“Ever,” my father added.
I felt like a ten-year-old child again. My father was disciplining me for doing something stupid. But I wasn’t ten anymore. I was almost thirty—and a self-made billionaire. I didn’t want to be proud or arrogant, but my father couldn’t tell me what to do anymore. “Our business is too important.”
“It is,” Carter said in agreement. “People depend on us.”
“You’re taking money from innocent people who just want their daughters back.” My father spoke through a clenched jaw, his dark eyes piercing like two blades. “There’s nothing noble about your work. You are two cocky idiots who don’t know what the hell they’re doing. Don’t make this about the girls. This is about the money. You’re greedy, and worst of all, stupid.” Not once did he raise his voice, but his words sank into our skin like blades. “So, it ends now.”
Carter fell silent, his eyes trained on his father.
I didn’t blink as I stared into the eyes of my biggest hero. “Last time I was there, they were selling a sixteen-year-old girl. I wasn’t supposed to buy her, or anyone else. But I dropped thirty million dollars just to get her out of there. Carter put her on a plane back home. Neither one of us made a cent off her. We risked our lives and our necks to get that girl out of there. If that’s not brave, I don’t know what is.”
Instead of softening his expression and being impressed by what I did, it only made him more pissed off. “I didn’t go through hell to see my son go down the wrong path. I didn’t almost die twice to see my family repeat the same mistakes. Your mother didn’t—”
“Crow.” My mom silenced him just by saying his name.
And he listened.
“It’s my turn to talk now.” She moved her hand and rested it on top of his.
He didn’t reciprocate the affection, too angry with the world to care about the touch of his wife.
“Conway.” She looked at me with soft eyes before looking at my cousin. “Carter. Your fathers are both strong, stubborn, and very protective. Sometimes they seem to exaggerate, but trust me, they don’t. You both have accomplished so much in your young lives. Your hearts are in the right place. Whether you’re making money off saving these women, it’s still a good thing to do. However, you have no idea what you’re doing.”
Just when I thought my mother would smooth everything over, she threw a curve ball.
“The connections between these men go far deeper than you realize. The Skull Kings have been around much longer than you understand. They were once an assassination crew, taking out leaders, politicians, and anyone who had a big enough bounty on their head. They changed their business into arms dealership, taking over the sector Bones used to hold. Now, they’ve broken into the trafficking circuit. These men only care about one thing…money. And if they ever find out how much money you’ve made from selling these women back to where they came from, who will pay the price?”
I held my breath as I listened, hanging on to every word my mother said.
Carter was quiet too.
“Your fathers have worked very hard to give us the simple life we have now. It wasn’t always this way. We’ve all suffered at the hands of madmen in our own ways. We want to put this behind us. So, you must close this door, both of you. As much as you may want to help these women, it’s not worth dying for. It’s not worth risking your entire family. I know deep down inside your fathers understand. I even believe they’re somewhat proud of you. But your actions are directly destroying everything they sacrificed to protect.” She turned her gaze on me. “Son.”
I took a deep breath as she addressed me.
“I want your promise that you will never participate in the Underground—ever again.”
I held her gaze but didn’t speak.
She didn’t blink. “Conway Barsetti.”
I didn’t want to hurt my parents. I didn’t want to disappoint them. My pride wanted me to remain stubborn and deny them what they wanted. But when my mother spoke so passionately, I couldn’t deny her. “I promise.”
The air left my father’s lungs.
My mom turned to Carter. “Carter, promise all of us that this business is over.”
Carter caved quicker than I did. He nodded.
“Out loud,” my mom pressed.
“I promise,” Carter whispered.
“Now remember, Barsettis always honor their promises,” my mother continued. “If you don’t, you hurt the family name. And then you won’t deserve the honor of the name. So, don’t you ever break that vow. Understand?”
My mother reminded me of Muse in some ways. She could command a room even though she was physically the weakest person there. She earned the respect of everyone in different ways. She could make all of us obedient even when she was half our size. “Yes,” I answered. “We understand.”