by Penelope Sky
I finished my painting and left it on display in the hall to be judged by the other students. I didn’t consider myself a great artist, but I was good enough to convey a story. I sketched out the details of the faces before I added the paint and brought it to life. The image I decided to depict now was my parents working together in the vineyards. Husband and wife, they were a team as they created a living directly from the soil. It depicted Italian culture, Italian pastimes.
Maybe it was stupid to spend money to go to university to pursue a hobby. Becoming a professional painter seemed very unlikely, and if I didn’t believe in myself, why should anyone believe in me? But I didn’t have any other interests. I didn’t want to work in a restaurant, and I didn’t want to go into business like everyone else in my family.
I craved a simple life.
More than likely, I would take over Barsetti Vineyards. But right now, my family didn’t need me. Might as well spend my time exploring my other talents. Besides, I loved living in Milan. It was nothing like Tuscany, but it was a great experience. This time away from my family taught me to appreciate them more.
I left campus and walked to my apartment in the center of town. I lived alone because my parents didn’t want me to have roommates. My father paid my rent and gave me an allowance to spend every month. When I first came to Milan, taking his money didn’t seem strange. But now that I’d been living there for a year, I’d started to hate it.
I didn’t want his money anymore.
That motivated me to make my paintings good enough to sell. If I could make enough money just to cover my expenses, I wouldn’t have to rely on my father’s support.
And I knew that would make him proud.
I walked up to my door and shoved the key inside. But the lock was already undone.
Did I forget to lock it?
It wouldn’t be my first time, so I stepped inside.
My apartment wasn’t big, just a one-bedroom with a small living room and a tiny kitchen. As a single person, it was all I needed.
The second I stepped inside, I noticed something was wrong.
All the lights were off. I always left a few on so I wouldn’t have to step into the darkness once the sun was gone. My eyes fell to the large shape sitting on the couch, the outline of a man’s shadow. I didn’t need to see his face to know he was hard like steel. And I didn’t need to ask why he was there to figure it out. “You know, breaking and entering is against the law.” As a Barsetti, I refused to cower in fear. I’d hold my head high, regardless of the way my life would be taken from me. I was a very proud woman. “And you picked the wrong apartment to rob. I’m a poor-ass college student. I don’t have shit to take.” I flicked on the light beside me, illuminating the living room and kitchen.
The man sitting on the couch was big and ugly. He wore a cold sneer, and his eyes were lit with amusement. His hands were empty of a gun or a knife, but that didn’t downplay his dangerous vibe. Dressed in all black with a scar along his eye, he was the stuff of nightmares. Anyone else would scream their head off.
I didn’t, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t scared.
He released a cold chuckle. “You’re either very stupid or very brave.”
I set my bag on the floor, making it thud against the tile from the weight of the books. “You have to be a little stupid in order to be brave. And you’re forgetting proud. You came in here thinking you could catch me off-balance. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.” I stepped into the kitchen and turned my back to him. I opened the fridge, pretending everything was casual. Anyone else would grab a kitchen knife, but I seemed to be looking for a snack.
Little did he know, I kept my biggest steak knife right on the top shelf.
He rose from the couch and sauntered toward me, an amused expression still on his face. “You really are your father’s daughter—arrogant.”
“You want something to eat or what?” I grabbed the knife and kept it hidden behind the door.
“There’s no one out here looking after you, little girl. So you can drop the tough girl—”
I shut the door and stabbed the knife right into his chest.
His reflexes were astonishingly fast, so he pivoted his body just in time to protect his heart. The blade went into his shoulder, halfway in. He groaned then snatched my wrist and flung me hard onto the ground. “Dumb fucking bitch.” He yanked the knife out and tossed it on the counter, the metal clattering with the sound and spilling blood everywhere.
I hit my head on the floor, but I didn’t let the disorientation slow me down. I climbed to my feet and reached for the glass cookie jar so I could slam it on his head.
“Nope.” He grabbed me by the ankle and dragged me toward him across the floor. “I had no intention of hurting you. But now, you’ve pissed me off.” He pulled his hand back and slapped me hard across the face.
I turned with the hit but refused to show any sign of pain. “You picked the wrong family to fuck with, asshole.”
He kneeled down on top of me, staring at me with his disgusting expression. “No. Your brother shouldn’t have crossed me.”
“And who are you?” I spat on his face. “A real man doesn’t go after the weakest prey. He fights a man his own size.”
“But you aren’t the weakest, sweetheart.” His hand moved to my face, cupping my cheek. “I find you very fascinating.”
I turned my face and bit down hard on his thumb.
He yanked his hand away and slapped me again. “Calm down, bitch. If your brother cooperates, you’re home free.”
“What do you want from him? Money? Who are you?”
“Money?” he asked with a laugh. “No, I don’t give a damn about money. But he took someone that belongs to me…a woman that should be mine. He has to give her back…or I’ll keep you instead.”
The only woman I could possibly think of was Sapphire. “Sapphire?”
“Yep.”
My brother loved her and would never give her up. And she was my friend…so I didn’t want her to hand herself over anyway.
That meant I had to get out of this on my own.
But how?
15
Conway
I walked into the bedroom and dropped my jacket on the ground. Like every other day, I stripped off each piece of clothing and didn’t give a damn where they fell. But once I saw them on the ground, I realized Muse would pick them up.
And I didn’t want her doing anything.
I gathered my clothes again and hung them up so Dante could take them after dinner.
Muse stepped out of the bedroom and into the living room, dressed in a dark blue dress that reached past her knees. She was only a few weeks pregnant, so there was no visible change in her body. But to me, she was already glowing.
“How was work?” she asked.
“Everything is coming together.” My body was starting to return to normal now that I was exercising every day. When it was too cold to swim, I went to the gym and lifted weights. My abs were thicker, and my biceps were stronger. “Nicole thinks you should still be in the show.”
“In a few weeks, I’ll be a month along. It might not be obvious, but I’ll still be a little bigger than I should.”
“Even if you are showing, I think that’s fine. It’d be sexier anyway.”
“Sexy?” she asked. “Men don’t fantasize about pregnant women.”
In the past, I would have said the same, but now that my woman was pregnant, there was something innately sexy about it. Knowing I was the one who knocked her up gave me a new sense of purpose. “I don’t agree with that. I think any man who has a pregnant wife is turned on every time he looks at her.”
“I don’t look pregnant yet, so you don’t know.”
I looked her up and down. “Oh, I know.”
She moved into my body and wrapped her arms around my neck. “So, what are we going to do?”
“It’s up to you. Do you still want to do it? Because you don’t have to if you don’t
want to.”
She tilted her head back to look at me, her eyes lit up as she stared into my face. “Yes, I want to.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I rubbed my nose against hers before I kissed her on the forehead. “Then I’m going to make an announcement that we’re having a baby together. I think that will attract even more attention to the lingerie.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” she asked. “Maybe we should wait—”
“Don’t even talk like that.” I silenced her with my tone. I didn’t want to entertain my thoughts with the horrible possibility that she could lose our baby. A week ago, I didn’t want children, but now that she was pregnant, I would do anything to protect that baby growing inside her.
She rested her forehead against my chin. “Alright. Then let’s do it.”
“Perfect.” I rested my lips against her forehead. “I made an appointment with a doctor in Milan. He’s the best in Italy. We’ll see him tomorrow.”
“Oh, that’s great. Thank you.”
“I’m sure he’ll want you to take some prenatal vitamins or something.” My fingers moved underneath the fall of her hair.
“Did you tell Nicole?”
“Yeah.”
“What did she say?”
“Congratulations. Stuff like that.”
“Have you told anyone else?”
“I called my father the other night.”
“Really?” She stepped back to look up at me. “What did he say?”
“He’s excited. It’s his first grandchild.”
She rested her face against my chest. “I’m glad he’s happy about it. I wasn’t sure how your family would feel about it.”
“What are you talking about?” I wrapped my arms around her. “They adore you.”
“I just don’t want them to think I did this on purpose…”
“They don’t. My dad told me to settle down with you many times. When you were in New York, he came by the house and tried to talk me into it. So don’t worry about what they think of you. You make me happy, and that’s all they care about.” I rested my chin on her head and held her in my arms. She was so tiny in comparison to my large stature. It made me want to protect her even more, to protect the life that we made together. “I’m sorry I ever let you go…”
She tightened her arms around my waist. “Let’s forget it, Con. I’m here now…we’re together. That’s all that matters.”
I squeezed her a little harder, feeling the guilt crush me. “You always believed I loved you, even when I said I didn’t.”
“I saw it in the way you looked at me…just the way I see it now. I know you better than you know yourself.”
“Yes.” I closed my eyes. “Yes, you do.” I held her for minutes, treasuring the feeling of her small body against mine. Whenever I came home and looked at her, there was usually one thing on my mind. But right now, I just wanted to hold her. I treasured this woman so deeply. I loved her more than I’d ever loved anyone else. She’d become my whole world, and now I couldn’t believe I’d ever let her go.
My phone started to ring in my pocket. I was going to ignore it because I didn’t care at that moment, but Muse pulled away.
“You should get that.” Her hands trailed down my stomach as she stepped away. “I’ll still be here when you’re done.” She gave me a slight smile before she walked away and headed into the bedroom.
I fished out my phone and saw the number on the screen, a number I didn’t recognize. I took the call and held the phone to my ear. “Conway.”
A heated voice came over the line, a tone I’d recognize anywhere. I’d only been exposed to him twice, but you never forgot your enemy’s presence. “Barsetti, how’s it going?”
It was Knuckles. I didn’t need to ask to make sure. “I would ask what you want, but I don’t care.” I was glad Muse walked into the other room. I didn’t want her to hear any of this conversation. I didn’t want her to feel scared, not when she should only be concerned about the baby growing inside her.
“Don’t call my bluff, Barsetti. Not when I have something you want.”
“You don’t have anything I want.”
“Don’t be too sure of that,” he said with a chuckle. He turned away from the phone and spoke to someone in the background. “Vanessa, say something to your brother.”
“Go. Fuck. Yourself.” Vanessa’s deep and powerful voice rang over the line, carrying the pride of the Barsetti line. She must have been kidnapped and trapped, but she still held her head high. I didn’t need to check to make sure it was her. It definitely was.
Knuckles came back to the phone. “Looks like I do have something you want—”
“Touch her, and I’ll fucking kill you.” The cords in my neck almost burst open, and spit flew from my mouth. I was so calm just a second ago, holding my woman in my arms, and now I was filled with enough adrenaline to break down a concrete wall with just my hands.
“Give me what I want, and no one gets hurt,” he said calmly. “I hate to admit it…I actually respect your little sister. She’s got quite a fight in her…”
I didn’t care about money, not when it came to my sister. I’d sell this house in a heartbeat to get her back. My sister and I bickered back and forth a lot, but at the end of the day, I’d lay down my life for hers. I loved her so damn much. “How much, Knuckles? How much do you want?”
“It’s not about how much,” he said. “Money comes and goes. I want something invaluable, priceless.”
I already knew what it was before he even said it.
“I want the priceless jewel that you call Sapphire. Let’s trade.”
“You can’t break the Skull King oath.” I bought Muse fair and square at the Underground. According to the rules, he couldn’t take her. It was punishable by death.
“And I’m not. I’m not breaking in to your house and dragging her out by the hair. I’m offering you a deal. If you want Vanessa Barsetti, you have to give me Sapphire. If you don’t want the deal, fine. I’ll make use of Vanessa instead.”
I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles almost tore out of my skin.
“What’s it going to be?”
I was silenced by the gravity of the situation. If it were anyone else, I would make the trade. My sister was my family. Nothing was more important than family. But Muse was carrying my baby. She had a little Barsetti inside of her. There was no right answer. And I didn’t want to make the trade because I couldn’t afford to lose either of them.
I loved them both.
He chuckled into the phone. “It’s a difficult decision. I’ll give you a few hours to decide. Just remember, whoever I get will be raped and tortured until I get bored with her. So you need to decide who you love more…your sister or your whore.”
I left the bedroom and stormed into my office without saying a word to Muse. I only had five minutes before she figured out something was wrong.
I had to make those minutes count.
Depending on when Knuckles captured Vanessa, he could still be in Milan.
There was a good chance he was.
Vanessa still had a fiery attitude, so she couldn’t have been captive for long. Like all prisoners, her spirit would eventually break down. The fact that she still talked back was a good sign.
She wasn’t taken that long ago.
So yes, he was still in Milan.
This was entirely my fault, so I wanted to shield my family and not get them involved. I didn’t want to worry my parents, to make them terrified of losing their only daughter. But I knew this situation was too important for my arrogance.
I made the hardest phone call I’d ever had to make.
My father answered, in a good mood. “I hope you don’t mind, but I told your mother about the baby. You have no idea how happy she is.”
I couldn’t bask in my mother’s happiness, not when I’d never been this scared in my life. All the joy I’d just given my parents was about to be yank
ed away. “Father…I need you and Uncle Cane to get on a plane here as quickly as possible. I don’t know how to say this, but since I don’t have much time, I’ve just got to blurt it out. Vanessa has been taken by an American crime lord named Knuckles. He’s been obsessed with Sapphire for the last year, and now he wants to make a trade. Sapphire for Vanessa. He’s given me a few hours to decide.”
Instead of screaming into the phone or asking a bunch of questions, my father remained calm. He remained so fucking calm that I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. “Do you have any idea where he is?”
“Milan.”
“You’re certain of that?”
“He took Vanessa not too long ago.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because she’s still being a smartass in the background.”
Still calm as ever. “I’ll be there in forty-five minutes with backup. Take Carter with you into Milan. Bring guns.”
“Alright.”
“Do not make that trade, Con.”
I was shocked he said that. “Don’t?”
“No.”
“But Vanessa…”
“Sapphire is family now. We’ll get them both back.”
I didn’t know much about my father’s past, but listening to him speak with such confidence gave me a small sense of calmness. “Alright. I’ll head to Milan with Carter. I’ll try to put a tracer on the phone to figure out where he is.”
“You can try, but it won’t work. You said Vanessa was in the background?”
“Yes.” How could he talk about my kidnapped sister without skipping a beat? I definitely wouldn’t tell him the last thing Knuckles said to me.
“How close was she?”
“I don’t know…I could hear her pretty well. Why?”
“Grab your security team and take them with you. Next time he calls, listen to her. I told her what to do if this ever happened. She should give us a clue. What did she say when you heard her in the background?”
“She told Knuckles to fuck himself.”
“Alright. That means she’s in transit. She doesn’t know where she is.”
“So I should still head to Milan?”