The Skull Crusher (Skull 2)

“If he’s that ambitious, he’ll challenge you eventually.”

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

“So, who we are stalking right now?” He turned his gaze out my window.

At that exact moment, the object of my bloodlust appeared. Dressed in a dress shirt and tie, he stepped out of the lobby doors and down the concrete stairs. In slacks and a fancy watch, he looked like a banker and or an accountant. He had classic good looks, a nice jawline, and pretty eyes. A wedding ring sat on his left hand.

I despised this man more than all my enemies.

“Is that who you were waiting for?” Heath asked, picking up on my intensity.

“Yes.” I watched him walk to his car on the sidewalk and get inside. He started the engine then drove away. I stared him down as he passed, but he was so oblivious, he didn’t even notice the threat in my eyes.

“And who is he? Seems harmless.”

He was harmless to me, but not to the woman in my bed. He’d hurt her beyond repair, sentenced her to a life she didn’t deserve. The man deserved payback far worse. “His name is Evan Alfonsi.”

“Is that name supposed to mean something to me?”

I started the engine and turned my gaze on my brother. “He’s the asshole Cassini sacrificed herself for. She married Lucian to spare his life, and now he’s married with a kid. But he only waited three months before he tied the knot.”

Understanding slowly moved into his gaze. “And now it’s time to even the scales?”

I nodded. “I’m not letting him get away with that.”

My brother stared at me for a long time, like he wanted to say something but thought better of it.

I could read his mind. “I respect this woman. She’s had to live a terrible life, all because of him. I’ll never let her go, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think she deserves better. She deserves a lot better.”

“So you’re going to kill this guy?”

“No.” I hit the gas and pulled onto the road. “Just make him shit his pants a bit.”

Evan was a loan officer at a bank. He had a private office in the back of the hallway, which made it the perfect location to catch him off guard. Heath and I sat in the lobby until our names were called, like two regular people looking to get a loan.

We moved down the hallway.

“What’s the plan?” Heath asked under his breath.

“There is no plan.” I stepped inside the office and found Evan sitting behind his desk. Now that I was up close and in the same room, I took in his features, failing to understand why Cassini thought she’d loved this man at one point. What was there to love? He might be handsome, but he wasn’t built the way I was. He didn’t have that confidence in his gaze that I possessed. I doubted he could fuck as well as I could.

He finished typing his email before he rose to his feet. “I’m Evan, the chief loan officer here. Nice to meet you both.” He extended his hand to shake mine.

I ignored it and took a seat in the leather armchair.

Heath did the same.

When Evan realized my dismissal was intentional, he slowly lowered his hand and took a seat. “Alright…how can I help you?” He smoothed the front of his tie down his chest as he sank into the leather chair. His upbeat demeanor dissipated in light of our coldness.

My hands rested on the armrests of the chair, and my fingers slowly drummed against the leather. This man wasn’t worthy of Cassini. Ordinary and boring, he had nothing special about him. I shouldn’t be surprised that he hadn’t had the balls to defend her from Lucian. “Cassini Cardello. That’s what you can help me with.”

That caught him off guard visibly because his entire body tightened at the name. He slowly leaned back against his chair, distressed at the mention of his old lover, the lover he betrayed. He glanced at my brother then again at me, sizing up his two opponents.

We both knew he didn’t stand a chance.

Evan stayed silent, probably because anything he said in that moment would only hurt him.

I said nothing because the silence was powerful enough to unnerve him.

Heath turned to me. “Should we check his underwear? Looks like he shit himself.”

Evan’s eyes shifted back and forth between the two of us. “Leave before I call the cops.”

The pathetic threat was so sad, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “A real man makes his own threats. He doesn’t run to the police for protection. He protects himself. I have no idea what the hell Cassini saw in you. You’re a fucking pussy.”

Evan grabbed the phone and made the call.

I smiled. “This is just sad.”

Evan spoke into the phone. “I’ve got two men in my office threatening me.” He started to describe me. “Tall, brown hair—”