Buttons and Shame (Buttons 4)

“Where are you from?”

“New York.”

“Do you miss it?”

She stared at the road ahead of her then shrugged. “Honestly, no. There’s not much for me to miss. I worked as an engineer for the state and I enjoyed my job, but I didn’t have family or friends. I was kinda a loner. Now I have a husband and a brother… It’s nice.” She slowed down when she approached the entrance to the vineyard. The wooden gates were open, and the name was carved on the surface.

Barsetti Vineyards.

She drove slowly over the gravel pathway toward the Tuscan building that overlooked the fields. A few other buildings were scattered around the estate, along with a sign that said, “Daily Tastings.”

Pearl parked the car, and we got out. “Crow is in his office. We’ll meet him whenever he decides to come out and play. You want a tour?”

“Sure.”

“This way.” Pearl led me to the fields and showed me the grapes on the vines. The purple fruit was much bigger than the kind I saw at the grocery store. Pearl explained they were specifically wine grapes, a variation that was better for the fermentation process. She showed me where the restaurant was and the shop where they had antique bottles of wine and other souvenirs. “The tasting room is the best.” She led me inside a tall building that reminded me of a barn. Inside, there were stacks of barrels that reached the ceiling. A large counter stood in the back of the room where empty wineglasses sat along with circular tables and chairs. “This is where I’ll be working. I need to brush up on my Italian. I only know a few words.”

“You’ll be doing the wine tastings?” I’d been to a few in Connecticut with friends. It was a great way to spend a Saturday, feasting on wine and cheese.

“During the weekdays, yes. You’re welcome to help me.”

As much as I wanted to get out of the house, I didn’t know anything about wine. “I drink wine occasionally, but I’m not much of an aficionado.”

“I’m not either, so we can learn together.”

I was grateful she was trying to make me feel better by keeping me busy. When I overheard her tell Cane she wanted to speak to me, I assumed it would turn into a meeting with a shrink. But I didn’t feel like I was on display at all. In fact, it felt like a normal day in summer.

“I thought I smelled trouble.” A tall man in a tailored suit walked inside with his hands in his pockets. His suit was black, and the tie down his chest was yellow. He had a dark visage with green eyes, looking dangerous and beautiful at the same time. While some of his features were different, he had a striking resemblance to his brother.

He must be Crow.

“No trouble,” Pearl said. “Just getting down to work.” She walked around the counter and came up to him. Without them even touching each other, I could spot the connection between them. He stared at her like she was the only woman in the room, and she obviously had received that look many times.

I almost felt like I was intruding. The heat between them reminded me of the times Cane would stare at me. Sometimes I was fully clothed, and sometimes I was buck naked, but the look was always the same. It was intense, terrifying, and smoldering.

Crow walked up to her and angled his neck down to kiss her. It was a quick kiss but full of restrained attraction. His nose brushed against hers slightly before he pulled away. He turned to me and extended a hand. “You must be Adelina. I’m Crow.”

I eyed his hand without taking it, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Anytime I was near a man, I felt the panic in my veins. But I realized it was a stupid reaction to have. Crow may have kidnapped Pearl, but he obviously loved her.

And I was already someone else’s prisoner. “Nice to meet you.” I finally took his hand.

He gave me a firm shake before he let go. “My wife insisted on bringing you to the winery to pass the time. You must be bored in that big house.”

I liked being bored. I liked having the freedom to do what I wanted—or do nothing at all. “It’s nice to get out of the house. Everything on TV is in Italian, and I can’t understand a word of it.”

“Me neither,” Pearl said. “That’s why I read.”

Crow’s eyes darted to her face, and they lingered there longer than necessary. He turned back to me. “If you need anything, just ask. I’m at your disposal.” He circled his arm around Pearl’s waist and kissed her again. “I’ll see you later.” He walked away, returning his hand to his pocket.

Pearl watched him walk out until he rounded the corner and was gone from sight. She released a quiet sigh before she turned back to me. Maybe she assumed her thoughts weren’t as obvious as they were.