Buttons and Shadows: Beyond Buttons #15 Read online

  I sat in my office at the second winery, the fifty-acre plot of land Crow and I bought thirty years ago to keep the business growing. The phone was pressed to my ear as I listened to my grandson talk.

  “And then Grandma took me to the zoo to see the giraffes. I was hoping to see dinosaurs…but they didn’t have any.” His voice trailed away in sadness.

  I tried not to laugh, finding this young guy beautiful and amusing. “Keep looking. Maybe you’ll find them someday.”

  “Yeah,” Luca said. “And then we got ice cream. I’m not supposed to have ice cream before dinner, but Grandma says she can do whatever she wants.”

  I laughed. “Yeah, that sounds about right. She says the same thing to me every day.”

  “Grandma wants to talk to you again. Bye, Grandpa.”

  “Bye, Luca. Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Adelina came back on the phone. “He’s got so much energy, huh?” she said with a laugh.

  “Yes, Bellissima.” I didn’t expect to have a grandchild so soon, let alone one who was almost ten years old, but Luca had become a part of the Barsetti family overnight. Bellissima and I saw him as our son’s son, not caring if he had a father none of us would ever meet. We loved him with all our hearts. It was love at first sight for me. “Having a good day?”

  “Yes.” She sighed into the phone. “I just don’t want to give him back…”

  “Bellissima, I’m sure we’ll babysit all the time. Carter likes to travel, and I bet Mia would love to see the world.”

  “But I’m sure they want to take him with them, unfortunately. I miss having kids, Cane. I want to have more.”

  I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. “We’re gonna have a lot of grandkids. Carmen will meet the right guy before you know it.”

  “I hope so. She’s seeing someone now. She claims it’s not serious, but it seems like it is. I’m never sure with her.”

  The last thing I wanted to think about was my daughter’s dating life. I just wanted her to find a husband, a great guy, and that be the end of it. Once she was married, I wouldn’t have to worry about her anymore, and she could have lots of kids and be happy. “When she’s found someone worth talking about, she’ll talk about it.” My phone started to beep in my ear because there was someone on the other line. “Bellissima, I have to go. I’ll talk to you when I get home.”

  “Alright. Love you.”

  “Love you too.” I ended the call and switched lines, readopting my cold tone. “Barsetti.” So many people called me that I didn’t always know who was trying to contact me, so that was how I answered the phone unless it was family.

  “Hey, Mr. Barsetti. It’s Tomas from Giovanni’s.”

  Giovanni’s was a restaurant in Florence. We recently struck a deal to supply them wine for the restaurant. It was a new relationship, but so far, it’d been going smoothly. “Hey, how are you? I hope you aren’t increasing your shipment because we’re low at the moment. You know, with tourist season just around the corner.”

  “No, it’s not about business.” He suddenly turned quiet, like he didn’t know how to continue this conversation. Tomas and I weren’t close because we’d just met about a week ago. He came into my office, complimented a picture of my family, and we started a partnership. But other than that, very little was said. “I don’t know how to say this…but from one father to another, I thought I should tell you.”

  I didn’t like that one bit. The only kid I had in Florence was Carmen, so I suspected this had something to do with her. “Tomas, what is it?” I leaned forward over my desk, the phone pressed a little harder to my ear.

  “Your daughter was in here last night.”

  What was the big deal about that? “Okay…”

  He sighed again, like this was the most painful conversation he’d ever had. “You know who Bosco Roth is, I take it?”

  He was the biggest crime lord in Europe, operating an illegal casino in plain sight. He was the only man in the country who operated a fight ring, making men fight to the death as punishment and sport. He was rumored to be cruel but fair. But he was also said to be a loose cannon. “Not by acquaintance, but by reputation.”

  “Well, your daughter had dinner with him last night.”

  Like someone had punched me with brass knuckles, the air left my lungs as well as my stomach. I knew Bosco’s face, so I pictured him sitting across from Carmen, a maniac who probably thought she could be bought. He employed strippers and whores at his casino, so he obviously had no respect for women—let alone my daughter. I couldn’t speak because the rage was building inside me, spilling over like lava from a volcano.

  “The context was clearly romantic. They arrived in a car together and left in the same car.”

  Fuck.

  “Worst part is…she had a black eye.”

  The second those words were out of his mouth, I couldn’t think logically. My little girl, the beautiful baby that once fit in my arms, had been struck by a man who thought he had the power to do whatever he wanted. He touched my daughter—and he would pay the price. I didn’t say goodbye to Tomas or thank him for giving me this information. I hung up and took off.

  * * *

  Crow and Griffin were in the office when I walked inside, going over shipment orders and other bullshit. With a rifle swung over my back and two pistols in my holsters, I was prepared for war.

  Crow normally ignored my outbursts, but when he saw me walking around armed in broad daylight, he didn’t ignore it. “What is it?” He tossed the papers aside and stood up, fishing his gun out of one of his drawers. What I liked most about my brother was he was always prepared for a fight. He rose to any challenge and never backed down.

  Griffin rose to his feet as well, eyeing my guns without flinching. Muscled and thick, he was a good man to join the team. I would need all the help I could get.

  “One of my guys just told me Carmen had dinner with Bosco Roth last night.”

  Crow’s eyes snapped open farther, recognizing that name as well as I did. Bosco had come into power ten years ago, and it was frightening how quickly the young man had overtaken the city. It wouldn’t have been possible without us because when we disrupted the chain of power when we killed Bones Sr. and dismantled the Skull Kings. But Bosco took the opportunity—and thrived.

  Griffin took a deep breath, but he didn’t seem as angry as Crow was.

  “Fuck,” Crow said. “Of all the men in the world…”

  “That’s not the worst part,” I continued, out of breath because of my fury, not from running around all over the place. “He said she had a black eye.”

  Now Crow’s ferocity matched mine, and he was ready to put Bosco in the ground like I was. He grabbed his pistol and cocked it. “Then he must die.”

  That was exactly what I was looking for.

  Griffin continued to stay silent.

  “I say we hunt him down, get a clean shot, and shoot him right between the eyes.” I wanted that fucker dead. I wanted to take his body and shove it inside a sewer drain. I wanted him to suffer a million times more than Carmen ever had.

  “Cane, this guy isn’t like our other enemies,” my brother said. “He’s the most ruthless—”

  “There’s something I need to say.” Griffin finally spoke up, tense but not furious. “You aren’t going to like what I have to tell you. I understand if you hate me all over again, but keep in mind that my loyalties were divided.”

  I turned to him, having no idea what this was about. “Griffin, what the hell are you talking about?”

  “Yeah,” Crow said. “Speak.”

  “The black eye she’s sporting isn’t from him.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans, wearing a remorseful expression despite how powerful he looked. “From what I understand, he’s never hurt her or laid a hand on her.”

  My eyes burned into his when I began to understand the situation. “You knew about this…”

  “Yes,” he admitted, his voice
still strong. “I knew.”

  My hand shook because I wanted to beat the butt of the gun into his cheek.

  My brother noticed my tremors. “Cane.” That was all he needed to say to remind me to restrain myself.

  “This is what happened,” Griffin said. “Vanessa and I had dinner with Carmen one night. I always offer to take her home, but since Vanessa was tired and cold, Carmen insisted on walking alone. Apparently, four guys got her in an alleyway—”

  “Stop.” I couldn’t listen to this. I was tough and unbreakable, but this was something I couldn’t handle.

  Crow finished for me. “Get to the point, Griffin.”

  “Alright,” Griffin said. “Bosco was walking by when it happened. He intervened and saved her. She wasn’t hurt in the ordeal. She held her own pretty well, actually.”

  “He’s not the kind of guy to save a random woman,” I noted.

  “He’s not,” Griffin said in agreement. “But he owed me a favor. She name-dropped me in the alleyway, and that’s why he chased them off. That’s when they met. I guess he asked her out to dinner, and that’s how their relationship started.”

  Relationship. They had a relationship. “God…no.”

  “Vanessa was the only person she told. Vanessa kept Carmen’s secret, even from me.” Griffin’s shoulders tensed before he kept talking. “I guess it was casual, but then things became more serious. When things became too complicated, Carmen tried to break it off. He wouldn’t allow it.”

  Now I was flying apart at the hinges. “I’m gonna shoot this motherfucker and put him in the fucking—”

  “Cane.” Crow held his hand up to me. “If you can’t handle this, then you need to step outside. If we’re gonna help Carmen, we need to know everything. Alright? So chill.”

  “Easy for you to say,” I hissed. “This isn’t your daughter.”

  “She’s as good as,” Crow said coldly. “I’d die for her, and we both know it. So stop taking this out on me and just shut up.” He turned back to Griffin. “What else?”

  Griffin continued. “So they negotiated a three-month relationship. She’s living with him at his penthouse. The only reason I found out was because I checked on her when the shop was closed, so I went to her apartment, but it was obvious she hadn’t been there in months. I found her car at his place and made the connection. That same night, Bosco showed up on my doorstep for a chat.”

  “Shit,” Crow said. “What happened? Vanessa?”

  “He called me from the road, and I met him outside the gate,” Griffin said. “Vanessa doesn’t even know it happened. He came unarmed and without his army. He just wanted to chat. It wasn’t hostile.”

  “And what did this motherfucker say?” I asked through clenched teeth.

  “He told me he would never hurt her. That he cares about her. He assured me that when their time together is over, she can walk away. She’s not a prisoner. But he did threaten to kill all of us if we try to oppose him.” Griffin lowered himself back into his seat, his elbows on his knees. “You know I would die for Barsetti blood. I’ve already proven it to you, so it goes without saying. But Bosco Roth is a whole different animal. He’s not a regular thug. This guy has a hundred armed men at his side at any given time of the day. He has every criminal in this vicinity under his thumb. If you’re on his list…you don’t stand a chance.”

  That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

  “He’s right,” Crow admitted. “This isn’t a clean strike. There’s little chance of success.”

  “No chance of success,” Griffin corrected. “None at all.”

  I refused to accept that. “This is my daughter, and I will die to protect her. I would rather be in the ground than alive knowing she’s in trouble.”

  Griffin shook his head. “After Bosco and I talked, I confronted her about it. She insists he’s kind, generous, and loving. He treats her with respect, keeps her safe, and takes care of her. She defended him in every single instance and even claimed he was a good man. She understands his reputation, but he’s different with her. She said she’s not a prisoner, and she can walk away whenever she wants. And more importantly, their agreement ends in three more weeks. When that time comes, she said she’ll leave.”

  Finally, some good news.

  Crow continued to stand behind his desk, but he put the safety on his gun and set it down. “If he’s such a great guy, why does she want to leave?”

  “Said she doesn’t see a future with him,” Griffin said. “She wants a husband and kids, but that’s not gonna happen with him. She wants a simple life in Tuscany, and since he’s so involved in his work, it’s not possible. Also…she knows you guys would never be on board with this.”

  “Looks like my daughter isn’t that dumb, after all,” I said bitterly.

  Crow gave me a look of disapproval. “Cane, don’t do that.”

  “I’m pissed,” I snapped. “I’m pissed that my daughter was stupid enough to get mixed up in this.”

  Crow sat down in his leather chair. “Griffin just said she likes the guy. He’s good to her. She can leave whenever she wants. I’m not happy about this, but it could be a lot worse.”

  I shook my head. “This is as bad as it could get. I don’t want my daughter anywhere near him.”

  “I don’t like him either,” Griffin said. “But he looked me in the eye and said he does nothing but treat her with respect. He’s not a liar, so I believe him.”

  “Fuck.” I sat down and ran my hands through my hair. “This is a nightmare.”

  “I would have done something if she were in real danger,” Griffin said. “But since it’s gonna be over in three weeks, and she actually likes the guy…I decided it was riskier to do something.”

  Three weeks was too long for me. “I don’t want that asshole anywhere near my daughter. Whether you’re with me or not, I have to do something.”

  My brother looked at me. “Cane—”

  “I don’t care if Carmen likes the guy. She’s been brainwashed. And what if the three weeks ends, and he changes his mind?”

  Crow didn’t have a response to that.

  “He said that wouldn’t happen,” Griffin said.

  “And you believe him?” I asked incredulously.

  “Yes,” Griffin said. “And Carmen does too. I don’t like this any more than you do, but I feel like there’s nothing we can do. Carmen seems to have a close relationship with him. She says she can walk away now if she wanted to.”

  “I don’t care,” I said. “That’s not even something you should say in a relationship.”

  Crow turned to Griffin. “How did she get the black eye?”

  “She was at that bank when it was robbed,” Griffin said. “One of the guys punched her.”

  “Jesus Christ.” I covered my face with both my hands and actually felt the desire to weep. This whole time I thought my little girl was safe living on her own, and now I knew she was being terrorized in alleyways, dominated by a crime lord, and mugged at the bank.

  “Bosco’s men handled it. Killed the men and saved her,” Griffin finished. “In her eyes, he’s saved her life three times.”

  “When was the third?” Crow asked. “You only mentioned two.”

  “I guess one of the men at the casino became obsessed with her,” Griffin said. “Started stalking her. Bosco threw him in the ring, but he beat his competitor. So Bosco jumped in and finished the match himself. Broke his arm and his back. The man pleaded for mercy, and Bosco shot him.”

  This man was a million times worse than I ever could have imagined. Not only was he powerful, but he wasn’t afraid to bloody his knuckles either. He didn’t have to jump in the ring, but he did it anyway—just to prove how strong he was. “I don’t know what to do.” If I could march down there and blow his head off, I would, but I wasn’t stupid. I would never make it past his army and his security. The man never went anywhere alone, so there was no possibility of success. “I guess I should talk to Carmen myself.”

&nbsp
; “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Griffin said. “It’s not going to change anything, and she said she would keep this a secret from you.”

  “Then what are you suggesting?” I snapped. “Just forget the whole thing and be fine with it?”

  “Fighting him isn’t an option,” Crow said. “It’s a suicide mission.”

  “But this is my daughter,” I reminded him. “Saving Conway was a suicide mission, and I was still there.”

  “But we still had a chance,” Crow said. “This is totally different. He’s the worst opponent we could possibly face.”

  “I don’t give a shit,” I said. “This is my daughter. I’ll do anything for her.”

  “Cane.” Griffin shook his head. “Carmen wouldn’t want you to get yourself killed. It wouldn’t help her anyway—especially since she wants to be with him.”

  “Like I said, she’s confused,” I hissed.

  “I agree with Griffin,” Crow said. “Fighting him will get us nowhere. Just dead in a ditch. We wouldn’t be doing our family any favors by all of us dying.”

  I was too angry to think straight. I just wanted my daughter to be out of this situation, to make sure this man wasn’t brainwashing her or forcing her to do something she didn’t want to do. The fact that all these terrible things had happened to her made my heart break into a million pieces. Just because Bosco was the richest man in the country didn’t mean he could get away with this. The thought gave me an idea. “All he cares about is money.”

  Griffin lifted his gaze to meet mine. “What?”

  “All he cares about is money,” I repeated. “If we walk in there with a hundred million in cash, that might get him to forget about Carmen. That’s a lot of money, even to someone like him. We tell him it’s his if he just forgets about her.”

  Crow didn’t shoot the idea down right away. He looked to Griffin next.

  Griffin considered it for a long time. “If we threaten him, we’re subjecting ourselves to a battle we can’t win. But if we try to buy him off…that is a better approach. He might go for it, but I’m not sure.”

  At least we finally had a plan—a plan to save my daughter.