Second Read online

  Liam made it sound like she was obsessed with Damien, like she couldn’t keep her hands off him for a second because it was too difficult. She worshiped him, marked his body with her lips so everyone would know she was his. I’d be doing the same thing if he were still mine…so how could I blame her? “Really? Not even to Hades?”

  He shook his head.

  “You’re best friends.”

  “If it’s at a whorehouse or something, we’ll talk about it. But if it’s a woman one of us is actually seeing, we don’t swap details or anything. Plus, she’s kinda famous, and I’m not gonna share intimate details that she probably wants to remain private.”

  I hadn’t expected him to say that, and that made me like him so much more. “So, you’ve never told Hades anything about me?”

  He shook his head. “I mean, I said the sex was good, but that was it.”

  “And he doesn’t tell you anything about Sofia?”

  He gave a quiet laugh. “No. He doesn’t want another guy thinking about his wife naked.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  “We’re assholes on the streets, but not in the bedroom.” His hands came together, and he rubbed one of his knuckles, like it was sore from punching something earlier in the day.

  I stared at his hands, remembering the way they felt on my body. “You don’t have to stay here with me. I’m not going home until after work tomorrow, so it’s not like I’m doing anything stupid.”

  “I don’t mind sticking around. It’s not like I have plans.”

  “Not even with the model?”

  His eyes hesitated for a moment. “I call her Charlotte. And no…” He rose from his seat and walked to the minibar. He opened up a bottle of scotch and poured it into a coffee mug before he returned to the chair. “I’ll tell Hades the bill is on him.”

  I chuckled. “I’m sure he’ll love that.”

  He drank from his glass then pushed it toward me.

  I grabbed it and brought it to my lips for a drink before I pushed it back to him.

  “So, other than the situation with Liam, how’s life?”

  I shrugged. “Fine. My life isn’t too interesting.”

  “So, then it’s not fine. It should always be interesting.”

  “Well, I’m not a billionaire banker by day and a drug lord by night.”

  He chuckled. “Good point. I’m always living on the edge.”

  “How’s your father?”

  “Good.” He turned serious at the question. “He moved in with me a few weeks ago.”

  “Really?” I asked, surprised he would have a roommate. “How’s that?”

  “It was such a pain in the ass to get him in there. He fought Catalina and me every step of the way.”

  “Catalina?”

  “My sister.”

  “Ooh…pretty name.”

  “It’s a pretty name for an unpretty girl.”

  I rolled my eyes because I knew he was teasing. “Why was he so resistant?”

  “Because he doesn’t want to be a burden. He refuses to accept his old age and lives in the past…like he’s still ripe in his youth. He just has a lot of pride. When I was young, my father used to be strong and authoritative. He took care of everything for the family, worked hard, and stayed in shape. It’s just hard for him to accept his brittle bones, his atrophied muscles, and his aged brain cells.”

  “That’s sweet of you to offer.”

  “It was the only solution to keep him safe. He hardly ever leaves the house, so he’ll be untouchable in there. As long as he’s alive, he’ll always be a liability for me.”

  Because Damien continued to live a life of crime. “What about your sister? Isn’t she a liability?”

  “Yes. But she would never let me protect her. She’s far too independent. I couldn’t talk sense to her if I had a gun pointed to her head. She and I don’t spend a lot of time together, so I think most people don’t know I even have a sister, which is good.”

  “Does Hades know?”

  “Yeah, but he’s my partner.”

  “Is it hard running things without him?” When we were together, we didn’t have honest conversations like this. He kept his life a secret from me, and I didn’t share details about mine either. But now that we were friends, we could say whatever we wanted.

  He took a drink. “It was a lot easier having him around because it was two sets of hands rather than one. But I can manage by myself. I miss the company sometimes, but I see him every day at the bank so it’s fine.”

  “You ever talk to him about the other business?”

  “No. He wants no part of it. The Skull King came to my office the other day to demand his payment, which crossed a line. I got him out of there, but Hades was definitely pissed. I promised it wouldn’t happen again.”

  “Why would he come to your office?”

  “Piss me off.”

  “Is it smart to piss someone off before asking for money?” I asked, genuinely confused by the protocol.

  He turned quiet as his eyes filled with his thoughts. “No. And he’ll pay for it later.”

  The threat was undeniable, and I could feel how much he meant his words. The air around him hummed with life, packed with rage that was audible without his uttering a sound. “Are you going to kill him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then why are you paying him?”

  “Stalling until it’s the right time.”

  I got more of an insight into his life, the kind of stuff he had to deal with. He moved his father into his home to keep him safe, and he made risky moves against his enemies. And his enemies didn’t hesitate to show up unannounced at his place of business. It was dangerous…but it still wouldn’t have changed my mind.

  He finished his drink and pushed the empty cup away. Talking about the Skull King clearly made him angry because he changed the subject. “What did you order?”

  I stared at him blankly.

  He glanced at the plates scattered on the bed.

  “Oh…” My cheeks filled with embarrassment. “Burger, friends, and a sundae.”

  “Nice.” His smile returned.

  “Don’t judge me.”

  “I’m not,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve seen you destroy a pizza.”

  “But I split that with you. With this, I demolished it all by myself.”

  “So?”

  “So,” I said. “I’ll never have the figure of a model if I eat like that.” I didn’t realize how jealous I was of Charlotte until I realized I’d brought her up three different times.

  “A woman at any size can have the figure of a model. And you definitely do.”

  I rolled my eyes to be sarcastic, but his words did mean a lot to me. His lady friend was probably a double zero with perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect everything, but he still made me feel like I could somehow compare. “Thanks…”

  His phone vibrated in his pocket, so he pulled it out and glanced at the screen. He quickly typed a message and returned it to his jeans.

  I wanted to ask who it was, but I knew it wouldn’t be appropriate.

  As if nothing had happened, he changed the subject. “Want to watch a movie?”

  “You don’t have work or something?” Or a sex appointment with a model?

  “No. Quiet night.” He pushed out of the chair and moved to the couch that hugged the wall. He took a seat and grabbed the remote.

  Still in my robe, I sat beside him, keeping several feet between us. This was the last thing I’d expected to do tonight. Liam and I had screamed at each other, and I stormed out. But now, I was in a good mood…a really good mood.

  He turned on the TV. “My favorite movie is on.”

  “Scarface?” I asked. “Really?”

  “What?” he asked, turning to me.

  “It’s just so on the nose.”

  He shrugged. “Hades and I have watched this movie so many times. It’s so good.”

  “I’ve never seen it.”

  “Fuck, we
gotta watch it now.” He turned off the lamp beside him and put his feet on the table.

  I grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and pulled it over my legs. The light from the TV cloaked us both, the flashing lights dancing across our faces. It reminded me of the nights we would sit in front of the fire together. We would talk about anything…or say nothing at all. It felt right, and I wished it felt wrong. I wished it were tense and awkward, that it would be so uncomfortable that he would leave. After our last conversation, I’d assumed it would take a long time for us to bounce back from that. Guess not.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” His frustrated voice shattered me from sleep.

  My head was against the couch, and my eyes were closed. When they opened, I saw the credits playing over the screen and could hear the climactic music.

  “You fell asleep?” he asked incredulously. “During the greatest motion picture of all time?”

  I rubbed my fingers against my tired eyes and yawned. “No…just closed my eyes for a bit.”

  “Traitor.” He got to his feet and cleared the dirty dishes off my bed.

  “What are you doing?” I was repulsed by him cleaning my mess, the plate with a huge pile of ketchup where I dunked my fries, the lettuce that had been pulled off the burger because I didn’t like any vegetables on my meat sandwich, and the clear bowl of melted ice cream and the leftover cherry I never ate.

  “You’re gonna sleep in this?” He set the plates on the tray then grabbed the cherry out of the bowl. He bit the fruit off the stem before tossing the remains onto the tray. He carried everything to the table and set it down.

  I was humiliated that he’d not only witnessed my pigsty but cleaned it up too. At least he didn’t wipe off the crumbs. I pulled off the blanket and got to my feet.

  He walked up to me and crossed his arms over his chest, wide awake even though it was almost two in the morning. “Please tell me you watched at least half of it. What was the last thing you remember?”

  “Uh…” I couldn’t remember any of it at all, but I knew the most iconic scene in the movie from pop culture. “When he has the gun and shoots everyone…”

  His eyes narrowed in disappointment. “Goddammit. You know what, we’ll watch it again sometime. And I’ll make sure you stay awake.” His phone vibrated in his pocket, the noise audible, so he grabbed it, checked the screen, and quickly slid it back into his pocket.

  I wondered if it was Charlotte, but I didn’t dare ask.

  “I’ll let you get some sleep.” He grabbed the remote off the couch and turned off the TV before he walked to the door.

  I walked behind him, watching that strong back stretch the material of his jacket. He had wide shoulders that led to muscular arms, and while he wasn’t bulky like Liam, he was lean and cut. I’d always liked Liam’s strength, but once I tried something new, I realized I liked that better.

  He turned around before he opened the door. “Call me if you need anything.”

  I wished I could. I wished I could call him for all my problems.

  He didn’t cross the threshold and disappear. His eyes were glued to my face, and he studied every reaction I made, the slight shift of my eyes, the way I subtly pressed my lips together when I was uneasy.

  The atmosphere suddenly became heavy with intensity, and we no longer had the TV on for background noise. Now it was just quiet, quiet enough to hear each other breathe. How long would it be like this? Or would it always be like that?

  “Can I hug you?” he asked quietly, his deep voice making my tummy tighten. “Or should I just go?”

  Was I a terrible person because I wanted him to hold me? Because I wanted to feel those strong arms wrap around me and suffocate me? Because I wanted to smell his cologne? Because I wanted his clothes to smell like me in the hope Charlotte would notice? Yes, I was a terrible person.

  When I didn’t answer, he opened the door to leave.

  Instinctively, my hand reached for his forearm, feeling the hardness because he was all muscle and bone. My fingers couldn’t close around his arm because he dwarfed my size, even if he was on the lean side. I tugged him toward me.

  He moved with the pull instantly, like he’d been waiting for me to do just that. His arms circled my shoulders, and he rested his chin on the top of my skull. His hard chest pressed against mine, his clothes smothering me with the sexy smell of his cologne and body soap. His grip tightened as he squeezed me, and he held me far too long for a simple hug.

  My cheek rested against his chest, and I closed my eyes as my arms held him around the waist. Did it always feel this good? I’d had this every single day, so it was no wonder I lost my mind. The hardness of his chest was distinct, a special feeling I had never noticed on another man. His narrow waist was solid, my hands touching the strong muscles of his lower back. I could feel his chiseled abs because those were just as much of a concrete wall as his chest.

  Seconds turned into minutes…and then a lifetime.

  His hands eventually glided down to my waist, his fingers stroking my frame through the softness of the cotton. He gave me a gentle squeeze, feeling my body intimately, the way he used to. After a deep sigh, he pulled away. “Goodnight, baby.”

  I stilled at the nickname. He hadn’t called me that in a long time, and it rolled off his tongue like it was just yesterday when the endearment last left his lips.

  He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. He clearly had no idea what he’d just said, didn’t even notice the error of his ways. It was so natural to him that nothing felt out of the ordinary.

  “Goodnight, Damien…”

  12

  Annabella

  I wore the same outfit I’d worn yesterday because I didn’t have a change of clothes. I couldn’t stand wearing makeup to bed, so I washed my face and went to work rocking the natural look.

  Sofia came into my office, and since she noticed every little detail, she knew I was in my clothes from yesterday. “Never went home?”

  I shook my head. “I came downstairs and went straight to work.”

  “So, you and Liam haven’t made up yet?”

  He still hadn’t texted me. If I didn’t go home after work tonight like I usually did, he would probably start chasing me down. “No. He gave me some space.”

  She sat on the edge of my desk. “That’s good. We all need time to clear our head sometimes.” She didn’t ask what our fight was about, but she was obviously curious. “Hades and I don’t argue much anymore, but if he wanted to leave, I wouldn’t stop him…even though I’d want to.”

  I couldn’t picture them fighting. Hades was the most dedicated man I’d ever met. He looked at his wife like she was sent from heaven. Even if she’d done something, he probably wouldn’t give a damn. “We were having dinner last night, and Liam asked if he could return to death fighting. The conversation turned sour, and I lost my temper…dishes broke…and I bailed.”

  “Death fighting?”

  I guess Hades didn’t talk about his work much. “Liam is a professional fighter. That’s how he made his fortune. Death fighting is when two fighters fight to the death. There’s a lot more money on the table, a lot more glory. He did it a couple of times until I asked him to stop. Now, he wants to go back…and I got upset.”

  “That’s intense.”

  “Yeah…” I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. “I just don’t get it. He finally has me back, so why would he want to gamble his life like that?”

  She shook her head. “You’re asking the wrong person. When I first met Hades, I never understood his obsession with the underworld. Our hotel was overrun with the mob and gangsters, and it didn’t make him blink an eye. He was already rich, so why continue a life full of death and risk? But…it’s a man thing.”

  “But he stopped.”

  “Only because of our family. If it were just me, he would probably keep doing it.”

  “Then maybe we need some kids…”

  She chuckled. “It’ll definit
ely change him.”

  “Yeah.” But I wasn’t sure if I could have children. After my miscarriage, I was too afraid to do further fertility tests.

  “Liam agreed, right?”

  “No…not technically.” The conversation never got that far. “But my answer is final, and he won’t talk me out of it. It’s hard enough for me to watch him fight normally. Adding his life on the line…I can’t live like that, like every day is his last.”

  She nodded. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. He loves you, so he’ll do as you ask.”

  “Yeah…” Sometimes I wondered if he enjoyed his single life more than he let on. Because he could do whatever he wanted, stay out as late as he wanted. Now, he was used to that and forced into the confines of marriage. He forgot there were two of us now, not just one. He was probably used to the stupid bimbos who agreed with whatever he said, who were turned on by the scars and old broken bones. That wasn’t me. I wanted him healthy, even if that meant we were living in my old, shitty apartment. I could be just as vicious as him in the ring—just with my words.

  Sofia slid off the desk. “Let me know how it goes.”

  “I will.”

  She walked out of my office, her hand on her stomach.

  She didn’t ask about Damien, so I assumed she had no idea he spent most of the evening in my hotel room. We had deep conversations, watched a movie, and then hugged on the doorstep like it was the last time we would see each other. I was glad he came over and cheered me up, but his visit also bothered me. Our relationship was easy, natural. Why couldn’t Liam and I be that way? Why was it so hard for us to be what we used to be?

  When I came home and hung up my coat, the house was dead quiet. There was no sound of Liam making dinner in the kitchen. His heavy footsteps weren’t loud against the hardwood floor as he walked around.

  It didn’t seem like he was home.

  I slipped off my boots and set my purse on the entry table before I stepped farther into the house. I stopped at the doorway that led to the kitchen and dining room. The kitchen island was empty, and there were no pans on the stove. Most of the lights were off, and it was getting dark because the sun was almost gone. When I turned to the dining table, I saw him sitting there, like a monster in the dark, rigid and quiet. He didn’t look at me, his head slightly down as he slouched in the chair.