Husband Read online

  The door shut behind me, his footsteps echoing a moment later. His bare feet tapped against the pavers of the patio as he approached me, his size audible in the way he disrupted the energy around him.

  He came directly behind me, his bare chest pushing against my back. His arms gripped the rail in front of us, his body acting as a cage that locked me in. His lips slowly moved into my hairline, pressing gentle kisses against my warm skin. He moved down until his lips were pressed against my ear. “Want more?” His hand pushed my hair over the opposite shoulder. “Because you can get on top of me whenever you want. Wake me up—I don’t give a damn.” He kissed my neck again, his tongue tasting the sweat from my skin.

  “I just couldn’t sleep…” I closed my eyes, feeling his lips suck my skin.

  He pushed down the front of his boxers and let his cock move to my entrance. He grabbed my shoulder and bent me over slightly, making my ass pop. Then he pushed inside me, shoving himself deep and hard.

  I gripped the rail and moaned, feeling the pain from all the soreness. He made me feel like a virgin, making me ache like I’d never taken a man like that before.

  His large hand wrapped around my neck, and he kept me still as he fucked me, fucked me like he hadn’t enjoyed me all night long. It was another possessive fuck, reminding me that I belonged to him.

  Like he’d ever let me forget.

  It was nine in the morning when I woke up to him getting dressed.

  He stood in jeans and a t-shirt, clasping one of his watches onto his wrist.

  It was way too early to wake up after the night we had, so where was he going that was so important? I sat up and pulled the hair from my face, my eyes so tired, I could barely keep them open. “Where are you going?”

  “Work.” He grabbed his wallet and phone and slipped them into his pocket.

  “On a Sunday?”

  “Every day. I’ll be back in a few hours.” He headed out the door.

  “It’s the day after our wedding, and you’re going to run off?” I didn’t expect anything romantic, but I was surprised he would take off and leave.

  He stood in the doorway and stared at me. “Don’t worry. We’ll fuck when I get back.”

  “That’s not why I’m—”

  He shut the door and left.

  I lay back in bed and felt the fatigue overtake me. I fell back to sleep within minutes and slept until past noon. I showered and got ready for the day even though I didn’t have any plans. Since it was my bedroom, I tidied up the place and fixed the sheets. They were dirty, but if we changed them after every night of sex, we’d need an endless supply.

  I headed downstairs to see if Helena had anything for lunch. She made me a sandwich and a salad, and I sat at the kitchen table and ate my food while scrolling on my phone. It was nice to have space from my mother, but it was also strange to start over in someone else’s home. Technically, it was mine now…it would just take some time to get used to.

  Esme texted me. Sore?

  Yes, actually.

  Ooh…good for you. He really must have a big dick.

  Sometimes it’s too big.

  Girl, don’t torture me. You want to go out and do something?

  Sure. Hades went to work, so I’m home alone.

  Wow…what a dick.

  It’s not like we married for love…

  Then let’s meet at the bar. See you in twenty minutes.

  I finished lunch then prepared to leave. But on the doorstep, I came face-to-face with my mother. “What are you doing here?”

  “Moving, obviously.”

  “I thought you were giving us the weekend.”

  “Yes, but I called Hades, and he said it was okay.” She would never admit she was lonely, that she couldn’t stand to be alone for even a single day.

  It annoyed me that she’d immediately asked Hades for permission when this was my home too, but since she was a grieving widow, I let it go. It wasn’t like Hades and I were home doing it all over the furniture. “Need help with anything?”

  “No. The staff is bringing in my suitcases.” She was in a skirt with a buttoned jacket, looking like the prime minister’s wife. She stepped inside, examined the grand entryway with approval, and then turned back to me. “So, how was last night?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Private.”

  “That’s not what I was asking. I just meant, did you have a good time?”

  “Yes.” I hadn’t been fucked like that in two years. It felt goddamn amazing.

  “Where is your husband now?”

  It took me a second to understand her question because that title took some time to settle into my bones. Hades was my husband now. That was how everyone would refer to him…as my husband. “Work.”

  “Wow, he’s dedicated. That’s a good trait in a man.”

  “He’s a drug dealer,” I said sarcastically.

  “He’s more of a distributor.”

  “Whatever,” I said. “I don’t think that qualifies as a good trait.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Give that man the respect he deserves. It’s easy to break the law, but it’s not easy to build the billion-dollar empire he’s started entirely on his own. That takes guts. That takes brains. And it takes big balls too.”

  “You’re seriously going to hold out on me?” Esme asked as she sat across from me. “Come on, that gorgeous man took you to pound town, and you ain’t gonna share the details?” Her third glass of wine sat in front of her, and she pried more than usual because her blood alcohol level had spiked.

  “We had sex. That’s it.”

  “You’ve told me some personal stuff about your lovers over the last two years. And then with this guy—”

  “This guy is my husband now. It feels weird to share intimate details.”

  “If they’re positive details, I doubt he cares. Every man wants a woman to say how amazing he is in bed.”

  He was amazing. With top-notch skills and desire that burned the room around us, he was the best lover I’d ever had. But now we were in a partnership based on trust and loyalty, so sharing details felt like a betrayal. “He’s good in bed. I’ll leave it at that.”

  “Is that why you’re so tired today?”

  “Yes…we didn’t sleep much.”

  She smiled. “Well, thanks for giving me that.”

  “What about you?”

  She shrugged. “No one new on my radar.”

  “There were a lot of bachelors at the wedding.”

  “Yeah. But the only man I liked didn’t even know I was there.”

  “Who?” I didn’t know every name on the guest list, but I could probably figure out who she was talking about.

  “The best man.” She swirled her wine before she took a drink. “That man is gorgeous.”

  “Damien.”

  She shrugged. “Never got his name. Every time I tried to talk to him, some other woman beat me to the punch. He had so much pussy handed to him that he didn’t even need to look around.”

  Damien was a handsome guy. With a built musculature and a classically handsome face, he reminded me of Hades in a lot of ways. “He and Hades are really close. I could ask Hades about him—”

  “God no,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t chase.”

  My phone started to vibrate on the table as I got a call. It was Hades. Since we were out in public, I ignored the call and sent him a text instead. I’m out with Esme. Be home later. It was hard to believe that four-story mansion was home now, that my husband was the biggest drug dealer in this part of the country.

  Is that a joke?

  I ignored his message. She and I changed the subject and started to talk about work. I hadn’t walked into the hotel since I’d gotten married. Wasn’t sure if it would be any different now that I was married to the man who laundered all our money.

  Ignore me and see what happens.

  I didn’t ignore you. I said I’ll be home later. Bye.

  He didn’t text me again.

  W
hen Esme got cozy with a guy, I paid for my drinks then drove home. I expected to face my husband’s wrath when I walked in the door, but there was nothing I couldn’t handle. I headed upstairs and stepped into my bedroom.

  He was sitting on the balcony in his sweatpants, the phone pressed to his ear as he talked quietly. His building was the tallest one in the vicinity, so he didn’t have to worry about anyone staring at him as he enjoyed the view.

  I slipped off my heels and placed my jewelry on my nightstand. It’d been a long day, and I was ready to wind down for the night.

  Hades finished up his conversation and set down his phone. His defined back faced me, the muscles rippling with any little move he made. A bottle of scotch was beside him, along with an empty glass. “Get your ass over here.” He only raised his voice loud enough so I could hear his command.

  I didn’t like being bossed around, so I ignored him.

  He spoke again, this time with a lethal tone. “Don’t make me ask you again.”

  It was our first day in marital bliss, and we were already bumping heads like rams. I moved outside and faced him, ready to set the parameters of this relationship. My arms crossed over my chest, and I didn’t blink at his intimidating physique. “I told you not to boss me around. You’re my husband, not a dictator.” Did he expect me to abandon my social life just because I had settled down? The only thing that would be different in my life was the man in my bed. Everything else would stay the same.

  He didn’t speak a word, but the hostile gaze gave an entire speech. His jaw was clenched tightly, and his fingers balled into a fist onto the table. This was the version of Hades I didn’t see often—the king of the underworld. He stared at me like he couldn’t decide how he would punish me—but either option was equally cruel. His muscles swelled with blood, and his frame turned rigid like a piece of steel. There wasn’t a hint of attraction in his eyes, as if I were nothing but an enemy to him.

  He rose to his feet.

  And I stepped back, instinct kicking in.

  He cocked his head slightly as he studied me, brown flames dancing across the surface of his eyes. “As husband and wife, our bond is sacred. Our loyalty is unbreakable, our trust is undoubtable.” He took another step toward me. “When you call me, I will answer—always. We’re partners. We’re accomplices. We’re family.” He backed me up farther. “Don’t you pull that shit ever again.” When my back hit the stone wall and there was nowhere for me to go, he pressed his face closer to mine. “When you see my name on the screen, you don’t fucking hesitate. You take that call like it’s life and death. Disrespect me like that again, and this won’t last.” His nostrils flared before he backed up. “Our bond needs to be stronger than the mafia’s. We need to be loyal like fucking gangsters.” He turned around and walked into the bedroom, his body still tense with all the rage that hadn’t dissipated.

  I’d been expecting a different argument, bullshit about jealousy and possessiveness. Now I felt humbled by his speech. I’d brushed him off like this was a normal relationship, but it was anything but typical.

  I followed him inside but didn’t know what to say. Once I apologized, he would have all the power again—and I didn’t like giving up a single ounce if I didn’t have to. I stared at his muscled back as my tongue tasted the words before they came out of my mouth. “I’m sorry…”

  “Don’t be sorry.” He turned around and faced me once again. “Be better.”

  There he went…pissing me off again.

  “There’s no one in the world you can trust more than me. I’m the man who will die for you, who will kill for you. Other people will talk shit the second you turn your back, and I’ll be the man that sticks up for you. Through thick and thin, through better or worse, I’m the man in your corner. Your allegiance is solely to me. I don’t give a shit if you’re out having a good time. I’m more important than anything you could possibly be doing. My life could change in an instant, so you better take my fucking call because you never know when it might be the last time we’ll speak.”

  “I said I was sorry…”

  “I don’t give a damn if you’re sorry. I don’t care about your apology. Just do as I say.”

  My arms crossed over my chest, and I sighed.

  He stared down at me with those dark eyes, still pissed off. “I could have a gun pointed to someone’s head, and I’d still take your call. You’re the most important thing in the world to me…and you’ll never have to doubt if that’s true.”

  “Alright. Lesson learned.”

  He still seemed livid, like my cooperation wasn’t enough damage control. “Take off your clothes.”

  “I said I was sorry and…what?” I didn’t process his command right away. I assumed he wanted to continue to vent his frustrations. Once it became clear, my eyes narrowed, and I questioned everything I just heard.

  “I said, take off your clothes.” He pushed off his pants and boxers, his dick hard even though he’d been yelling at me for ten minutes. Sculpted and strong, he stood proudly with his feet planted into the ground, his cock pointed at me like I was a target.

  “I thought we were fighting.”

  “And now we’re done.” He moved toward me to reach for the zipper at the back of my dress.

  I thrust my palm into his chest. “Are you crazy? You’re mad, and I’m in a pissed off mood.”

  “So?”

  “So?” I asked incredulously. “I don’t want to have sex right now.”

  “That’s too bad.” He grabbed my dress and got the zipper down before I slapped his hand away.

  “Too bad?” I stepped back. “I’m not in the mood right now.”

  “I can change that in thirty seconds.”

  “Wow…fuck you.”

  His eyes narrowed in anger, and he moved toward me again. “Let me explain something to you. When I come home, I want to have a drink, fuck, and then go to sleep. I’ve already had a drink, so you’re the next thing on my list.”

  “I’m not a slave, Hades.”

  “No. But you’re my wife, and that’s what wives do—bend over so their husband can fuck them.”

  “Asshole.” I shook my head.

  “Couples fight. They get angry with each other. Life goes on.” His powerful arms hung by his sides, the cords in his skin prominent along his muscles. He had been much kinder to me yesterday, but once our clothes were off, he turned into this aggressive man. A man who needed sex more than anything else. “My wife is the sexiest woman in the goddamn world, and I’m not an asshole for wanting to screw her. It doesn’t matter how pissed off you make me, I’m gonna want you as much as I did last night. So take off those goddamn clothes and bend over.”

  “You’re still demanding me to do something—”

  “You married me so I could protect you, preserve your hotel, and chase away the bad guys. I’ve upheld my end of the bargain—now it’s time to uphold yours.”

  “That’s so romantic…”

  He raised his brow. “You don’t think a husband wanting his wife is romantic? A man who wants one woman so much that it drives him fucking crazy? A man who will be faithful even when he doesn’t have to because there’s only one woman he wants? That’s the most goddamn romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” He grabbed the sleeves of my dress and yanked them over my shoulders so the material would slip down my body and land on the floor. “On the bed. Ass up. Face down.” He moved into me, his face tilted down to mine with menace in his gaze.

  I didn’t want a man to speak to me that way, but my body responded to his command, my primal instincts kicking in. A part of me liked the way he spoke to me, the way he ordered me onto the bed so he could fuck me. And I also liked that there was no way out of this—that he would get what he wanted.

  It was very conflicting.

  When I turned down the covers and got onto the bed, he grabbed my ass and forced my face into the sheets. With rough hands, he yanked my thong off my ass and let it sit around my knees. A big cock pressed into m
y entrance, then slipped inside with a forceful thrust.

  I moaned into the sheets.

  He held on to my neck as he positioned himself at the edge of the bed, one foot on the mattress so he could deepen the angle. Then he pounded into me while gripping my hip, his dick so hard, it made my insides ache. Every thrust was deep and forceful, as if this were a punishment as well as a reward. “This is how you will spend your nights for the rest of your life…getting fucked by your husband.”

  6

  Hades

  “Consider it a two-for-one special.” I tossed the two plastic bags of crystal across the table.

  He opened a bag and inspected the contents, crushing a piece with the bottom of his cell phone. Once it was dust, he bent over and sniffed it like he had a runny nose. He leaned back and rested his head against the leather chair, letting the potency affect him instantly.

  “I’ve got a hundred kilos waiting to be transferred to you…as long as we have an understanding.”

  “Chemically, it’s pure. But the asking price is steep.”

  With my hands together on the table, I watched him with a callous expression. “If you want the best, you have to pay for it.”

  “I just took a hit of something similar. Not as good, but half the price.”

  I knew exactly where he’d gotten it. “Do business with Maddox if you want, but don’t do it on my turf. You can sell the cheap shit for a marginal price, or you could sell the good stuff and make a fortune. The answer is clear to me, but if it’s not clear to you, then perhaps I don’t want to do business with you anyway—”