damage to your fist than you are to my face. I’m harder than stone, harder than anything you can throw at me. So if you want to break your hand against my face, be my fucking guest.”
Cane punched me again, hitting me in the jaw.
I didn’t react again, proving he didn’t have any power over me.
“Stop it!” Tears flooded her eyes, and she pressed herself against me, her hands cupping my face to check my injuries. “I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”
I grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her hands from my face, my eyes on Cane and not her. “You’re hurting her, not me.”
That seemed to mean something to Cane, because he lowered his hand.
Vanessa turned back to her uncle. “Don’t do that ever again. I mean it. I’ll cover him with my body if I have to.”
Cane kept his eyes on me. “I’ll kill this fucking asshole—”
“Cane.” Crow silenced him with just his name. “I hate him too, but no more.”
I knew he didn’t intervene for Cane or me. He did it for Vanessa, who was still on the verge of tears.
Vanessa turned back to me and buried her face in my chest, her arms hugging my torso. She breathed against me, doing her best to control the emotions that were chaotic inside her heart. She knew I was fine, that I could take pain far worse than this, but letting me be treated this way was killing her. It broke her heart to see her family hate me so viciously, attack me so ruthlessly.
I hated listening to her cry. It killed me. I used to be indifferent to it, but when she was in pain, I was in pain. My hand moved under the fall of her hair, and I cradled her against me. “Baby, it’s alright.”
“No, it’s not…” She sniffed against me then walked out of the room, unable to look at any of us anymore.
I stayed behind, watching both men immediately look guilty for what had just happened. They didn’t give a damn about me, but they felt like shit for hurting Vanessa. Cane clenched his jaw and sighed. Crow crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the desk.
I didn’t wait for an apology or some form of reconciliation. “Vanessa and I rented a villa a few miles away from you. She wants to be closer to you, and I’d like to help out around here. I don’t know shit about wine, but I can move heavy stuff.”
Crow couldn’t stop himself from raising his right eyebrow. “You moved here?”
“Not permanently,” I said. “She just wants to be close to you for a while. Spend more time with you. And I’d like to get to know you better. Or better yet, let you get to know me. Give me something to do around here, or I’ll find something.”
“Didn’t realize you were an ass-kisser,” Cane spat.
If he were anyone else, he’d be on the floor choking on his own blood. “You took your wife from Tristan and made her sleep with you so she wouldn’t have to go back to the man who beat and hurt her.”
The second I mentioned his wife, Cane’s eyes narrowed.
“Now she’s your wife, and your in-laws live right down the road. Both of you are acting like you’re better than me, but we’re exactly the same. We’re equals. So get off your fucking high horse and take a look in the mirror. We’re all murderers and criminals here.”
“But Vanessa is not your equal,” Crow said. “She’s not our equal either. She’s above all of us.”
I didn’t have an argument against that. “If putting up with your bullshit makes me an ass-kisser, that’s fine with me. I’m only here for Vanessa. I’ve come to terms with the fact that you’ll never like me, but don’t expect that to hurt my feelings. I’ll do anything to make this work for her, even withstand your punches and ridicule. For the last month, all you’ve done is disrespect me, insult me, and now hit me. It’s not gonna scare me off. Nothing is going to scare me off. I’m unbreakable and untouchable. I’m stronger than both of you combined. I’ve killed members of the mafia and even the leaders of small countries. This is child’s play for me. I can handle anything you throw at me. So maybe you should stop with the strong-arm tactics and just try to see the way I love her. Because that’s all that matters—that I’m in love with Vanessa and I would lay down my life for her. You would do the same for your wives. We’re the same. Like it or not—we’re the same.”
Four
Vanessa
I sat on the cobblestone patio with the uninterrupted view of the vineyards. I snatched a bottle of wine out of the cellar and enjoyed it alone, sitting in the sunlight as the breeze moved through my hair.
It kept getting worse. Now they were hitting Bones.
I knew this would be difficult, but damn, this was ridiculous.
Footsteps sounded behind me, but I didn’t turn around to see who it was. If they thought they were getting some of my wine, they were wrong. My hand tightened on the neck of the bottle, claiming it as my own poison.
My father pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.
He didn’t throw the punch, but I was still angry with him.
Uncle Cane came next, falling into the chair beside me.
I ignored them both, being ice-cold. I kept drinking, my sunglasses covering my swollen eyes. Bones could take any hit, but it still broke my heart to see my family treat him that way. He didn’t deserve it.
My father sighed. “Vanessa—”
“Don’t say you’re trying because you aren’t trying,” I snapped. “We moved here, and Griffin is willing to spend more time with you at the winery. He’s willing to do anything to make this work, even let you punch him in the face.” My gaze turned to Uncle Cane. “I’m disappointed in both of you. I know you’re stubborn and prideful, but your minds are so clouded by hatred that you’re continuing a war you could bring to an end. I love this man, and despite everything he’s doing to be accepted by you, you continue to disrespect him—continue to hurt me. I don’t want to hear an apology or an excuse.” I slammed the bottle down and rose out of my seat. “When we come here tomorrow, you will give him work to do around the winery, and I’ll work on my paintings. You will treat him like a human
being, not a punching bag. Do you understand me?” I’d never told off my father or uncle like this before, but they had it coming. Both of my hands went to my hips as I stared at them, my sunglasses blocking my ruthless stare.
My father was quiet.
Uncle Cane stared straight ahead.
“Do you understand me?” I repeated.
My father clenched his jaw before he spoke. “Yes, I understand.”
I turned to Uncle Cane.
He stayed quiet.
“Uncle Cane,” I pressed.
He rubbed the scruff on the side of his face. “Got it.”
“And you will apologize to him.”
Uncle Cane looked at me, his eyes incredulous. “Over my dead body.”
“Cane,” I hissed. “What you did was wrong. He restrained himself for me, but you can’t do the same for me.”
“I’ll never apologize for what I did,” Uncle Cane barked. “But I’ll apologize to you…and make sure it doesn’t happen again. That’s the best I can do.” He faced forward again before he grabbed the bottle and took a drink.
That was good enough for me. “Good.” I snatched the bottle out of his hand and walked away.
“Vanessa.” Uncle Cane turned around in his seat.
“What?” I stopped and turned around, but I didn’t walk back to the table.
“Did you tell him anything about us?” he asked. “About me and your aunt?”
I didn’t know there was anything to tell. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“He knows a lot about me,” Uncle Cane said. “I’m just wondering if he got that information from you.”
Bones told me my uncle was in the Skull Kings and had a criminal background. But he hadn’t said anything more than that. “No. He already knew about both of you when we met. I’ve never shared any personal information about your lives with him…I would never do that.” I turned around again and walked away. Even if they said something else to me, I wouldn’t turn back.
I’d had enough for the day.