Buttons and Shadows: Beyond Buttons #15 Page 5

  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.”

  He reminded me of Griffin in a lot of ways, whether that was good or bad.

  Crow spoke again. “She told Griffin she would leave you when this is over. She doesn’t see you being the kind of husband that she wants.”

  He didn’t hide the pain that danced across the surface in his eyes. “That’s what she says. But I know she won’t walk away. What we have is too strong. She assumes I can’t be what she needs, but she’s never asked. Maybe if she did…she would get the answer she wants.”

  “In our culture, a woman doesn’t introduce a man to her father unless he’s going to be her husband.” When I pictured that day, I always imagined Carmen introducing me to an attractive young man with a small amount of success. He was average but kind, someone safe who would make her happy. I still hoped that would happen. “With that being said, you still have a few weeks left. If she leaves you…my problems are solved. If she stays, then I guess I’ll have to deal with you then.” If my daughter wasn’t sure if this was the man she wanted to marry, then I didn’t need to worry about it now. It was obvious that he was kind to her, that he was protective and loving. He wasn’t the evil and cruel crime lord I assumed he would be. He was very tame in comparison to his reputation.

  Bosco finished his glass then gave a nod. “That sounds fair. You made the right decision.”

  “Yes,” I said. “I just hope my daughter makes the right decision as well.”

  Bosco gave a lopsided grin, but his eyes thudded with pain. “We shall see. Can we keep this between us? So she won’t be influenced either way?”

  I didn’t want to tell Carmen I marched down here with the intention of killing this man. She would probably be angry with me for interfering with her personal life. I’d made the same mistakes Crow did. The only difference was Bosco was kind enough to keep it a secret. “Yes. This stays between us.”

  4

  BOSCO

  Ronan sat across from me after the Barsettis left. “Nosy, aren’t they?”

  I didn’t appreciate the way they showed up on my doorstep, but I respected the way Cane Barsetti loved his daughter. Opposing me was a suicide mission, but he didn’t hesitate because his daughter was more important than him. He knew how powerful I was. He wasn’t so proud as to lie to himself about the strength of his opponent. But clearly, he thought his daughter’s life was far more important than his own.

  How could I hate a man so selfless?

  Despite how emotional he was, he was rational. He listened to me even when he didn’t want to, reasoned with me to understand the truth of the situation. When I told him I loved and cared for this daughter, he seemed to believe me.

  Maybe even respect me.

  Because I looked him in the eye and said I loved her. I didn’t flinch or blink, meaning it from the bottom of my heart. Being loved by a powerful man like me wasn’t the worst thing in the world, regardless of how I earned my money.

  And it would be hypocritical for him to think otherwise.

  Perhaps Crow’s relationship with his son-in-law had paved the way for my success.

  But Cane Barsetti was no longer the problem. It was Carmen Barsetti. She had a perfect picture in her mind of what she wanted her husband to be like. She wanted a quiet and simple life, four kids running around while she took care of them. If I couldn’t offer her that, it would never work.

  But maybe I was prepared to offer her that. The picture wouldn’t look exactly as she imagined, but it would be as close as I could possibly make it.

  I almost forgot what Ronan said. “They just care about her. I can’t hate a man for that.”

  “Still stupid to march down here.”

  “They had no other choice. They can’t reach me any other way, and a phone call is cowardly.”

  “And you aren’t going to tell Carmen?”

  I told her everything, but I would keep this secret to myself. I wouldn’t want her to know that her father overstepped his bounds. It might create problems between them, and that’s not what I wanted. She wore that diamond necklace around her throat just because he gave it to her. Her love for him was written all over her face. I was never threatened by their relationship. I just wanted to be welcome in their circle. “I think her father respects me a little.”

  “I doubt it’s very much. You did force her at one point.”

  “But I was honest about it. And I was honest with my feelings now.”

  He grinned. “My big brother is in love. Who would have thought that would happen?”

  I drank from my glass then licked my lips. “Certainly not me.” I’d been with beautiful women all my life. They were lovely people with kindness in their hearts. Even the ones who wanted me for my money weren’t bad. But Carmen had something the others didn’t…and that was why everything changed.

  “So, what now?”

  Carmen was home at that very moment, waiting for me to return to the penthouse so she could finally go to sleep. Sometimes I stayed out a little later just because it made me feel more powerful. This woman was at my mercy, and I liked seeing how much she needed me. “I give her a reason to stay.”

  * * *

  I watched her through the window for a moment, seeing the way she worked in her shop. She was focused on her job, grabbing handfuls of flowers and throwing together beautiful arrangements like it wasn’t a challenge at all.

  My objective was to go in there and actually talk to her, but I was so entertained that I chose to stay put. I watched the way her fingertips tucked her hair behind her ear, the way her beautiful cheeks were revealed, slightly rosy from her makeup. She did her eye makeup differently today, giving it a smoky look that was innately sexy. She wore light colored jeans that were skintight, brown boots, and a loose sweater that still managed to capture her curves. She was beautiful and classy, a queen without a crown.

  Minutes passed before I finally crossed the street and entered her shop. The place smelled like fresh flowers right after the rain, along with her perfume. My footsteps sounded against the tile, and I slowly moved up behind her.

  She set down her shears and pulled off her gloves before she looked at me. “How may I—” Surprise entered her gaze before it quickly changed to joy. A soft smile appeared on her red lips, her eyes softening at the same time.

  I pressed her against the counter and slid my hand into her hair as I kissed her. The public could watch us through the windows, but I didn’t care. My hand glided up under her sweater, and I felt her tummy underneath. My cock was hard from watching her from across the street, and I wanted her to feel it, to know I wanted her all the time. My kisses moved to her neck, and I gave her soft embraces, my warm breath moving across her skin. She’d told me not to make an appearance here again, but since Griffin knew about us, there was no harm anymore. My lips moved back to hers, and I gave her another kiss before I pulled away.

  She was winded by my affection, like always. Her hands rested against my chest, and she wore that sexy look in her eyes, the same expression she showed when she was on her back and her legs were wide apart. “What brings you here?”

  “You know how you can’t sleep when I’m at work?”

  She ran her hands down my chest, pressing through the thin fabric of my t-shirt so she could feel my abs. “Yes.”

  “Well, I can’t do anything while you’re at work.”

  “Well, that’s not good because I need to make money.”

  “No, you don’t.” I continued to stand against her, not caring if a customer walked through the door. “You’re the richest woman in this country—because I’m the richest man in this city.”

  The corner of her mouth rose in a smile. “Your money isn’t my money, Bosco. I’ve never wanted it, and I still don’t. I like my profits. It’s not a fortune by any means, but it’s mine. I can afford a nice apartment, a car payment, food, and I can pay back my father for opening my shop in the first place.”

  “You’re paying him back?” I asked in surprise.

  “He didn’t want me to, but I insisted. If this were Carter, he would expect to be reimbursed because it’s part of a life l
esson. But since I’m a girl…he goes so easy on me. That’s not what I wanted. I pointed that out to him, reminded him it was sexist, so he caved. My father took care of me for eighteen years. He did his job. Now it’s my time to take care of myself.”

  I admired her for her stubbornness. Most women wouldn’t have cared to pay him back, and I didn’t even want her to pay him back. But when she made that argument, I couldn’t help but respect her. “You’re so hot, you know that?” My fingers touched her neck under her curtain of hair.

  “Hot?” she asked, being playful.

  “You’ve got balls. I like that.”

  She chuckled. “You should really think about what you just said…”

  I pressed my forehead to hers and chuckled. “You know what I mean.”

  Her hands rested in the crook of my arms, and she continued to show off her pretty smile. “As much as I’m enjoying you being here, I should get back to work. I don’t distract you at the casino.”

  “That’s all you ever do,” I corrected.

  She pulled away from me, keeping her hips away from my hard dick. “I’ll see you at home later.”

  “Actually, I was headed to the cemetery. Wanted to buy some flowers for my mom.” She’d been gone for many years, but I made sure I didn’t forget her. She was too important to my life to fade away like an old memory.

  Carmen looked at me, her face immediately hardening in pain. “Oh…of course. Let me make something special for her.” She moved to the counter and pulled on her gloves. She picked a few blue flowers, mixed them in with some white lilies, and added a few pink roses. “How about this?”

  “Lovely.”

  She wrapped them up for me.

  I pulled the cash from my wallet.

  She pushed my arm down. “A gift from me to her.”

  Being the stubborn man that I was, I wanted to pay her. I made millions of dollars every single day. I didn’t want to take a penny from her. But her gesture was sweet, and I didn’t want to ruin that with my testosterone-fueled bullshit. “Thank you.” I put my wallet away and took the flowers. “I know you’re working right now, but it would mean a lot if you came with me.” I’d never taken someone to the cemetery with me. Even Ronan and I went at separate times.

  If she had to stay at the shop, I wouldn’t be angry with her, but the request didn’t seem to disappoint her. “I would love to. Just let me lock up.”

  “My mother is in Siena, so it’s a bit of a drive.”

  “Then I’ll just close up for good.” She went behind the counter and put all her work tools away before she grabbed her things.

  I kept a stoic expression, but the gesture pulled at my heartstrings. It didn’t seem like she was coming just because I asked. It seemed like she wanted to come. She wanted to be there for me.

  * * *

  I drove the Bugatti into the countryside, heading to Siena, which was a short distance away. My men followed behind at a distance, giving me the peace and quiet I craved during times like these.

  “I’ve never seen you drive a car before.” She sat in the passenger seat with the flowers in her lap.

  “I have at least a dozen of them in the garage.”

  “Why do you have them if you never drive?”

  I shrugged. “I guess they’re high-powered trophies.”

  “My brother likes Bugattis. Says it’s the one competitor he actually respects.”

  “I have a few of his cars in the garage, actually.” I liked the sleek design on the outside and the way he didn’t compromise on power while making his engines environmentally friendly.

  “He’d be flattered.”

  I entered the city then took the road to the cemetery. It was sunny but cool. The cemetery was deserted, and we seemed to be the only visitors that afternoon. I parked the car a distance away then killed the engine. “It’s her birthday today.”

  “Oh…” She gave me a sad smile then placed her hand on mine. “How old would she have been?”

  “Fifty-seven.”

  She sighed with sadness. “That’s so young…”

  “I know.” I looked straight ahead with her hand in mine, not afraid to show my emotion in front of her. My mother’s death still filled me with so much pain. I’d never been dependent on anyone for anything, but my mother was different. I missed her because I loved her, not just because of everything she did for me. “It’s not fair. I still struggle with it.”

  “It’s understandable. If I lost my parents…I would never get over it. They could be a hundred, and I would still think it was too soon.” She squeezed my hand again.

  Her father would probably live to be a hundred just so he could look after her.

  We left the car and walked to the plot Ronan and I had bought for her. It had a large tombstone decorated with an angel. She had extra space around her area, a private plot so I could visit her without other people around.

  Carmen stood at my side then placed the flowers against the tombstone, the arrangement handmade for my mother. She came back to me then hooked her arm through mine, her face leaning against my shoulder. “I’m so sorry, babe.”

  Despite my misery, I loved hearing her call me that. I loved hearing the affection in her voice as well as the love. I loved having this woman on my arm, carrying the weight for me so I didn’t have to carry it alone. The bad shit in life seemed a lot more bearable when I had someone to share it with. I’d decided I would be alone for the rest of my life, focused on making money and maintaining my power. But now that I had something more important than all of that, those things didn’t matter anymore. Money and security didn’t console me during my grief.

  It was Carmen.

  We stood there together for at least fifteen minutes, staring down at my mother’s grave. Her tombstone showed my name as well as my brother’s. We were the two people who survived her since she didn’t have any other family.

  Footsteps sounded behind us, and I turned to see who was approaching.

  It was Ronan, with his own handful of flowers. “Sorry to interrupt…” He placed his flowers beside mine before he stood up again.

  Carmen left my side and hugged him, squeezing him around the waist as she rested her head against his chest.

  He hugged her back before he kissed her on the forehead.

  I didn’t mind the affection, knowing my brother looked at her like a sister.

  He came to me next and sighed. “I think Mom would be happy to see us together on her birthday.”

  “I think so too.” I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and stood at his side, looking down at our mother’s gravesite.

  Carmen came back into my side and hugged my waist.

  The three of us stood together at my mother’s grave, and with both of them there, it was the first time visiting my mother wasn’t brutally painful.

  * * *

  The second we were home, I had Carmen on her back, her naked body pressed against the sheets with her head on the pillow. My arms were pinned behind her knees, and I was inside her instantly, relieved the second her wet pussy was wrapped around my length. When we were naked and combined, nothing else in the outside world mattered. It was just the two of us.

  There was no such thing as pain.

  I moved between my woman’s legs and cherished the pussy I was obsessed with. No other woman had ever felt this good, had ever motivated me to take the condom off and commit to her. They were all the same. Carmen was the only one who was different.

  She was as beautiful as she was smart. She was as sassy as she was bold. She was perfect in every single way.

  The perfect woman.

  I took my time, slowly rocking into her and feeling my toes arch in pleasure. There was nowhere else I’d rather be than nine inches deep inside this cunt. A high-stakes poker game wasn’t nearly as exciting, nor a cigar or the smoothest scotch in the world.

  Nothing could compare to Carmen.

  I moved deep and hard between her legs, feeling the stickiness develop between our bodies. If I pulled my dick out, there would be a line of drool between us because her pussy was so wet and my dick was so hard. “Tell me you love me.” I held my weight on my arms as my hips pressed deep into her body, my cock moving all the way until only my balls were left in the cold. I pulled back and prepared to slam into her again, claiming her over and over.