Buttons and Blame (Buttons 5)

Adelina.

Maybe it was just because she was beautiful or because she was good in the sack, but now I couldn’t stop thinking about her. It was becoming more difficult to focus on tasks because she was always in the back of my mind. I’d always been obsessed with pussy, but not like this. It didn’t run my life.

But now there was only one pussy in particular that had my attention.

Crow walked into the complex in all black. Black t-shirt with black jeans and a black leather jacket. He almost never wore his suits when he was on the premises, either because he didn’t want to get them dirty or because he didn’t want to look like a douche in front of the men. We were in the business of selling illegal weapons, not selling car insurance.

A pistol was on his hip, and I knew he had two more under his jacket. He spoke to a few of the men, got a rundown on what was going on, and then joined me at the table. I had the schematics of a new knife I was working on.

Crow pulled the paper toward him to get a better look. “I don’t get it.”

I pulled up the digital demonstration on the tablet to show him how it would work. “It’s a seven-inch blade that retracts.” I showed him the drawing. “The blade is hidden, and once the safety is off, all you need to do is hit the button and the blade appears. And it’s strong as hell. It’s not gonna break.”

Crow watched the demonstration a few times before he nodded. “I want one of these for Pearl.”

“That woman needs a gun, if you ask me. She knows how to use one.”

“I didn’t ask you.” He pushed the paper back toward me. “Bran just gave me the rundown. We have another buyer?”

“In Budapest.”

“Did you screen him?”

I pushed the folder toward him. “He checks out.”

Crow flipped through all the pages, reading every single word like he didn’t trust me to do my job right.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. I know what I’m doing.”

“I think your ten-million-dollar whore says otherwise.”

The anger surged to my expression like it’d been sitting under the surface the whole time. “Don’t call her that. Insult me all you want, but leave her out of it.”

Crow pulled his gaze away from the paper and turned it on me. It was the look I’d been getting since we were kids. It meant he was considering something, thinking something incriminating. “Pearl told me you took Adelina to see her parents in America.”

Adelina told her? Women really did talk. That was such a personal experience for her that I assumed she wouldn’t mention it to anyone. Did she mention the cyanide pills too? “Yeah. So?”

Crow cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing. “So?” His deep voice didn’t change, but his expression hardened. “Awfully nice thing to do for someone you don’t give a damn about.”

I took the folder back from him and pretended to look through it. “Simon is clean. We don’t have anything to worry about. Shipment is already in progress.”

“Cane?”

I kept ignoring him.

“Is she going to be a problem?”

“What do you mean? When has she ever bothered you or Pearl?”

“Don’t play stupid with me,” he snarled. “You aren’t keeping this woman.”

“I never said I was.”

“Then you’re returning her as promised?”

“Yes.”

Crow stared at me like he didn’t believe me. “I’m not going to war for this woman. I’m not crossing Tristan for this woman. If your heart is softening for her just the way your dick does every night, then you need to take a step back.”

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” He rested both hands against the table as he looked at me.

“Yes, I’m fond of her. But I will give her back like I promised.”

“You’d better because I’m not getting Pearl mixed up in this.”

“You have nothing to worry about.”

“Then why did you risk your neck taking her all the way to America? Security could have detained you, and everything would have gone to shit.”

“But that didn’t happen, did it?” I asked like a smartass.

His eyes narrowed further. “Why did you do it, Cane?”

“She wanted to see her parents one last time…”

“And why do you care?” he snapped.

“Because I’m not an asshole, that’s why. I wish I could have talked to Vanessa one last time even though I knew she was going to die.”

The second our sister was mentioned, Crow cooled his jets.

“Jesus Christ, get off my case.” I threw the folder down and stormed off, sick of my brother’s shit.

Crow followed behind. “And you’re taking her sight-seeing.”

“So? Maybe you should take Pearl around. I’m sure she would enjoy it.”

“I’m too busy working right now. And don’t worry about my wife being entertained. She’s plenty entertained.”