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When Crow realized I was being serious, he looked at me with his typically dark gaze. “Do you understand how much work that would be?”
“Yeah. So what?” I’d need a distraction once Adelina was gone.
“And how much work it would take to maintain the position? Other men are going to want what we have. We’d constantly have to fight their opposition to maintain order. Right now, we’re an independent business with a respectable reputation. Bones didn’t even try to overrun us because there was enough work for everyone. But if we do this…we’re asking for trouble.”
“And you aren’t cut out for trouble?” My brother had never been scared of anything. I’d seen him play Russian roulette and pull the trigger every time. He hardly blinked, barely took a breath during the entire round. When one of the men blew his brains out, Crow poured himself a drink like it never happened at all.
“Not anymore. You know that.”
“Because of her?” I nodded out the window.
“Yes,” he said coldly. “Her. She’s going to want to have children soon.”
“She said that?”
“Not exactly. But I know it’s on her mind.”
“And you want to have kids?” I couldn’t picture Crow as a father.
He shrugged. “I haven’t given it much thought, honestly. Having a family was never something I wanted. But then again, I never wanted to be married…and look where I ended up.” A slight smile tugged at his lips. “Whether we have kids or not, I’m not interested in getting deeper into the criminal lifestyle. I’m not always going to be around, Cane.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He was as strong as an ox. Nothing could take him down.
“One day, I’m going to retire from the business. It might be sooner than you think.”
“Bullshit.”
Crow gave a nod.
“Why the hell would you do that?”
“I already told you why.” He nodded out the window again.
“Then what are you going to do all day?” I asked incredulously.
“Run my winery. Become an honest man.”
“Our blood money paid for this place,” I reminded him.
“And this place cleaned all that money,” he countered. “If you ever settle down someday, you’ll understand.”
Adelina popped into my mind, and not an image of her tits and her ass. I pictured her lying on my lap as we watched TV on the couch. The blanket was pulled to her shoulders, and her hair stretched across the cushion. Her eyes were growing heavy from fatigue, and I’d have to carry her to bed. I shook the thought away and continued to stare at my brother. “If you’re going to leave anyway, then perhaps I should move forward.”
“It’s way too dangerous, Cane. Don’t you have enough money?”
“I could always use more.”
“Money isn’t everything, and you know that.”
“But it means a lot—and you know that.”
He eyed me across the desk, his gaze calculating. “For the amount of risk you’ll be taking, it’s not worth the reward. Keep what you have. Save lives and time.”
As much as I wanted to move forward, doing it without Crow would make it very difficult. He was the brains and the muscle behind our business, as I was. People feared us since there were two of us—not just one. We were the Barsetti brothers, and people didn’t fuck with us.
“Think about—seriously.” He opened his laptop and touched the trackpad with his fingertips. “If we’re done with the girl talk, I have stuff to do.”
“Fine.” I rose from the chair and excused myself. “I’m gonna kiss my lady and be on my way.”
Crow narrowed his eyes on my face, his expression full of accusation.
I realized what I’d said when it was too late. I shrugged it off like it was intentional and didn’t mean anything. “See you around.” I shut the door behind me and instantly dropped my easygoing expression.
It was a stupid thing to say—and I knew it.
* * *
I was in my office examining a new weapon when Bran walked inside. I felt the sleek material of the metal, checked the empty barrel, and then tested the center of gravity as I held it in my fingertips. Having a weapon that was powerful was just as important as handling. A gun needed to be light and easy to adjust during difficult times.
It could save your life.
“What’s up?” I asked Bran without looking at him.
“I’ve heard rumors from Rome.”
Now the gun no longer had my attention. I laid the pistol on my desk as I gave him my full attention. “What have you heard?”
“My friend in the city said there’s been stuff going on at Bones’s old compound. One of his henchmen tried to take over, but…they were cleaned out.”
“Cleaned out?”
“Yeah…slaughtered. They didn’t even use guns, only knives.”
That specific detail painted a vivid picture in my head. Only one group of mercenaries preferred blades over guns. They liked to kill silently, in the dark where they couldn’t be seen. No one would even realize the carnage until everyone was dead. “What else did you hear?”
