The Skull Crusher Read online

  But the idea of him being out with someone else got under my skin.

  Did he pay for sex? Did he go to one of his whores?

  Or was he doing something else? Something criminal?

  He didn’t tell me anything about his life, so I didn’t have a clue. At least with Lucian, I knew exactly where he was and what kind of meeting he was having.

  Balto didn’t buy me any sleepwear, so I was stuck wearing his stuff. I wondered if he did it on purpose.

  At half past four, the cogs in the elevator started to work, and the doors opened a second later. Balto stepped inside dressed in all black. Despite the late hour, there was no hint of his exhaustion. He didn’t notice me on the couch because he didn’t bother to look. He pulled out his wallet, his keys, and removed his watch. He tossed everything on the entryway table.

  My eyes were heavy from exhaustion, and now that he was home, I suddenly felt like I could go to sleep. I wasn’t sure if I felt safe because he was here, or I was just relieved that he wasn’t out and about.

  He stopped when he noticed me. He stilled near the couch, his blue eyes staring at me with pure focus. He didn’t blink, turning into a wild animal that watched his prey so carefully. His muscular arms hung by his sides, and his strong chest stretched his cotton t-shirt. He always looked good in black, making his fair skin even more beautiful.

  I was in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt without a bra, and even though it wasn’t the kind of pajamas I would normally wear, it was the most comfortable clothing I’d ever worn. I sat up on the couch, my hair in a ponytail.

  He stepped closer to the couch, still staring at me with predatory eyes. He didn’t say a word, choosing to let the silence speak for him.

  I spoke first. “You’re out late.” Accusation was in my voice, even though he didn’t owe me anything. Even if I weren’t his prisoner, he could come and go as he pleased without explaining his whereabouts. If I had my freedom, I would never tell him about my plans.

  “Why are you still awake?”

  The bed was comfortable, and I could set the temperature to whatever I wanted. Comfort definitely wasn’t the problem. I had no idea what the problem even was. “Couldn’t sleep.”

  “Why is that?”

  I held his gaze and didn’t come up with an answer.

  “My men on the ground are the best I have. They’re not gonna let anyone near this building. And even if someone managed to get through, they aren’t going to make it up here. So you have nothing to worry about.”

  That should have eased my mind, but it didn’t.

  Balto kept watching me. “Not good enough, huh?”

  “Are you gone every night?” I couldn’t figure out his schedule. He seemed to be out of the house in the evenings, but he left sporadically at all hours of the day.

  “Most nights.”

  I stared into his face and noticed the brightness in his eyes. After a long night doing whatever he did, he didn’t appear the least bit tired. It seemed like it was early in the morning and he just woke up from a great night of sleep. “You don’t seem tired.”

  “I don’t get tired.”

  “Well, that’s not possible.”

  “I have too much shit to do to be tired.” He stepped away from the couch and entered the kitchen. A cabinet opened and shut, and he poured himself a glass of liquor. He came back to the couch and took a seat beside me.

  “What kind of shit are you talking about?”

  He stared at the empty fireplace and took a drink.

  “Are you never going to tell me about your evenings?”

  “I don’t see why it matters to you.”

  “Lucian always told me his plans.”

  “I’m not Lucian.” His tone was ice-cold. “And I don’t see why you would want me to be.”

  “I don’t…” Balto claimed to be a cruel man, but he’d never raised a hand to me, and he hadn’t forced me to do anything I wasn’t comfortable with. He said Lucian wasn’t a man at all, that he was a pathetic pussy. But Lucian had been far crueler to me. “You treat me much better than he did.”

  “How so?” He kept drinking even though he’d probably spent his entire night with a scotch in his hand. “You’re my prisoner now. You have no rights, no freedoms. You might not be my wife, but I own you.”

  Hearing him wrap me in chains disturbed me all the way to my core. I was in this position because of Evan, and now it seemed like I would always be a prisoner. Lucian may have married me, but Evan was the one who had locked the cuffs around my wrists. “You can keep me as your prisoner and take away my freedom—but you’ll never own me.”

  He turned his gaze on me, his blue eyes terrifying.

  “A woman can only be owned by a man when she wants to be owned.”

  He set the glass on the table then continued to watch me. “How do I treat you better?”

  “For one, you don’t knock me around.”

  His eyes narrowed slightly, like that statement made him angry. “He hurt you?”

  “Sometimes.”

  He faced forward again. “Just because I haven’t laid a hand on you doesn’t mean I won’t. Just don’t give me a reason to, and we won’t have a problem.”

  Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he wasn’t. I didn’t know this man well enough to figure it out. “You haven’t forced me to do anything I don’t want to do…”

  “If you don’t cooperate, I will.” He turned back to me. “I will tie your wrists to my headboard and take you however I wish. Maybe I don’t own your soul, but I own your body. I will use it however I want.”

  “And you expect me to just lie there?”

  “You did with Lucian.”

  My eyes lit up in flames. “That was because I had to. With you, I don’t owe you anything. I never promised anything to you.”

  “Submit. Or I will hand you back to Lucian.”

  My heart gave out in fear because that was the last thing I wanted. But I also knew he took me for a reason. He wanted to punish Lucian for his betrayal, and I was the key to that. “I don’t believe you.”

  He stared me down with that incredible poker face, threatening me with just a look. “It won’t come to that anyway. When I want to take you to bed, you’ll comply. A kiss here…a touch there…will be enough to make your knees fall open.”

  Flashbacks of our intense nights together came back to me, causing a shiver to run down my spine in longing. He was the best sex I’d ever had, and I’d missed him the second he was gone. Our circumstances changed when he took me, but my attraction never did. But I refused to want someone who’d enslaved me to torture his enemy. “As a free woman, I’d be in your bed every night. But as a prisoner, I don’t find you the least bit attractive.”

  The corner of his mouth rose in a smile like he didn’t believe me at all. “Then why are you sitting on the couch waiting for me to come home?”

  “I’m not waiting for you—”

  “There’s a TV in your room. There’s a living area in your room. There’s a spa-size tub with a TV on the wall. There’s no reason to lie on this couch in the middle of the night unless you’re waiting for the sound of the door.”

  I shut my mouth because he had me backed into a corner. The second he’d spotted me in the living room, he must have made that assumption, and now he was using it against me.

  He continued to stare me down, full of arrogance because he had the upper hand. “There are a few reasons you could be waiting up for me. First, you’re scared when I’m not around. Second, you’re worried I’m out sleeping around and that pisses you off. Three, you’re worried about me and want to make sure I come home at some point. Four, and this is my favorite reason, your pussy misses my dick. So, which is it? It’s gotta be one of those reasons—or all the above.”

  It’d been over a week since he’d snuck into my bedroom and made me explode around his dick so many times. I’d missed him with every passing day until the moment he told me I was his prisoner. I hadn’t missed him in
that way ever since, but it was only a matter of time before my body’s needs caught up with me.

  “Answer me.” His arm moved over the back of the couch, and he scooted closer to me, bringing his face close to mine. He was close enough for a kiss, but he never leaned in to seal the deal. His eyes were still hostile. “Or I’ll assume they all apply.”

  When he was this close to me, I could smell the booze on his breath and the cigar smoke on his clothes. But the scent I recognized most of all was the aroma of a woman’s perfume. Fruity and fragrant, it was undeniable. The scent singed my nose and made my anger rise. “You were with a woman tonight. I can smell it on you.”

  “So, it’s reason number two.”

  “No. I just don’t understand why you’d get both of us checked and then you’re sleeping around. Doesn’t make any sense.”

  He ignored my statement. “If it’s not reason number two, then which reason is it?”

  “You answer me first.” The idea of some busty blonde bouncing on his dick pissed me off. Whether she was paid to please him or did it to please herself, it angered me either way. Lucian had his whores, and I never cared. But with Balto, it was a punch in the stomach.

  “You never asked me a question.”

  “Yes, I did. Were you with someone?”

  “You never asked. You just assumed.” He moved closer to me, his face so close that if he came any nearer, our lips would touch. His eyes were glued to mine, focused and hostile. His muscular body stretched his t-shirt, showing off all the muscles that were hidden from view.

  “Answer me.” His refusal of transparency only bothered me even more.

  “I’ll answer you when you answer me. Why are you up all night waiting for me to come home?”

  My answer depended on the extent of my curiosity. I could keep this information to myself if I was okay not knowing where he was tonight. But I wanted to know if I was sharing him with someone else, if I was at risk for catching something. I was lucky that Lucian hadn’t given me anything, that he actually wore a condom every time he screwed one of his whores. I’d made it this far, so I didn’t want to risk catching something now. “One and two…” I was scared without him there to protect me, and I wanted to know if he was bedding other women.

  “Which means number three and four apply as well.” Triumph was in his eyes.

  “I never said three and four.”

  “If you want me to protect you, then that means you want me to come home safely. And if you’re pissed about me screwing someone else, then that means you want me to only screw you. So yes, all the above.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You don’t have to, baby.” His hand moved to my neck and snaked under the fall of my hair. His fingers wrapped around me, and he squeezed me enough so he could feel the pulse in my neck.

  I tried not to relax at his touch, even though my body instantly wanted to. I loved it when he touched me like that, like a man possessing a woman. He knew how to be with a woman, how to make her feel like a woman. It wasn’t just his kiss and the size of his package. It was his confidence, his focused intensity, and those beautiful eyes. “Your turn.”

  He cradled my neck and guided my chin up slightly, forcing me to look at him head on. “No. I wasn’t with anyone.”

  “Then why do you smell like perfume?”

  Anger slowly inched into his features. “This is something you need to know about me. I’m the kind of man that doesn’t give a damn about sparing your feelings. I’m the kind of man so powerful I don’t need to employ deception. I’m the kind of man that will talk shit right to your face. I won’t bend the truth to make it easier for you to hear. I won’t soften a blow so it’s less painful to take. I always speak the truth because I don’t need to lie. Only cowards and pussies lie. I’m not afraid of anything—especially the truth. So when I say something to you, it’s real. Don’t. Question. Me.” His hand slid out of my hair as he rose to his feet. “I’m going to bed. If you want to fuck, you know where I’ll be.”

  I watched his large shoulders shift slightly as he walked away. His t-shirt stretched across the muscles of his back, hinting at the powerful strength that lay underneath his skin. His shirt was loose around his waist, but I knew exactly how that part of his physique looked. I stayed on the couch and didn’t follow him to his bedroom, having too much self-respect to crawl into his bed like nothing happened. I was relieved he hadn’t been with another woman, like an enormous weight had been lifted off my chest. He wasn’t mine, but for whatever reason, I didn’t want him to be anyone else’s. Though, just because he hadn’t been with someone tonight didn’t mean that he hadn’t been with someone before, or that he wouldn’t be with someone else in the future.

  5

  CASSINI

  When I woke up the next day, it was past noon.

  I didn’t get to sleep until five, and since I had nothing to do during the day, I just slept in as long as I wanted. I hopped in the shower and got ready for the day then headed into the kitchen in search of food.

  Balto stood in front of the stove, cooking a piece of salmon with asparagus. He wore black sweatpants with workout shoes, and his bare chest and back were slick with sweat. A plastic gallon jug half filled with water was on the counter beside him. His skin was tinted red from all the blood pumping in his veins. Even the back of his neck was coated in sweat. I stood there for a moment and admired him.

  He didn’t turn around as he addressed me. “Want me to make you some?”

  I didn’t want a piece of salmon and vegetables. I’d just woken up, so I would probably make a bowl of cereal. “No thanks. How was your workout?”

  “Tough as hell.” He slid the food onto a plate and left the dirty pan on the stove. When he turned around, his face was free of sweat, probably because he’d wiped it with a towel. “You’re welcome to join me.”

  “Join you in doing what?” I grabbed a bowl from the counter and filled it with cereal.

  “Working out.”

  I added the milk then raised an eyebrow. “Working out at the gym? Or working out by doing something else?”

  “I was referring to the gym. But fucking is great exercise too.” The corner of his mouth rose in a smile as he grabbed the enormous jug of water. He carried his lunch to the dining room and took a seat.

  I sat across from him. “What makes you think I need to go to the gym?” Lucian had told me I was gaining weight even though I thought I looked just fine. Did Balto feel the same way? Was he an asshole who demanded I be a size zero at all times?

  “Everyone needs to go to the gym. It doesn’t matter how hot you are, the same rules apply to you.”

  Okay, maybe he didn’t think I needed to lose weight. When I listed the things I wanted at the grocery store, he picked them up. He never gave me shit about my diet. I ate cereal in the morning, a sandwich for lunch, and cookies for dessert. “Why is that?”

  “Cardiovascular health. Muscle strength. Stress.” He pressed the side of his fork into his fish and shaved off a piece of meat before he popped it into his mouth. “The list goes on.” His chest was shiny from the sweat that seeped out through his skin. His muscles seemed a bit bigger because of all the weight lifting he did. It was no surprise he was in such phenomenal shape considering how committed he was to fitness. His size, strength, and discipline definitely made him intimidating.

  “Weight loss?” I asked, my eyes directed into my bowl.

  “Weight loss shouldn’t be your motivation for a healthy lifestyle. And you don’t need to lose weight.”

  I looked up, surprised by what he’d said since Lucian had the exact opposite opinion. “You see what I eat all day.”

  He shrugged. “Some people can eat whatever they want and look great. Others can’t.”

  “And you think I’m one of those people?” I asked incredulously. I was aware of the thickness of my thighs, of the way my stomach protruded slightly over my jeans. I’d gained weight since I’d lived with Lucian, and that was ma
inly out of depression. I used to be a lot more active. Now I wasn’t active at all.

  “Yes.” His eyes were locked on mine as he placed a piece of salmon in his mouth.

  “Have you not noticed my curves? The way my thighs stretch my jeans?”

  “Have you not noticed how hard I get when I’m inside you?” He said the words without skipping a beat, his eyes locked on mine as he continued to chew his food. “Women are different from men. Men should be fit, lean, and strong. They’re the protectors, the providers. Women have no such obligation. Their only job is to be healthy and bear children. They can do that at any size.”

  Maybe I didn’t despise him so much, after all. “Lucian told me to lose weight.”

  He cut his fork into his fish but didn’t take a bite. He lifted his gaze to look at me, the sweat slowly evaporating from his fair skin. “He’s the one who needs to hit the gym, not you. The guy is a scrawny bastard who makes bombs because he can’t throw a punch.” He placed the food in his mouth.

  Maria had only made me certain meals, stuff that was low in carbs and low in fat, under Lucian’s orders. It was ironic because he ate whatever he wanted without considering his health. That was one of the reasons living with Balto was preferable—because I could eat whatever I wanted.

  Balto finished everything on his plate then stared at me.

  I kept eating my cereal, ignoring his intense expression.

  “Why didn’t you come to my room last night?”

  Bumps formed along my skin, and my hair stood on end slightly. The thought had crossed my mind, but I was too proud to follow through on it. “Did I say I was going to?”

  “No. But you wanted to.”

  “I don’t remember saying that.”

  “I remember you having a hissy fit when you thought I slept with someone else. So why didn’t you crawl on my lap and claim me as your own?” He rested his elbows on the table and stared at me, reading my face for an answer.

  “Because I didn’t want to.”

  He smiled slightly, like he saw right through my bullshit. “Right…”