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Bosco didn’t flinch at the insult. “Alright. What’s the point?”
“I brought a hundred million with me tonight. Your men counted it. It’s not counterfeit.”
He chuckled slightly, like that was amusing. “The Barsettis have a respectable reputation. They wouldn’t pull an idiotic stunt like that. I know you’re good for it.” He grabbed his glass and took another drink. “I’m flattered you think a membership is that expensive, but you’re a hundred times over the asking price.”
Fucking prick. “The money is yours. Just let my daughter go.”
“Let her go?” He raised an eyebrow, his fingertips on the top of the glass. “She’s not a prisoner, Cane. That woman can do whatever she wants.”
“You know what I mean.” My body was still, only because I was focused so deeply on the conversation. My anger made me want to shake, made me want to tighten my hands into fists so I could break his jaw. Bosco was a handsome man with attractive features, from his strong jawline, fit physique, and bright eyes. There was nothing I wanted more than to beat him bloody. “A hundred million is yours—if you drop her. That’s a hundred memberships. Even to a man as rich as you, that’s serious cash. Forget about her, and find someone else to keep you entertained.”
He stared at me with frost in his eyes, like my offer actually offended him. “Carmen Barsetti is worth more than a hundred million. She’s worth more than all the money in the world—because she’s invaluable. You could offer me a billion, and my answer would be the same—no.”
I had to stop myself from grabbing his drink and smashing the tumbler over his head. I wanted to shove a shard of glass deep into his eyes and make him permanently blind. I would be dead shortly afterward so I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, but that didn’t matter. I didn’t care about the rest of my family because I cared so much about my only daughter.
“When Carmen told me her family would never accept me, I assumed it was an exaggeration.” He chuckled, mostly to himself. “But damn, she wasn’t kidding. I never imagined you would walk right up to my doorstep and try to buy me off—without saying a word to her. The Barsetti men are as controlling as the rumors say.”
“Then what’s it gonna take?” I asked, ignoring everything he said. “How do I get rid of you? What’s your price?”
He held his glass in his palm, his fingertips lightly tapping against the side. “Why do you want to get rid of me so badly? What’s so terrible about me, Cane? From my vantage point, it seems like I’m excessively rich, unquestionably powerful, and surprisingly generous.”
“Generous?” I asked.
“Because you’re still alive.” The room turned ice-cold around us, like the temperature dropped to freezing. “You haven’t given me a chance whatsoever. Your daughter is my woman because she wants to be. Not because she has to or because she’s working off some kind of debt.” He glanced at my brother, referring to Pearl. “I keep her safe. I give her anything she could possibly want. Instead of barging in here and trying to sabotage our relationship, perhaps you should have spoken to your daughter and listened to her. Give her a chance to explain how she feels about me. Get all the facts. Don’t come in here and try to rip us apart. Would you really want that for your daughter? For me to take the money and then break her heart?” He moved closer to me. “Would you really do that to her?”
I held his gaze, unafraid of his proximity. “I’m protecting my daughter. And I will go to any lengths to make that happen.”
He sat back again and refilled his glass. “I believe you love your daughter. And I believe she loves you—because she tells me often. She speaks highly of you—all of you. For that reason, I’m not going to tell her about this conversation. She would be very disappointed if she knew her father, the man she admires the most, marched down here and interfered in her personal life. You forget that she’s a grown woman who’s capable of making her own decisions.”
I was touched by what he said, but I refused to show it. “She’s obviously incapable of making good decisions if she’s involved with you.”
He held his glass without taking a drink. “The two of you used to sell weapons to criminals and terrorists. Crow’s son-in-law was a hitman. Your son bought a woman from the underground then made her his wife. The list goes on…” He shook his head slightly. “My crimes are petty compared to yours. I run a business—that’s it.”
“You’re involved with murderers and rapists on a daily basis,” I snapped. “I don’t want my daughter around that. I want her to be safe. We’ve all walked away from those lives to keep our family safe.”
