by Penelope Sky
“He’s the strongest of the three of us. I feel more comfortable having him around.” I wasn’t ashamed to admit that. Crow and I were still tough men, but we were nothing compared to how we used to be in our youth. Griffin didn’t just surpass us in power, but in youth. “We’re going into the underworld. All we have is our reputation, which has grown stale. Griffin is at least current.”
“I want to be there,” Griffin said. “Carmen means a lot to me.”
I’d noticed Griffin’s affection for my daughter a long time ago. It wasn’t sleazy, but brotherly.
“He is the strongest of us,” Crow said in agreement. “Which is why I want him to stay behind. He’s the second line of defense if something bad happens. He’s more capable than our sons, and he has connections. He’ll handle the winery and become the patriarch of the family. Cane, he has to stay.”
Griffin looked at the ground, but his body relaxed like those words meant something to him.
I couldn’t argue with my brother’s reasoning. “Alright. It’s just us, then. Let’s do this.”
We knew exactly where the casino was because it was in plain sight. Bosco didn’t fear the police or private law enforcement. They were powerless against a man like him. So they were allowed to break the law every day, keeping the peace in exchange for law enforcement’s cooperation.
We had a few men accompany us, but that was just to carry the bags of cash. None of them were armed.
We approached the side entrance and stepped inside, immediately drawing attention because they recognized our faces but knew we weren’t members of the casino. They searched us, finding nothing but our phones. They looked at the money next and didn’t blink an eye when they saw all the cash tucked away inside the leather bags. But they put the bags on the conveyor belt of the X-ray machine to make sure there was nothing hidden in the stacks of bills.
They were extremely thorough.
Once everything was in order, the man in charge of the security floor addressed both of us. “What do you want? This is way too much for membership dues, so you must have another intention.” His hands came together at his waist, his pistol sitting on his hip. The rest of the men were dressed in suits and held rifles. There were at least twelve of them on this floor alone.
I wasn’t intimidated, probably because I was blinded by my love for Carmen. All I cared about was protecting her, getting her away from this asshole. I would make any sacrifice for that to happen. “I want to speak to Bosco alone.”
The man stared at me with his brown eyes, looking uninterested despite the words I just said. “Why?”
“That’s my business, not yours.” Being difficult wouldn’t get me anywhere, but I wouldn’t bow down like some kind of pussy. “You’re paid to wipe his ass, not be involved in his personal affairs. Tell him the Barsetti brothers want to see him. He’ll know exactly what it’s about.”
Crow kept his stern expression beside me, seeming unafraid of the armed men surrounding us. They could blow our brains out with all their weapons and keep the cash, but since Bosco paid their bills, they wouldn’t do a damn thing until he gave the order.
The man’s eyes narrowed in offense, and he held my gaze for a long time, like he wished there was something he could do in retaliation. Unfortunately for him, there wasn’t. So he stepped into a different room and left us alone with the remaining eleven men.
Minutes passed.
Crow and I stood side by side but didn’t exchange a single word. We didn’t give away our motivations, just in case there were cameras watching every move we made. I crossed my arms over my chest and seemed bored, while my brother stared at the wall ahead, looking unconcerned with the whole situation.
It wasn’t until fifteen minutes had passed before the man returned. “Your men stay outside. We’ll escort you to Bosco along with the money.” He nodded to his men. A few took up a formation around us, while the others grabbed the bags of money and carried them for us.
We moved through a few doors before we finally entered the casino.
Another dozen armed men surrounded us, cutting us off from socializing with anyone else in the room. It may have looked like they were protecting us, but they were keeping us isolated from everyone and everything in the room, just in case we had a trick up our sleeve.
At least Bosco Roth didn’t underestimate us.
We moved to the other side of the floor and stopped in front of double red doors. There were no tables or members around the area, so it seemed like it was off-limits. The man in charge opened the doors and ushered us into a private lounge with a full bar. There were two leather sofas in the center of the room, and the lighting was moody and dark. A bartender was behind the counter.
Bosco Roth sat on the leather sofa facing us, wearing a black suit and matching tie. He met our gaze without flinching, as if he was indifferent to our sudden appearance on his turf. His elbows rested on his thighs, and he stared at us with striking blue eyes that were similar to Griffin’s. A glass of scotch was on the table, and he took a drink as he stared at us.
The men piled the bags of money in the corner.
Four men took their places around the room, holding their rifles. The others left.
Crow and I stood behind the other couch, staring at our enemy as I tried to gauge more about this powerful man. Just looking at him pissed me off, that smug gaze and that expensive suit. He thought he owned the world. He thought he owned my daughter.
I wanted nothing more than to take one of those rifles, put the barrel in his mouth, and pull the trigger.
Bosco didn’t rise. “Take a seat, gentlemen.”
I didn’t want to cooperate simply because I hated him. I wanted to be disobedient, to disrespect him as much as possible.
Bosco barely waved his hand before the bartender was at his side. “Get these gentlemen whatever they would like.”
“Yes, sir.” He came to Crow first. “What will you be drinking this evening?”
“Scotch—on the rocks,” Crow answered.
The bartender turned to me next, asking the question with just his gaze.
“I don’t want anything from this asshole.”
The bartender didn’t react before he walked away.
Bosco held my gaze, not even slightly offended.
The bartender placed Crow’s drink on the table then resumed his position behind the bar.
Crow moved to the couch, so I followed suit. We sat down and faced Bosco, the table was the only piece of furniture between us.
Bosco seemed comfortable in his element, surrounded by booze, men, and power. He had the upper hand in the situation, and he knew it. He wasn’t afraid of us—and it didn’t seem like he was pretending. He grabbed his glass and took a drink, licking his lips when he was finished. “It’s smooth. You should try some, Cane.”
I ground my teeth together, despising his arrogance. “I’m about to knock your teeth out.”
All the men pointed their rifles right at me. It suddenly became very tense, the silence deafening because of the threat lingering in the air. My brother didn’t undermine me in front of Bosco by telling me to calm down, even though that was probably what he was thinking.
Bosco gave a subtle wave of his hand, and the men immediately pointed their rifles to the ground once more. He kept his gaze on me the entire time, knowing the men would obey without having to check. “Who should go first? Me or you?” He maintained a calm persona, which gave him more power in the situation. He had complete control over this city, so our visit was uneventful to him. He didn’t feel the need to control the conversation because it didn’t matter. He would win either way.
“I’ll get right to the point, asshole.” I refused to call him by his name, especially to his face. He didn’t deserve that respect. He could shoot me if he wanted to.
Bosco didn’t flinch at the insult. “Alright. What’s the point?”
“I brought a hundred million with me tonight. Your men counted it. It’s not counterfeit.”
He chuckled slightly, like that was amusing. “The Barsettis have a respectable reputation. They wouldn’t pull an idiotic stunt like that. I know you’re good for it.” He grabbed his glass and took another drink. “I’m flattered you think a membership is that expensive, but you’re a hundred times over the asking price.”
Fucking prick. “The money is yours. Just let my daughter go.”
“Let her go?” He raised an eyebrow, his fingertips on the top of the glass. “She’s not a prisoner, Cane. That woman can do whatever she wants.”
“You know what I mean.” My body was still, only because I was focused so deeply on the conversation. My anger made me want to shake, made me want to tighten my hands into fists so I could break his jaw. Bosco was a handsome man with attractive features, from his strong jawline, fit physique, and bright eyes. There was nothing I wanted more than to beat him bloody. “A hundred million is yours—if you drop her. That’s a hundred memberships. Even to a man as rich as you, that’s serious cash. Forget about her, and find someone else to keep you entertained.”
He stared at me with frost in his eyes, like my offer actually offended him. “Carmen Barsetti is worth more than a hundred million. She’s worth more than all the money in the world—because she’s invaluable. You could offer me a billion, and my answer would be the same—no.”
I had to stop myself from grabbing his drink and smashing the tumbler over his head. I wanted to shove a shard of glass deep into his eyes and make him permanently blind. I would be dead shortly afterward so I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, but that didn’t matter. I didn’t care about the rest of my family because I cared so much about my only daughter.
“When Carmen told me her family would never accept me, I assumed it was an exaggeration.” He chuckled, mostly to himself. “But damn, she wasn’t kidding. I never imagined you would walk right up to my doorstep and try to buy me off—without saying a word to her. The Barsetti men are as controlling as the rumors say.”
“Then what’s it gonna take?” I asked, ignoring everything he said. “How do I get rid of you? What’s your price?”
He held his glass in his palm, his fingertips lightly tapping against the side. “Why do you want to get rid of me so badly? What’s so terrible about me, Cane? From my vantage point, it seems like I’m excessively rich, unquestionably powerful, and surprisingly generous.”
“Generous?” I asked.
“Because you’re still alive.” The room turned ice-cold around us, like the temperature dropped to freezing. “You haven’t given me a chance whatsoever. Your daughter is my woman because she wants to be. Not because she has to or because she’s working off some kind of debt.” He glanced at my brother, referring to Pearl. “I keep her safe. I give her anything she could possibly want. Instead of barging in here and trying to sabotage our relationship, perhaps you should have spoken to your daughter and listened to her. Give her a chance to explain how she feels about me. Get all the facts. Don’t come in here and try to rip us apart. Would you really want that for your daughter? For me to take the money and then break her heart?” He moved closer to me. “Would you really do that to her?”
I held his gaze, unafraid of his proximity. “I’m protecting my daughter. And I will go to any lengths to make that happen.”
He sat back again and refilled his glass. “I believe you love your daughter. And I believe she loves you—because she tells me often. She speaks highly of you—all of you. For that reason, I’m not going to tell her about this conversation. She would be very disappointed if she knew her father, the man she admires the most, marched down here and interfered in her personal life. You forget that she’s a grown woman who’s capable of making her own decisions.”
I was touched by what he said, but I refused to show it. “She’s obviously incapable of making good decisions if she’s involved with you.”
He held his glass without taking a drink. “The two of you used to sell weapons to criminals and terrorists. Crow’s son-in-law was a hitman. Your son bought a woman from the underground then made her his wife. The list goes on…” He shook his head slightly. “My crimes are petty compared to yours. I run a business—that’s it.”
“You’re involved with murderers and rapists on a daily basis,” I snapped. “I don’t want my daughter around that. I want her to be safe. We’ve all walked away from those lives to keep our family safe.”
“There’s nowhere safer in the world than by my side,” Bosco countered. “She has twelve men guarding her at any given time. They blend in with her surroundings, but they’re prepared to intervene if a man simply looks at her too long. If it weren’t for me, you would have lost your daughter months ago when she was taken down that alleyway. You would have lost her at the bank. I’m the monster that keeps the other monsters at bay—let’s not pretend otherwise. When one of the men from the casino became obsessed with her, I took care of it. Instead of having my men shoot him in the back of the head, I did it myself—with my bare hands.” He held up one hand and made a fist. “I have proved a million times over that I can be the man your daughter deserves. Instead of immediately dismissing me, you should have the humility to give me a chance—have a fucking drink with me.” He slammed his glass down, making it thud loudly. “I don’t want to come between you and your daughter, so your secret is safe with me. But I hope you don’t repeat your brother’s mistakes.” He glanced at Crow before turning back to me.
“If you’re such a good guy, why is there a three-month arrangement?” Crow questioned, speaking for the first time. “And from what we understand, she tried to leave, and you wouldn’t allow it. Doesn’t sound like you’re the nice guy you claim to be.”
Bosco took his time before he answered, absorbing the question like a sponge. “The only reason Carmen has ever pushed me away is because she didn’t see a future—because you two would never approve. I asked her to give me a real chance. That’s all I ever wanted. When she finally did…we had something beautiful.”
“You didn’t answer my question, asshole.” My eyes narrowed on his face, hating the way he danced around my question.
No matter how many times I insulted him, he never grew angry. “I’m not the same man I used to be. I’m much different now from the moment we met. I won’t pretend I was some kind of gentleman who played by the rules. But your daughter has softened me in many good ways. I need you to understand that I would never hurt her, that I only want to make her happy, and her safety is my priority.”
A part of me believed him when I didn’t want to. I was deep inside his lair, and he could have killed us a while ago. It wouldn’t be difficult to cover this up, especially when Griffin was the only one who knew what was happening.
“I’ll be frank with you, Cane,” Bosco continued. “Carmen has told me, many times, that her family is the most important thing to her. If the Barsettis will never accept me, then there’s no hope for us. I respect that because I respect everything that comes out of her pretty mouth. She doesn’t settle for less than what she deserves, and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. You raised a fine daughter—independent, smart, and resourceful. If that moment comes, and she wants to leave…I’ll let her go.”
Finally, some good news. “You will?”
He nodded. “I already told you I respect her. I’m sorry you didn’t believe that.”
It was hard for me to believe anything he said, not when he had such a barbaric reputation.
“But you wouldn’t be doing her any favors…because she loves me.”
“She does not love you.” My daughter might be dumb enough to get into this situation, but she couldn’t be that stupid.
He brought his hands together, his fingertips touching. “I told her I love her, Cane. I say it every day. And she says it back. You can think what you want, but I’m telling you the truth. I just want you to understand that this relationship isn’t just physical. It’s intimate, emotional, intense. It’s… I can’t even describe it.
I would die for her in a heartbeat. By extension…I would never hurt you or your brother.” He pointed his hands at me then at Crow. “Because it would hurt the woman I love. Maybe I should have kept that information to myself, but I’m putting all my cards on the table…so you can see exactly what I have in my hand.”
Crow sighed quietly behind me, not in relief, but in disappointment. He turned to me, giving me a look only I would understand.
Now I realized this was so much more complicated than I had imagined. I was hoping Bosco was an asshole who was using her, so it would be easier to get rid of him. But if he loved her and she loved him…it didn’t seem like I had a chance.
Bosco kept his hands together and continued to stare at me, giving me a chance to process what he’d said. “Don’t do this the wrong way. Don’t push away your daughter or force her to push me away. She needs both of us.”
After watching Crow go through the most difficult six months of his life, I didn’t want to repeat his mistakes. He pushed Vanessa away when he got rid of Griffin, and that ended up being a horrible error in judgment. Despite Griffin’s past, he was a good man—and worthy of Crow’s daughter.
I didn’t want to do the same thing. I didn’t want to put Carmen through the heartache, nor do it to myself.
Bosco waited patiently for some kind of response.
I was at a loss for words. All of this had been happening for the last three months, and now that so much time had passed, my daughter had fallen in love with the biggest crime lord I’d ever heard of.
Crow stared me for a second, pity in his eyes. He turned back to Bosco. “I think I can speak for my brother when I say he still doesn’t like this. No father wants his daughter to be with a man so close to danger. My son-in-law works at the winery with us, so he’s not associated with that lifestyle anymore. Even if Carmen loves you and you love her…it’s not a good match.”
“With all due respect, that’s not for you to decide,” Bosco said simply. “Carmen can make her own decisions. I’m the only man she’s ever loved. She’s so beautiful that she can have whatever man she wants. She obviously only wants me.” He didn’t put it delicately, but he wasn’t abrasive either. “Despite what you may think of me, I’ve earned her. I’m not afraid to get my hands bloody in her honor. I would lay down my life for hers in a heartbeat. The robber at the bank gave her that black eye. So I stabbed him to death and listened to him scream. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for that woman, no sacrifice too big for me to make. If that doesn’t make me worthy of her…I don’t know what will.”