Lover in Lingerie (Lingerie 15)

My brother noticed my tremors. “Cane.” That was all he needed to say to remind me to restrain myself.

“This is what happened,” Griffin said. “Vanessa and I had dinner with Carmen one night. I always offer to take her home, but since Vanessa was tired and cold, Carmen insisted on walking alone. Apparently, four guys got her in an alleyway—”

“Stop.” I couldn’t listen to this. I was tough and unbreakable, but this was something I couldn’t handle.

Crow finished for me. “Get to the point, Griffin.”

“Alright,” Griffin said. “Bosco was walking by when it happened. He intervened and saved her. She wasn’t hurt in the ordeal. She held her own pretty well, actually.”

“He’s not the kind of guy to save a random woman,” I noted.

“He’s not,” Griffin said in agreement. “But he owed me a favor. She name-dropped me in the alleyway, and that’s why he chased them off. That’s when they met. I guess he asked her out to dinner, and that’s how their relationship started.”

Relationship. They had a relationship. “God…no.”

“Vanessa was the only person she told. Vanessa kept Carmen’s secret, even from me.” Griffin’s shoulders tensed before he kept talking. “I guess it was casual, but then things became more serious. When things became too complicated, Carmen tried to break it off. He wouldn’t allow it.”

Now I was flying apart at the hinges. “I’m gonna shoot this motherfucker and put him in the fucking—”

“Cane.” Crow held his hand up to me. “If you can’t handle this, then you need to step outside. If we’re gonna help Carmen, we need to know everything. Alright? So chill.”

“Easy for you to say,” I hissed. “This isn’t your daughter.”

“She’s as good as,” Crow said coldly. “I’d die for her, and we both know it. So stop taking this out on me and just shut up.” He turned back to Griffin. “What else?”

Griffin continued. “So they negotiated a three-month relationship. She’s living with him at his penthouse. The only reason I found out was because I checked on her when the shop was closed, so I went to her apartment, but it was obvious she hadn’t been there in months. I found her car at his place and made the connection. That same night, Bosco showed up on my doorstep for a chat.”

“Shit,” Crow said. “What happened? Vanessa?”

“He called me from the road, and I met him outside the gate,” Griffin said. “Vanessa doesn’t even know it happened. He came unarmed and without his army. He just wanted to chat. It wasn’t hostile.”

“And what did this motherfucker say?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“He told me he would never hurt her. That he cares about her. He assured me that when their time together is over, she can walk away. She’s not a prisoner. But he did threaten to kill all of us if we try to oppose him.” Griffin lowered himself back into his seat, his elbows on his knees. “You know I would die for Barsetti blood. I’ve already proven it to you, so it goes without saying. But Bosco Roth is a whole different animal. He’s not a regular thug. This guy has a hundred armed men at his side at any given time of the day. He has every criminal in this vicinity under his thumb. If you’re on his list…you don’t stand a chance.”

That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

“He’s right,” Crow admitted. “This isn’t a clean strike. There’s little chance of success.”

“No chance of success,” Griffin corrected. “None at all.”

I refused to accept that. “This is my daughter, and I will die to protect her. I would rather be in the ground than alive knowing she’s in trouble.”

Griffin shook his head. “After Bosco and I talked, I confronted her about it. She insists he’s kind, generous, and loving. He treats her with respect, keeps her safe, and takes care of her. She defended him in every single instance and even claimed he was a good man. She understands his reputation, but he’s different with her. She said she’s not a prisoner, and she can walk away whenever she wants. And more importantly, their agreement ends in three more weeks. When that time comes, she said she’ll leave.”

Finally, some good news.

Crow continued to stand behind his desk, but he put the safety on his gun and set it down. “If he’s such a great guy, why does she want to leave?”

“Said she doesn’t see a future with him,” Griffin said. “She wants a husband and kids, but that’s not gonna happen with him. She wants a simple life in Tuscany, and since he’s so involved in his work, it’s not possible. Also…she knows you guys would never be on board with this.”

“Looks like my daughter isn’t that dumb, after all,” I said bitterly.

Crow gave me a look of disapproval. “Cane, don’t do that.”