was to have children.
“How are you?” he asked. “I’ve noticed that you and Cato have…settled down.”
“We did…but we recently broke up.”
“Really?” he asked. “Even though you have a daughter?”
“It’s a long story…”
“I have the time if you do.”
“Well…” I told him Cato wouldn’t give up his life in the criminal underworld so I was left on my own. I also mentioned my father. “I was able to bury my father with my mother. Cato made that happen…so I’m eternally grateful.”
“That is nice. I never had the opportunity to bury my parents, only my sister.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “It was a long time ago. About Cato…I understand it’s hard for a man to walk away from something he built with his own hands. It defines him as a man, gives him power. It’s addictive…to walk into a room and know you’re the most powerful man there. There’s no man in the world who doesn’t get off on that feeling. To give all that up…for the unknown…would be hard for anyone.”
“So, I’m being unrealistic?”
“Not at all,” he said. “You’re right about everything. It’s not about if, but when. Someone will try to hurt Cato, and the best way to do that is to hurt you and your kids. Preferably, your kids. If he wants to protect his family, hanging up the towel is his only option.”
“But he won’t do it.”
“He may just need some time. Is he a good father?”
I smiled when I pictured him with Martina. “The best.”
“Then he’ll come around. He just wants to come to this decision on his own—his own terms. Makes it feel like less of a sacrifice.”
“It’s been almost two weeks, and he hasn’t done that already…” It’d been the longest two weeks of my life. I kept waiting for him to walk through the door so he could take us back home, but he never did. I expected phone calls in the middle of the night, telling me he loved me and missed me. But that didn’t happen either.
Crow was quiet.
“I know this is probably a lot to ask…but would you mind talking to him?”
Crow didn’t say anything.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But maybe hearing this story from another powerful man will make him see reason.”
“He might just shoot me.”
“Not if I’m there. He would never hurt you if I asked him not to.”
He still didn’t give me an answer.
“I know you said you didn’t want to be involved in anything—”
“I’ll do it. I couldn’t help you before, but I can help with you this. It’s just a conversation, right?”
I stared at the bathroom wall while a feeling of hope exploded inside my chest. “Thank you…so much.”
25
Cato
Bates stepped inside my open door. “Talk to her yet?”
I kept my eyes on my laptop. “You already know the answer.”
“Then let me rephrase it. When are you going to talk to her?”
“Bates.” I said his name in a warning tone. “Just butt out.”
“I’m your brother. It’s my responsibility to make sure you don’t do anything stupid. And that goes both ways.”
“You’re being stupid right now.”
He stepped back into the hall and gestured to someone. “There’s a few people here to see you.”
“Who?”
A tall man with dark brown hair stepped inside. With hazel eyes, tanned skin, and in black jeans and a matching shirt, he looked familiar right away. He was a man in his late fifties, but he moved like he was in his early twenties. He approached my desk, holding my gaze like he wasn’t afraid of me—but he wasn’t hostile either.
Siena walked in behind him, beautiful in a deep blue sundress and a yellow cardigan. Martina wasn’t with her. She looked slightly guilty for ambushing me, but she didn’t apologize for it.
I was angry with her, but it was hard not to love her when she looked so beautiful. Her hair was curled the way I liked, and she wore the bracelet I gave to her for Christmas. She stood beside the man I didn’t know. “Cato, this is Crow Barsetti…a friend of mine.”
Crow didn’t reach out his hand to shake my hand. Most men who stepped into this office immediately kissed my ass, but he didn’t bother with the practice. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
I finally took my eyes off Siena to really look at Crow. “We’ve met before.”
“But it’s been almost ten years.” He lowered himself into the armchair and crossed his legs. “I hear you’re a fan of my wine.”
“I am.” I looked at Siena again,