Buttons and Shame Page 21

  The corner of his mouth rose in a smile. “I’ve never been a big kisser, but I really like kissing you. I noticed it right away.”

  “What do you like the most about me?” What was it about me that he desired so much? Was it my chest? Was it my ass? Tristan preferred my ass because he usually took me from behind.

  “I like your neck.”

  I stared at him blankly, surprised by that answer.

  “It’s so slender and soft. I love kissing the hollow of your throat, feeling your pulse against my lips. I love the curve of your face, the way your cheeks highlight your pretty eyes. I like your lips…I like your hair. When I’m inside you, you make this face…it’s so sexy. When I saw you in that airport, my gut told me to do something because I’d never seen another woman like you.”

  My lips parted slightly, and I felt my breathing increase. I suddenly felt hot all over, my body aching for those lips to drag across my neck. I wanted to make the face he described, to be exactly what he described. “What were you trying to do that day?” He took me as a slave for thirty-one days. He didn’t seem like the type of man who went on dates.

  “Honestly, I don’t know… I guess I would have asked you out.”

  “You don’t seem like the kind of guy who asks for a date.”

  “I’m not.”

  “But you would have asked me?”

  He shrugged. “We’ll never know because you didn’t speak to me.”

  “I couldn’t…”

  “It all made sense when I saw you at Tristan’s.”

  If I hadn’t been trafficked that afternoon, how different would my life have been? If Cane made a pass at me at the airport, would I have said yes? Would we have dated and had amazing sex?

  Cane stared at me, and I wondered if he was having the same thoughts.

  After our conversation, only one thing was on my mind. My pussy ached for his large cock, and my nails wanted to dig into his powerful physique. I wanted those soft lips all over my body, worshiping me.

  Cane’s eyes darkened like he was thinking the same thing.

  I set the tray at the end of the bed before I straddled his hips. I was just in his t-shirt with no panties, so I was ready to go.

  Cane lay back against the pillows and gripped my hips, a feral look in his eyes. His cock was instantly hard underneath me, thick and long and ready to enter my tightness. He squeezed my hips then my ass.

  I pulled down his sweatpants and boxers until his cock was free. It was already oozing at the tip, ready to move inside me. I positioned him at my entrance and slowly sheathed him, aware that I’d never done anything like this before. Tristan always took control of the situation, and Cane usually did the same. I’d never climbed on top of a man and taken charge like this.

  Cane guided my hips down and released a quiet moan once he was buried deep inside me. His fingertips dug into me possessively before he guided me up again then back down. “Play with your tits, Bellissima.”

  It was a name I’d quickly adopted. Now I never heard him refer to me by my real name, and I liked it that way. I felt like a different woman with a new identity. It was almost like the past never happened at all.

  My hands cupped my breasts, and I massaged them in the best way I could. I’d never played with myself in front of a man. I’d never tried to be sexy or seductive. I could look like a total idiot right now, and I wouldn’t know.

  Cane seemed to like it because his breathing increased. His fingers dug into me harder, and his eyes darkened. Slowly, he moved his hips with me, thrusting his length inside me as I moved up and down. “Fuck…”

  Watching him enjoy me gave me more confidence. I moved up and down harder, letting the arousal direct my movements.

  He sat up and hooked his arms behind my knees, lifting me up and down his length as he gently rocked into me.

  He’d never been this deep inside me before, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and moaned through the pleasure. He was deep and thick, and his impressive size felt so incredible. My clit rubbed against his body every time he lifted me, and I felt the heat flood my core. I had friends who told me their boyfriends hardly ever made them come, and it took forever to happen on the rare times it did occur. But that wasn’t the case with Cane. If he wanted to make me come, he could do it whenever he wanted.

  And he did. “God…Cane.”

  His eyes darkened and he pumped into me harder, ramming me right in my sweet spot. “Bellissima.”

  I screamed right in his face, coming all over his dick and enjoying every second of it. My nails dug into his shoulders, and I pressed my face into the crook of his neck as I finished, my teeth nicking his skin slightly.

  When I finished, Cane moved me to my back and pressed his heavy weight on top of me. He fucked me hard into the mattress, making the bed shake and the coffee mugs fall to the hardwood floor and shatter. He gripped my thigh around his waist as he gave it to me as deep and hard as possible.

  Within a minute, he came with a loud moan, depositing all of his seed inside me. He shoved his entire length into my channel and gave me every drop, making sure I took it all.

  I gripped his ass and pulled him deep into me, wanting his come as much as he wanted to give it.

  That made his eyes darken more like he wasn’t satisfied at all. It seemed like he wanted me all over again even though we just finished. A sheen of sweat had formed on his upper lip, and when he kissed me, I could taste the salt.

  I felt his cock soften inside me with disappointment. I wanted to keep going, to make this last longer, but we’d both reached our climax.

  Cane stayed buried inside me like we weren’t finished. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Cane led me to the car and opened the door for me.

  “Where are we going?” The only place we’d visited together was Crow’s estate in Tuscany. Other than that, I stayed home while he went to work during the day.

  “Sightseeing. I thought we would start with Rome.”

  “Sightseeing?” Why would Cane want to see the historical landmarks he’d experienced his entire life? “You don’t seem like the tourist type.”

  “I know you didn’t get to see any of Greece. Thought I’d show you around. Unless you don’t want to?”

  The words flew out of my mouth. “Of course, I do. Just doesn’t seem like something you’d be into.”

  “I’m into getting laid.” He winked then guided me inside before he shut the door. He got into the driver’s side of his two-seater black car. The powerful engine came to life, purring like a mountain lion.

  “Well, you’d get laid anyway.”

  “But I’m sure you’ll step it up a notch.” He left the house and drove past Florence and headed for the capital of the country. The radio was on, and everything was in Italian, so I couldn’t understand a word of it. There was only one word I did understand—bellissima.

  After yesterday, I wasn’t sure if that was possible. “I can try.”

  Cane and I didn’t talk much on the drive, but we didn’t talk much as it was. Most of our relationship was based off physical communication more than anything else. He had a few phone calls that were all in Italian.

  “Are you sure you don’t need to work today?”

  He drove with one hand on the wheel and ignored my question altogether. “What did you want to see first?”

  “I don’t know. All of it.”

  He chuckled. “We have to start somewhere. How about the Colosseum?”

  “Ooh…that sounds great.”

  He moved his hand to my thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Perfect.”

  We spent most of the afternoon in Rome, seeing the historical culture that Cane was immune to. But I saw the way his eyes soaked up the magnificent buildings that stood the test of time. The fact that most of these places were thousands of years old made me feel so insignificant. In a few weeks, my life would be over, but these buildings would still be standing tall.

  After a few hours on foot, we grabb
ed some lunch at a restaurant nearby. I was starving after all the walking we did, and I didn’t bother trying to read the menu. I’d just point to the first selection and hope it was good.

  Cane eyed me across the table and ignored the glass of wine he’d just gotten. “I can explain the menu to you.”

  “I’m sure whatever I get will be delicious.”

  “I don’t know…Americans have specific tastes.”

  “As long as there isn’t raccoon or something on the menu, I’ll be fine.”

  He tried to suppress his grin. “Raccoon? Did you grow up in the mountains or something?”

  Thinking about home quickly made me sad, despite the incredible day we were having. I was enjoying the sights while my family was terrified. They probably knew what happened to me, that I’d been taken into slavery. It kept them up every night, worried about how I was being treated or if I was still alive.

  It made me feel horrible.

  Cane noticed my mood change instantly. Over the course of the past two weeks, we’d been together nearly all of the time. He understood my facial expressions and my moods even when I didn’t say anything. I understood his just as well. “What did I say?”

  “Nothing…” I placed my menu on top of his. “You can pick something out.”

  Cane didn’t blink as he stared me down. His expression hardly ever softened. He seemed displeased most of the time, seriously annoyed. Sometimes I wondered if it was a mask he put on due to his line of work because that wasn’t always the way it worked. When we screwed, that expression wasn’t so fierce. “Tell me, Bellissima.”

  That nickname always hit me right in the chest. It stopped me in my tracks and chased away any negativity I felt. There was something about the way he said it. It was full of affection and possessiveness. It made me feel beautiful, desired in the kind of way I liked. “When I think about home, I think about my parents… They must be heartbroken. I’m probably all they can ever think about.” I averted my gaze because I didn’t expect Cane to care. He wasn’t close to anyone besides his brother and sister-in-law, and even then, his affection was still hidden deep inside his psyche. He already didn’t feel bad for me as it was. I’d asked him if I could call my parents, and he rejected my request.

  His hand moved across the table until it rested on top of mine. His thumb stroked my knuckles gently as he stared at me with a pair of soft eyes.

  I eyed his hand, surprised by the compassion. My fingers moved with his until our fingers were interlocked.

  Cane didn’t speak. All he did was touch me and comfort me with his eyes. They were dark and foreboding, but sometimes they could make me feel like I was living in a different world. They made me feel safe.

  Made me feel whole.

  After a round of rough sex on his bed, he hopped into the shower then dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

  My eyes were heavy, and I was about to slip away into my dreams. The only reason I was still awake because my body was waiting for him to join me. I was used to that powerful physique keeping me warm and safe throughout the night. “Are you going somewhere?” I sat up and held the sheet to my chest so my breasts wouldn’t get cold.

  “I just need to do some stuff at the office. I’ll be back before you wake up.”

  I’d never seen him leave so late at night. “Everything alright?”

  “Yeah, don’t worry about it.” He leaned over the bed and gave me a quick kiss on the lips, the kind of kiss a husband would give his wife. “I just need to catch up on a few things.”

  “Why did we go sightseeing if you had stuff to do today?”

  He shrugged. “It slipped my mind.” He grabbed his jacket on the way to the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He walked out and shut the door behind him.

  The fire was still burning in the fireplace, but it would die out in the next hour or two. At least that would keep me warm until he returned. Something about his story still didn’t add up, and it took me a few minutes before I finally figured it out.

  He felt bad for me.

  He took me out to see the sights because he knew I would be dead in a few weeks. He was trying to make my remaining time enjoyable, making up for all the things I wouldn’t be able to do.

  The thought brought me to tears.

  I stared at the fire as I watched the flames burn away. My tears were just as hot as the burning fire, and I felt them drop from my chin and onto the sheets. I pulled my knees to my chest and tried to steady myself, tried not to pity myself.

  Cane had much more compassion than I realized.

  But somehow, that made me feel worse.

  22

  Pearl

  As soon as Crow left for work the next morning, I took one of the cars and headed to the airport. Now that I was married, I officially had Italian identification, and I was a citizen of both Italy and America…even though I would never return to my homeland.

  I only had a few hours before Crow would know what I was up to.

  When he found out, he would be maaaaad.

  Like, really mad.

  The flight to France was short, and I got into the cab shortly afterward. I managed to get the address from Lars since he had access to all critical information. I was certain Crow didn’t share everything with his butler, but Lars had a way of knowing things.

  Worked out for me.

  When I pulled up to the estate near the harbor, I felt the terror grip my chest. I was walking into a danger zone, but the fear wasn’t enough to hold me back. If I didn’t do this, I would regret it. Besides, I had the Barsetti name to keep me safe.

  I walked up to the guards at the front. “Evening, gentlemen.”

  The one on the left looked me up and down like I was for sale. “A gift for Tristan?”

  I glared. “The only gift he’ll get from me is a shoe up his ass.”

  He exchanged a look with the other guard. “You’re here to see him?”

  “I’m definitely not here to make small talk with you.”

  His eyes narrowed at my disrespect, but he didn’t mouth off to me. “Name?”

  “Pearl Barsetti.”

  “Wait here.” He walked inside and shut the big black doors behind him.

  The other guy moved toward me. “Arms up.” His hands immediately went for my stomach to search me.

  “Touch me, and I’ll rip your eyes out.” I wasn’t going to let anyone place a hand on me ever again.

  He heeded my warning and stopped.

  The first guard returned. “He’ll see you.”

  The second guard crossed his arms over his chest, his cold eyes reserved for me. He spoke in French so I couldn’t understand.

  The first guard said something back, and their conversation continued.

  “I don’t have a gun,” I said, assuming that’s what they were talking about. “You don’t need to search me.”

  The first guard walked back inside again and returned a moment later. “He’ll see you.” He held the door open and nodded me inside.

  I guess being a hard-ass got stuff done.

  I walked in with my head held high and my shoulders back. I’d be lying if I said I felt safe without Crow beside me, but I knew his power reached beyond his borders. None of the men in there would think twice about messing with me. It would start a war they didn’t want to fight.

  I assumed Tristan was the one sitting at the dining table with greasy black hair and a very crooked nose. It looked like he’d broken it three times, and in every instance, he didn’t heal properly.

  His grin looked like a sneer when he stared at me. “Wow. Crow has good taste.” He spoke English well, but his French accent was heavy. His eyes moved from my head to my toes, and he violated me with just a look.

  As long as he didn’t touch me, I could deal with it.

  “I wish I could say the same about his business partners.” I didn’t take a seat at the table, feeling more comfortable standing. His henchmen lingered in the shadows with shiny pistols on their hips.


  He took my insult in stride. “Your new husband isn’t keeping you satisfied? Is that why you’re here today?”

  This guy was eerily similar to Bones. It made the bile rise up my throat and enter my mouth. “I’m here to talk about Adelina.”

  “Ah, yes. My whore. I miss her.”

  I couldn’t count the number of times Bones called me the same thing. It pressed my buttons—hard.

  “I’m sure Cane is enjoying her. How could he not? Her sobs are beautiful.”

  My hand tightened into a fist. “Human trafficking is an international crime.”

  “Murder is an international crime too.” He gave me a threatening look. “And I didn’t traffic her. I paid for her.”

  “Same thing.”

  “Is your husband a trafficker, then?” he asked coldly.

  It wasn’t comparable.

  “You enjoy getting fucked by a rich man. That’s why you stayed. Perhaps Adelina will feel the same way.”

  How did Cane work with this man? He was lower than scum. “You’re going to release her.”

  “Why?” He took a drink, seeming bored.

  “Because keeping a human is a crime.”

  He shrugged. “I commit worse crimes every day. Don’t expect me to care because I never will.”

  Was I foolish enough to expect this conversation to go any differently? Tristan stared at me with the same disdain I showed for him. He didn’t have an ounce of compassion, not a drop of human dignity. I thought Crow was cold when I first met him, but I quickly saw the softness he tried so hard to hide. That was how I knew I would be okay. He was nothing like Bones, and with him, I was safe.

  But Tristan was a real piece of work. He thought he owned the world and everything in it. “I’ll buy her from you. What do you say to that?”

  He took another drink then licked the wine from his lips. “She’s not for sale.”

  I wanted to shoot him right between the eyes. “Everything has a price.”

  He wiped his mouth with the back of his forearm then looked me up and down. “Very true. The price for Adelina is you.”