Buttons and Shame (Buttons 4)

I made it into the city and left my car at the curb. Italians were off work and browsing the farmers market down the cobblestone streets. The ancient buildings stood the test of time by towering high above the mortals. My life would pass in the blink of an eye, but those buildings had been around for thousands of years.

I followed the tracker and turned down a small street lined with cafes, bookstores, and barber shops. A man with a thick beard passed with a fresh loaf of bread tucked under his arm, and another woman sat on a bench with two little boys who each had an ice cream cone. There didn’t seem to be any danger anywhere.

But those people were ignorant.

I was a criminal, and I walked the streets just like everyone else. I was disguised by my expensive clothing and good looks. Women looked at me with interest, seeing me as intimidating in a sexy way. But they didn’t know I was a very dangerous man.

I walked into the clothing store and spotted her immediately. She was examining a sleeveless white dress that stopped above the knee. It was tight around the waist and flared out slightly. She paired it with a large floppy hat that would shield the sun. As furious as I was, she looked like she belonged there. She looked like one of us, blending in with her deep brown hair and bright red lips.

I ignored the thickening of my cock and moved through the racks of clothing until I came up behind her. She still hadn’t noticed me, examining the price tag with a scowl. She must have thought it was too expensive because she returned it to the rack.

Now that I was right next to her, close enough to smell the hint of rose on her skin, it was hard for me to remain angry. My body flushed with heat when she was near, and I felt a dull pain in my heart. It wasn’t from sadness, but adoration. Seeing her put that dress back made me want to buy her everything in the store. “Get it.”

She flinched at the sound of my voice, recognizing me without even looking at me. She slowly turned my way, her eyes decorated with eye shadow and mascara. She was in dark jeans and a purple halter top, showing her rounded shoulders and beautiful sun-kissed skin. “It’s too expensive.”

“Nothing is too expensive for you.” I grabbed the dress without looking at the price tag. “Get whatever you want, Button.”

She knew exactly why I was there, but she didn’t show any anger. I abandoned my fury once I looked at her, and she did the same once I encouraged her to buy something she wanted. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I had more money than I could spend in a lifetime. Half of everything I owned belonged to her. She could buy any damn thing she wanted. I wanted her to spend my money—our money. “I’ll be outside.”

She came out with a bag stuffed with new clothes. I was glad she took my words to heart and treated herself to whatever she wanted. She joined me on the bench along the sidewalk where I had a great view of the cobblestone streets. Cars weren’t allowed in the area, so only people were passing.

I stared straight ahead and didn’t look at her.

She crossed her legs and enjoyed the quiet companionship between us. Perhaps she didn’t want to say anything because it would begin the conversation she was trying to avoid. She wasn’t the kind of woman to shy away from anything—not even me. “You can’t expect me to be cooped up in that house all day.”

“Yes, I can.” That wasn’t a tactful way to approach the conversation, but I always led with my anger. “And I do.”

“Would you want to be cooped up in the house all day?” she countered.

“The estate is pretty big. Lots of stuff for you to do.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “I don’t feel bad for going out. So don’t bother.”

“It’s not safe, Button. With just one look at you, people know you’re American. You’re an easy target.” Tourists were always hit the hardest. Locals knew they weren’t familiar with the area and took advantage of their ignorance.

“He’s dead.” I knew exactly whom she was referring to, and I appreciated that she didn’t mention him by name. “Now I want to go out and live my life. I want to enjoy my surroundings. I’ve been here for almost two years, and I haven’t done any sightseeing. Do you know how absurd that is?”

“You wanna go sightseeing? I’ll take you.”

“That’s not the point, Crow.”

“And if you want some clothes or something from town, Lars can pick it up for you.”

“Again, that’s not what I want. If I want to get out and do something, I will.”