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Pearl reminded me of Vanessa, but she also reminded me of my mother in some ways. The soft sound of her voice was similar to my mother’s. Sometimes the memory of my mother’s features faded, but I never forgot the sound of her voice. They were also both strong women, both victims of my father’s cruelty. But neither woman had ever succumbed to his brutality. They never stopped fighting. They never gave up. I respected her in a way I didn’t respect Crow and Cane. There was definitely a soft spot for her in my heart. “Thank you, Mrs. Barsetti.” I never addressed Crow by anything other than his first name—because he didn’t deserve my respect. Pearl was different.
Like she understood the significance of my words, she smiled. “How’s my daughter?”
“Good,” I answered. “She’s at the gallery today.”
She patted my arm before she stepped away.
Conway came next, looking nearly as good as new. The bruising was gone from his face, revealing handsome features that were clearly visible. With a hard jaw like his father’s and masculine cheekbones, he possessed the distinct appearance of a Barsetti. He regarded me with kindness and shook my hand. “Hey, man. How are you?”
“Good. You?”
“Never better. Ribs are pretty much back to normal, and my wife is about to start our family. With the exception of the context of our conversation, life has treated me well.” He stood close to me, speaking to me like I was a friend rather than some unfortunate acquaintance. “I’ve been to your apartment in Florence. It’s nice. The second I saw it, I thought it was perfect for my sister.”
“That’s why I bought it.” The Barsettis were going out of their way to make me feel comfortable. It was an interesting experience after they’d been so cold to me. But I appreciated the gesture because everything seemed genuine. “We’ll be moving in to the countryside soon. It’s too cramped for someone like me.”
“Yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “I can imagine.” When he moved out of the way, Cane came next.
Cane and I had never had a positive experience. He didn’t visit me in the hospital room. He’d been even more vicious to me than his brother. I saw the stark differences between the two brothers. While Crow was pragmatic most of the time, Cane was passionate and emotional. He could be impulsive, making rash decisions in the blink of an eye. He sighed before he extended his hand to shake mine. “I know this is long overdue…but I’m a bit of an asshole.”
I didn’t take his hand. “I’ve noticed.”
His nostrils flared in annoyance when I didn’t reciprocate. “I know I was a jackass to you before. It’s just hard for me to trust people.”
“Same here.” These people expected me to forgive them for what they did, to trust them when they never trusted me. I didn’t want them to forget that.
It was a testament to Cane’s sincerity when he didn’t blow up. “I can’t think straight when it comes to my daughter. My son is a powerful man who can hold his own, but my daughter…she’s my little girl. I know I shouldn’t have made a big scene when you spoke to her, but I couldn’t help it. If I could lock her up in a nunnery, I would. When you’re a father, you’ll understand.”
I’d spent some time with Carmen, and she certainly wasn’t a damsel in distress. “Carmen is a strong woman like Vanessa. She’s not naïve. She’s highly intuitive and instinctive. You don’t need to worry about her all the time. She can handle herself.”
Cane lowered his hand, his eyes concentrating on my face. “That’s quite a compliment.”
“I like your daughter. I’ve spent time with her and Vanessa in Florence. It’s hard to believe she’s your daughter because she’s pragmatic and easygoing.”
Crow chuckled. “Ouch.”
“Whenever we’re together, I look after her.” I didn’t tell him I scared off the boys that weren’t good enough for her. No father wanted to picture his daughter being hit on in a bar. “I always walk her to her door and make sure she gets inside. I’d give my life to protect her—because I respect her.” Cane had threatened to kill me if I came near his daughter again, but I was the best person to keep an eye on her. I could get to her in two minutes if she ever needed anything. That was a lot more than Cane could say.
For the first time, Cane was speechless. He stared at me in silence, having no idea what to say.
I held his gaze, wanting him to feel like shit for the way he treated me. Everything he ever said to me was hypocritical. Crow told me Pearl was a prisoner when he fell in love with her. I imagined Cane’s story with Adelina wasn’t much different. These men were hypocrites, out of touch with reality. They only trusted each other—and no one else. But they’d been wrong about me.
