The Skull King (Skull 1)

He gave a slight nod. “I’m assuming he has money, so all the more reason.”

I asked the bigger question. “So, you could do that?”

The corner of his mouth rose in a smile, the only boyish charm he possessed. “In a heartbeat. Tell me that’s what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”

It was what I wanted. I wanted a new start, a new life. I wanted to meet a man I loved and start a family. Right now, my future was set, and there were no opportunities. But as a free woman, anything could happen. And that gave me hope.

But I’d chosen my path.

I knew nothing about Balto, and I couldn’t put all my faith in him. I wouldn’t just be putting my life on the line—but my brothers’ asses well. Not to mention, Balto could be slain if he was overconfident. “No.”

His eyes fell in disappointment.

“I appreciate it…but no.”

The disappointment faded away and was replaced by a venomous fire. “You honor a promise that’s taken away your freedom. I respect you for keeping your word, because when we’re gone, our word is our legacy. But you’re too young, too beautiful to give up. You made a mistake, and you shouldn’t suffer for the rest of your life for it. Maybe being his mistress for a few months would have been reasonable…but his wife? You really want to live the rest of your life like this? What about when he wants to have kids? You’re going to have to grow them and give birth to them…and every time you see their faces…you’ll see his face.”

The thought was enough to make my body tighten with disgust.

“I’m giving you a way out, baby. Take it.”

“Why are you giving me a way out?” I asked, not looking at him.

He took forever to answer. “You deserve better.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Balto. And it’s too much of a risk. If things go south, he’ll kill my family. He’ll kill you. He’ll torture me.”

“It won’t go south,” he said quietly. “This guy is no match for me.”

“That’s exactly why I worry—because you have no idea who he is. You’re arrogant—and arrogance is the number one way to get killed. Let’s just let it go. I come over here and we have amazing sex…but then we start talking, and everything gets ruined. So how about we just stop discussing this stuff?”

He stared at me quietly, his argument dead in his gaze. I’d just asked not to talk and only screw, and that had to be exactly what he wanted.

“I love coming over here because I can pretend my life is different.” I pulled the sheets higher over my chest and hid my tits from view. “I love pretending I’m a single woman screwing a beautiful man. I can be sexy…I can be free. It’s my escape. You’re my escape, Balto. I want it to stay that way, but if you keep talking about things I don’t want to discuss…I don’t know how this can work.”

18

Balto

That was a dream come true, listening to a woman say she didn’t want to talk. She just wanted to screw then leave. It was exactly what I wanted from a woman—the bare minimum. But with Cassini, I was disappointed she rejected my offer. I saw a special woman choose an ordinary life. It seemed like such a waste. I wasn’t even sure why I’d offered to help her, to proclaim war on an opponent I didn’t even know. I’d warned Heath not to be reckless, but here I was, being reckless for some woman. I’d never been so hypocritical in my life.

But I did as she asked and didn’t bring it up again.

You couldn’t help someone who didn’t want to be helped.

I was a busy man, so why should I spend my energy helping her anyway?

It wasn’t like she meant anything to me.

When I was inside her again, her anger disappeared, and she turned into the lustful woman I desired. Her nails clawed at my chest, and her tits shook as I fucked her. Her eyes filled with unbridled passion—and all of her desire was focused on me. She kept her knees close to her body, so I had plenty of room to get between her legs and pound her pussy.

Her nails dug into at me harder, her breath growing deep and labored. Her eyes started to close as the enjoyment overloaded her mind. Then the moans came, uncontrollable and incoherent. “Balto…like that.”

I didn’t respond to commands, but I responded to her orders. I wanted to please her the way she asked because her orgasms always got me off so hard. All the muscles in my back tightened painfully because her performance did crazy things to me. My ass worked until it was stiff to keep thrusting inside her. My dick would be sore tomorrow, and I wasn’t letting her leave until her pussy was sore too.