Cane crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed in shock.

“He killed the guy, handed me a gun…and slaughtered everyone.”

Cane didn’t act impressed even though he’d be stupid not to feel that way. Barsettis were stubborn, but we couldn’t be that stubborn.

“He saved my life. He saved my son’s life.”

“Jesus…”

I took a deep breath, the guilt heavy in my gut. “So he’s gotta live.”

“I don’t even know what to say. I never expected him to do that…”

“And his men got Sapphire out of the house before the assholes could take her. I hate to say it, Cane, but we’d all be dead right now if it weren’t for him.”

He gave a slight nod, still caught up in the gravity of the situation. “Yeah, I think you’re right. When I first saw him, I wasn’t sure what to think. He and Vanessa broke up months ago, and I’ve never liked him. Pretty incredible that he put his life on the line like that…especially when we never asked him to.”

I’d put a gun to Bones’s head and ordered him out of my office because of what he did to my daughter. His noble actions didn’t change the past, but they certainly changed my perception of him. I’d seen him in action, and he was a monster that couldn’t be taken down. There was no one better to protect my daughter.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure.”

“They’ve been broken up for a while, and she’s seeing someone else now…”

In my heart, I knew that didn’t matter. I never questioned my daughter’s love for that man. Now I knew I never should have questioned his love either. “Yeah…but I don’t think that matters to either one of them.” I stepped away and pulled out my phone. “I’ve gotta call Pearl and tell her Conway is alright.”

“Me too. I barely said ten words to Adelina before I left.” He took out his phone and moved into the hallway.

I called Button, and she answered on the first ring. The sound of the moving car was in the background, and I guessed she was driving to Milan right now. She’d probably left the second I was gone. “Conway is okay. I’m okay. Everyone is okay.”

Button didn’t say anything, no doubt taking a moment to breathe slowly and let the tears fall from her eyes.

Vanessa’s voice broke over the line. “I’m so glad you’re alright, Father. Mama is a bit overwhelmed right now, but she’s okay.”

My heart broke imagining my crying wife. She did the same thing when I’d been taken. Then, I attributed her emotions to her pregnancy, but I knew these emotions were all her own.

“Uncle Cane is okay?” Vanessa asked, her voice sweet as ever.

“Everyone is alright,” I said. “We’re at the hospital right now. Conway is beat up, but he’ll be okay. Nothing to worry about.” I should tell her about Bones, but I couldn’t, not when she was still hours away in the middle of the countryside. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was going to do about him in the first place, so I had to make up my mind before she got here.

Button finally found her voice. “Our son is okay?”

“He’s fine, Button,” I said gently. “Got a few bruises on his face, but everything else is intact.”

“Thank god,” she whispered, her voice still weak. “He’s my baby…”

“I know.” My son was over six feet and muscular, and I’d seen him as a man for the last decade, but Button didn’t see him that way. He would always be the boy who once fit within her arms.

“You’re alright?” she asked, a plea in her voice.

I didn’t tell her that I’d almost been shot in the face. I would tell her later, when I revealed that Bones had been part of everything. I would tell Cane not to say anything. And I would send Max to retrieve Sapphire so Conway would see her. “Not a scratch. Everyone is fine. We killed everyone. It’s over.”

“What would we do without you, Father?” Vanessa said, emotion in her voice. “You always protect us…”

The guilt exploded inside my chest at the thought of taking credit I didn’t deserve. “I’ll see you when you get here.”

“We still have about two hours,” Vanessa said.

“Alright,” I said. “See you then.”

“I love you,” Button blurted, saying the words quickly like she needed to hear herself say them more than hear me say them back, like it was an opportunity she didn’t want to waste.

“I love you too, Button.”

Hours later, Button and Vanessa were in Conway’s hospital room, sitting with him while he slept. He’d passed out from the pain medication, finally relaxing once he knew Sapphire was safe and on her way to see him.

Adelina, Carmen, and Carter were there spending time with Cane. Even though Cane was perfectly fine, Adelina cried like he’d died instead of lived. Carter seemed to take Conway’s condition the worst because he was as pale as snow. He hardly said a word, staring at the ground most of the time.

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