Buttons and Blame (Buttons 5)

She turned her face toward me and watched me, her eyes studying me like they had a brain of their own. Her emotions were obvious on the surface. Even when she didn’t say anything, I could tell what she was thinking.

She could tell what I was thinking too.

“Are you scared?” she asked.

“I’m never scared, Button.”

“Everyone is scared sometimes.”

“I don’t care for my sake. I made my peace with death a long time ago. He’ll come for me, and I won’t fight it. The only thing I do care about is you. Losing you is what scares me. You’re the greatest thing that’s happened to me—but also the worst. I have something I value more than anything I own. You’re priceless, irreplaceable. That’s the kind of shit that scares me. The world knows I love you. My enemies know you’re my world. They could strip me of everything I have and not leave a mark. But if they placed a hand on you…it would kill me.” I stared at the flames, unable to look at her. “So Cane is going to back down, even if I have to make him. You and I deserve a quiet life together. One where we aren’t scared to be free.”

“What if backing down makes him want to hurt you even more?” she asked. “He sees you as weak, so he takes everything you have?”

“Walking away from a business that’s already been profitable for years isn’t weak. That’s retirement.”

“So you think it’s the best decision?”

“It’s our only decision.”

Button scooted closer to me on the couch and rested her chin on my shoulder. Her arm hooked around my waist, and she snuggled close to my side. Her even breathing was a great consolation, a melodic rhythm that chased away my fears. “No one can keep us apart, Crow. Bones tried to take me away, and he failed. These men won’t succeed either.”

8

Adelina

I only had a few days left.

In a few days, all of this beauty would be gone. I wouldn’t have a strong man to keep me warm in the middle of the night. All of my rights would be stripped away from me. I would be naked, cold, hungry, and afraid. My ankle would be cuffed at all times so I couldn’t run away when Tristan walked inside.

I’d have to stare at Tristan’s ugly face again.

A face I’d tried so hard to forget.

I knew I would have to go back since the beginning of my stay. My departure wasn’t a surprise. It certainly didn’t sneak up on me. Time went by fast, but I didn’t struggle to judge the passing.

I just didn’t think it would be this difficult.

I wanted to stay here forever.

Cane wasn’t the perfect guy, but he showed me the light when I was in a pit of darkness. He showed kindness when he easily could have been cruel. That was the true definition of someone’s character—when they could be evil but chose not to. Cane had blood on his hands and he was a criminal, but to me, he was innately good.

I would miss him as much as my own family.

It was hard to sleep that night. All I could think about was the time I had left. The second I was back in Tristan’s captivity, I’d be punched in the face. That was probably how he would greet me. He wouldn’t see a single mark on my body, and he would see the weight I’d gained. He would see how well I was treated and work twice as hard to make me feel worse.

I knew him so well.

My heart was beating so fast in my chest. It wouldn’t slow down. Sweat covered my palms and my neck. The anxiety took over, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I was panicking in terror.

Panicking over the short time I had left.

I sat up in bed and kicked the sheets away. Cane was dead asleep beside me, naked and muscular. Even in sleep, he was hard as a rock. I dangled my feet over the edge and let the air evaporate the sweat off the back of my neck. All I could do was concentrate on my breathing, so that’s what I did.

I did my best to calm myself.

Cane must have heard me because he sat up a moment later. “Bellissima?”

It was my favorite nickname, my favorite way to be addressed. That was what I would miss the most. It was so tender and gentle, a complete contrast to the harsh way I was treated in Tristan’s captivity.

“What is it?” He scooted across the bed until he was directly behind me. His lips moved to the back of my shoulder, and he gave me light kisses everywhere, cherishing me.

“I just…had a bad dream.”

“Want to talk about it?”

I pulled my knees to my chest and circled them with my arms. “No.”