Buttons and Shame (Buttons 4)

“Whoa, excuse me?” Pearl placed her hands on her hips and glared at my brother. “We’re taking her back? No, we’re doing no such thing. We’re getting that woman home where she belongs.”

Crow kept his eyes on me and ignored his wife. “Button, not now—”

“Not now, what?” she hissed. “This is unacceptable.”

“I’m not taking her back.” I told Adelina I would keep her from Tristan for the full thirty-one-day period. She’d already done stuff for me, so I couldn’t go back on my word to her. “The deal has been made, and we’re sticking to it.”

Crow shook his head. “You’ve got that wrong. I’ll handle this if I have to.”

“Crow, I’ll cover your cut.” I had more money than I knew what to do with. If he needed that money up front, then I could wait until Tristan came through.

“That’s not the point,” Crow hissed. “That’s not how we do business.”

“I made an exception this one and only time,” I said. “And I’m not going back on it. I’m prepared to take the hit if that’s what it comes down to.”

Pearl crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me with a look I’d never seen before. She’d been terrified of me once before. She’d been uncomfortable around me many times. But she’d never hated me like this. Even when I nearly killed her, she still didn’t hate me. That look made me feel lower than dirt. “I can’t believe this. After everything I’ve been through, you’re gonna turn around and rape some poor woman?” She got in my face and shoved me as hard as she could, making me stumble back slightly.

I didn’t touch her out of respect for my brother.

She slapped me across the face, hitting me so hard on the cheek I knew my skin would turn red.

But I still didn’t do anything.

“How can you possibly think it’s okay?” she demanded. “I’m your sister.”

“I haven’t raped her. I’ve never made her do anything she didn’t want to do.” I kept myself calm even though my instinct was to push her back. “Everything between us is consensual.”

“You expect me to believe that?” She pulled her hand back again.

I grabbed her by the elbow and steadied her. “Crow, handle her before I do something to get shot.”

That fired her up more, and she lunged at me.

“Button.” Crow grabbed her by the waist and dragged her away. “He’s right. Enough.”

“He’s right?” She tried to get back to me, but Crow’s body blocked her path. “You should be hitting him harder than I am.”

Crow didn’t let his personal beliefs interfere with his work. It didn’t matter how he felt about the situation. He wouldn’t intervene. He kept her away as he turned back to me. “I want the money in my account tomorrow morning.”

“Fine.” Whatever got him off my back.

“And we’re never doing a deal like this again. You understand?”

I knew it was a stupid deal. But when I saw Adelina, I wanted her. “Got it.”

Crow grabbed Pearl’s hand and pulled her away. “Let’s go.”

She twisted from his hold and turned back to me. Her hands were balled into fists by her sides, and her eyes were terrifying. Somehow, she reminded me of Crow when she looked that angry. It seemed like she couldn’t find the right words to insult me. Nothing was good enough to explain the pain of my betrayal. “Today, I’m ashamed to be a Barsetti.”

15

Crow

Pearl didn’t speak to me during the drive home. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, and she pivoted her body and stared out the window so she couldn’t see me in her peripheral vision.

I knew what was coming.

Despite her anger, all I could think about was my brother’s stupidity. He made an idiotic deal and dragged me into the mix. I never did business that way—no exceptions. I was paid in full up front for all services, and I never failed to deliver exactly what they asked for. Cane pissed me off from time to time, but he was always a great business partner. There was no one else I’d rather have by my side.

Then he turned on me.

I had no idea what this woman looked like, but there must be something about her that elicited Cane’s obsession. I wasn’t going to bother trying to understand it. I wouldn’t be surprised if she were unremarkable.

I still couldn’t believe this happened.

I didn’t need the money. It’s not like I was low on funds. But it was the principle of the matter. If Cane were going to make a stupid deal, then he would be the only one to suffer if it failed. Everyone involved in the process would be paid, even if it came out of my brother’s pocket. I felt like a parent disciplining a child. My brother was a grown-ass man, but I was still going to swat him on the nose like a dog.