Buttons & Hate (Buttons 2)

He dug his fingers into my thighs, clenching his jaw tightly. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Oh really?” I said with a sexy voice.

“You’re trying to keep me here.”

“So?” I rode his cock harder, pushing his head through my tight entrance over and over.

He thrust his hips up, moving with me. “And it’s working.”

***

My plan only partially worked. He left for work an hour later than he normally did. And that meant he would probably be home an hour later than usual.

Maybe I sabotaged myself.

I read in bed while I waited for him to come home. I tried not to think about him because the longing consumed me. The mansion was bigger and emptier without his darkness filling every corner.

Lars knocked on the door. He wasn’t bringing my lunch tray because I finished eating over an hour ago.

I got out of bed and answered the door. “Hey, Lars. Did you need something?”

“Mr. Barsetti here to see you.”

“Crow?” Both of my eyebrows rose. If he wanted to see me he would just walk into the bedroom.

“Cane, actually.” He grabbed my tray from the floor beside the door. “He’s waiting in the entryway.” There wasn’t fear in his eyes after the way Cane hurt both of us. He was calm as ever.

And that was strange. “What does he want?”

“A conversation,” he said. “He didn’t give me the specifics.”

I wasn’t one to run and hide, but I wasn’t one to be stupid either. “I’ll be right there.” I shut the door and opened Crow’s nightstand drawer. Inside was a loaded pistol. I snatched it and turned off the safety before I walked out.

I was prepared this time.

If he made any move, I’d shoot him in the head. Crow wouldn’t hold a grudge. If he were here he’d do it himself.

I walked down the flights of stairs until I reached the entryway to the mansion. Cane stood there in a suit and tie, looking like an upstanding citizen despite his less than honorable work ethic.

He eyed the gun in my hand, and a smile stretched his lips. “I guess I’m not surprised.”

“You shouldn’t be.” I closed the distance between us, holding the gun at my side with my finger over the trigger. I didn’t aim it just yet. But I was prepared for the slightest move.

“I come in peace.” He raised both hands in the form of surrender.

“Like I believe what a snake tells me as he slithers through the garden.”

He chuckled. “I’m not the snake—not this time.” He put his hands in his pockets and came closer to me. “I was hoping we would talk. Five minutes of your time is all I need.”

“You’ll get none of my time. I’ll deal with you when Crow is around. But if he’s not here, I don’t want to see you.”

“You have a gun.” He nodded to the pistol. “That’s all the security you need.”

“You’re a criminal. You probably have a gun and a knife hidden somewhere.”

He shrugged. “Okay...maybe I do. But I’m not going to use it.”

“How reassuring...”

“Come on, Pearl. If I were going to hurt you, I would have done it already.”

That was the only part of his argument I couldn’t argue with. If he wanted to tear me apart he would have broken in and shot everyone. Perhaps his intentions were pure.

“Can we sit?” He nodded toward the waiting area. There were two couches one either side of a glass table. It was a lobby for the mansion, where Crow’s guests waited comfortably to be seen.

“Sure.” I sat on the couch across from him, resting my gun on my thigh. My finger was still on the trigger and the barrel was pointed right at his knee.

He eyed it, uneasy. “Are you familiar with guns?”

“I know how to shoot them.”

“How about you point it somewhere else—for now?”

I leaned back against the couch and shifted the gun so it was pointed to the wall. Italian frescoes marked the beige wall, showing different views of that estate against the green background of the vineyards and hills beyond. “Spill it.”

“Busy?” A ghost of a smile stretched his lips.

“Very.”

“I don’t think waiting around for a man to come home is equivalent to busy.”

I let the comment slide because he wasn’t worth my anger. “Any day now, Cane.”

“Alright.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I came here to apologize.”

“For...?” For not killing me when he had the chance?

“I’m sorry for what I did to you. I’m sorry I broke into the house and touched you. I’m sorry I hurt you.” He held my gaze and spoke with sincerity. “If I could go back in time I wouldn’t have done such a horrible thing. I just wanted you to know I was sorry.”

My jaw dropped as I stared at him in shock. “You’re apologizing...to me?” He didn’t hide his disdain the last time he was over here. He practically snarled at me from across the table.