Buttons and Pain (Buttons 3)

He set the folder on the table before he rose with a sigh. “Pain in the ass…”

I smiled and waited for Crow to retrieve Cane.

Crow opened the bedroom door. “I’ll invite you over when she’s ready to see people.”

“It’s been five days,” he snapped. “Legally, she’s my sister and I have every right to see her as much as you do.”

I could picture the angry look on Crow’s face.

“Now if you’ll excuse me…” Cane maneuvered around his brother then joined me on the patio. He pulled up a chair beside me and gave me a look I’d never seen before. True joy was in his eyes, the first time he ever viewed me in that respect. “You look great, Pearl. More beautiful than ever.”

Crow growled from behind my chair.

“What?” Cane asked. “I can’t call my own sister beautiful? She knows how I mean it.”

“Just ignore him,” I said. “You know how he gets.”

Now Crow growled at me.

Cane pulled me in for a gentle hug and rubbed my back. It was a tender embrace, far better than anything he’d ever given me before. Who knew we could come back from that horrible afternoon when he beat me an inch from my life. Now there was nothing but love between us. “Thank you so much, Pearl. If it weren’t for you, I’d be buried in a hole somewhere.”

“We would never let that happen, Cane.”

“No, really.” He pulled away and looked me in the eye. “You were so brave. After what I did to you no one would have blamed you if you did nothing.”

“Cane…it’s water under the bridge.”

“Not to most people. I know that was only possible because you love my brother so much…even though I’m still not entirely sure why.”

“You wanna die, asshole?” Crow barked.

Cane ignored him. “I can’t thank you enough. I want you to know I’m your man for life. Anything you need at all, I’m here. You want ice cream in the middle of the night when you’re pregnant, I’ll take care of it. You want me to beat the shit out of Crow when he’s an ass, I’m your man. Anything at all, I’ve got your back. Alright?”

I smiled. “Got it.”

“There’s no one better to hold the Barsetti name. I’m honored to have you as a sister.”

“Cane, I’m honored too.”

He hugged me again before he pulled away. “Is there anything I can do for you now?”

“No. I think my husband has it covered.”

“Yes,” Crow said with a threat in his voice. “Her husband.”

Cane stood and rolled his eyes. “Dude, I don’t want your woman. If I did, I would have taken her already. So just chill.”

Crow didn’t crack a smile.

“Okay…maybe I wanted her a year ago,” Cane admitted. “But I don’t see her like that…for the most part.”

Crow’s darkness only grew.

“Alright.” Crow clapped his hands. “I’m officially not welcome. I’ll see you around, Pearl.”

“See you then.” I waved as he walked out.

Crow made sure he was out of the bedroom before he locked the door and returned to his seat beside me.

I examined the harshness of his face before I spoke. “You aren’t honestly mad at him, right?”

His jaw remained clenched, and that answered my question. “He’s flirting with you. I don’t appreciate it.”

“Maybe that’s just his way of being nice.”

“Well, I’d rather him not be nice to you.”

“Crow, get over it. You need to stop being jealous and possessive all the time—at least when it comes to your brother.”

“You don’t know what kind of shit he said about you before we got together.”

“it doesn’t matter. It was a long time ago.”

He looked over the balcony and to the vineyards beyond. “Not long enough.” After everything that happened Crow was more protective of me than he ever was. His hold on me was strong like steel and nothing could shake it.

“Well, I like him and would like to spend more time with him.”

“Just because he’s my brother doesn’t mean you have to be involved.”

“Crow, I already told you I like him. I’ve never had a family of my own and it’s nice to have someone that’s a brother. Lars kinda reminds me of an uncle, and you’re a husband that’s overbearing just like a father. It’s nice.”

His features softened at that comment and he dropped the argument.

“Can we talk a walk?” After days on unnecessary bed rest I was eager to move on my feet and stretch my legs.

“Isn’t the view good enough?”

“Crow, I can manage.” Instead of waiting for permission I rose to my feet and walked inside to put on my sneakers.

Crow sighed audibly, wanting me to understand just how annoyed he was.

But I didn’t care.

***

We walked through the vineyards and listened to the crickets in the fields. Away from the house, there was a stronger breeze that moved through the aisles. It caressed my hair like loving fingers, and it touched the back of my neck just the way Crow did.