The Skull Crusher Read online

  I looked like I belonged in a strip club.

  I walked to his bedroom and heard the sound of gunshots firing off, like he was watching a movie or playing a video game. I opened the door without knocking and found him leaning back against the headboard, a gaming controller in his hands. His eyes were focused on the TV.

  I was surprised this powerful man had such an amateur hobby.

  I approached the bed and finally got his attention.

  He glanced at me then turned back to the TV. It seemed to take him a second to register what I was wearing. He turned back instantly, admiring the black sequins that hugged my hourglass frame.

  He set the controller to the side and didn’t take his eyes off me. Gunshots continued until his character was killed and the Game Over screen appeared. That intense expression entered his gaze, his blue eyes so scorching they burned. The muscles of his chest and stomach tightened noticeably as he took in my appearance.

  I never put on lingerie willingly, and I loved the way he stared at me. Putting on sex clothes would normally make me self-conscious, but when he looked at me like that, I felt like the sexiest thing in the world.

  He kept his eyes on me as he grabbed the top of his sweats and pushed them down to his thighs, letting his hard cock stretch out and lie against his stomach. The crown was thick and tinted red with blood because he’d ballooned up to size in less than a minute. “Come here, baby.”

  I crawled on the bed and straddled his hips.

  His hands immediately gripped my waist, and his fingers dug into my skin. He squeezed me as he pulled me down so I could feel his hardness right against my clit. He rested against the headboard as his eyes admired the thin material that barely hid my naked body from view. He appreciated the sight like I was a fantasy, like he’d never seen anything more beautiful. His fingers slid to the apex of my thighs, and he unfastened the clasp that kept the material over my cunt. Once it was open, he pressed his fingers against my clit and rubbed me gently.

  I closed my eyes when I felt his intimate touch. Pleasure radiated all through my body because he touched the sensitive area just right. He applied the perfect kind of pressure without hitting me too hard. It felt the same as when I touched myself.

  He pulled his fingers away then gripped my hips. He started to move my body, making me drag my clit against his throbbing length. He guided me back and forth as he rocked back into me, using his dick to apply the same pressure.

  My hands snaked up his chest, and I forgot that I’d come in here to orchestrate my demands. I’d intended to seduce him so I could see my brothers tomorrow, but now I was the one being seduced. My breathing turned labored, and my nails clawed at his skin. My palms snaked up to his shoulders so I could use his frame as an anchor in order to rock my hips harder. My clit dragged against his length, and I felt the climax approach.

  “You look so fucking sexy right now.” He stared at my tits as he clenched his jaw. “The second my cock is buried in that pussy, I’m gonna come. So I need you to come now.” He maneuvered me harder, making me feel the friction even deeper.

  Hearing the longing in his deep voice and seeing the desire in his gorgeous eyes sent me over the edge. I leaned into him and pressed my forehead to his as I dragged my clit against him harder. The orgasm hit me deep inside even though he wasn’t buried between my legs. Like all the other climaxes he gave me, I combusted like an inferno, burning everything around me. Against my will, I whispered his name, said it so many times I couldn’t keep track.

  His hand fisted my hair, and he kissed me hard, kissed me like my performance turned him on so deeply. He claimed me as his own, made me feel like his woman, not his prisoner. His hand slid between my legs, and he slipped two fingers inside my cunt. When he felt the wetness lubricate his fingertips, he moaned into my mouth. “Get on my dick. Now.” He released my hair and pulled his fingers out of my cunt. Then he grabbed his length and pointed his head at my entrance.

  I was lost in a trance, but I had to focus on my goal. I had to focus on the reason I’d come in here in the first place. “I want to see my family tomorrow.” I rose on my knees so he couldn’t force his way between my lips.

  He wore the exact same expression, as if he didn’t hear a word I said. “They say you should never provoke a hungry bear. That’s when they’re the most violent, the most unpredictable.”

  I recognized the threat in his tone.

  “Now fuck me.” He grabbed my hips and dragged me down.

  I fought against him. “Take me to see my family tomorrow, and I will.”

  The anger entered his gaze, and his jaw tightened so deeply it seemed like it might snap. “I’ll think about it.”

  “No. I want your word.”

  His nostrils flared as he stared me down.

  “You aren’t going to fuck me until I get what I want.”

  “And you’re going to regret doing this to me.” His hand moved to my neck, and he squeezed me gently. “I will punish you.”

  I could deal with the punishment later, but I needed to see my brothers now. “I don’t care.”

  His eyes shifted back and forth as he looked into mine. His cock was still rock-hard underneath me, like my disobedience turned him on even more. “Alright. I will take you to see your family tomorrow.”

  I’d finally secured what I wanted, a bit of freedom to tell my brothers what happened to me. They were probably worried sick. They probably even called Lucian to figure out what happened. There was nothing my brothers wouldn’t do for me, even speak to that asshole.

  “And you will pay for this little stunt.” He yanked me hard down his length, forcing himself inside without giving me the gentleness I was used to. He pulled me down all the way so his entire length could sit inside me, surrounded by my wetness and tightness. He inhaled a deep breath as he enjoyed it, his cock twitching noticeably inside me. “Fuck me. Hard.” He guided my hips up and down, showing me the pace he wanted.

  I finally secured what I wanted, even though I would pay for it later, so I upheld my end of the bargain. I gripped his shoulders and bounced up and down, taking his length all the way to his balls. He was impressively long, so I had to rise high before I slid back down to sheathe his entire length.

  Once Balto got what he wanted, he rested his hands on my thighs and watched me fuck him. He watched my tits shake and my thighs tighten as I slid up and down, taking in every single inch the way he liked. “You’re going to be so sore tomorrow, baby. I promise you.”

  10

  CASSINI

  He made good on his word.

  I woke up the next morning feeling the pain between my legs. He took me all night long, and even when I fell asleep, he climbed on top of me and fucked me anyway. My small size couldn’t take his huge cock for more than a few hours, and now I was paying the price for having something so large inside me, fucking me so hard indefinitely.

  I opened my eyes and looked beside me, seeing that Balto was dead asleep. His muscular chest rose and fell slowly with his deep breaths, and it was surprising how much he resembled a bear in hibernation. He was massive, intimidating, and still terrifying even when he was asleep.

  Despite the pain I experienced, I’d still slept well.

  It was nice having him in the building through the night.

  I knew Balto would keep his word and take me to see my brothers, so I got in the shower and got ready for the day. The weather was cooling now that we were in the middle of autumn, so I wore jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with a v neck. Balto didn’t just buy me slutty clothes that made me look like a whore. He also had purchased jeans and t-shirts, casual stuff I could wear while getting a cup of coffee. Lucian was different. He wanted me dressed like a beauty queen at all times.

  I made a bowl of cereal when Balto came down the hallway. In his black sweatpants with slightly messy hair, he poured himself a cup of coffee then opened the fridge.

  I stared at his muscular back and thought about the night before. He’d made me sit i
n his lap the entire time, riding his dick over and over until he couldn’t come anymore. He used me like a toy rather than a human. It didn’t feel like a punishment at all until the soreness kicked in. I wondered if that was the punishment, or if he had something else in mind.

  He pulled out a container of egg whites along with veggies. “I know I should stop asking, but do you want any?”

  “Never.”

  “Alright. I’ll stop asking.” He poured the egg whites into the pan and prepared his breakfast.

  There was a bowl of fruit on the counter, so I grabbed a banana and ate that standing up. “When are we going to leave?”

  “After I finish my workout.”

  “How long is your workout?”

  “An hour and a half.”

  I couldn’t even watch TV that long, let alone exercise that long.

  “Where do they live?”

  “They’re both at work during the day.”

  “Then should we wait until they’re home?”

  “No. They work together, so that’s the best way to see them at the same time.”

  He scooped his food onto a plate and grabbed a fork. Instead of carrying his food to the kitchen table, he stood at the counter and ate. “What do they do?” He scooped a bite into his mouth and chewed. Despite how pissed he was last night, he didn’t seem angry anymore.

  “They run a pasta company. It belonged to my grandparents, and it was passed to my parents. Now it belongs to the three of us.”

  He stopped chewing mid-bite. His eyes slowly turned to me before he started to chew again. When he finished, he set his plate on the counter beside him even though he hadn’t finished his food. “What pasta company is this?”

  “Cardello Italian Cuisine.”

  He stared at me blankly, like that name actually meant something to him.

  “What?”

  His silence continued as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “I doubt you recognize the name since you never eat carbs.”

  “That’s your maiden name? Cardello?”

  “Yes.”

  He looked straight ahead across the kitchen. Then he departed, leaving behind his food and abruptly dismissing the conversation.

  Did he know my brothers? I didn’t see how that could be possible. My brothers did respectable work, while Balto was a criminal. But maybe he knew all the business owners in this city since it was his territory. I followed behind him until I entered his bedroom. “Do you know them or something?”

  He pulled out his workout clothes from the dresser and changed. He slipped on his workout shoes without addressing my question. Then he grabbed his earbuds and walked past me.

  “Are you going to answer me?” I demanded, annoyed by his silence.

  “I’ll be back in an hour and a half.” He kept walking, dismissing me.

  I had no idea what his coldness meant, but I would figure it out at some point today.

  WE LEFT in his truck and headed across the city to where the factory was located. Not once did Balto ask where the business was located. He made all the right turns like he knew exactly where he was going.

  He pulled up to the front of the building and parked along the curb.

  “I should go in alone.”

  He killed the engine and stared straight ahead. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes.”

  “This is going to take longer than fifteen minutes.”

  “Fifteen minutes until I join you.”

  “I really don’t think that’s a good idea…” My brothers never tolerated Lucian, and they definitely wouldn’t tolerate Balto. Case would be particularly vicious. Balto wasn’t afraid of anything, so he might actually hurt one of my brothers if there was too much back talk.

  “I disagree.”

  If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have tried to see my brothers in the first place. “You can’t lay a hand on them. I mean it.”

  “I can lay a hand on anyone I want.”

  “I mean it, Balto.” I stared at him until he met my gaze.

  He stared at me with his pretty blue eyes. As a little boy, he must have been so adorable. But now that he was a man, those beautiful, soft eyes didn’t show even a hint of innocence. “In my world, no one is immune. If they cross me, I’ll have no choice. My best advice to you is to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  “I can’t control them—”

  “And you can’t control me.” He faced forward again. “Fifteen minutes.”

  I’d made my bed, so now I had to lie in it. I left the truck and walked inside the building. After moving down the hallways, I reached the kitchen where Case and Dirk experimented with different recipes. Neither one of them was there, so I continued farther back to the table where Case did all the paperwork. Case sat there, a bottle of scotch sitting next to an empty glass. Dark circles were under his eyes, and it seemed like he hadn’t slept in days.

  I knew the reason why. “Case?”

  Case’s head snapped in my direction quickly, his reflexes sharp. His eyes took me in with shock followed by relief. “Cassini?” He jumped out of his chair and came toward me. “Jesus Christ, where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling all week, and your phone is off. I tried to get a hold of Lucian, but he didn’t answer.” He reached me and wrapped his arms around me, holding me in a way that almost never happened. The last time he’d hugged me like this was when our father passed away.

  “Case, I’m alright.”

  He held me for a moment before he released me. “If you’re alright, then what the hell is going on? You usually check in every few days, and then you just disappear. Did that bastard do something to you?”

  “No, this is what happened—”

  “I’ve gotta call Dirk.” He snatched his phone off the table and made the call. “Cassini just showed up.” He stood with his hand on his hip, still looking pissed even though I was in one piece. “Yeah, she’s fine. Get your ass up here.” He hung up and tossed the phone back onto the table. “We were prepared to ambush him if it came down to it.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me.” When I told him what really happened, he’d want to ambush someone else.

  Dirk ran in a second later, relief on his face at the sight of me. But once he realized I was safe and in one piece, he turned back to the cold and indifferent younger brother. “Don’t pull that stunt again, alright? Case and I were losing our minds.” He came up to me and gave me a one-armed hug.

  “I’ll try.”

  Dirk stood beside Case, his arms crossed over his chest. “What happened? Did he take your phone away or something?”

  “He’s never done anything like that before.” Case was dressed in a gray t-shirt and jeans, tiny drops of sauce splattered across his clothes because he must have been in the kitchen earlier. He had muscular arms and narrow hips, his body type similar to Balto’s.

  “It’s a long story,” I began. “And you aren’t going to like it…”

  Case’s visage darkened noticeably.

  Dirk inhaled a deep breath in preparation.

  “Lucian has one enemy that he’s actually afraid of. I’ve never seen him sweat like a pig, never seen him turn so lifeless. But when this guy walks into a room…he practically cowers.” Lucian was the definition of weak. He punched me in the stomach because I was easy to overpower, but when it came to a real opponent, he turned into the world’s biggest pussy. He let Balto burn his hand without even trying to stop him—because he knew it was a fight he couldn’t possibly win. “We were at the opera house when this man showed up and burned a cigar into his hand. Killed Lucian’s men without making a single noise. I guess Lucian stole from him and didn’t fulfill his end of the deal.”

  “What’s the point in all this?” Case asked. “Is this relevant?”

  “Very.” I knew I only had minutes left before Balto stormed into the place and caused trouble. “The man came back to the house one night and told Lucian to give back what he stole. Or offer his complete allegiance. When Luci
an didn’t cooperate…he took me.”

  Case didn’t react right away because the knowledge was too much to absorb.

  Dirk’s eyebrows practically popped off his forehead.

  “I’ve been living with him ever since,” I continued. “He didn’t give me a phone or freedom until now. There’s a tracker in my ankle, so I can’t run away. And this guy…makes Lucian look like a child. Before you start throwing out threats—”

  “Who the fuck is this guy?” Case snapped. “I’ll stab him in the neck with just a pen and watch him bleed out and die. Who the fuck does he think he is? You’re a person, for fuck’s sake. Not a prized horse that can change hands for the right price.”

  I hated being treated that way too. I hadn’t been a free woman in a long time. I was a piece of property people fought over. They wanted my beauty and the prize between my legs.

  “Who is he?” Dirk asked.

  “There’s nothing you can do, so please don’t start anything.” Balto wouldn’t hesitate to hurt my brothers if they became difficult. I had to keep them calm before Balto marched inside. “He told me he would kill both of you if you moved against him.”

  “I’d like to see him try.” Case’s nostrils flared.

  “He’s going to walk in here in a few minutes,” I said. “He’s sitting outside in the truck.”

  “Is he doing this to torture us?” Case asked. “To dangle his prize in front of our faces?”

  “No…we’re here because I asked him to bring me.” I didn’t want them to worry about me. I wanted them to know I was safe. “He’s a cruel man, but if I’m being honest…I prefer him to Lucian. What I want most is my freedom, to be my own person again. But that’s clearly never going to happen…so at least he’s better than Lucian.”

  Case’s nostrils flared again. “Who is he, Cassini?”

  “I’m sure you don’t know him,” I said. “He’s the leader of some criminal cult. He’s gone most nights doing god knows what. If he scares Lucian, then he really must be dangerous. When he walks in here, maybe it’s best if you say nothing—”