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It seemed like he was asking me to quit my job, the only job I’d ever known. It paid my bills and gave me purpose. It gave me an outlet to release my rage. Without it, I wouldn’t know my identity anymore.
“When my wife told me she was pregnant, that’s when I left that life. I told my brother I was leaving the arms business and focusing on my wine. Stepping away from crime and corruption was the only way to give my family the life they deserved. Karma came back for us, almost ripped us apart, and then Cane left his business and joined mine. Ever since then, it’s been nothing but quiet. It was hard in the beginning, but I don’t have any regrets. When I found out my son had been going to the Underground, I made him promise to stop and stay away. I don’t want to get mixed up in that lifestyle ever again. You’re the gateway to that. If you really want to be accepted into this family, you’re going to have to choose. If you really want to prove yourself to me, you’ll have to make that sacrifice. No way around it.”
Now the option was laid before me. I had to give up my line of work for the woman I loved. “I’m just the messenger, the neutral third-party. I get paid to kill someone. Nothing personal. My victims only care about the person who ordered the hit, not who pulled the trigger.”
“Grief does crazy things to people. You expect them to be that logical? If someone killed my wife, you think I would stop at the person who ordered the hit? No. I would go after every single person involved. If you really believe you’re immune, then you’re a lot dumber than I anticipated.”
“I would be able to handle anything that came our way.”
He sighed. “Your arrogance scares me more than your stupidity.”
“You don’t feel confident that you could protect your wife?” I asked incredulously.
“I do. Because I’ve removed myself from the possibility of threat. I don’t give people a reason to kill me. Therefore, it doesn’t happen. You, on the other hand, are making an enormous list of possible attackers. Every night she stays with you, I grow more uncomfortable by the second. When I was your age, I was arrogant too. I didn’t care whether I lived or died because I had nothing in my life so valuable. When I met my wife, nothing changed in the beginning. But as I fell in love with her, I realized she was the most valuable thing on the planet. Guns and bulletproof vests wouldn’t protect her. Only disappearing would. I made a sacrifice that was hard to make, but she was worth it. So tell me, is Vanessa worth the sacrifice? Because if she is, I’ll take you a lot more seriously.”
Now he’d put me on the spot, asked me a question point-blank. He wasn’t going to give me much time to think about it. I never wanted to leave my business because it gave me a sense of purpose, the way art gave Vanessa a sense of purpose. Every person needed something to live for. All I’d ever known was killing. It paid well, and it gave me a serious adrenaline rush.
He kept staring at me, not dropping his gaze until I gave an answer. “I asked you a question.”
“And it’s a pretty heavy question, Crow. I need time to think about it seriously before I spit out an answer. I don’t want to say something I regret, especially when I can’t take it back.”
“I don’t see what there’s to think about,” he said coldly. “You would either walk away from that life to protect her, or you wouldn’t. Which is it?”
“Vanessa would never expect me to quit working for her.”
“No. But I do. You want my daughter? Prove it. Prove to me that you’ll take care of her.”
My temper was rising, but I did my best to keep it sheathed. “I need money to take care of her.”
“You have more money than you’ll ever need. You can retire—we both know it.”
Looked like he dug into me pretty extensively if he knew my finances.
“You do it for your own personal reasons. You get off on putting a bullet in someone’s head.”
“Like you’re any different,” I countered. “You were just like me when you were my age. I’ve never been unclear about the man that I am, but you continue to sugarcoat the man you used to be.”
“I’m not sugarcoating it. I just don’t think it’s relevant.”
“And I don’t think it’s relevant for me because I’m not the same guy anymore. Vanessa changed me—for good.”
“Then quit,” he snapped. “Walk away. My daughter deserves a man who will protect her, not bring danger to her front door.”
